Loyalty Register glossary
Opt-in
A consent model where a member must take a clear action, such as ticking an empty box, before the program can send them a type of message.
To opt in means to choose actively to take part in something, instead of being included by default. In marketing, the opt in meaning is narrower: a person gives clear permission before a business sends them a type of message or uses their data for a purpose, for example by ticking an empty box, switching on a toggle or texting a keyword to a short code. “Opt in” is the verb; “opt-in” is the noun and the adjective, as in “an opt-in form.” In a loyalty program, joining and opting in to marketing are usually separate choices.
Updated · By Loyalty Register Editorial TeamRelated terms
Is opt-in better than opt-out?
With opt-in, nothing happens until the person says yes. With opt-out, it happens by default until the person says no. Opt-in gives a smaller audience made of people who chose to listen, which usually engages more and complains less. Opt-out reaches more people, but some channels do not allow it.
Where is opt-in required?
- EU marketing and data use. The European Data Protection Board says valid GDPR consent must be freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous; silence, pre-ticked boxes and inactivity do not count, and separate purposes need separate consents.
- US text messages. FCC rules require prior express written consent, a signed written agreement naming the phone number, for telemarketing calls and messages sent to cell phones with an automatic dialing system. In practice, SMS marketing in the US runs on opt-in.
- US email. Opt-in is not required by federal law. The FTC says a business does not need members’ consent to send them marketing emails, although members can opt out. Many programs use opt-in everywhere anyway, so one process fits every market.
What makes an opt-in valid, and what is double opt-in?
The member must see what they are agreeing to before they agree. A good opt-in states the channel, the kind of messages and roughly how often, and links to the privacy notice. The box or toggle starts empty, and agreeing to marketing is not a condition of joining the program. The program records the time, the source and the exact wording shown, so it can prove the consent later.
Double opt-in adds a confirmation step, such as a link in a follow-up email or a reply to a text. It checks that the contact details are correct and that the person who signed up controls them. Some sign-ups are lost at the second step, but the list that remains is cleaner.
How can a loyalty program raise opt-in rates fairly?
Ask when the value is obvious: when a member saves a favorite store, sets up order tracking or reaches a reward. Explain the benefit in plain words, such as “Get your points balance and member-only offers by text, about twice a month.” Offer channel-by-channel choices and a preference center. A rate pushed up by pre-ticked boxes or confusing wording produces an audience that never decided to listen, and it shows up later as complaints and opt-outs.