Double opt-in: confirmation email not arriving?
With double opt-in, a sign-up only counts once the confirmation link is clicked. Some of those emails land in spam, some are never opened. This guide shows why, and how subscribers can confirm their address by sending one email instead.
- Why confirmation emails get lost
- Clicks that are not people
- Confirmed by a signed email
Christian Schätzlein, Founder and developer of Sendity
3 min read
Spam folder of a new subscriber
Example
-
Mega Deals Only today: 90% off 08:02
-
Parcel service Your parcel is waiting 08:41
-
After Hours Kitchen Please confirm your sign-up 09:15
Your email The confirmation, between ads and phishing.
-
Account support Verify your account now 09:37
-
Lucky Draw You have won! 10:05
Sign-ups by message. No form, no code.
Sendity is a sign-up widget for your website. Instead of filling in a form, your visitors send one short message via WhatsApp or email. Sendity checks who it came from and hands your site the name and the confirmed phone number or email address.
See how Sendity works →-
One message instead of a form Visitors tap send in WhatsApp or their email app. Nothing to type, no confirmation email to click.
-
Confirmed by the message itself The contact comes from the sender of the message, so typos and made-up addresses never reach your list.
-
Pay per confirmed contact Start with 1,000 free credits, no credit card. After that, prepaid packages with no subscription.
Between the sign-up and the click lies an email you do not control: it has to arrive, be found and be clicked.
Spam filters
A confirmation email from a sender the inbox does not know yet, with a link and a request to click, looks like many phishing emails. Filters treat it accordingly.
Typos
If the address is mistyped, the confirmation goes nowhere. The subscriber waits, then forgets about it.
Never clicked
The email arrives later, in another tab, on another device. Many subscribers simply never come back to it.
Clicks that are not people
Security filters in companies open links in incoming emails automatically to check them. A sign-up can then count as confirmed although no person clicked.
Confirming in the other direction
With reverse OTP, the subscriber sends a short email with a code from their own inbox. Sendity checks its DKIM signature. Nothing has to arrive, nothing has to be clicked.
Confirmed by sending.
How a newsletter sign-up by reverse OTP works.
Tap to subscribe
The mail app opens with recipient and code already filled in.
Send the email
Sendity checks the DKIM signature and that the sender domain matches.
The address is confirmed
Your page shows the confirmation, and your newsletter tool receives the verified address.
Confirmation link or confirmation by sending?
Both confirm that the address belongs to the subscriber. They differ in what can go wrong on the way.
| Aspect | Confirmation link | With Sendity |
|---|---|---|
| Spam folder | The confirmation can land there | Nothing has to arrive |
| Typos | The confirmation goes nowhere | The address comes from the sender |
| Automatic clicks | Security filters can confirm without a person | Only a sent, signed email counts |
| Steps | Type address, open inbox, find email, click | Send one prepared email |
What confirming by sending changes.
What happens when the subscriber sends the confirmation instead of waiting for it.
No email to wait for
Sign-ups no longer get lost between spam folder and forgotten tab.
Confirmed by the inbox itself
The DKIM signature shows that the email came from that inbox, not from an automatic link check.
A cleaner list
No typos and no made-up addresses, which also helps the deliverability of your newsletters.
Live on your page in minutes.
Sendity runs as a compact widget on your page. Pick the path that fits your website.
Confirming email addresses: common questions.
Why do confirmation emails land in spam?
A new sender, a link and a request to click: that pattern resembles phishing. Correct SPF, DKIM and DMARC help, but they do not guarantee the inbox.
What is DKIM?
A digital signature the sending mail server adds to every email. It shows that the email really came from that domain and was not changed on the way.
Does this replace double opt-in legally?
The sent email documents that the sign-up came from that inbox. Whether that is enough as proof of consent in your case is something to check with your privacy advisor.
Can I keep my newsletter tool?
Yes. Sendity replaces the sign-up form and the confirmation email, not the tool that sends your newsletter.
Keep reading.
Reviewed for accuracy in by Christian Schätzlein.
Newsletter sign-ups without a confirmation email.
Try the live demo on your phone. It takes ten seconds.