How to build an email list for affiliate marketing?

Are you looking for a new way to increase your affiliate earnings? Email marketing is there for you! “Wait, isn’t it dead?” you might ask. Well, not even a bit. Did you realise that there were 3.9 billion active email users back in 2019? Minding that world’s population oscillates around 7.8 billion people it’s easy to count that is almost half of the world who send and receive emails every day. Checking an email is also one of the first things we do every morning. Don’t we? So, are you ready to build an email list to widen your source of income? Let’s jump right into it! 

Still don’t know what’s that earning from home all about? Check our blog and find out for yourself!

5 easy steps to build an email list

If you still don’t use email marketing for your business, you’re missing out. I’m going to show you how to build an email list in these few little steps!

1. Sign up for an email provider

After you create your website, blog or whatever it is, it’s time to start integrating your email campaigns. Your first step to building an email list is to get an email marketing provider. That software solution will send out emails automatically to your list. You create a visually attractive email in the platform editor, schedule it and it gets sent out to your list. Easy right?

But there are a few things that you have to remember. Make sure you follow legislative guidelines when it comes to sending out emails. And what I mean by that is that you need permission from your subscribers. Many countries have anti-spam laws that govern how to legally add people to the list and how to email them lawfully. Such laws apply to you, so make sure you understand what you can and cannot do. Another thing to keep in mind is the possibility to sign out. A person that provides you with permission to send emails must be able to opt-out. Make sure you put such an option in an accessible location, e.g. in the footer of each email.

2.Optimize your site with sign up box

Integrate opt-in forms on your website. What’s an opt-in form? It’s an online form where users provide their name and email address to subscribe to your email list. Make sure your signup form is visible. Try out different timings for pop-ups to test what brings you the greatest benefits.

Your email marketing provider usually provides you with widgets that you can embed on your website, so be sure to add one anywhere you feel appropriate.

3.Create automated email

Make an automated email flow in your account. This will assure your subscribers get the email you want on an assigned number of days after subscribing. Automated emails will save you a lot of time, and assure you can send out high-quality emails. With a prepared email flow, you can send out the exact emails at the exact moment. A steady stream of emails let you keep your audience engaged.

You can also spend some time creating email marketing campaigns. When you send a campaign, you’re sending out a series of emails on a specific topic, offering information and educating your audience on it. Start by creating a welcome campaign to send to your subscribers and tell them what you and your website can offer.

4.Produce good quality content

Your content needs to be amazing for subscribers to keep coming back. Keep your audience entertained and informed and they’ll keep opening messages from you. Research new information in your niche and update your subscribers with interesting facts. Focus on what your audience might be interested in instead of what you want them to be. Do you want to produce even better content? Why don’t you try storytelling? If you still don’t know what that is, check our blog and find out how to use storytelling to earn more.

5. Mind exclusive email content

Now, this is a great opportunity to get new subscribers for your email list. Make sure you provide your audience with exclusive content, which can only be accessed by signing up for your email newsletter.

Good practices to try

• use the name of the recipient in the greeting - personalization works wonders. A personalised email makes people more connected with you and feels more personal. Whether you use the first name or the last depends on your audience, but keep your emails friendly and informal.
• give a little sneak peek - publish your latest newsletter on your site and give people a preview on your newsletter. When they get a glimpse of your content, they’ll be more encouraged to sign up for the newsletter.
• don’t spam - send your newsletter consistently: on certain days and at a certain time. Think about how often your subscribers would find an email appropriate. There’s no need to send out emails five times a day. People might find it boring and annoying. Try once or twice a week - that’s enough.
• don’t repeat yourself - bring new information to your subscribers and don’t repeat yourself. You might end up losing a part of your audience or have them ignore your emails.
• make sure you do it legally - check all of the rules before you start. You don’t want your emails to be discouraged or even banned.
• share, not sell - you are sharing information, not selling affiliate products. Keep this in mind when writing your affiliate marketing emails. Think about personalizing the recommendations and keeping the affiliate links to a minimum.