How to Build an Email List for Affiliate Marketing: The Complete Guide (2023)
An email list can be one of the best ways to monetize your affiliate website and drive revenues.
But of course, it takes time and if you don’t know what you’re doing, you might end up wasting a lot of time and money.
…and that’s what we will help you with today!
In this post, you’ll discover the step-by-step process to build a high-converting email list as quickly as possible – without spending a penny out of your pocket.
Why Should You Build an Email List?
An email list is one of the best ways to monetize your products and sell them to your audience. It offers a lot of great benefits, and if you aren’t already, you should be building your list NOW.
#1: A Massive ROI
Email marketing has the highest ROI out of all marketing channels – a whopping 4,000%.
…and 18% of companies achieve ROI greater than 7,000%.
It can completely skyrocket your revenues and make your business profitable if you know what you’re doing.
#2: The Most Effective Marketing Channel
Acquiring customers via email is super easy compared to other marketing channels.
In fact, email marketing acquired 40 times more customers than Facebook and Twitter combined – and our experts can confirm that this is true!
It’s because email is super-personal and you usually give away something for free to your leads in exchange for their email address.
#3: Protect Your Audience
Your email list is YOUR property, unlike any other marketing channel.
You might be capturing leads via blog posts and SEO, but what if Google changes the algorithm and your site will get a penalty?
…or if you’re on social media, your account might get shut down and you’ll lose your audience.
With an email list, you’re the one owning it, so there is no risk of getting shut down.
Building an Email List for Affiliate Marketing
Everybody should be building an email list.
However, it may seem difficult at first, especially if you don’t know where to start. And that’s what we’re going to cover in this section.
You’ll discover the step-by-step process to build a huge email list that converts.
#0: Choose an Email Provider
The very first thing you need to do is to sign up for an email marketing service. This is software that will allow you to:
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Send automated emails
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Track open rates and CTR
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Segment your audience to be relevant
There are a lot of options you can choose from.
You have to do your research to find out which platform has the capability that you need and is within your budget.
Here are some of our best picks:
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Klaviyo
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ConvertKit
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MailChimp
Read on to figure out which email marketing platform is the best for you.
#1: Create a Valuable Freebie
Leads won’t just hop on your email list – you must give them a compelling reason to do so.
To do that, you’ll have to create a freebie (A.K.A. a lead magnet) which is a FREE, useful resource your leads desire.
Here are some of the most high-converting types of freebies:
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Ebook
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Guide
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Checklist
#2: Craft a Landing Page
Once you’ve crafted a lead magnet, it’s time for a landing page.
A landing page is a page where leads land and give you their email address in exchange for a lead magnet or freebie.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating a landing page.
It does not have to be complicated, just make sure it’s intuitive, engaging, and tailored to your audience.
#3: Create Automated Emails
Technically, you don’t have to create these emails before you start building your list, but we highly recommend you do so. They’ll likely set you up for success and keep your email list engaged.
Of course, you don’t have to create complicated email sequences.
Instead, all you have to do is to create a few basic emails like a thank you and welcome email.
…or an indoctrination sequence like this:
Either way, just make sure you create at least a few basic automated emails.
#4: Produce Great Content
If your content sucks, no one will get on your list.
Your content needs to be amazing for subscribers to keep reading your emails. Keep your audience entertained and informed and they will keep opening your messages. Make sure you update your audience with interesting facts or news from your niche.
The key is to focus on what your audience might like to read instead of what you want them to read. Also, be sparing with affiliate promotions.
You don’t want to come across as a salesperson, this might lead to losing your subscribers.
#5: Build Your List
Now it’s time to promote your lead magnet wherever and whenever possible.
What this looks like heavily depends on whether you already have an established social media following or some other audience you can leverage.
Here are some ideas you can use to promote your freebie:
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Pop up & banners on your website
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Ask others to help you promote it
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Social media platforms
Make Sure You Stay Consistent & Be Patient
Building an email list takes a lot of time – it’s not an overnight process.
Unfortunately, most marketers give up because they don’t get the results they expected immediately. Don’t be like them!
If you stay consistent, you will see your subscribers slowly start taking up higher and higher.
…and then it’s all about sending emails regularly and providing value.
Ready to Build Your Email List?
Building an email list is a MUST for every affiliate marketer. It can completely skyrocket your sales and help you make thousands in revenue. But how do you start and actually get some subscribers to your email list?
That’s what you’ve discovered today – you’ve learned the best strategies to build a successful list. All you have to do now is to put it into practice.
Good luck!
