I’m back to the email marketing course, and this lesson is about opt-in pages. 

Like any business, you need to make a great first impression. The first impression is the web page where visitors decide whether they will sign up. This happens on an opt-in page in which people provide their email addresses to opt-in to your list.

The success of an email marketing business depends on the opt-in page getting as many subscribers as possible.

The three most important elements of the opt-in page:

1. Headline - This is the most important element of the opt-in page. It should immediately connect with the visitor by promising a solution to his or her biggest problem or pain point.
2. Benefits - The remaining words after the headline should focus on the benefits that the visitor will receive from the free gift that will be provided. This could be a sub-headline or bullet points. The best benefit is a free gift. This is an incentive to offer visitors in exchange for providing an email address. The word “FREE” is the single-most-important word on an opt-in page and is mandatory. It should be used multiple times.
3. Opt-in box - This is the place where visitors enter an email address. There should be no question about where to click to get the free information. Many buttons in the opt-in box say “submit” or “sign up” or “subscribe” but these are not as effective as “FREE INSTANT ACCESS.” 

Opt-in pages usually have one of two designs: 1) visually-intensive pages with an emphasis on pictures or videos, or 2) benefits-intensive pages with more text. Everything on the page should be directing the visitor’s eyes to the free incentive and the opt-in box. Everything else is unnecessary and should be removed. 

The only button on the opt-in page should be in the opt-in box and ideally, it should have the word “FREE.” In addition, most buttons you see are a dark yellow or gold color because those tend to lead to the highest conversions. 

Arrows can be used but should always point to the opt-in box. A badge or a seal can also be used and works best if it includes the word “FREE.”

There is a variation of the opt-in box called the “2-Step Opt-in.” In this method, the opt-in box does not have a form for the email address. There is only a button. Once the visitor clicks the button, a popup window appears with the form to submit an email address. On a typical opt-in page, the presence of an opt-in form can subconsciously translate as “give me your email!” This can create a reluctance or hesitation creating an obstacle. With a 2-step opt-in, the obstacle is removed. People are trained that a button is used for downloading or accessing something. Studies have shown that using a 2-step opt-in can increase conversions by as much as 30%. 

Visual principles to follow

• Keep the opt-in and all important elements “above the fold” meaning in the main part of the web page that you can see without scrolling. 
• Place the opt-in box on the right. Most languages are read left to right, so the eyes will have a tendency to drift to the right and to the opt-in box.
• Keep the design simple with high contrast and readability. Dark and brightly colored letters on light backgrounds or pure white letters on dark backgrounds. Use a max of two font colors. Use simple sans serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial.
• Mobile first. Even though you usually design your page on a laptop or computer, you want to test it on mobile since that is how the vast majority of people will see it.