How I Turned Free Tools Into $67,000+ in Recurring Affiliate Income

Pillar 1: Problem-Solution Content

• "How to [solve specific problem]"

• Naturally leads to tool recommendations

• High conversion rates

Pillar 2: Tool Reviews

• Honest, detailed reviews

• Show the product in action

• Compare to alternatives

Pillar 3: Case Studies

• My results using tools

• Student/reader results

• Real numbers and proof

Pillar 4: Tutorials

• Step-by-step guides

• Video + written format

• Beginner-friendly

Pillar 5: Strategy Content

• Big picture thinking

• Positions me as authority

• Builds trust before selling

Weekly schedule:

• 3 Medium articles (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

• 2 YouTube videos (Tuesday, Thursday)

• 3 email newsletters

• 5-7 social media posts (repurposed content)

This might sound like a lot, but I use a repurposing system:

• Write one cornerstone article (2,000 words)

• Turn it into a YouTube script

• Extract quotes for social media

• Create an email newsletter version

• Design Pinterest pins

• Schedule everything

One piece of content becomes 10-15 touch points.

I focused on long-tail keywords with low competition:

❌ "affiliate marketing" (impossible to rank)
✅ "how to set up affiliate links in Systeme.io" (easy to rank)

❌ "email marketing" (too competitive)
✅ "convertkit vs mailchimp for beginners on a budget" (much easier)

These targeted keywords brought qualified traffic—people already interested in the tools I was promoting.

Free blog post or video that genuinely helps someone. No selling—just pure value.

At the end, I offer a free resource related to the topic:

• "Want my complete [tool name] setup checklist? Grab it free here."

• This captures their email address

After opting in, they land on a thank you page that:

• Delivers the free resource

• Includes my video review/tutorial

• Has my affiliate link with special bonuses

About 8-12% convert immediately here.

7-day automated sequence:

• Day 1: Deliver resource + welcome

• Day 2: My story + build connection

• Day 3: How I use the tool

• Day 4: Biggest benefits

• Day 5: Common objections answered

• Day 6: Case studies/results

• Day 7: Limited-time bonus offer

Another 11-15% convert through this sequence.

For those who don't convert, they stay on my list receiving:

• Weekly valuable content

• Occasional promotions

• Different product recommendations

Some convert months later when timing is right.

Total funnel conversion rate: 23%

This means for every 100 visitors, 23 become paying customers. That's game-changing.

• Set up Systeme.io

• Published 20+ articles

• Created lead magnets

• Built first funnels

• No income yet (expected)

• 3 Systeme.io referrals

• 1 ConvertKit referral

• Proof of concept validated

• Email list: 287 subscribers

• Traffic increasing

• Conversions improving

• First $ 2K month

• Upgraded Systeme.io plan

• Started seeing compounding

• Previous customers still paying (recurring!)

• New customers added

• Income growing faster

• Recurring base building

• New promotions working

• Multiple income streams

• Predictable income

• Systems running smoothly

• Less active work required

Year 1 total: 67,341

Tool expenses: 573
Profit margin: 99.1%

Early on, I tried promoting 15 different affiliate programs. This diluted my message and confused my audience.

Solution: Focus on 3-5 core programs. Master those, then expand.

I sent traffic directly to affiliate links for the first month. Huge mistake—I had no way to follow up with people who didn't convert.

Solution: Always capture emails. Your list is your most valuable asset.

I promoted a tool based solely on high commission rates. When people asked questions, I couldn't answer authentically. Sales were terrible.

Solution: Only promote products you actually use and believe in. Authenticity is everything.

I had a welcome sequence but then rarely emailed my list. Sales were inconsistent.

Solution: Email consistently (I do 2-3x per week). This keeps you top of mind and builds relationships.

For the first two months, I didn't know which traffic sources converted best or which content drove the most sales.

Solution: Track everything from day one. Data tells you where to focus.

I almost quit after Month 2 when I had zero income. I'm glad I didn't—Month 3 brought my first sales.

Solution: Commit to at least 6 months before judging results.

I created exclusive bonuses for people who purchased through my links:

• Private training videos

• Templates and swipe files

• One-on-one consulting sessions

• Access to private community

These bonuses made my affiliate link more valuable than the default option.

Conversion rate increase: 180%

I created detailed comparison articles:

• "Systeme.io vs ClickFunnels: Which is Better for Beginners?"

• "ConvertKit vs Mailchimp: Complete Comparison"

These ranked well in Google and converted like crazy because people were already in buying mode.

I ran free 5-day challenges:

• "Build Your First Sales Funnel in 5 Days"

• Used Systeme.io as the tool

• Participants became customers naturally

Conversion rate: 37% (extremely high!)

I tagged people who clicked my affiliate links but didn't purchase. Then I sent them:

• Additional case studies

• Testimonials

• Limited-time bonuses

This recovered 15-20% of lost sales.

I optimized videos for specific searches:

• "Systeme.io tutorial for beginners"

• "How to use ConvertKit"

• "Complete Teachable walkthrough"

These videos rank #1-3 and generate passive traffic and sales daily.

Using PLR content as a foundation, I created mini-courses that I hosted on Systeme.io:

• "Email Marketing Foundations" (promoting ConvertKit)

• "Sales Funnel Blueprint" (promoting Systeme.io)

• "Course Creation Masterclass" (promoting Teachable)

These served as both lead magnets and low-ticket products ( $ 27-47), creating an additional revenue stream while pre-selling the affiliate tools.

Morning (1 hour):

• Check analytics and metrics

• Respond to emails/comments

• Monitor affiliate dashboards

Afternoon (1-2 hours):

• Create content (write or record)

• Schedule social media posts

• Work on current projects

Evening (optional, 30 min):

• Engage in communities

• Network with other creators

• Research new opportunities

• Record 2 YouTube videos (Tuesday/Thursday, 2 hours each)

• Write 3 blog posts (6 hours total)

• Email list twice (1 hour total)

• Review and optimize funnels (1 hour)

Total weekly time: 15-20 hours

The beauty is that much of my income now comes from:

• Old content still ranking

• Automated email sequences

• Evergreen funnels

• Recurring commissions from existing customers

It's not completely passive, but it's highly leveraged income.

Day 1-2:

• Choose your niche (must have recurring affiliate programs available)

• Research 5-10 potential programs

• Sign up for Systeme.io free plan

Day 3-4:

• Join 2-3 recurring affiliate programs

• Set up your Systeme.io account

• Create your first landing page

Day 5-7:

• Create a lead magnet

• Write your welcome email sequence

• Set up basic automation

Day 8-10:

• Write 3-5 valuable blog posts

• Create your first YouTube video

• Design social media graphics

Day 11-14:

• Publish content across platforms

• Start driving traffic

• Begin building your email list

• Create more targeted content

• Build out your email sequences

• Test different calls-to-action

• Engage with your growing audience

• Maintain consistent content schedule

• Track what's working

• Double down on successful strategies

• Start seeing first sales

• Expand to additional programs

• Create more sophisticated funnels

• Consider paid traffic (if profitable)

• Build systems for sustainability

• Worth it at 2,000+ contacts

• Unlimited funnels

• More automation features

• Worth it around Month 6

• Better templates

• Brand kit features

• Time savings

• Worth it immediately if you write a lot

• Better content quality

• Professionalism

• Worth it when serious about YouTube

• SEO optimization

• Analytics

Total monthly expenses after scaling: $ 61

Still incredibly affordable, and the ROI is massive.

• Only promote products I genuinely believe in

• Provide ongoing support to my referrals

• Create bonus content that adds value

• Stay in touch with customers

Average monthly churn rate:

• Good: 3-5%

• Average: 5-8%

• Poor: 10%+

My average: 4.2% monthly

This means I lose about 4% of customers each month, but I'm constantly adding new ones.

As long as new customers > lost customers, income grows.

My typical month:

• Lost customers: 7-9

• New customers: 15-20

• Net growth: +8-11 customers/month

This compounds beautifully over time.