Monetizing Mailing List

How to do it...

[ember]

I have a handful of websites that do well with AdSense. 95% of traffic comes from a double opt-in mailing list, and I send about 80,000 emails a month to these subscribers. The only links I've ever put in the emails are ones to our sites as we update them. I'm thinking, though, that these mailings themselves could be monetized, but I am not sure how to do it. Maybe an affiliate program of some type? Or approach advertisers directly to see if they'd pay to have a link to their site placed in the emails?

[anallawalla]

I don't know what affiliates will sell, as you have AdSense as the main model. If this niche has large vendors, find their advertising agencies, as they will have the incentive to spend their clients' money.

[ember]

I was thinking an affiliate link would work in the emails since they are separate from the websites that have the AdSense. You are right about affiliates and AdSense not working together, but this would be a way to keep them separate. But it might be more profitable to approach advertisers directly.

[anand84]

I would suggest it this way. Sign up for Commission Junction or Clickbank, and modify your email message to include say 3 updated articles and 1 clickbank product. This way you will be ensuring that the subscriber reads your affiliate links and also shall not unsubscribe for ads since he also gets to read your other valuable updates.