GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 10 - Sept 2009

GPWA ExecutiveDirector: MichaelCorfman MarketingDirector: AndreaMullaney ProgramManager: StevenCorfman ProgramCoordinator: NancyTroy AccountManager: EricAlmquist GPWATimesMagazine ManagingEditor: VinNarayanan SeniorEditor: GaryTrask AssociateEditor: Dan Igo CopyChief: BillRiley Designer: GeorgeChoi Advertising Toadvertise in the GPWATimes,please e-mail: sales@gpwa.org Subscriptions Tosubscribe to the GPWATimes,simply registeratgpwa.org andprovideyour mailingaddress. It’sFREE! ISSN1941-9872 LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR I t’sSeptember.Back to school, back towork–and foraffiliates it’s time tohit the road foranother round of conferencesand shows.We’re especiallyexcitedaboutwherewe’ll be thismonth–Hungary for theBudapest AffiliateConference followedby Denmark forEiG2009 inCopenhagen. Hope to seeyouatoneorbothof these majorevents. This issueof theGPWATimes magazine, the tenth, featuresacover storyabout all thingsCalvin–Calvin Ayre, that is, andhisnew rolewith Bodog.RebeccaLiggerometwith Calvin inAntigua,wherehe revealed hisplans for the reincarnationof the Bodogbrand.Then she interviewed threeof themajorplayerswhowill make ithappen:KeithMcDonnell, BodogEuropeandBodogCanada; AlwynMorris,MohawkGamingGroup, Bodog’sU.S.-facingbrand licensee; and IanDunning,HaydockEntertainment, Bodog’sAsia-facing licensee.Buried somewhere in themidst of all this interviewing,Rebeccaalsomakesan earthshakingpersonal announcement (you’ll have to look for it yourselves, because rightnow Ifind it toodifficult to speakof). Also inside,VinNarayanan takesus into theover-the-topworldofnightlife on theStrip. JeremyEnkeofferspoker affiliatesuseful tipsongrowing their businesses in thecurrent economy. SEOguruGaryBeal showsushow GoogleGeographicalTargetingcan enhanceyourpresence in today’s hypercompetitivemarketplace.Gary Trask takesa lookatwhyonlinepoker is sobig in theU.S.KarimWilkins givesus theback storyon rakeback. AndAndrewMuellerweighs inwith fivegood reasons touseAffiliateGuard Dog’spaymentscalendar (reasonfive: “Because it is fun”). Asalways, ouraffiliateandaffiliate manager interviewsprovide sage advice, off-the-wall humorandpretty goodgossip.And for the latest cartoon contest, industrydevelopments andGPWAnewsdon’tmissour Departments sections. Before I signoff, I’d like toproposea toast:Here’s toanawesomeautumn forall ofus–andgood luck toyou, Rebecca,whereveryouare! Sincerely, Michael A. Corfman GPWAExecutiveDirector 12 StraightenUpandFlyRight JeremyEnkepresentspoker affiliateswithfiveways tonavigate successfully through today’seconomic turbulence. 14 RakeTheRake– TheFullStoryonRakeback KarimWilkins explains how you canplease some players all of the time and all players someof the time, but you can’t please all of them all of the time. 16 OnlinePoker in theUSA–Strong, SteadyandHere toStay! Ever since theUIGEAwaspassed,GaryTraskwrites, onlinegaminghas seena lotof volatility–but theone constanthasalwaysbeenonlinepoker. 18 TheVIPExperience– Nightlife inVegas VinNarayananandRebeccaLiggerohit someof Sin City’sbiggestWSOP summerbashesandcome to the sameconclusionas somanyhavebefore:Youhaven’t partieduntil you’vepartied inLasVegas. 30 CoverStory:CalvinAyre–Back in BodogLand After awildpost-UIGEA journey,Calvin’sback,and this timearound it’sall aboutbranding.After interviewing Ayrehimself,RebeccaLiggero talkswith threekey peoplewhoat thisverymoment are implementing the Bodogmakeover. 54 GoGlobal –TheMarketsAreSoft GaryBeal unravels themysteriesofGoogleGeographical Targeting,anddemonstrateshowaffiliates canuse it to competewithcorporatist-fundedSEOandCPC. 68 AffiliateGuardDog’s PaymentsCalendar Everwonder if other affiliatesarebeingpaidwhenyou’re not?AndrewMueller showshowusing thisnewclient- server tool letsyou track thepaymentsbeingmadeby theprogramsyoupromote. DEPARTMENTS 6 WebmasterNews 8 By theNumbers 10 CartoonCaptionContest 28 EventCalendar 48 GPWASponsors 50 GPWASeal ofApproval Program 58 Affiliate InterviewSeries 72 AffiliateManager Interviews 80 APCW’sWall of Shame GPWA Times :: Table of Contents