INSIGHT
requirements would be no different to those
that you would face in any competitive
market, primarily the hard work and
persistence to ensure it pays off. There are
always exceptions to the rules, but I have
only seen a very small minority walking
into affiliate marketing in recent times to
performance. Serious consideration should
be given to investment on the ground.
If you are currently seeing traction in
this market and attracting Australian traffic
already, there is probably a good reason.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking you
have to start redirecting every Aussie click
“Advancements and accessibility to programmatic
demand side platforms have meant that highly targeted
and relevant display inventory is accessible to all.”
see those big revenue shares rolling in right
off the bat.
Establishing brand awareness in the
first phase, and ensuring investment both
in time and monetary terms will give
you the best chance of achieving your
business goals. Despite the restrictions
in some areas of paid advertising, there
are still opportunities available to help
drive traffic and build brand awareness
for any size budget. Advancements and
accessibility to programmatic demand side
platforms have meant that highly targeted
and relevant display inventory is accessible
to all. Reinforcing your message through
retargeting your own traffic can yield
extremely positive results.
For the international affiliate looking
to get involved, there can be even
more challenges. While the digital age
has revolutionised the ability to work
without boundaries, one thing that will
continue to cause difficulty is time zones.
For half of the year, we are on GMT
+11hrs. From first-hand experience, the
inevitable delays in communication with
partners, particularly in such a fast-paced
industry, can cause frustration and hinder
to a page that is discussing the A-League
or NRL - there are plenty of resources on
this side of the planet for that. Geo-targeted
banner inventory and bookmaker content,
be it odds, contextual promotions, or
review pages, is a quick way to start making
the most from your existing traffic.
So where are the big opportunities?
Whether you are an established affiliate
looking to break into this lucrative market
or new to the game, there are still plenty
of areas that are there for the taking in a
“regulated” Australia.
In an article I wrote for iGaming
Business back in 2011, there was mention
of a gap in the social space. While there
are the already noted restrictions when
it comes to gambling, the opportunity to
develop a community and build a brand
through engaging content is still very
much there. While there are undoubtedly
some affiliates getting this right over
here, in my time as an affiliate manager
and through what we are seeing in our
network, the social sphere is a great
starting point.
During the 2014 Spring Carnival, a
frantic period of high advertising spend,
high acquisition volumes and high
turnover, Google insights shows that
smartphone queries for betting-related
terms were at 42%, up 4% year on year.
Despite this, advancements in mobile
products on both the operator side and
affiliates have been slow to develop in
comparison to other similar markets. A
browse through the app stores suggests that
there is plenty of scope for new entrants
in the mobile arena both in product and
optimisation.
So by way of a summary, Australia is
a complex and ever-changing landscape
that offers fantastic opportunities within a
fascinating and ultimately lucrative online
betting market. Given few stakeholders
would have forseen the changes that have
gone on in the last four years, where it will
be in four more is anyone’s guess.
ANDY SCOTT is APAC
Senior Account Manager
- Digital Fuel Marketing.
Andy left Ladbrokes UK
for Australia in 2011 to work
for Tabcorp. In 2014, he moved on to
Digital Fuel, an agency specializing
in the acquisition and retention of
customers in the iGaming industry.
iGB Affiliate Issue 50 APR/MAY 2015
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