INSIGHT
you create answers this question clearly , you ’ re in a great position to begin building lasting relationships with Millennial players looking for an affiliate ’ s new offers .
Educate your audience transparently Players strive to get better . You have the tools to make that happen . Taking what was mentioned earlier , focus a lot of your effort on education . One of the greatest assets of the world of online gambling is that the barriers are virtually non-existent for new players ( with regards to playing a game , and not necessarily the logistics of signing up and restrictions and so forth ). There is a certain level of intimidation when it comes to brick-andmortar operations . Think back to the first time you stepped foot in a casino : a craps table full of fast-moving , high-energy and knowledgeable players makes for a rather intense situation for virgin rollers . That doesn ’ t exist online . Still , knowing the rules of the game makes playing it both more fun and inviting .
Keep in mind that , as an affiliate , you can be rooting for the player . Show them that they are your peers by sharing insights into betting strategies and advanced tactics for games that have them . As an added benefit to building trust with your audience , you can anchor links in these articles to special offers on these games . Tying your content to the objective of driving traffic to your operators is something you ’ ll need to do on a regular basis . Creating this kind of content , the kind that might provide readers with a newfound excitement for a particular game , is a great place to store these links .
Entertain beyond the offer Although you ’ ll want most if not every visit to your property to be a conversion , you ’ re going to want to establish trust and authority through the strategic use of non-gaming entertainment . What does that mean , exactly ? Perhaps the best way to understand this content strategy is by looking at Paddy Power ’ s successes .
Paddy Power might be your ( social media ) neighbourhood jokester , but it is still , first and foremost , an operator . It has simply cultivated a unique experience with its clients by focusing much of its online content on the lighter side of the world of gambling and sports . Not everything needs to be about driving traffic . For an affiliate , that can sometimes be a tough reality to accept , but in today ’ s communications landscape , relationships matter most .
You ’ ll be able to build these relationships and drive engagement and clicks via the trust cultivated with the strategic use of this kind of content .
How does this create trust , you might ask ? It ’ s simple . This angle of your communications strategy , much like Paddy Power ’ s , shows your audience that you ’ re interested in more than the signup and deposit . Although that might be your end goal , it is not your only one . On top of that , it is a strategy that will lead your prospects to visit your social platforms and website regularly , and with every visit there ’ s a greater chance that you drive the visitor to click on an ad or accept an offer you ’ ve posted .
Don ’ t be afraid of conversation Your content needs to be a two-way street . Social media is all about one thing : being social . If you ’ re constantly pushing out content but rarely — if ever — engaging with your audience on an individual level , it will be virtually impossible to build up trust and therefore impossible to nurture relationships . Without those , you can never grow , only move from player to player without making your life any easier in terms of acquisition ( from a decreased cost-per-acquisition angle ).
Engagement of this kind also helps to build your referral business . Often , new players will turn to their friends to ask for a recommended operator or affiliate . Although it is true that the signup might be generated from the best new offer out there , the recommendation will almost certainly come from a brand advocate . Conversations build that advocacy group quickly , and they can help you drive new traffic without any additional investment from your end . That ’ s the growth affiliates dream of .
“ Not everything needs to be about traffic . For an affiliate , that can be a tough reality to accept , but in today ’ s communications landscape , relationships matter most ”
What next ? Rome wasn ’ t built in a day , and an effective content strategy will take time , effort and patience to really begin taking effect . Those listed here are a great starting point , but you ’ ll need to be creative . Authority and trust will generate brand advocates and help you build your business , but the right steps need to be taken in order to achieve this . Those steps almost certainly need to include the content strategies laid out here , and you need to be dedicated to implementing them properly to ensure the results are genuine and not simply fleeting .
COREY PADVEEN has an extensive background in econometrics and statistics , and is a partner at t2 Marketing International . He has worked on some of the most innovative Millennial-oriented campaigns for both online and brick-and-mortar operators , speaks on his work and research at events around the world , and is a member of a number of gambling and Millennial-facing advisory boards . He is also the author of Marketing to Millennials For Dummies , which is part of the renowned For Dummies series .
48 iGB Affiliate Issue 65 OCT / NOV 2017