GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 24 - April 2013

other altogether to get them to come back for more. Bingo news, blog posts, player testimonials, winning stories and site re- views are some of best ways to populate an affiliate’s bingo site with rich content. Exclusive promotions It’s essential that an affiliate offers its players promotions that they can’t get anywhere else. To do this, coordinate spe- cial campaigns with the bingo rooms you partner with and find out what deals can be made. Share successful campaigns you may have previously run on your site and see if you can create similar ones to test. Latest offers In addition to exclusive promotions, a list of the latest bingo offers should be found on your website, in a highly visible loca- tion. Again, players are always in search of new deals, so it’s imperative that these be featured. Your site can even spotlight the “site of the month” and “deal of the day,” for example. Newsletters Newsletters are an excellent way to draw players toward your site while also gain- ing traction in the bingo community. Incorporate the acquisition methods listed above into your bingo newsletter, including recent blog entries, reviews, latest and exclusive promotions, offers and other topics that your target audi- ence will find of interest. The newsletter itself should be produced on a consistent basis. If you find that there is enough content on your site, you may aim to re- lease a monthly or biweekly newsletter. Social media Social media is arguably one of the more significant channels for creating aware- ness and customer engagement; its reach is massive and its upkeep, while frequent, is minimal. Players can easily check affiliate Twitter feeds to find out the latest bingo news, events, promo- tions and much more. The same can be said for Facebook. As social media con- tinues to thrive, so too do the marketing opportunities for motivated affiliates. Forum Finally, a forum can foster and cultivate the bingo community’s presence directly on an affiliate’s website. By offering a place where players can convene and chat, you are offering a place where they can interact and share experiences. This is one of the primary reasons that players have chosen to play bingo. Bingo players want a place where they can meet and form relationships. DRIVING BINGO TRAFFIC Many of the strategies used to court play- ers (blogs, reviews, social media, news- letters) can also be used to drive traffic toward online bingo rooms. However, there are some additional practices geared specifically for bingo operators that need to be added to the list. Banner ads Banners can be effective in creating brand awareness, differentiations and incentives for players. They can be linked to bingo reviews and promotions offered on-site – and this association enhances the legitimacy of the ad, thus providing stronger click through rates. Operator reviews Reviewing bingo operators on your site is a particularly effective measure in traffic- driving. Types of reviews can be varied, but they should always include the op- erator’s background, software platform, type of games offered and key unique features. An honest review can draw players to an operator’s site and will go a long way in building loyalty to your brand as well. SEO Search engine optimization is a tried- and-true tactic that not only gathers traffic, but directs it. More specifically, backlinking can be used to guide players to an operator’s site. Backlinks come in many forms. Contests that incorporate a link-building component can be held on-site, blogs from an operator’s site can be inter-linked on the affiliate’s site and player socialization (via forums, social media, etc.) can be generated to share links. Like all good SEO, backlinking doesn’t happen overnight; be persistent and punctual. Media buying Media buying allows ads to be placed outside the website. When properly lev- eraged, these ads can be placed in bingo- specific spaces for maximum visibility. Media buys can provide outreach in non- traditional bingo settings, thus expos- ing the game to uninitiated players. The method is exceedingly proficient when promoting an operator in one of its other vertical spaces. The bingo vertical is full of promise. For affiliate marketers in search of a niche or looking to expand their entrepreneurial pursuits, this is one venture that’s cer- tain to enhance their portfolio. Bingo is ripe for expansion and you’ll be able to integrate yourself into the vertical seam- lessly by incorporating the skills and techniques described here. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kendra Carrie is an affiliate marketing manager at Income Access, specializing in bingo. As part of the IA team, she provides her clients with customized bingo strategies and guidance. “More and more players are using their smartphones and tablets, so in order to fully engage with the target audience, bingo affiliates’ sites have to be accessible on portable devices.” 20 Breaking into bingo: The essential affiliate guide