Use Coregistration To Generate Quality Leads

Writen by Mitchel Harad

Co-registration, once a little-known Web marketing tool, continues to quickly garner widespread usage. First used by just a few of the largest online marketers, co-registration has gone mainstream as marketers discover that it is a simple and cost-effective way to quickly build a large mailing list of potential customers.

Co-registration leverages the online sign-up process. While it is most common on Web sites for Internet tools, like free email or file storage, it can be implemented on any site where users are required to register. Co-registration takes advantage of the information input by users in the registration form to sign them up for additional services, often by simply checking an opt in box at the end of the form. Nearly every Internet user has come across co-registration on Web sites such as Hotmail and Yahoo.

The benefit of co-registration is a tremendously high volume of leads from interested customers, generally on a return-on-investment-friendly cost per action (CPA) or cost per lead (CPL) basis. Opt in rates can be as high as 15 percent to 20 percent, resulting in thousands of new leads daily. This makes co-registration a highly effective tool to quickly build a large mailing list or recruit a potential customer base. Plus, with email list rental prices as high as 20 cents to 30 cents per name, co-registration can help you build and own a mailing list for about the same cost as just one or two list rentals.

Many Web sites have taken notice of this revenue opportunity, which has resulted in a rapid increase in the number of sites where co-registration is offered. With dozens of new outlets available, co-registration is a fit for many marketers' needs and budget.

Here are points to consider when creating a co-registration campaign:

Placement is everything. Partner with Web sites that have user base demographics similar to your own to produce the highest-quality results. Long-term co-registration partnerships will result in heavy overlap between your user base and your partners', so be sure to weigh that risk, especially when partnering with potential competitors. A small number of networks now offer co-registration services, thereby simplifying the site selection process.

Follow-up is key. Users obtained through co-registration have likely never been to your Web site and may quickly forget that they have signed up for it. Co-registration provides you with a steady stream of leads; it's up to you to convert them into customers. A thorough email follow-up plan designed to convert co-registration leads into active users yields the best results.

Price is fluctuating. With prices rapidly changing for most online marketing tools and limited history for co-registration, prices currently vary widely from 25 cents to 25 dollars per co-registration. Factors affecting price include the amount of information collected from each user, the quality of a partner's user base and negotiating skill. ROI calculations are key when determining price, based on conversion rate and customer acquisition cost. Avoid opportunities priced on an impression or click basis.

Keep it simple. Typically, co-registration offers users just a one- or two-sentence description of the service for which they are signing up. Gear copy and information requirements toward gaining qualified leads, not lifelong customers. Consider incorporating a promotion, such as a sweepstakes or free newsletter to increase opt in rates.

Never require an opt out. While most co-registration is done on an opt in basis, occasionally some programs are run on an opt out basis. With opt in rates frequently as high as they are, sacrificing quality to increase quantity via opt out is a poor trade-off.

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Mitchel Harad is a renouned expert in online marketing, who has founded, lead and sold two pioneering and successful companies. You can visit his blog Mess You Made for further insights on online marketing trends and strategies.