Boosting Open Rates With Authentication
Technology is beginning to lend a hand to beleaguered email marketers. A recent study by Iconix suggests that open rates increased substantially when visual authenticity icons were used, as much as 404% in one case. (As reported by Pamela Parker on ClickZ.)
Since Iconix sells authentication services, the study will need to be corroborated independently, but the results are in line with similar studies carried out by others. And the results are promising. Results tended to be largest for sites that were most frequently the tools abused by phishers. But even online retail sites’ missives saw a healthy 40% increase.
Users tend to open mail from sources they trust. This is one more way to put more trust into the system. And all ways are welcome. (Affiliate Classroom magazine devoted an issue to email marketing in March, 2006. Some other authentication methods were discussed there.)
If you’re using any authentication methods, let us know how that’s working for you.