How to Get Started with Affiliate Email Marketing from A to Z: The Ultimate Guide

In the expansive universe of digital marketing, email marketing shines like a superstar.

Email is the place where relationships and revenue come together, and no matter your experience as an affiliate marketer, you're probably always thinking on how to maximize conversions, foster loyalty, and grow your income with your email lists.

To achieve success, you need to improve your affiliate email marketing campaigns and start putting together emails like a true professional.

But how do you get started? We'll... We're here to break it down for you step by step.

But first, let's go over some basics.

What is an Affiliate Email?

An affiliate email is a specialized type of message that's part of an affiliate email marketing strategy, aimed at promoting products or services. Unlike traditional affiliate marketing, where your audience stumbles upon your affiliate link embedded in website content or blog posts, affiliate emails deliver these promotional links straight to your subscribers' inboxes.

Think of it like this: If your blog is a billboard showcasing products with affiliate links, then affiliate emails are like personalized flyers delivered to your customers' digital doorsteps. When a subscriber clicks on one of these links and makes a purchase, you (the sender) earn a commission. Multiply this by the thousands of subscribers you might have, and you can see why it’s such a big deal.

It’s important to remember that even though affiliate links are used, affiliate email marketing is still email marketing at its core. This means that to really make it work, you need a rock-solid email marketing strategy to go along with your affiliate email campaigns, inlcuding delivering real value to your readers and piquing their interest with your content.

So, if you've got a growing online business and are looking to maximize your earning potential with affiliate marketing, adding an affiliate email marketing campaign to your outreach strategy could be a game-changer for your business.

Why Using Email for Affiliate Marketing is a Good Idea?

Email marketing stands out as a powerhouse in the affiliate marketing world for one simple reason: it just works.

It's direct, personal, and highly customizable, which means affiliate marketers can tailor their messages to fit their audience like a glove. When you share the right affiliate links via email, you're sending them to people who have already shown interest in what you have to say. This warm audience is more likely to engage with your content and, ultimately, click through and make a purchase.

If you're interested in building an affiliate email marketing list, make sure you read one of our previous articles on how to do it.

How to Use Affiliate Email Marketing

First off, let's talk marketing automation.

You can set up your emails and let them run their course, hitting inboxes around the globe without you lifting another finger. You can even use different AI tools for affiliate marketing to create content, visuals and even set up campaings. But don't forget to also add your own personality and twist into the actual email content.

For affiliate email marketing to work, you have to make sure you have the right content to hook your audience.

And by the way, emails break down borders and barriers, which means your affiliate promotions can reach anyone, anywhere, as long as they have an inbox. And since almost everyone does, you're looking at an audience that's not just huge, but also diverse. This can easily turn into an ongoing passive income stream with a little effort.

Tracking Your Affiliate Email Marketing Campaign is Crucial

Luckily, tracking email performance is a breeze - if you know what you're doing, that is.

Most email marketing platforms come with built-in analytics, so you can review your open rates, click-throughs, and conversions as they happen. And by having access to this data, you can then tweak your emails to maximize perfromance.

But it's not all about numbers. Email helps you build strong relationships because you're not just reaching out; you're connecting, establishing trust, and making your subscribers feel like VIPs at an exclusive club.

Make Sure You're Affiliate Link Ends Up in the Right Place

Already have a list of contacts? Perfect.

Email marketing lets you introduce affiliate products to a ready-made audience, shifting them from curious subscribers to eager buyers.

Emails are your stage, and every send is a performance that can captivate your audience, keeping them engaged, interested, and ready to act on your recommendations.

Email marketing for affiliates is something definitely worth trying: it's a personal, measurable, and cost-effective strategy for affiliate efforts, that's all about turning connections into commissions.

Top Steps on How to Get Started with Affiliate Email Marketing

If you're ready to launch your journey into affiliate email marketing, than this section is your treasure map, guiding you through the essential steps on how to start an affiliate email marketing campaign that not only will capture attention but also convert that attention into tangible earnings.

Whether you're a savvy affiliate marketer or just getting your feet wet, these top steps will give you a solid foundation to build your affiliate email marketing empire.

Let's get the ball rolling and turn those leads into gold.

1. Know What You're Getting Into

Before you hit 'send' on your first email marketing campaign, make sure you remember that email marketing is a strategic act.

It's not about flooding inboxes with random messages and links—it's a refined process of selecting products or services to promote that resonate with your audience, and attaching these products to gripping stories and engaging content.

Crafting emails that engage and inform, and then strategically including affiliate links is how affiliate email marketers should go about their business.

When your subscribers find value in your recommendations and make purchases through these links, that's when you earn your commission. But it's more than a transaction; it's about building trust, offering solutions, and creating a narrative that fits seamlessly into your audience's daily lives and email routines.

2. Pick the Right Niche or Products

First, you need to have an audience, or at least an email marketing niche group in mind that you will be promoting to. For example, you could choose to promote online marketing or business courses and coaching programs to newbie entrepreneurs.

Then, you'll have a good understanding of what their challenges are and what they need in order to be successful. Start by choosing affiliate marketing products that vibe with your audience. Pushing something that doesn’t resonate with your audience won't work, and will also make you look spammy.

To find great affiliate products to promote, you can dive into the Digistore24 Marketplace that's full of hot and high-converting offers.

3. Break Your Audience Down

Segmenting your email list means better engagement. Most email marketing platforms offer many list segmentation options. This simply means categorizing and tagging your audience based on where they are in your customer journey.

Did they just opt-in to get your lead magnet? Have they been on your list for a while but never bought? Segmenting people according to criteria like these helps ensure the right message gets to the right inbox.

4. Pick an Email Service Provider

Before you can start sending emails, you need to choose an email service provider, or ESP. Think of an email service provider (ESP) as your friendly neighborhood mailman but in the digital world. Just like how the mailman delivers letters to your mailbox, an ESP is a service that helps you send out your emails to all your subscribers' inboxes.

It's like having a powerful toolbox that lets you not only send emails but also organize your list of people, design cool-looking emails without needing to be a tech whiz, and keep track of who's opening and clicking on your emails. It's also vital for segmenting your audiences (so you can keep track of people who have already bought from you and those who haven't, for example).

So, if you're stepping into the affiliate marketing arena, an ESP is your go-to buddy for keeping in touch with your audience and driving your campaigns forward.

5. Build That Email List

You need an audience to email, right? Start with catchy opt-ins and valuable content. Work with affiliate partners so you can cross-promote to each other's lists. If you're wondering how to grow that list, we’ve got a killer guide on the Digistore24 Blog you can check out, or the amazing Affiliate Marketing Academy video below.

The most important thing to know is that people have to agree to receive emails from you--this usually happens automatically when they opt-in to get your free lead magnet or buy a low-cost digital product from you.

But they still have to confirm that they want to be on your list. You can't just send cold emails to random people--getting their consent ensures that you won't get in trouble for breaking CAN-SPAM and GPDR laws or end up getting slapped with fines.

There are many strategies for how to build your affiliate marketing email list...

6. Craft Some Killer Emails

Get your target audience to click with awesome email content. This should be the cornerstone of your affiliate marketing efforts. Mix in eye-catching visuals, punchy CTAs, add your affiliate links (but not in every single email, provide value first), and don't forget to add a bit of your personal flair.

Develop your own marketing assets, like a logo, a good header for emails, and some customized graphics. Find a good email marketing software (or ESP) that lets you format and customize your emails with your branding and other ways to make them visually appealing. Then launch some email campaigns!

7. Make It Personal

Let's be honest, everyone loves a personal touch. Use names, and customize content. Also, share stories from your own life and make the emails sound like a personal conversation--they should never come across like a spammy sales pitch!

It makes your audience feel special and boosts those open rates. Also, make sure you are only sending affiliate links for offers that fit your audience. Don't send fitness offers if people got on your list because of a bizopp affiliate program you have.

8. Track Your Affiliate Links

Commissions begin to flow seamlessly, but that's just the beginning. To maintain and increase your earnings, your involvement is crucial. It's about engaging and interacting effectively. Observe and analyze your subscribers' behavior to refine and personalize your communication.

By segmenting your audience, you gain insights that can enhance both your email open rates and click-through rates, keeping your commissions on the up and up. Also, most affiliate programs have a dedicated affiliate tracking dashboard to help you track the effectiveness of your email marketing.

9. Always Be Improving

Never settle. The mantra in affiliate email marketing is simple: there’s always room for improvement. Settling for the status quo isn't an option. Start by experimenting with personalized subject lines that speak directly to your reader’s interests or current challenges.

Mix up your content with various styles—some subscribers may respond better to storytelling, while others prefer straight-to-the-point bullet lists. Then you can mix up your send times. Maybe your audience loves a mid-morning read with their coffee, or perhaps they’re night owls who engage with content after dark.

Use the data at your disposal to keep refining your approach, and remember, the magic formula for success in email marketing is a blend of creativity, data analysis, and a willingness to adapt based on your audience’s feedback and behaviors.

10 Best Email Marketing Tools for Affiliate Marketing

Stepping into the realm of affiliate marketing, you quickly realize that your email list is your most treasured asset. It's the direct line to your audience, your personal crowd of potential buyers. But to turn those potential buyers into actual revenue through an affiliate email marketing campaign, you need the right set of tools.

The best email marketing tools are more than just software; they're the catalysts for your marketing strategy, helping you craft, send, and track your email campaigns with precision. They're your behind-the-scenes powerhouses that automate the mundane, unleash your creative potential, and sharpen your targeting.

Whether you're nurturing leads, promoting hot new products, or announcing flash sales, these tools ensure your message hits home every time. So, let's dive into the digital marketer's toolkit and explore the top email marketing tools that can supercharge your affiliate campaigns.

These are all excellent options for creating, sending, and tracking your affiliate email marketing campaign. Their seamless integration with Digistore24's robust affiliate network and marketplace provides businesses with a direct line to their customers' inboxes.

Conclusion

Jumping into affiliate email marketing might seem like a big leap, but with the right approach, tools, and a bit of grit, it's totally doable. 

So let's get your affiliate revenue skyrocketing and start building your email list and launching email marketing campaigns! Just remember to stay true to your audience, keep it real, and always be looking for ways to improve. Happy emailing!

Want to become a Digistore24 affiliate? Simply go here to register for free.