GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 27 - February 2014

GPWA AFFILIATE INTERVIEW SERIES that’s not good. I guess I should embrace it more as it does seem to be part and par- cel of affiliate life but we’re in a paid-for- performance industry, so pay me on per- formance – and reward me accordingly. What do your family and friends think of your work as an affiliate? Even after all these years I’m not entirely sure some understand what my work is about. That’s fine though – as long as they don’t ask me to mend their computers! Fortunately I’ve got some good mates who are working on- line, whether in domaining or as an affili- ate, so that’s good for discussing problems or getting advice. Do you gamble online? If so, what do you play? I gamble a little bit, but not a lot. I have the odd flutter on football, test out slots when writing reviews and even give bingo a go every now and then. I’ve fancied learning poker but just never got round to it. How long do you give yourself for an- swering e-mail? What e-mail tips can you offer? I used to try and answer e-mail as soon as possible, but now I tend not to rush to reply and in some cases don’t reply at all – which can upset people. I know it’s polite to reply, but I find replying some- times initiates an engagement that I don’t want – especially if I’m doing a quick, dis- missive response. My top tip is simply leave your e-mail for a period in the day when you can deal with it. Where you need to say “no thanks” make it clear that you’re not interested at the moment. I’ve wasted hours in e-mail discussions with brands who earned us nothing – don’t do the same. How do you manage your “to-do” lists? Do you use any special software to help you out? My to-do lists are mostly writ- ten down on scraps of paper on the desk. I don’t use software or get too concerned if things aren’t done. I have a rough idea of the important things that need to be done and they usually get done. Everything else can always be done tomorrow. How much time do you devote to SEO and/or social networking in order to drive more traffic to your sites? I’m aware of SEO but it’s actually not some- thing time is devoted to – it’s just part and parcel of putting the content on site and development. Time was always too short to worry about stats, keywords and positions – so it’s not something that gets on the agenda. Yes, it’s in the subconscious and that’s the best place for it. I may be in a ma- jority of one on that score, but it’s a huge distraction for folks trying to build sites. We do use social networking – Facebook and Twitter, mainly, and both pick up vis- itors. One of the Loquax team does look after the social side of things – although that’s more for promoting our own white- label brands such as Loquax Bingo and the recently launched Clucky Bingo. What’s the most difficult thing about running your sites? Time – there’s never enough of it and plenty of things to fill it. Mind you I’m a lot happier with my work- load this month than the one I had in the same month a year ago. Perhaps the most difficult thing I’ve ever done though was de- ciding to change the focus of Loquax from online competitions to gaming. That change didn’t just affect the company or have the potential to end the business, but we had to break the news to several thousand users who had been loyal to us for years. What’s the best thing about running your sites? I love the fact that we can earn a living without necessarily working on the sites seven days a week. With the com- petition community we needed to be up- dating six/seven days a week. Now we’re free of that “burden” and can run business things more efficiently. This year was the first time I’ve been on a totally work-free holiday – it was fantastic!! If you knew you were going to have visi- tors, would you bake a cake? Yes – ap- parently I’m not a bad baker, either. Every couple of weeks I bake a couple of cakes for a local Alzheimer’s Society group. Nothing spectacular but always tasty and the folks who attend the meetings love them. You’ve posted that when you’re not on- line you’re into photography, ducks and Southampton F.C. What kind of photog- raphy do you do, what is it about ducks that you like (besides their “quax”) – and why the Saints? Following the Saints is something inherited from my granddad and mum – just one of those things, I guess, but it gets in your blood, so they’re your team. I’ve followed them through good times and bad – thankfully at the moment it’s an amazing time. Ducks have been a lucky charm, but they also fit in with photography. I originally got into it taking wildlife shots – mainly of ducks. I do a mix of everything these days, but I like landscapes and sports photography. Some of my shots appear on my photography blog, tog.co.uk, and I also have a Flickr page. I’d love to do photography professionally, but have a very long way to go to get on that path. When you need to get as far away from work as possible, where do you go? I usually just head out with the camera. This part of Wales is blessed with fantastic scen- ery and places to walk (e.g., Gower) and it’s lovelytojustgetoutandawayfromitall.The sea is a couple of minutes’ walk away and that’s always a good spot to take time out. What’s your favorite vacation spot? Las Vegas – it’s where I got married. It’s such an amazing place – the history, the hotels, the casinos, the Grand Canyon . . . and Elvis. What more could any one place need! I think it’s probably time to head back out there soon. What’s your all-time favorite movie? Star Wars. It was the first film I saw in the cinema and the one that probably had the biggest impact on me. It’s incredible to think it’s over 35 years old. I do wish George Lucas had just left it at three, though – it’s amazing to think that de- spite his genius he inflicted Jar Jar Binks on the world. If you could invite any five people, living or dead, to dinner, who would they be? 1. George Lucas – to find out what possessed him when it came to Episodes I to III! 2. Elvis Presley – he’s The King! 3. Matt Le Tissier – Southampton F.C. legend. 4. Bill Hicks – went before his time; top comedian. 5. Oliver Reed – the drinks would flow, but he apparently had some top stories. What are three things that nobody knows about you? 1. I’ve seen Sir Tom Jones in concert six times (husbandly duties – honest). 2. The only guests at my wedding were a French family – they wanted to see in- side the chapel but the only way they could was as guests – so Jude and I in- vited them to watch. It added to the sur- reality of it all. 3. I spent six weeks in St. Louis learning how to estimate thermodynamic prop- erties of chemicals at high temperatures and pressures. So far I’ve not been able to use this within online gaming. GPWA Affiliate Interview Series