self-regulated by the Japanese |
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government or municipal bodies . |
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However , there is no law |
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stopping residents from gambling |
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on foreign sites , which creates a |
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situation where the government |
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cracks down on the supply side |
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( companies ) but not the demand |
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side ( players ) – with implications |
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for marketing and SEO . |
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Robust gambling licences were |
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initially predicted for 2020 but |
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were waylaid due to the pandemic . |
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Pretty soon , though , things will |
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move at a greater pace with |
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land-based casinos entering into |
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Japan ’ s market by 2025 . |
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This regulatory evolution , slow as |
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it is , will almost certainly contribute |
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to demand for online channels , |
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and the normalisation of types |
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of gambling that are a common |
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feature elsewhere in the world . |
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With this in mind , it would be |
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of no surprise if home-grown and |
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international affiliates started |
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to become more overt in their |
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marketing strategies , laying the |
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groundwork for further regulation |
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not unlike what we ’ ve seen from ‘ advisory ’ and ‘ informational ’ affiliate sites in jurisdictions like the US , Brazil and Canada .
While a slow legislative process is a significant barrier to the most substantial opportunities , where there ’ s demand for info , there are SEO gains to be made .
The role of SEO
As with any market , leveraging
|
keyword research to implementing on-page optimisation techniques , there are a number of methods that don ’ t differ in Japan .
In terms of off-site SEO , in terms of link building or creative digital PR ( e . g . link-earning ), this is where the struggles for affiliates can lie .
With the ‘ grey ’ status of gambling , sites may be unwilling to link , perhaps under the impression
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13k English terms such as ‘ online casino ’ and ‘ casino ’ make up about 13,000 searches per month .
|
Adding in the physical and
cultural distance that comes
from being an international brand
trying to develop an SEO footprint
in Japan and there ’ s even more
potential for closed doors and
declined proposals .
One way to break down some of
these off-site obstacles is through
over-investment in the onsite
experience and brand .
|
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SEO strategies tailored to the local linguistic and cultural context is crucial to ensuring traction is gained in the market . |
that gambling is more heavily scrutinised or ‘ tackled ’ by the authorities than the actual reality . Likewise , PR campaigns can be of |
Content strategy for Japanese audiences
Showing affinity for consumer
|
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In this regard the standard |
limited reach where journalists are |
preferences and providing |
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starting point is pretty familiar |
unsure of the legal status and any |
clarity with non-promotional , |
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to seasoned affiliates . From |
attempt to ‘ persuade ’ can put them |
straightforward content can |
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conducting opportunity-seeking |
on the defensive . |
help build trust with potential |
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46 • iGBAFFILIATE . COM |