“ In the US market , the positive news is that there is plenty of data to work with across all regulated states to identify where competitors have succeeded and failed ”
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INSIGHT
In part one of this two-part series ( part two is on igbaffiliate . com ) we ’ ll focus on how to analyse the competition and build stronger foundations for a US-based strategy .
ANALYSE THE COMPETITION
In any highly competitive market , it ’ s important to get a reliable benchmark of where your brand sits compared to other players in the market .
Part of that involves putting ego to one side and making an honest assessment of the risks and opportunities ahead , based on your current ( and future ) resources .
In the US market , the positive news is that there is plenty of data to work with across all regulated states to identify where competitors have succeeded and failed . You can use that to help you avoid missteps while learning from what works .
It ’ s important to put guesswork to one side and systematically check out the brands with top rankings and prominently featured snippets . What makes their content so engaging and why is Google rewarding them with more real estate on the search engine results page ?
It might be in-depth information on the latest sports picks , game reviews , odds or tips – or even just the basics of how to bet online or open an account or understand payment methods , given the relative newness of ( legal ) online gambling .
Wherever competitor content feels thin or out of date and where you are , or can become , an authority – that ’ s where opportunities lie .
To start looking into these opportunities , tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush are the industry standards , but others are available and they ’ re not for SEO agency eyes only .
STRONG FOUNDATIONS
Aside from the need to have a site that is fast and has the potential to perform well in SEO , adaptability is vital in evolving markets like the US . To give your betting brand the best growth potential , your platform needs to be fluid and flexible . Shop around when it comes to platform providers – this will help gain as many testimonials , customer references and guarantees from potential suppliers as possible .
In this field it ’ s important to look beyond the US . One gentle observation from numerous years of discussions with USbased operators and affiliates is that it ’ s not uncommon for brands to disregard actionable information from mature markets . Many brands are making the same mistakes and following the same false shortcuts as European brands from two , five and 10 years ago .
With that in mind , verifying platforms and development partners based on their global credibility can help avoid pitfalls and set your site up to succeed . This is true whether you ’ re an affiliate or operator .
The US is rightly described as a melting pot – bettors will have different interests , queries , concerns and priorities – so a nimble , flexible site with the capacity to test out content and campaigns that respond to its specific goals is an advantage .
“ In the US market , the positive news is that there is plenty of data to work with across all regulated states to identify where competitors have succeeded and failed ”
106 • ISSUE 94 • iGB AFFILIATE LONDON 2024