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90 Digital & Linkdex have released the video sessions of the January ‘Igaming and SEO Think Tank’, the one day conference focusing on igaming marketing and SEO. Video sessions give insight into current igaming marketing trends, and what factors are affecting SEO for igaming operators. Furthermore 90 Digital and Linkdex offer outside industry opinion on optimizing SEO practices.
To view sessions videos click on the tab below
Below is a summary of ‘Igaming and SEO Think Tank key points and discussions
- 1. Trends in iGaming for 2014
The past twelve months have shown a handful of key areas in the online gambling industry that are driving innovation today. These key areas include iGaming in America, iGaming in Asia, Mobile Gambling, Social Gaming and Virtual Currency.
iGaming in America has been going on since the early 2000s, but now we’re moving from a grey market towards a white, regulated market. It’s clearer now that Federal regulation of online gambling in America is unlikely and that state by state is how regulation is moving forward. The bottom line here is that there is a lot less money in the regulated US online gambling market than you think, at least in the short term.
Asia is a different story altogether. There is more money in Asia than you could ever imagine, the trick is figuring out how to tap into this incredibly lucrative market. Macau’s explosive growth is a testament to the opportunities for iGaming operators in the region and will likely lead to the emergence of new regulatory jurisdictions for Asia facing iGaming.
After years of mobile being discussed and tipped as the ‘next big thing’, it’s finally here, and here to stay. Operators have seen an incredible growth (revenue-wise and customer-wise) coming from mobile. It’s now down to customer experience and a compelling mobile content, which is where investments are going next.
- 2. Speaking up for the iGaming industry
The iGaming industry needs to proactively defend itself from those who campaign against it. The incidence of problem gambling in the UK is just 0.6%, far less than other much more significant social problems facing the country. However, there remains a sentiment, driven by those who campaign against the industry, that the gambling industry represents a problem for the country. This is not a view shared by the government, but they will feel forced to react should there be significant pressure to do so.
In preparation for forthcoming and potential gambling legislation, gambling industry bodies need to unify their digital and high street businesses and fight the case for the gambling industry.
- 3. Stepping outside the niche
There is an assumption that people do not want to talk, or consume content about gambling but this is not the case. iGaming offers the potential to engage and entice consumers with content that they not only respond to, but want to share and recommend to their piers. The trick is to think beyond the niche – finding the crossover between iGaming and music, or iGaming and television, films, or sport, can give iGaming brands the chance to reach new markets and build links and recommendations. Often targeting key personas, and building a picture of a customers needs and interests can give amazing insights into the kind of content brands should be looking to produce.
- 4. iGamings unique affiliate ecosystem
The iGaming industry has a unique affiliate ecosystem. The industry has a select group fiercely contested ‘gambling consideration’ keywords, for example “best football betting site”, which are dominated by big affiliate players. This, coupled with the fact that iGaming has affiliate commissions of 20-34% (considerable higher than other key verticals such as travel or retail) it makes for a unique ecosystem in which it makes sense for these affiliate sites, to focus on driving clicks and traffic to iGaming brands, often at the expense of the sites own UX and reputation. iGaming is the only industry which can sustain a broken affiliate ecosystem which works!
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