Optimizing The Opt-In: How Top Brands Are Converting At Better Rates

Conversion rates are mediocre at best, according to most organizations recently surveyed by Intuit Mailchimp for its The Art Of The Opt-In report.

And the art of “maximizing the pre-opt-in moment” is something even the best brands would love to harness better.

“Despite the fact that most brands are actively adding contacts to their email and SMS lists, very few are converting visitors at their full potential,” says the report, which found 48% are reporting a 6-10% conversion rate and 34% are reporting an 11-20% rate. “Our Top Converters are an elite 8% of brands achieving conversion rates of over 20%… [who] break out of the middle by refining the fundamentals: trust-building signals, friction-free experiences, cross-channel consistency, and clear value exchange.”

The conversion challenges most marketers face are “largely experience-oriented,” including achieving completed sign-ups despite too much friction (40%) and personalizing or targeting visitors effectively (40%). Other hurdles include creating compelling incentives (37%), measuring and tracking performance (32%), and “ambiguity around how much information they actually should ask for” (32%).

(Source: Intuit Mailchimp)

“Success is about removing friction, increasing relevance, and orchestrating smarter, more strategic pre-opt-in experiences,” the report says. “The brands that convert at the highest rates are the ones who excel at clarity, personalization, value exchange, and measurement.”

“In short, the Top Converters are winning because they’ve mastered the art behind the opt-in, not just the mechanics.”

For more information about how to improve your email deliverability, download A Beginner’s Guide to Email Marketing by Mirabel’s Marketing Manager: