M5.C2: Choosing Your Email Service Provider
by Abhigyan
Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools in your affiliate arsenal.
It allows you to build relationships, deliver value, and recommend products in a way that feels personal and authentic.
But to unlock the true potential of email marketing, you need two things: the right email service provider and a solid automation setup.
Choosing an email service provider can feel overwhelming.
There are dozens of options out there, all promising different features and pricing. But don’t worry—we’re going to simplify it for you.
In this chapter, we’ll help you choose an ESP that fits your needs as a beginner affiliate marketer.
We’ll also walk you through setting up your very first email automation so you can start delivering lead magnets and welcoming new subscribers effortlessly.
Disclosure: Some of the links I share might be affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission as a thank you. But don’t worry, it won’t cost you anything extra. I only recommend stuff I genuinely believe in. Your support helps me keep creating awesome content. You can read my full affiliate disclosure in my disclaimer page.
At its core, an email service provider is the platform that powers your email list.
It helps you collect email addresses, design opt-in forms, send campaigns, schedule automated emails, and track performance.
In short, it’s your control center for communicating with your audience.
The beauty of using an email service provider is that it handles all the heavy lifting for you—things like ensuring your emails are compliant with privacy laws, managing unsubscribes, and making sure your emails don’t get flagged as spam.
It also gives you tools to personalize your messages, organize your contacts into segments, and monitor who opens and clicks on your emails.
For affiliate marketers, your email service provider will become your direct line to your audience.
This is where you’ll share your latest blog posts, offer free resources, recommend helpful tools, and promote affiliate products.
So it’s not just a technical tool—it’s a relationship-building hub.
What To Look For In A Email Service Provider
Before you start comparing platforms, it helps to know what features really matter.
You don’t need every bell and whistle right out of the gate, but there are a few essentials you shouldn’t compromise on.
First, your email service provider should offer simple list building tools.
You’ll want easy-to-create signup forms and landing pages that can be embedded on your website or shared on social media.
Look for drag-and-drop form builders or templates you can customize without coding.
Second, automation is a must. You’ll want the ability to trigger emails when someone signs up, clicks a link, or performs another action.
This lets you deliver your lead magnet instantly and follow up with a welcome series automatically.
Next, look for tagging and segmentation. As your list grows, you’ll need a way to organize your subscribers based on interests, behaviors, or previous email interactions.
This makes your emails more targeted, which leads to higher open and click rates.
And finally, ensure the email service provider is affiliate-friendly.
Some platforms, like Mailchimp, have restrictions around affiliate links or disallow certain types of promotions.
Always check their terms of service or community guidelines to confirm that you can run your business without risking account issues.
Popular Email Service Providers Among Affiliates
Let’s take a closer look at a few beginner-friendly email platforms that are popular among affiliate marketers.
These platforms strike a balance between ease of use, useful features, and fair pricing.
MailerLite is an excellent option for beginners. Its interface is clean and simple, with an intuitive drag-and-drop editor for both emails and landing pages.
It offers automation, tagging, A/B testing, and reporting—even on the free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers.
MailerLite allows affiliate links as long as you’re transparent and not spammy. It’s a fantastic choice if you want something straightforward and reliable.
Mailshake is another top contender, especially for creators and bloggers. It focuses on simplicity, with a visual automation builder that makes creating sequences easy.
The platform offers tagging, powerful segmentation, and a free plan that includes automation. And yes, they offer a free plan with 250 email sends per month.
Mailshake is known for being creator and affiliate-friendly, with no restrictions on promotional links as long as they’re valuable to your audience.
GetResponse offers a more robust feature set, including landing pages, sales funnels, webinars, and e-commerce tools.
It’s slightly more advanced than the others, but still accessible to beginners.
If you plan to scale your affiliate business or eventually sell your own products, GetResponse could be a great long-term platform.
There are other platforms out there—like Brevo, AWeber, and Mailmodo—but for simplicity and affiliate-friendliness, the three above are solid starting points.
Creating Your First Email List
Once you’ve chosen your email service provider, it’s time to start building your email list.
Your list is the digital address book of subscribers who’ve given you permission to contact them.
Give your list a clear, meaningful name—something like “Affiliate Tips Newsletter” or “Free Course Subscribers”—so you can identify its purpose later.
After your list is created, the next step is to design a signup form or landing page.
Most email service providers allow you to create embedded forms (which you can place on your website), pop-ups, and full-page opt-in pages.
These forms should connect directly to your email list and be visually consistent with your brand.
Your opt-in form is where subscribers enter their name and email address in exchange for your lead magnet.
Keep the form simple—don’t ask for too much information. A first name and email address are usually enough.
Make sure your headline and copy are aligned with the promise of your freebie. The clearer and more appealing your offer, the higher your conversion rates.
Before publishing, double-check the form’s settings.
Many email service providers use a “double opt-in” system, which requires subscribers to confirm their email before receiving your content.
While this can improve deliverability, it can also create friction.
For higher conversions, you might start with a single opt-in and later switch to double opt-in if needed.
Setting Up A Welcome Automation
Once someone subscribes to your list, you want to greet them warmly and deliver your promised lead magnet.
That’s where your welcome automation comes in.
Automations let you send pre-written emails triggered by subscriber actions, saving you time and ensuring a consistent experience.
Inside your email service provider’s automation section, create a new workflow or automation triggered by a new subscriber joining your list.
The first email should go out immediately and include the lead magnet download link.
Think of this email as a digital handshake—it’s your chance to say thank you, introduce yourself, and let subscribers know what to expect from you moving forward.
Write your welcome email in a conversational tone.
Start with a friendly greeting, thank them for joining, and make it easy for them to access the lead magnet.
Reassure them that they’ve made a good choice by joining your list. You can also mention how often they’ll hear from you and what kind of content you’ll be sending.
For example, you might say: “Thanks for signing up! I’m excited to help you on your affiliate journey. Your free guide is just below. And keep an eye on your inbox—tomorrow, I’ll share my top 3 tools for affiliate success.”
This kind of email builds trust and encourages people to open future messages.
Expanding Automation With Nurture Sequences
Beyond the first welcome email, you can add more emails to your automation to keep the conversation going.
This is often called a “nurture sequence” or “onboarding series.” It helps new subscribers get to know you, trust you, and engage with your content.
Your second email could share your personal story—how you got into affiliate marketing, what you struggled with, and what finally started working.
This builds a connection and makes your readers feel like they’re not alone on the journey.
A third email might link to a blog post or tutorial that dives deeper into your niche. Choose something valuable that showcases your expertise.
Over the next few emails, you can begin weaving in affiliate product recommendations, but do it gently.
Focus on solving problems or offering tools that have genuinely helped you.
Think of this sequence as relationship-building. You’re planting seeds for future conversions by being helpful, consistent, and real.
Staying Legal: GDPR, CAN-SPAM & Subscriber Trust
Handling email addresses comes with responsibility.
As an affiliate marketer, it’s crucial to stay compliant with email marketing laws like GDPR (in the EU) and CAN-SPAM (in the U.S.).
Most email service providers include built-in compliance tools, but it’s still your job to use them properly.
On your opt-in forms, always tell people what they’re signing up for. If you’re going to send product recommendations, be honest about it.
A simple line like “You’ll receive weekly affiliate marketing tips and occasional product suggestions” works well.
Include a link to your privacy policy on your forms and landing pages.
Your emails should always include an unsubscribe link, and you must honor unsubscribe requests promptly.
Also, it’s a good practice to periodically clean your list by removing inactive subscribers.
This keeps your open rates healthy and helps you avoid spam filters. A healthy list is an engaged list—and that’s what you want as an affiliate marketer.
Tracking Your Performance & Optimizing Results
Once your automation is live, it’s time to start tracking your results.
Most email service providers give you detailed metrics for each email, including open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, and unsubscribes.
Open rates tell you how many people are actually reading your emails. If your open rates are low, try tweaking your subject lines.
Use curiosity, urgency, or personalization to capture attention.
Click-through rates reveal how engaging your content is. If few people are clicking your links, revisit your email copy.
Is your call to action clear and compelling? Are you providing value before making a recommendation?
Unsubscribe rates help you understand whether your content is resonating.
A few unsubscribes are normal, but if you’re losing a large chunk of subscribers, it may be time to reevaluate your tone, frequency, or the alignment between your opt-in offer and your email content.
Don’t expect perfection right away. Email marketing is an ongoing learning process. The key is to stay curious, keep testing, and always look for ways to improve.
What’s Next?
Now that your email service provider is in place and your first automation is working behind the scenes, it’s time to focus on the heart of your communication—your actual email content.
In the next chapter, we’ll dive into writing persuasive welcome and sales sequences that not only build trust with your readers but also guide them toward your best affiliate offers in a natural, non-pushy way.
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Abhigyan Mahanta
Hi! I’m Abhigyan, a remote web developer and an affiliate blogger. I create beginner-friendly guides to help new affiliates get started and grow in affiliate marketing. I also share information on remote companies and interview preparation tips.
