With the subscribe by email opt-in method, subscribers can send an email to an ActiveCampaign-generated email address in order to opt into your list.
Take Note
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Subscribe by email uses a single opt-in process.
This means that when contacts opt into your list with this method, they will not receive an opt-in confirmation message to confirm their subscription. They'll be added as an "Active" contact to your list right away. -
Each account uses a single, unique email address.
This email address is automatically generated when you enable the subscribe by email opt-in method for your list(s). Each list uses the same email address. -
You can use a filter to determine which list contacts will be added to.
If you're enabling the subscribe by email opt-in method for multiple lists, you can determine which list a contact will be added to by creating a different keyword for each list. When a contact sends an email to the system-generated email address, we'll look for the keyword in either the subject line or email body and add them to the appropriate list. -
Contacts can be added to more than one list when they subscribe using this opt-in method.
You have the option to add a contact to multiple lists once they opt in using the subscribe by email opt-in method. -
This opt-in method will create a contact record using only their email address.
The email address used will be the email address that the contact sent the message from. It will not add any additional information for the contact, such as first name or any other custom field information.
Setting up the Subscribe by Email opt-in method
- Click Contacts on the left menu.
- Click Subscriptions by Email under Manage.
- The Subscriptions by Email page will load. Click either "Add" button.
- To let contacts subscribe to your list, choose the subscribe email address listed in the Email address dropdown menu.
- In the "Used in Lists" box, click the list you set up the Subscribe by Email opt-in for. If you want contacts to be subscribed to more than one list when they send an email, hold the SHIFT key on your keyboard and click the lists with your mouse.
- Next, you will select either the Subscribe or Unsubscribe action. Choose "Subscribe" to let contacts subscribe to your list.
- The “Use Filter” option will help us determine which list to add contacts to when they submit an email to the subscribe email address. While this step is optional, we recommend using a filter if you wish to set up the subscribe by email option separately for each list. When a contact uses the keyword you specify here, they will be added to the list that corresponds to that word.
To create the filter, click the "Use Filter" box:
Next, choose to have the system look for the keyword in either the subject line or body of the email that the contact will send to you to subscribe.
Then, choose an operator from the following options:
Contains
Does not contain
Equals
Does not equal
Finally, type the keyword in the keyword field.
In this example, we used the subscribe action. Then we created a filter that will look for the keyword, "News" in the subject line of an email. If a contact sends an email to the subscribe email address with the word "News" in the subject line, they'll be added to our list as an opted-in subscriber:
- When you've finished setting up the subscribe by email opt-in method for your list, click the "Add" button.
The subscribe by email opt-in option for the list will be added to the Subscriptions by Email page:
How to use email opt-in method
To collect opt-ins to your list with this method, you can share this email address, along with instructions to use a keyword, in the following ways:
- On your website
- In your email signature in your personal email client
Once this email address receives an email, it will parse the contact's information and create a contact record for them using only the sender's email address. Note that it can take several minutes for a contact to be added to your list using this method.
Learn other methods of adding contacts to your ActiveCampaign account.