Double opt-in is a process that adds an extra step of verification for your subscribers before they are added to your contact list.
Instead of joining your list immediately after signup, new subscribers will first receive a confirmation email. They must click the verification link inside that email to complete their subscription.
This practice ensures:
Only valid email addresses are collected.
Spam sign-ups are reduced, since fake or mistyped addresses cannot confirm.
Improved deliverability and engagement, because your lists contain genuinely interested and verified subscribers.
Example: If a visitor signs up through your webform but enters a wrong email (like [email protected] instead of [email protected]), the confirmation will fail, and the invalid contact won’t be added.
Higher-quality contact lists: Keeps your database clean and free of bots or fake sign-ups.
Compliance with regulations: Supports GDPR and other data protection rules by ensuring clear consent.
Brand trust: Subscribers who confirm their emails are more engaged and less likely to mark your emails as spam.
Better inbox placement: ISPs often treat confirmed subscriber lists more favorably, improving overall inbox delivery rates.
Follow these steps to activate double opt-in for your account:
Log in to your Mailercloud account.
Navigate to Accounts → Preference tab.
Locate the Double Opt-In section.
Use the toggle switch to enable or disable double opt-in.
By default, double opt-in is disabled for all clients.
You can configure double opt-in at the webform level to ensure only verified subscribers are added when they use your forms.
Create or edit a webform.
Go to the Options tab.
Enable the Double Opt-In setting.
Publish your webform.
Once enabled:
Every subscriber who submits the form will receive a confirmation email.
Only after clicking the confirmation link will the subscriber be added to your Mailercloud account.
Webforms will display two counters:
Form Submission Count – total number of submissions.
Contact Confirmation Count – number of subscribers who completed the confirmation.
Tip: This helps you measure how many sign-ups are successfully verified.
Double opt-in can also be applied to subscribers added via:
Mailercloud API
Third-party integrations (e.g., CRMs, signup tools)
When enabled:
All new contacts added through these methods will receive a confirmation email.
Contacts will only appear in your account after confirming.
This ensures that external tools feeding data into your Mailercloud account also follow the same quality standards.
For an added layer of protection, you can enable Google reCAPTCHA on the confirmation link. This prevents automated bots from confirming subscriptions.
Go to Accounts → Preference tab → Double Opt-In Settings.
Under Security Options, toggle Enable reCAPTCHA on Confirm Subscription link.
Why use it?
Prevents bots from clicking the confirmation link automatically.
Ensures only real users complete the subscription process.
You can fully customize the confirmation email that is sent to your subscribers.
Go to Accounts → Preference tab → Double Opt-In → Configure Settings.
Under Confirmation Email, you can edit:
From Name – the sender name your subscribers will see.
From Email – the email address used to send the confirmation.
Subject Line – make it clear, e.g., “Confirm your subscription to [Brand Name]”.
Reply-To Email – optional email address for replies.
Mail Preheader – a short preview text that appears after the subject.
Email Template – customize the design and content of the confirmation email.
After editing, click Save and Continue.
Best practice: Keep the subject line short and clear (e.g., “One last step – confirm your subscription!”) to encourage quick confirmation.
After subscribers confirm their email, they are redirected to a Thank You page. You can set this up in two ways:
Default Hosted Page – Use Mailercloud’s built-in Thank You page. You can customize its content and design.
Custom Redirect URL – Redirect subscribers to your own webpage (e.g., a branded thank you page, or a page offering a welcome discount).
Example: An e-commerce store can redirect confirmed subscribers to a “Thank you + 10% discount code” page.
If you’re using a Free Mailercloud account, some limitations apply:
The confirmation email template cannot be edited.
The confirmation email will include Mailercloud branding.
The Custom Redirect URL option is not available (only the default Thank You page can be used).
Always use clear language in your signup forms so users know they’ll receive a confirmation email.
Customize the confirmation email subject line to increase open rates.
Regularly check form submission vs. confirmation counts to track engagement.
