By Rhonda Bradley June 25, 2024

Ever sent an email and agonized over what’s a good closing sentence? 

This guide to professional email closings will put those awkward moments behind you.

Packed with clear explanations, funny anecdotes, and a library of ideas and examples, this resource will transform your email endings from an afterthought to a strategic asset.

Find out how to sign all types of emails (and how *not* to sign them) in the guide below.

@twelve3media spiraling is the theme this week #emailsignatures #agencylife #unhingedemail ♬ Funny video “Carmen Prelude” Arranging weakness(836530) – yo suzuki(akisai)

What is an email sign-off?

An email sign-off is the short word or phrase you use before your name at the end of an email.  Email sign-offs convey the tone of a message while signaling the end.

Email sign-off v. email signature: What’s the difference?

An email sign-off is the closing phrase used to signal the end of your message. An email signature is the block of text that contains your name, title, company, and contact information.

Email sign-off:

• Best regards
• Sincerely
• Thanks

Email signature: 

Jane Doe
CEO
JaneDoeFitness.com

Why a good email sign off matters

Closing your email with the right sign off builds better relationships. The right closing line can personalize your communication in ways that boost your response rate and brand sentiment.

A good closing line can help set the tone for future communications. 

For example, a good sign off can do any one of the following:

• Convey a positive emotion.
• Spark a response.
• Establish authority or professionalism.
• Show respect or courtesy.
• Make the reader smile or laugh.

👉 Nearly all email users (99%) check their inbox daily and spend an average of ten seconds reviewing each brand email. 

Most people do see your email sign offs, so how you end your emails matters.

How email sign offs affect response rates

Thinking of skipping that email sign off in your marketing emails? If so, be warned you may lose potential sales.

One study found that appreciative-style sign offs get as much as a 14% higher response rate than friendly or warm responses.

However, one study doesn’t mean you should tag “Thanks in advance” at the end of every email. Higher response rates rely on many factors, including your message and relationship with the reader. 

Choose closing lines that align with your company’s personality, email content, and target audience. 

And don’t hesitate to experiment! 

Like any other type of email content, the best results come from testing different approaches and monitoring your metrics to learn what’s best for your KPIs. 

How to write a good email sign off

The best way to end an email depends on your message and its reader. If you’re writing on behalf of your company, brand voice guidelines play a heavy role in how you craft emails.

Who is your reader? 

What is the age, location, culture, and mindset of the person(s) you’re writing to?

Think about how the sign off may be perceived by people in different locations, age groups, and cultures.

Source: Reddit

What’s the email context? 

Match the tone of your sign off to the email message. Align your closing with the formation of the email’s content.

What company are you representing?

Follow your brand’s voice and tone guidelines to ensure the sign off fits with its personality. 

What emotion do you want to convey?

Do you want to close your email with a touch of warmth, humor, professionalism — or something else?

Email sign off do’s and don’ts for professionals

Here are the most basic rules for composing a professional email sign off.

Email sign off “Do’s”

• Do align endings with your brand voice. Fit your closing line with the overall tone of your company.

• Do match sign offs to your email message. For example, use something like “Sincerely” for a formal request and “Thanks” in response to a favor. 

• Do consider your reader(s). Current events, personal religious practices, and language variations play a role in how your closing line is perceived.

• Do keep it short. Long sign offs are distracting and sometimes annoying.

• Do spell-check your email sign offs. Remember to include your sign off line when spell-checking!

Source: Reddit

Email sign off “Don’ts”

• Don’t add too much personality. Avoid overly quirky sign-offs that distract from your message.

• Don’t use sarcasm. In written communication, sarcasm is easily misinterpreted.

• Don’t skip the sign off. Not including a closing line may sound abrupt or feel distant.

• Don’t go emoji-crazy. A parade of emojis 😻🥳 🥰🤣🤯 is a turn-off in most professional settings. Don’t use more than one (if that).

• Don’t forget to keep it professional. Closings such as “xoxo” or “yeehaw” are not for business emails!

13 Email sign offs to avoid at all costs

If you’re in the habit of using any of these sign off lines, it may be time to make a change.

1. “Best” is sometimes misinterpreted as abrupt or insincere.
2. “Regards” feels formal and distant.
3. “Cheers,” unless you’re British, feels insincere.
4. “Yours truly” is outdated and overly formal.
5. “Take care” seems dismissive and overly casual.
6. “Peace” is overly casual and sometimes inappropriate.
7. “With all due respect” sounds confrontational.
8. “Have a nice day” may sound insincere or cliche.
9. “Take it easy” comes across as too informal and sometimes flippant.
10. “Looking forward to your response” can feel passive-aggressive.
11. “Yours sincerely” or “Yours faithfully” is outdated and way too formal.
12. “XOXO” or other overly-friendly sign offs.
13. Abbreviations such as “Thx” or “Rgds.”

Source: Reddit

Email sign off examples for every occasion

Looking for ideas for your next formal, funny, or appreciative email? You’ll find these and more in the lists below.

Formal email sign offs

Closing an email with a formal sign off works great for traditionally formal workplaces such as law and finance companies. 

These also work well for formal departments, like Human Resources or legal, within any company.

• Sincerely,
• Regards,
• Best regards,
• Respectfully yours,
• Thank you,

Warm email sign offs

Warm email closings are a great choice when you want to convey a sense of warmth while still maintaining professionalism.

• Warm regards
• Thanks,
• Cheers,
• Have a great day/weekend.
• All the best

Friendly email sign-offs

Ending your email in a friendly tone is a nice way to close a conversation with someone you know and like.

• Kind regards,
• Looking forward to hearing from you,
• Have a wonderful day/week
• Until next time,
• See you there!

Appreciative email sign offs

• With appreciation
• Thank you for making this possible
• Thanks for your consideration
• Thanks again
• Thanks again, and have a great week!

Ann Handley (one of the most famous content writers on the planet) often signs her newsletter with generous appreciation. 

“Thanks for reading this. Thanks for your kindness and generosity. Stay Sane. Stay healthy. See you again on ….”

Casual email sign offs

Casual closing lines are a good fit for internal emails with colleagues, quick informal messages, and follow-up emails.

• Thanks so much
• Thanks
• Talk soon
• All the best
• Have a great one

Funny email signoffs

If you know the person well or have a brand that lends itself to humor, a funny email sign off can be a great way to end an email.

Here are a handful of humorous email sign offs to get you started:

• May your salad have fries on it*
• Hope no one parks in your bike lane*
• Avoid the potholes*
• May your Wi-Fi be strong and your Monday be short

TIP: Proceed with caution when ending an email with humor.

If you don’t have a close relationship with your reader or live in the same town, there’s a good chance your joke or pop culture reference will land wrong. Proceed with caution when using humor to end an email.

Timeless classic email sign-offs for any occasion

Choose a classic email sign off if you work in a formal setting or are writing to someone you don’t know.

• Regards,
• Best regards,
• Sincerely,
• Thank you

In the example below, HR research firm McLean & Company signs off with “Sincerely.” The classic sign off is a perfect fit with its overall brand tone.

Other email sign offs

When closing a unique type of message, match the context to the theme of your email.

• Hope to see you there!
• Thanks for the feedback,
• Excited to get started!

For example, one Growth Tools newsletter included an invitation for readers to join in on an upcoming training session. 

It closed with a CTA, Click here to save your seat, followed by a 2-line email sign off that reads “I honestly CAN’T WAIT! See you there, “

How to end marketing emails

Here are some suggestions, examples, and tips for signing off on marketing emails such as: 

• Email newsletters
• Welcome emails
• Nurture emails
• Promotional emails
• Abandoned cart emails

Email newsletters

Engage your newsletter readers with email sign offs that prompt engagement.

To encourage interaction, close your newsletter with an open ended question. 

You can follow it with a prompt such as “Hit reply and let me know,”

• What’s your favorite?
• How’s your week going?
• Did you find this resource helpful?
• Got any weekend plans you want to share?
• What’s one random fact you know that always surprises people?

For example, you might ask: “What’s the best story you’ve illustrated with a chart? What do you think made it work as well as it did? Reply and let me know.”

Welcome emails

Make a good first impression and encourage engagement by signing off welcome emails in a way that makes readers feel glad they joined your list.

Keep your ending short and focused on the main welcome message. Align the tone (playful, serious, caring, etc) with your brand voice.

Close your welcome emails with a line that makes readers feel welcome.

Welcome email sign off examples:

• Welcome aboard!
• We’re glad you’re here!
• Thanks for joining us!
• Have any questions? Hit reply!
• Get ready for exciting updates!

Business growth and customer experience expert Jay Baer takes a friendly and appreciative tone with the email sign off in his welcome series. 

His sign off is longer than most — but worth every word. 

“Thanks so much. I’ll be back in your inbox soon. Any questions – ever – I’m [email protected]  and I answer every email personally!”

Source: Jay Baer Welcome Email

Nurture emails

Build trust with your readers and keep them engaged with email nurture series sign offs that encourage further communication.

End your nurture emails with a prompt to continue engagement.

Nurture email sign off examples:

• Have any questions? Hit reply and let me know.
• What are your thoughts on this?
• Join the conversation on Instagram.
• Happy learning!
• In the meantime, check out this [relevant resource]. (Provides additional helpful content)

For example, Bill Mueller of Story Sales Machine signed off his latest email with a question and engagement prompt.

“Have a suggestion on what I should make sure is covered? Hit reply and let me know. Appreciate you.”

Promotional emails

Encourage action by signing off (or opening with) a phrase that encourages action. 

Close your promotional emails with a call to action.

Depending on your email message and the type of business you represent, promotional email sign offs vary quite a bit. 

If you’re promoting a single service or product, you may prefer to sign off with a traditional CTA such as

• Buy now
• Schedule your free consultation
• Try it free!

However, if you’re showcasing multiple products or service packages, you probably already included several purchase-driven CTAs in your message. 

When you’ve already included multiple product CTAs in the message, sign off with a secondary prompt related to something other than your products.

Sales/promotion secondary CTA sign off examples:

• Let’s text? Sign up now for insider discounts.
• Be in the know! Sign up for texts & get $25 off.
• Get social with us [followed by social media icons]
• This week only: Register for [event] and receive [gift]. Save your spot.
• Download the [name] app.

For example, Zazzle’s call-to-action prompts user-generated content with the line “Love it. Snap it. Share it. #ZazzleMade”

Audible encourages readers to try a free sample by closing with a matching text prompt and CTA button.

“Sample before you stream. Discover a range of binge-worthy content, all in one place. [Listen Now]”

How to end professional emails

Here’s how to close out professional correspondence such as outreach, sales, customer service, and team emails.

How to end outreach emails

Invite further communication and show respect for your reader’s time when writing outreach emails.

How to end an outreach email

Let me know if you have any questions.

Would you be open to connecting?

Thanks for your time and consideration.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

I’d be happy to schedule a quick call to discuss further.

How to end sales emails

Encourage your reader to take the next step with a strong call to action when ending a sales email.

How to end a sales email

Would you like to see a demo [schedule a free consultation]?

Looking forward to working with you.

Let’s schedule a time to chat.

I’m available to answer any questions you may have.

I appreciate your time and consideration.

How to end customer service emails

Project a helpful and friendly attitude plus show that you prioritize customer issues when ending a customer service email.

How to end a customer service email

Thanks for your patience.

We appreciate your business.

Let’s schedule a time to chat.

Is there anything else I can help you with?

Please let me know if you have other questions.

How to close an email to a team member

How you sign off emails to team members can affect how they think of you and how they think of themselves. 

Thoughtful email closings reinforce mutual respect and a healthy working relationship.

Source: Reddit

Show respect and appreciation, and add a touch of positivity, when ending an email to a team member.

How to end a team email

Thanks for your hard work on this.

Thank you for making this possible.

Have a great weekend!

Keep up the great work!

I’m so proud to be a part of this team.

AI-powered email marketing programs can help you compose the perfect email signoff — as you write the email.

AI tools provide ideas, feedback, and proofreading functions that improve the quality of your email messages and your email sign offs. 

Check out how easy it is to use AI-powered features when writing an email.

How to end an email 👍

The best email sign offs have four things in common:

1. Relevant to the email message
2. Matched to your brand’s voice and tone
3. Takes into account demographic differences such as location, age, and culture.
4. Suits the relationship you have with the reader.

You’ll love how easy it is to take advantage of the latest technology (such as AI suggestions) with AWeber email marketing platform.

Sign up for a free AWeber account today to make composing the perfect email sign off easier!

By Sean Tinney June 26, 2024

Building trust with your audience is crucial for business success, and it all begins with effective marketing for your small business. If you’re already running a few marketing campaigns, you likely have an edge over your competition. In fact, almost half of small businesses spend less than two hours per week on marketing. But of those, 46% are unsure whether their marketing strategies are even working.

Understanding the marketing funnel, the path your customers take from awareness, consideration, conversion, loyalty, and, finally, advocacy, can help you see why developing and investing in a strategic marketing plan is more than just a good idea; it’s a necessity for brands looking to stay competitive. 

Even without a large budget, extensive marketing experience, or much time, you can still effectively market your business with these inexpensive marketing ideas for small businesses. These strategies will help you build trust, increase visibility, and drive growth without breaking the bank.

1 – Create online business directories

An online business listing is the digital equivalent of the Yellow Pages phone book (remember those). It’s where people can find information about your business and leave reviews. Setting up or claiming your business listings on directories like the Google Business Profile, Yelp, Facebook Pages, and LinkedIn for B2B business is a great way to make your business easier for people to find.

There are hundreds of these kinds of directories. Don’t overlook the industry-specific ones like Zillow (Real Estate), TripAdvisor (Travel), and AutoTrader (Automotive).

And keep in mind that even if you don’t claim your listing in a directory, it’s still possible for you to have a presence there, even without knowing it. 

Taking the time to claim your listings across all the relevant directories is an easy, free way for you to market your business.

2 – Leverage email marketing 

Email marketing remains the most effective marketing channel, outperforming social media and search engine marketing — making it one of the best ways to build strong relationships with your customers. Platforms like AWeber offer affordable plans tailored for small business marketing.

3 – Use social media to promote your business

Social media can be a powerful tool to increase awareness, create customer loyalty, drive sales, and find influencers for your business.

The first step is understanding your customer demographics and which social media platforms they’re using.  Are you targeting businesses? If so, you may want to consider being active on LinkedIn. If you’re targeting consumers, you will have more work deciding which platform(s) are best suited for your audience.

Once you’ve determined your target social media platform, be active and encourage customers to like or follow you. Post regularly and make your content interesting and interactive. The more people who interact with your post through likes, comments, or shares, the more visibility your posts will gain both within your network of followers and beyond.

Keep in mind people are following you because they had a good experience with your brand and want to learn more about you. Social media isn’t a place for hard sells; it’s a place to share and engage with your audience.

Tips on what to post:

• Creative pictures of your products
• Announcements of new products or services
• Any interesting news about your business
• Special offerings or coupons

You can even use specific social media platforms, like Facebook, to increase your email subscriber list. You can create a sign-up form for your page, allowing your Facebook followers to subscribe to your email list. Then you can email them newsletters, advice, and offers.  

4 – Use the press to help spread the word

A well-written press release is a great way to give your company media exposure through news outlets (TV, print, and radio), influential bloggers, industry-specific publications, and more. A press release can bring you instant exposure, grow your sales potential, increase your brand awareness, improve your search engine results, and expand your target audience.

Writing a press release isn’t difficult. Once you find a structure that works for you, use that same format with every release. The most time-consuming part of issuing a press release is finding journalists who might be interested. To build this list, research and find a journalist who has previously written about your industry or topic. 

Tips for writing a press release:

• Start with an interesting, attention-grabbing headline.
• Include essential details like who, what, where, when, and why in the first paragraph.
• Add quotes from key players in your business.
• Provide background information and context about your business.
• Include your contact information for follow-up.

5 – Build landing pages to collect new leads

One of the most effective and inexpensive marketing strategies for small businesses to generate new leads is through dedicated landing pages. 

A landing page is a standalone web page specifically designed to capture visitor information. Its main purpose is to convert visitors into leads by focusing on a single call to action without the distractions of a full website. More leads can ultimately result in more sales.

Landing page tools

The AWeber landing page creator allows you to develop highly converting landing pages to drive more potential clients to your brand. Our landing page tools enable you to build visually stunning landing pages.  A few of those landing page features include:

• Pre-stocked image library
• Professionally designed templates
• Powerfully simple design flexibility with our drag-and-drop editor
• Automatically tag subscribers to manage and segment your list easily

The best part? You don’t even need a website to start.

6 – Utilize an effective search engine optimization strategy

One of the best things about search engine optimization (SEO) strategies is that even small businesses with limited budgets can still get the #1 spot in search results. By optimizing your web pages to increase visibility in search engines like Google and Bing, you can get more organic traffic without a huge budget.

5 Simple steps to improve your SEO

1. Keyword research
   • Determine what keywords will be the focus of our webpage or blog post. There are a few free keyword research tools you can use to help.
   • Target long-tail keywords as they tend to be less competitive, giving your small business a better chance to rank.
   • Think about the keywords your customers might use in a search bar to find the information that you provide.
   • Consider additional keyword suggestions that make sense for your blog.
2. Optimize your content for SEO
   • Write content focused on your chosen keywords. 
   • Mention your main keyword in the first paragraph
3. Structure your page URL
   • Your page URL extensions should have your focus keyword.  For example, if your main or focus keyword is “How to paint a house”, your URL extension could be /how-to-paint-a-house/
4. Add your title tag
   • A title tag is your display title that appears on a search engine results page.
   • Structure your title tag to include the page title, a separator like a dash or a line, and your company name for brand recognition. 
   • The optimal length is 50 – 60 characters.
5. Add your meta description
   • A meta description is the brief information shown below the title tag on a search engine results page.
   • Ensure your meta description accurately describes the content of your page.
   • The optimal length is between 150 and 160 characters.

These simple steps are just the beginning. Continuously improving your SEO strategy can indefinitely boost your chances of ranking higher in search results, driving more traffic to your site.

7 – Let influencers do the work for you

Influencer marketing involves leveraging individuals who are passionate about your company and can actively promote your product or service to their network. Influencers have the power to affect the buying decisions (influence) potential customers due to the trust and relationships they have built with their audience.

Brands are increasingly seeking out these influencers because of their potential impact. Influencer marketing is when a business actively collaborates with influencers to promote their brand. 

A great place to find your influencers is through social media. Identify who is already promoting your products and services to their friends, family, and colleagues. Reach out to these individuals and consider offering incentives or to attract more popular influencers who have greater reach.

8 – Check your local chamber of commerce

Joining your local Chamber of Commerce can be a great way to increase your brand awareness within your community. Becoming a member has several advantages, including being listed in their newsletter and on their website. Some Chambers of Commerce also offer free advertising opportunities for their members.

A Chamber member also comes with a certain level of credibility. Studies have shown customers are 80% more likely to purchase from a business that is a Chamber member.

Additionally, you will have the opportunity to meet with other business leaders who can provide valuable business advice or potentially develop partnerships with other businesses.

9 – Grow your email list with sign-up forms

You can use sign-up forms to expand your email list by adding them to your landing page, website, blog, or Facebook page to collect subscriber information. With an AWeber, you get access to unlimited sign-up forms, making this an inexpensive yet effective marketing tool. 

A sign-up form is designed to collect subscriber’s information through input fields so you can communicate with them through email.



You can use a sign-up form to get subscribers for your email newsletter, webinar or event registrants, students for your online course, ebook or guide downloads, customers for your products or services, or just general lead generation.

You can effortlessly grow your email list with hundreds of ready-to-use sign-up form templates. It’s easy for even amateurs to create professional-looking sign-up forms in just a few minutes. And if you don’t have a company website, AWeber has you covered there, too. You can add a sign-up form to your landing page builder, and AWeber will also host the sign-up form for you, allowing you to use it on your Facebook page.



10 – Set up a business partnership

Do you have an opportunity to partner with a complementary business? A business partnership can be as simple as a collaboration between a local restaurant and a movie theater offering a dinner-and-a-movie package, or it can be more complex, such as strategic alliances between Fortune 500 companies.

Regardless of the scale, business partnerships are an excellent way to tap into a new audience and create mutually beneficial opportunities. Look for businesses that offer products or services that complement your own and explore ways to collaborate on joint marketing efforts, special promotions, or bundled offers.

11 – Collect customer feedback

Collecting feedback from your customers is a cost-effective way to update your products and refine your brand’s marketing strategies. By understanding what your customers think and feel about your offerings, you can make better, more informed decisions which will, in turn, boost your customer experience and drive brand loyalty.

There are lots of simple survey tools you can incorporate like Google Forms and SurveyMonkey. And, yes, AWeber also has tools to easily create and distribute surveys. 

Also, by encouraging customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google My Business and  Yelp, you can further get the word out about your business and attract new customers. 

Finally, including feedback forms on your website or in your emails gives your customers a direct line of communication to share their thoughts and suggestions.

12 – Run competitions or donate a prize

Organizing contests is another inexpensive and fun marketing strategy. Encourage participants to like, share, and comment on your posts. This spreads the word not only within your network of followers but reaches their followers too, getting your name in front of new potential customers who may not have ever heard of you.

Besides social media contests, donating a prize for community events or charitable causes like auctions is another great and cheap way to get a better reputation in your community. 

13 – Create a referral program

Encourage your existing customers to refer friends and family by offering incentives like discounts, free products, or exclusive access to new products. This tactic rewards your loyal customers and also encourages them to advocate for your business. 

It’s important to make sure you track and manage your referrals well. Wouldn’t you be annoyed if you sent your friends and family to some company website, expecting a gift or a discount in return, and got ignored? That’s how you lose customers! 

Use a simple referral tracking program like ReferralCandy or LoyaltyLion. These even automate the process, ensuring your customers get the rewards you promised without you having to micromanage the process.

Ready to start marketing your business?

As you can see, you don’t need a bottomless budget and hours of time to effectively market your business. With these inexpensive marketing ideas for small businesses, you can begin to make a splash right away.

The great news is you don’t have to do it alone. Get started with AWeber Free and get access to

• Email marketing  
• Landing page 
• Sign up forms
• Our award-winning customer service team
• 24/7 support
• Free migration services
• And more

By Rhonda Bradley June 27, 2024

Gain a competitive advantage and kick-start your affiliate marketing strategy with the latest, most advanced tools to improve your efficiency and save you (loads of) time.

If you sell affiliate products or services, you probably know the “overwhelm” feeling that happens when you realize there’s a lot of work (and sometimes money) involved in marketing.

The right affiliate tools can save time and money by helping you manage campaigns, write content, track ads, and find the perfect brand partners.

No more overwhelm.

In this guide, we review 17 of the best high-performing tools for affiliate marketers.

We’ve also included 3 bonus sections:

1. A list of the best affiliate marketing tools for beginners
2. A list of free affiliate marketing tools
3. A list of the best courses for affiliate marketers

Affiliate marketing tools for all experience levels and budgets

What is affiliate marketing?

As an affiliate marketer, you earn passive income by promoting the products and services of companies you partner with.

Imagine you own a lemonade stand. 

It’s a hot summer day and you spend half of it flagging down cars in hopes they’ll buy a $1 cup of your special recipe.

Just as a line begins to form, you run out of lemonade.

You hang a “Back soon” sign on your stand and rush to the grocery store for more ingredients. 

Then back home to mix up a giant batch of the messy liquid, only to realize your hard-won line of thirsty customers has vanished.

There’s got to be a better way.

Monday comes and you try to negotiate a deal with your next-door neighbor. 

She’ll make lemonade – as much as you need – and you’ll sell her drinks instead of making your own from scratch. 

It was a good deal, but…

Setting up the stand, pouring the drinks, providing paper cups, and cleaning up afterward would still be a lot of work.

Why should you be doing all those other things when your superpower is getting customers?

Eventually, you both agree that she will also  sell the drinks from her own lemonade stand, without your help.

All you have to do is bring her customers, and you will earn 40 cents for every $1 in business you send her way.

This is affiliate marketing.

You form partnerships with online companies and agree to promote their products or services. 

They take on the hard work of creating the product and conducting sales transactions. 

All you need to do is go sell that lemonade.

How much commission do affiliate marketers earn?

Commission payments differ (a lot) from one partner to the next.

• Most pay a percent-based commission. This may be as low as 1% or as high as 50% of the sale price.
• Some pay a flat rate (fixed) commission.
• Others pay a combination of percent and fixed commissions.

The size of your commissions depends on factors like: 

• Your arrangement with the merchant
• The type of affiliate program you join
• The brand and product
• The volume of business you send their way

How much money do affiliate marketers earn?

Here’s how much marketers earn from affiliate sales, according to a survey survey by Influencer Marketing Hub:

• 3.78% earn more than $150k per year.
• 7.94% earn $100k – $150K per year.
• 5.15% earn $50k – $100k per year.
• The majority (57.55%) earn less than $10k per  year.

How much should you expect to earn from affiliate marketing? 

The same survey indicates that experienced marketers earn more:

• Beginner marketers: $0 – $1,000 per month
• Intermediate marketers: $1000 to $10,000 per month
• Advanced marketers: $10k – $100K per month
• Elite affiliates: $100k and up per month

At first, you may earn very little with affiliate marketing. But as you learn more about digital marketing (and your audience), your income begins to rise.

How does affiliate marketing work?

Earning income through affiliate sales is a 5-step process.

1. Choose your affiliate program(s) and products from networks or direct partnerships.

2. Receive your coded affiliate product links, which track your referrals and sales.

3. Promote your affiliate products or services on one or more of the following: website, blogs, social media, email marketing, and paid ads.

4. Visitors click on your links and are directed to the merchant’s website. Every time one of your visitors makes a purchase (within the defined cookie 🍪 period), you earn a commission.

5. You get paid. Merchants or affiliate networks handle all the calculations and pay you according to the terms of your agreement.

   Sometimes there is a minimum account balance or waiting period required before your payment is issued.

In time, commissions can turn into lucrative income streams that require very little effort to maintain.

Affiliate marketing tools are apps, software programs, and platforms that help you become more successful, more quickly, with affiliate marketing.

17 best affiliate marketing tools for all levels of experience

Affiliate marketing networks
Keyword research tools
Content creation tools
Landing page builder tools
Social media management tools
Email marketing & automation tools
Campaign builder tools
Ad tracking tools

Affiliate marketing networks

#1 – Shareasale: Affiliate marketing platform

ShareASale affiliate marketing platform connects you with more than 30,000 brands across all sectors and countless niches. 

It’s a marketplace where affiliates go to find products and services to sell. The network also tracks sales and helps you manage commissions. 

ShareASale supports large and small publishers, including:

• Content creators
• Influencers
• Loyalty and incentive sites
• Media Partners
• Technology solutions

The service has a good reputation and offers excellent support resources that make it easy for you to partner with established brands. 

Its user-friendly interface and reliable payment tracking make it a good choice for beginner and advanced marketers.

ShareASale Pricing: Free to join as an affiliate

#2 – Amazon Associates: Affiliate marketing program

Amazon Associates is Amazon’s affiliate marketing program. It gives you access to millions of products with recognizable brand names and is an easy, accessible program, even for beginners. 

The affiliate program provides unique links, banners, and widgets that make it simple to promote Amazon products. 

Amazon associates also gain access to basic reporting tools that track clicks and commissions.

Affiliates can earn up to 10% commission and in some cases, also collect earnings from customer actions such as free trials. 

The Amazon Associates affiliate program is open to bloggers, content creators, and publishers who have a qualifying website. 

Amazon Associates pricing: Free to join as an affiliate

Keyword research tools help you create blog and social media content that drives more traffic from search engine results pages (SERPS).

#3 – Google Keyword Planner: Keyword research tool

Google Keyword Planner is a free tool aimed at people who run paid search campaigns.  

However, it’s also a valuable resource for affiliate marketers looking for basic insights on keyword search volume, trends, and related keywords. 

The tool’s easy accessibility and direct connection to Google search data make it attractive to people wanting to do keyword research without paying large fees.

Some of Google Keyword Planner’s best features include:

• Keyword discovery
• Search volume data and trends
• Historical data and forecasting

Google Keyword Planner is a good option if you’re searching for a free keyword research tool that provides basic insights for choosing the best keywords for your content and audience.

Google Keyword Planner Pricing: Free

#4 – Semrush: Keyword research tool

Semrush is an all-in-one digital marketing tool that helps you optimize your online presence for search engines, social media platforms, and paid advertising channels.

The comprehensive (and sometimes complex) program includes a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use, keyword research tool. 

Semrush provides all the information you need for successful SEO keyword research, including: 

• Search volume
• Keyword difficulty by score
• Search intent match
• Competitive research
• Keyword gaps
• Keyword ideas

Beyond keyword research, Semrush offers a wide selection of optimization tools, including competitive analysis, local SEO, and rank tracking.

If you’re looking for a powerful tool that supports both content creation and paid search campaigns, SEMrush may be a good choice.

Semrush pricing: Free one-month trial; paid plans from $129/month

#5 Backlinko keyword tool: Keyword research tool

Backlinko Keyword Research Tool is designed with a refreshing focus on simplicity and actionable keyword data.

It’s a perfect keyword research tool for affiliate marketers wanting a streamlined experience that doesn’t overwhelm you with complex metrics or complicated navigation.

Backlinko’s keyword research tool includes metrics such as:

• Search volume
• Keyword difficulty
• Cost per click
• Number of results
• Search trend graph

If you visit Backlinko, don’t miss the chance to browse its blog. It’s packed with well-written, easy-to-understand optimization tips from SEO powerhouse Brian Dean. 

While it might lack some advanced features, Backlinko’s streamlined approach is ideal for beginners or those who value speed and actionable insights.

Backlinko keyword research tool pricing: Free

Content creation tools for affiliate marketers

Content creation tools help you create and publish blog, social media, and email marketing content.

#6 – Grammarly: Content creation tool

Grammarly is an AI-powered writing tool that helps improve the quality of your writing.

The free version of Grammarly is a popular grammar-checker tool that catches spelling and grammar mistakes. It highlights any errors in your content and suggests how to fix them.

If you write a lot of blog and email content, the paid version of Grammarly is gold. 

Grammarly’s paid version includes an in-depth plagiarism checker, which is far more thorough than similar tools such as Copyscape.

The premium version also provides feedback and recommendations on:

• Clarity
• Engagement
• Delivery
• Style
• Tone detection

You can use Grammarly on the web, within its app, or by integrating it into your web browsers and writing programs.

Grammarly pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans from $12/month

#7 – Hemingway: Content Creation Tool

Hemingway helps make your content more “readable” for online publishing.

College textbooks are written with perfect spelling and grammar. But your online audience doesn’t want to read college textbooks. They’re drawn to writing that’s clear, skimmable, and easy to read. 

That’s where Hemingways readability tool comes in.

Hemingway guides you toward more effective writing without replacing your creative voice. 

Affiliate marketers can use Hemingway to ensure that their content is reader-friendly in ways that both audiences and Google search engines appreciate. 

Hemingway pricing: Free

Landing page builder tool for affiliate marketers

A landing page builder tool helps affiliate marketers create high-converting campaigns and lead generation content.

# 8 – AWeber: Landing page builder tool 

AWeber is a great tool for busy affiliate marketers because it provides a simple, user-friendly way to create professional landing pages in minutes. Its drag-and-drop interface and wide selection of prebuilt landing page templates ensure that even beginners can market their affiliate products with style.

AWeber landing pages integrate seamlessly with your email marketing campaigns.

AWeber’s landing page features include:

• Over 100 landing page templates
• Drag-and-drop interface
• Already integrated with AWeber’s email marketing tool
• Advanced marketing automation features
• Built-in Canva designer (lets you create eye-catching designs!).
• Landing page and email analytics

AWeber landing page builder is a great choice for affiliate marketers seeking a simple path to professional results. 

AWeber pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans from $12.50/month

Social media management tools help you create, preview, publish, and track the performance of your social media content.

#9 – Buffer: social media management platform

Buffer is a user-friendly social media management platform that helps affiliate marketers streamline social media content scheduling across multiple platforms. 

It’s a great option if you’re wanting to maintain a consistent social media presence without spending hours of every day on social media.

Here’s how Buffer can simplify your social media efforts:

• Customize posts for different social platforms.
• Automatically publish pre-scheduled posts.
• Track engagement metrics and identify top-performing content.

Buffer also includes a visual content calendar tool to help keep your content organized and on schedule.

Buffer pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans from $6/month

Email marketing and automation tools let you build and execute personalized email marketing campaigns.

#10 – AWeber: Email marketing & automation platform

AWeber is a great tool for affiliate marketers who want a user-friendly email marketing platform that:

• Allows you to include affiliate links in your marketing emails.
• Easily highlight the product you’re recommending by simply pasting a link in your email.
• Includes a built-in AI writing assistant.
• Lets you easily create personalized campaigns with behavioral segmentation.
• Allows you to create custom signup forms.
• Provides advanced automation features (put it all on autopilot!).
• Offers pre-written email campaign templates.

AWeber’s automated behavioral segmentation makes personalization simple. It can automatically track clicks and engagement in your emails, on your landing pages, and on your website — then use that data to send personalized messages and campaigns to your subscribers.

If you’re looking for an email marketing platform that provides you with the latest automation features, AI writing tools, and marketing personalization features, AWeber is a great choice.

AWeber pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans from $12.50/month

Campaign builder tools for affiliate marketers help you design, execute, and track the performance of your promotional campaigns across various channels.

#11 – ClickFunnels: Campaign Builder Tool (Advanced)

ClickFunnels is a sales funnel platform that focuses on high-converting landing pages. 

While a powerful tool for creating sales funnels, it’s geared toward advanced marketers who don’t mind the higher pricing and semi-steep learning curve.

ClickFunnels makes a good option for marketers looking for a high degree of control over the entire customer journey and are comfortable with its comprehensive feature set.

Here’s what ClickFunnels offers:

• Funnel builder: Allows you to design multi-step funnels.
• Pre-designed templates: Includes landing pages, sales pages, and webinar funnels.
• A/B testing: Allows you to compare page variations and optimize conversions.
• Email marketing integrations: Lets you easily connect with email providers for lead nurturing.
• Membership sites: Provides the option to create restricted content areas.

Its wide range of features makes the learning curve steeper. But if you’re looking for a program that can help you build membership areas and complex affiliate campaigns, it’s a great option.

ClickFunnels pricing: From $127/month. 14-day free trial available.

#12- AdRoll: Campaign builder tool

AdRoll is an advertising platform that provides affiliate marketers with helpful tools to manage their ad campaigns.

It’s a good fit for experienced affiliate marketers looking for advanced audience segmentation, cross-platform retargeting, and in-depth reporting.

AdRoll’s affiliate marketing features include:

• Cross-platform campaigns
• Dynamic ads
• A/B testing

The ad campaign tool integrates with major e-commerce platforms and other marketing tools. If you have an established affiliate website or online store, the integrations are an important feature.

If you’re wanting to take your affiliate campaigns to the next level, AdRoll is worth considering.  However, while it’s a powerful campaign management tool, AdRoll also has a steeper learning curve than many of its competitors.

AdRoll pricing: Pay-as-you-go pricing for ads. More plans available.

If you’re looking for a more streamlined and beginner-friendly approach to campaign building, AWeber email marketing and landing page tools make an excellent all-in-one campaign management tool.

Ad tracking tools provide in-depth monitoring of your ad performance across many different channels

#13 – Google Analytics: Ad tracking tool

Google Analytics is a comprehensive website analytics platform that provides in-depth metrics and insights for affiliate marketers. 

If you’re an affiliate marketer looking for a tool that provides an in-depth understanding of your traffic sources and campaign performances, check out Google Analytics. It’s a great tool for helping you make more data-driven optimization decisions.

Google Analytics pricing: Free version available. Contact for paid pricing plans.

#14 – Voluum Affiliate Tracker: Ad tracking tool

Voluum affiliate ad tracker is a comprehensive ad tracking platform for experienced affiliate marketers and people who manage large-scale paid campaigns. 

It offers in-depth analytics, granular tracking across various platforms, and advanced features for optimizing ad performance.

Voluum ad tracking features include:

• Detailed reporting: Provides extensive data on clicks, conversions, costs, and ROI.
• Traffic distribution: Allows you to split-test landing pages and direct traffic for optimization.
• Anti-fraud tools: Helps identify and block bot traffic.
• Integrations: Connects with major ad networks and traffic sources.
• API access: Offers flexibility for custom integrations.

If you’re looking for a tool that provides sophisticated tracking, robust reporting, and a high degree of control over your campaigns, Voluum is an excellent option.

Voluum pricing: From $199/month

Bitly offers a beginner-level ad tracking tool for people who aren’t ready to take on comprehensive analytics tracking.

The company is mostly known for its link-shortening tool, but it also provides simple ad tracking features. 

Bitly is a great beginner alternative to comprehensive ad-tracking tools that come with a steep learning curve. 

Its simple approach doesn’t provide in-depth analytics. But the tool is very user-friendly and easy to learn.  

Here’s what Bitly offers:

• Link shortening: Creates short, branded links for easy sharing.
• Click tracking: Provides basic data on clicks and traffic sources.
• Simple dashboard: Includes an easy-to-understand overview of link performance.
• Integrations: Connects with some popular social media platforms.

Bitly pricing: Free

Looking for affiliate marketing tools that allow you to learn as you go? 

Here’s a list of beginner-friendly affiliate marketing tools that don’t have a steep learning curve. 

1. Best affiliate network for beginners: Amazon Associates

2. Best keyword research tool for beginners: Backlinko keyword research tool

3. Best content creation tool for beginners: Grammarly

4. Best email marketing and landing page tool for beginners: AWeber

5. Best social media management tool for beginners: Buffer

6. Best ad tracking tool for beginners: Bitly

Scroll up to the review section of this guide for more information on any of the beginner-friendly affiliate marketing tools above. 

Not up for shelling out $$$ on yet another paid subscription service? We’ve got you covered. 

Below is a list of FREE affiliate marketing tools to help you get started building a successful affiliate business. 

Best FREE affiliate marketing tools for beginners

1. Free ad tracking tool: Bitly 

2. Free affiliate network: ShareASale

3. Free landing page tool: AWeber

4. Free content creation tool: Grammarly free version

5. Free email marketing tools: AWeber free version

6. Free keyword research tool: Backlinko keyword research tool

7. Free social media management tools: Buffer free version

Scroll up to the review section of this guide for more information on any of the free affiliate marketing tools above. 

7 marketing courses & classes for affiliate marketers

Want to make more informed decisions, develop stronger campaigns, and grow your affiliate business more quickly?

Fill in your knowledge gaps with one or more of the following courses related to affiliate marketing.  

You don’t need to drop hundreds or thousands of dollars to get high-quality training. Some of the best courses are free or very affordable.

1. Free Affiliate Marketing Course for Beginners: by ahrefs on YouTube YouTube series.

2. Free PPC (pay-per-click) certification course: by Semrush on Semrush Academy. 100% free training, testing, and certification. 

3. Beginner Affiliate Marketing to Start in 1 Day by Alex Genadinik on Udemy (usually less than $20 – watch for sales and promo codes).

4. Free Google Marketing Platform course: by Google on Google Skillshop. 100% free. Skillshop also offers a variety of training modules on Google ads, analytics, marketing, and more.

5. Free Meta Blueprint: Beginner-level training to help you improve your marketing campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger.

6. Meta Social Media Marketing certificate course: by Meta through Coursera Plus (from $59/month after a 7-day free trial).

7. Concepts, Strategies, and Analytics in Performance Marketing and Digital Advertising Specialization: By the University of Colorado Boulder on Coursera (from $59/month after a 7-day free trial).

Everything you need for affiliate marketing success

We’ve covered quite a bit of ground in this guide, including the best tools, free tools, beginner tools, and reputable courses for affiliate marketers.

When you’re ready to start selling affiliate products drop by AWeber. We’ll  help you get up and running in minutes, not days, 

You’ll love our seamless integrations, advanced automations, AI assistance, and  library of prebuilt templates.

Ready to begin earning money with affiliate marketing? Sign up for AWeber and start selling today!

Why did my email go to spam?

Most of the time, it feels like a big ‘ol shrug.  ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Every email you send goes through a maze of deliverability obstacles before it reaches its destination. Three factors influence whether or not someone receives your email in the inbox:

1. Infrastructure: Your identification and authentication records
2. Reputation: The receiver’s rating of your sending domain and IP addresses
3. Content: What your message contains and how your subscriber has reacted to it in the past

If you’re struggling to solve the latest deliverability mystery for your email marketing program, you’re not alone. In fact, after analyzing thousands of emails, we found that 70% of emails show at least one spam-related issue that could keep them from reaching the inbox.

Let’s fix that.

I chatted with two of my amazing email geek colleagues here at Litmus, Director of Brand and Content Marketing Jaina Mistry and Email Marketing Manager Tracie Pang about each of these factors that make up your deliverability and what you can do if you’re stuck in the spam folder:

1. Implement proper email authentication infrastructure

Even if you’ve already authenticated your emails, start here.

“The baseline for your deliverability is your authentication. It’s the first thing I would check if you’re troubleshooting deliverability issues. Make sure you have all of your details sorted,” says Jaina Mistry, Director Brand and Content Marketing.

Email authentication basically tells inbox providers that you are who you say you are. While they generally have a reputation for “set it and forget it,” it’s worth double-checking that your infrastructure is in place. correctly.

You have four different authentication methods available—we recommend using all three:

• Sender Policy Framework (SPF): SPF allows a domain owner to indicate multiple IP addresses or domains that can send mail on their behalf via a DNS TXT entry. This way, mailbox providers know that if it’s sent from your company’s domain or IP address, that it’s from you.
• DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM): DKIM allows your organization to claim responsibility for your email as part of the authentication process by matching a public and private key, like a digital signature.
• Domain Message Authentication and Reporting Conformance (DMARC): DMARC protects a domain from being used in phishing and spoofing attempts by defining how receiving inbox providers should handle messages that fail an authentication check.
• BONUS: Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI): BIMI allows you to display a sender logo alongside your messages in the inbox after completing authentication.

(FWIW, if you haven’t authenticated your emails, Gmail and Yahoo’s new deliverability rules mean you’re guaranteed to land in their spam folders. Their first requirement? Using these security protocols to verify your identity).

What makes authentication frustrating is that often, email marketers aren’t the ones setting it up in the first place. “Most of the time, your infrastructure is set up by a separate team. But if the email goes to spam because of an infrastructure issue, that’s going to come right back to the email marketing manger,” says Mistry.

For each one of these authentication methods, make sure they’re set up correctly and that they’re working before completely changing up your email marketing strategy.

2. Manage your sender reputation

Authentication is one thing—you either have it set up correctly or you don’t. But so many factors go into your sender reputation that it can be challenging to isolate exactly what’s causing the problem.

Your email sender reputation is a score provided to you by an inbox service provider (ISP). What determines your sender reputation is a mix of factors that (naturally) varies by ISP. Generally, though, it includes:

• The number of emails your organization sends
• How many recipients mark your emails as spam or otherwise complain about your emails
• How many subscribers engage with emails from you (based on actions like open, click, reply, forward, delete, and unsubscribe.)

Let’s dig into each one of these factors:

Sender reputation factor 1: Optimize your email cadence

What makes email marketing work as a channel is that it’s not interruptive. It’s not the in-your-face billboards, ads, or pop-ups people love to hate.

Your subscribers chose to receive emails from you—that’s already great! Treat that permission with respect and take a hard look at your email marketing cadence. Are you sending too many emails?

There are two sides to email cadence with deliverability. The first is email volume, which refers to the number of emails overall that you send. “A sharp increase in volume, where you usually send 1,000 emails in a single week, and then one week you send 15,000 is going to make a lot of ISPs look twice,” says Mistry.

But beyond a large volume jump like that, it’s also about matching the needs of your subscribers with your business tactics. It’s one thing to heavily promote a big sale or a once-a-year event, but if you make a habit of it, your subscribers will just tune out.

When in doubt, ask your unengaged subscribers what they want to see as a separate email campaign directing them to your preferences center. Here’s an example of ours, which outlines both our regular newsletters and one-off campaigns that we send out to our subscribers.

Giving your subscribers control over what kinds of emails they receive and when they receive them can help set expectations and prevent future spam complaints.

“There’s this expectation that you always need to send an email,” says Email Marketing Manager Tracie Pang. “But if you’re continuing to send emails without engagement, it’s going to affect your sender reputation. Sending to your list multiple days in a row like that could lead to more than one spam complaint because they’re tired of hearing from you.”

Sender reputation factor 2: Minimize spam complaints

Everyone loves to worry about unsubscribes, but it’s spam complaints that matter more for your deliverability. To comply with Gmail and Yahoo’s deliverability rules, for example, you must maintain a spam complaint rate of 0.3%, or no more than three spam reports for every 1,000 messages.

This is where deliverability gets really fuzzy. Someone could mark you as spam for a whole bunch of different reasons—some of which have nothing to do with you—so that even though you’re a legitimate business sending real marketing emails, you look like a spammer.

We’ve found that subscribers often mark you as spam if they can’t find the unsubscribe button. “Some spam complaints could come from not having an easy unsubscribe,” says Pang. “You should have a one-click unsubscribe button to comply with Gmail and Yahoo, but also because it’s the best way to make sure someone isn’t just marking you as spam out of frustration.”

Pang experiences that frustration first-hand. Her spam folder is full of plain text-style cold emails without an unsubscribe option. Not only is this illegal in certain countries, it’s super annoying. (Feel free to copy and paste this article to your colleagues in sales. 🙄)

Ultimately, you can’t control whether or not someone will mark you as spam. But you can control whether or not you’re sending emails that your subscribers actually want to read. The more you can send emails that your subscribers open, click, reply, or otherwise engage with, the better off your sender reputation will be.

Sender reputation factor 3: Increase email engagement

It’s engagement, more than the content itself, that really matters when it comes to deliverability. If you’re struggling with the spam filter, it may be time to take a look at your email list and what kind of engagement you’re seeing.

“If your content doesn’t resonate, then sometimes subscribers will just leave your emails sitting in their inbox and won’t engage at all. And unfortunately, unengaged emails can also affect your deliverability because now they’re sitting in your list as inactive subscribers,” says Pang.

That’s because spam filters prioritize user behavior over other factors, since their job is to protect their users from being inundated with spam. “When it comes to spam filters, it’s much more about user behavior,” says Mistry. “Yes, you want to get your authentication right, and you want to make sure you’re sending great emails, but it also comes back to what’s relevant to your subscribers, and what they’re going to engage with.”

A great place to start if you’re finding a lack of engagement is with a re-engagement campaign. We typically send one after 60 days of no engagement for our subscribers, giving them a chance to fine-tune their emails before suspending them from our list.

But the best way to increase your email engagement? Send emails with great content.

3. Send email content subscribers want to receive

For years, marketers worried over specific words and phrases in their subject lines or emails, or whether or not foreign languages would accidentally trip a spam filter. Luckily, ISPs are much more sophisticated today (pour one out for the time one of our emails got filtered for bringing sexy back!)

“Today it’s less about specific words you use and more about what looks spammy to the recipient. So if you’re saying ‘FREE’ in all caps a million times or if you’re misleading with your email content, that’s what’s going to drag you down,” says Mistry. “I once got an email that had a subject line of ‘FWD: Your flight has been canceled,’ and it made me totally panic. That type of thing is only going to backfire on you.”

That’s not to say you should suddenly pepper your emails with swears or racy references if it doesn’t fit your brand. But if probiotic brand Seed can lead with the subject line, “How’s your poop?” then you don’t have to agonize over using the word “discount.”

Poor content has less to do with the specific words or phrases you use and is rather about how you use them, and how your subscribers engage with your content (or don’t.) Focusing on great content means:

• Knowing your audience: What do your subscribers care about? Why did they subscribe? What issues are they facing? Use the answers to these questions to guide your email’s content.
• Content > Sales: Provide your subscribers with content that is of interest to them, rather than just hammering them with sales messages. Show your subscribers that you care about them and their needs and wants, rather than your own motives. This helps build brand trust (and funnily enough, more sales!).
• Thinking about the subscriber journey from start to finish: Build your emails and email campaigns thinking not just about that email, but how it fits into the context of your subscribers’ interaction with your brand. Where are they as they open the email, both emotionally (I wish X problem was solved) and physically (mobile vs. desktop). From that email, where do they go next? What’s the ultimate goal or action you’re driving?

Building the best content you can helps you boost engagement and positive subscriber behavior like clicks, opens, and our favorite, TINS (when subscribers rescue you from the spam folder by saying, “This is not spam.”) Keeping your content helpful, rather than salesy, is the best way to keep your content from being spammy.

“After you’ve spent so much time crafting your perfect email, it can all go to waste if your subscribers don’t get a chance to see it,” says Pang. “It’s crucial to stay on top of your email deliverability and make sure your emails are actually landing in the inbox.”

Find out why your emails land in the spam folder

With so many different factors influencing your deliverability, it’s difficult to know what you can do to fix it when you’re struggling with the spam folder. Litmus Spam Testing scans 20+ different spam filters to give you the immediate insight into what’s going wrong—and the actionable advice you need to fix it before you hit send.

Scan your email→