Maximize Email Subscription Confirmation Conversions with Sniper Links

Manrado Gorgio -

Small business entrepreneurs —what we might call side hustlers— often struggle with a crucial aspect of email marketing and email newsletter growth. Specifically, they are not good at ensuring that interested subscribers complete a double-opt-in subscription confirmation process.

Despite genuine interest, many potential subscribers fall off at this final hurdle —by some estimates, more than 50 percent of would-be email subscribers never complete a double-opt-in subscription process. This challenge highlights the need for innovative solutions like "sniper links" to streamline the way email subscriptions work.

Here is an example of a sniper link from the Growth Design website. Dan Benoni at Growth Design was among the first marketers to popularize email confirmation sniper links.

Sniper links point to a given email client's search URL and aim at the confirmation email message's subject line.

This direct routing significantly simplifies the process for the subscriber. He clicks. His email client —think Gmail— opens to its search page with the confirmation message right at the top of the results page. It does not matter if the message ended up in the inbox, promotions tab, or spam folder. Ingenious, right?

The sniper link leads directly to the email client's search results page, placing the email confirmation right at the top. It does not matter, in this case, if the email message landed in the inbox or spam folder.

Implementing sniper links requires a basic understanding of URL structures for different email clients.

Email Service Sniper Link Structure
Gmail https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/{keyword}
Outlook https://outlook.live.com/mail/search?q={keyword}
Yahoo Mail https://mail.yahoo.com/d/search/messages?keyword={keyword}
AOL Mail https://mail.aol.com/webmail-std/en-us/suite?searchIn=mail&query={keyword}
ProtonMail https://mail.protonmail.com/inbox?keyword={keyword}

In these structures, {keyword} is replaced with a specific term that is likely to be in your subscription confirmation email, such as your company's name or the specific subject line of the confirmation email.

Is Email Confirmation Necessary?

While sniper links can be highly effective, some email newsletter growth experts argue against the necessity of email confirmation itself. They advocate for good email list hygiene practices, noting that confirmation rates can be dishearteningly low.

This school of thought suggests that regular cleaning of your email list for non-engaged subscribers might be more beneficial than insisting on an initial confirmation step.

Bottom Line

Sniper links present a novel solution to a common problem in email marketing and email newsletter growth.

When you simplify the subscription confirmation process, you can, perhaps, increase confirmation conversion rates.

However, it is important to balance this strategy with good list management practices and to consider the varying perspectives on the necessity of email confirmations. Ultimately, the right approach depends on your specific audience and business needs.

If you are starting or running a small business, be it full-time or as a side hustle, email will be one of your most important tools.