Colombia stands out as the first nation with full regulatory standards for gaming though it ’ s an evolving process done by retracing the steps of those who have gone before .
Stopping there isn ’ t enough ; to become a key player , a robust approach to unique , powerful and topically relevant links is key .
In a newly regulated market , they may be hard to come by but that is why it ’ s important to consider strategies like acquiring links on international sites . For example , this could involve utilising Colombian traffic and perhaps devoting extra time to the mainstream media publishers with the strongest sites , but with perhaps weaker topical relevance . As the market ripens , snapping up opportunities for prime placements with domestic , native-language sites with higher relevance is key . For smaller , faster and more agile firms , this could be an area of competitive advantage .
Peru
For Peru , let ’ s take a look at the sites that are ranking for the keyword that almost seems to define the SEO opportunity in LatAm : ‘ apuestas deportivas ’ ( Fig 3 ).
First , it ’ s worth considering the spread of sites here and the presence of strong international brands with a razor-sharp approach to SEO . For major keywords like ‘ apuestas deportivas ’ you can be sure that , even in evolving markets , sizeable players will already have a strategy in mind .
Looking at these 15 sites it appears there isn ’ t a correlation in top performance compared to the number of referring domains , but that ’ s not to say the quality of linking domains isn ’ t worth exploring .
In a rush to capitalise on opportunities in newly regulated markets , it isn ’ t unusual for firms to overspend on link acquisition methods that won ’ t move the dial .
Although there are clearly some big names ranking for this term in Peru , the scale of the challenge in offsite SEO terms doesn ’ t seem enormous . This might encourage smaller brands or tactical affiliates to aim for major keywords rather than long-tail , informational queries .
However , this is an evolving market and , as regulation comes into force , that ’ s when the competition might really begin .
For now ? Well , there ’ s lots of inspiration based on the type of content that is ranking , as well as the offsite dimension .
Summing up
By using snapshot analysis from these three emerging markets , it ’ s possible not only to identify some starting points for SEO strategy therein but also to remind ourselves of SEO fundamentals that apply to any market and industry .
That is to say , a pragmatic focus on assessing the scale of competition , identifying the quantity and quality of SEO initiatives required to meaningfully compete and the necessary blend of onsite and offsite methodologies required to form a sustainable strategy .
At ICS we ’ ll be watching closely as these markets heat up , and how the competitive picture may change but the SEO basics will continue to be a factor in who comes out on top , particularly as ( some ) brands have learned costly lessons from over-indulgent paid media strategies in markets like the US .
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