For years, affiliates flocked to search, like fishermen to the sea.
From the early 00s, it’s been a trustworthy, bountiful hunting ground for publishers. Ranking well on Google once meant a steady flow of traffic and revenue. To some degree, it still does.
But in 2025, the search landscape looks vastly different. Algorithm updates, AI-driven search engines, and tightening regulations around data have created volatility. Affiliates who once depended on SEO are now looking for stability elsewhere.
Owned channels – in-app, newsletters, and email in particular – have become one of the most effective ways to reach audiences consistently.
Unlike search rankings or social algorithms, newsletters build direct, trusted relationships with readers. And the data backs it up.
A study published in January found that affiliates who use newsletters see 66% more conversions than those who don’t.
Another revealed that email campaigns delivered the highest ROI for affiliates at 14:1.
Reward Gateway | Edenred is one such publisher that has achieved success with newsletters. We spoke with Andy Philpott, Chief Merchant Strategy Officer at Edenred UK, to learn more.
The fruits of the labour
Reward Gateway | Edenred’s newsletter strategies have achieved open rates between 56–68% and click-through rates of 7–12% across newly devised triggered programmes in categories such as travel, gifting, and everyday essentials.
Looking across all email activity – campaign-based and triggered – the average sits at a strong 39% open rate and 5.7% click rate.
The impact on commerce is impressive. From February to August this year, the monthly percentage of users purchasing through their platform increased by 32%, driven by higher engagement with partner content delivered through email.
How did they do it?
Philpott points to five enablers that any affiliate or publisher can learn from.
1. The right tech and good data
Technology forms the foundation. After a thorough evaluation, Reward Gateway | Edenred selected Braze as their B2C CRM and brand media platform.
Engineering, data, and product teams worked alongside the B2C and merchant brand partnerships teams to layer in session, browsing, purchase, and content engagement data. This unlocked far richer personalisation for users and smarter targeting for brand partners.
A shared roadmap for data use cases and channel mix continues to evolve, ensuring the platform keeps pace with both user behaviour and partner needs.
The main lesson here is to get your internal plumbing in order. Do the engineering work, and the opportunity for smoother, more seamless personalisation opportunities gets you a lot further to maximising e-mail as a performance channel.
2. Skilled people
Even the best tools need the right people to make them work. Reward Gateway | Edenred built a team of digitally driven, data-savvy marketers with a hunger for performance.
Although some staff already had experience with automation platforms, extensive training with the Braze success team and external consultants sharpened their ability to think from a brand partner’s perspective. This expertise allowed the team to align their work with what matters most to partners: engagement that drives sales.
3. An innovative, test-and-learn mindset
Culture matters as much as skills. A/B testing underpins every campaign, and KPI dashboards feed a continuous cycle of reworking, iterating, and innovating.
“It’s all about the outputs, not the inputs,” says Philpott. “Results, results, results.”
A culture where experimentation is not only encouraged but essential.
4. Strong brand partnerships
Finally, Reward Gateway | Edenred’s partners share in this culture of experimentation. Many brand partners now co-create A/B tests, share direct-to-consumer strategies, and collaborate closely on new use cases.
Because the platform operates within a trusted, closed user group, partners feel confident testing fresh approaches. This trust has opened the door to more innovative workshops and discussions, benefiting all parties.
5. Timing, triggers, and the future of email
Timing also plays a crucial role.
Campaign performance has shown higher engagement on Mondays and Fridays, with increasing weekend traffic around travel, leisure, food delivery, and subscription services.
The use of event-triggered emails – driven by user interactions with content – combined with send-time optimisation is creating ever more personalised communication. AI is set to accelerate this trend, blending timing and channel optimisation to deliver the right message to the right person at the right moment.
What affiliates can learn
Reward Gateway | Edenred’s experience demonstrates the power of newsletters as a resilient growth channel for affiliates. With the right tech, skilled teams, a culture of testing, and collaborative partnerships, email can drive not just opens and clicks but measurable revenue growth.
In a year where search is less predictable than ever, owned channels offer stability and control. Affiliates who invest in newsletters now, will be better placed to thrive tomorrow.
Reward Gateway / Edenred will be exhibiting at PI LIVE Europe this year. If you'd like to learn more about affiliate newsletter strategies and their unique publisher model, head over to their stall to talk with the team!
