GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 15 - January 2011

T his issue of the GPWA Times Magazine – the 15th – will be distributed in London at three January events – the Legal Gaming in Europe Conference, ICE and the London Affiliate Conference (LAC). I hope to see lots of you there. By the way, if you’re still looking for a good NewYear’s resolution, how about deciding to make 2011 the year you attend your first industry event?! Our cover story this time around provides an in-depth dissection of –YOU. Participation in our first annual Membership Survey was excellent, and the results were interesting, informative and often surprising.We hope you enjoy reading about yourselves. And, as“first annual”implies, we’ll be doing this every year. Also not to be missed: five new affiliate interviews; four new affiliate manager interviews; Jeremy Enke’s take on the advantages for poker affiliates who promote through a network; Aaron Todd’s absorbing interview with Affiliate Guard Dog’s Andy Mueller; and Paul Reilly’s superb discussion of an affiliate’s SEO options. Vin Narayanan, with camera in hand, found time to explore the streets of Budapest during the Budapest Affiliate Conference. You can see the results in this issue. And be sure to check out the Departments for the latest news, numbers and quotes from the good guys and the bad guys in and around our industry. Before signing off I’d like to say a fewwords about my good friendTed (Spearmaster) Loh, who passed away just a short time after we lost Allan (Captain) Leonard and Lou (Professor) Fabiano. I first got to knowTed well when he and I and a fewother webmaster pioneers wouldmeet back in the early days of eCOGRA to provide advice and input and to discuss what we thought they could do tomake a difference. Tedwas one of a small circle of folks I always tried to spend time withwhenwe found ourselves at the same conference, which happened pretty often. Ted, I always enjoyed our times together. I’ll miss you, friend. Sincerely, Michael A. Corfman GPWA Executive Director LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR 6 8 10 22 47 54 62 68 Webmaster News By the Numbers Cartoon Caption Contest Affiliate Interview Series Event Calendar Affiliate Manager Interviews GPWA Sponsors APCW’s Wall of Shame DEPARTMENTS 16 65 Budapest in Photos In Memoriam – Ted (Spearmaster) Loh ALSO IN THIS ISSUE GPWA Executive Director: Michael Corfman Marketing Director: Andrea Mullaney ProgramManager: Steven Corfman ForumModerator: Anthony Telesca Program Coordinator: Nancy Troy GPWA Times Magazine Managing Editor: Vin Narayanan Senior Editor: Aaron Todd Associate Editor: Dan Igo Copy Chief: Bill Riley Designer: George Choi Advertising To advertise in the GPWA Times, please e-mail: sales@gpwa.org Subscriptions For a FREE subscription to the GPWA Times Magazine, visit: gpwatimes.com ISSN 1941-9872 Our members tell us 2011 will be the best year ever, or at least better than 2010. See what else they say in our first annual survey! Cover Story: GPWA Membership Survey 36 Aaron Todd clues us in on what makes Affiliate Guard Dog’s Andy Mueller tick in an up-close and personal interview with one of the most respected members of our industry. Always on the Lookout 48 Jeremy Enke makes the case for why poker affiliates networks should be a big part of the future of the industry. The Case for Poker Affiliate Networks 14 You know you need to do SEO, and Paul Reilly is here to give you the pros and cons of several ways to get it done. SEO: In-House Team, Hired Gun or Agency – What Are My Options? 13