GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 28 - April 2014

while attempting to identify trends is far from the best use of a marketing profes- sional’s time, especially when tools exist to facilitate theprocess. By using tools that allow for more quali- tative insight into conversion pathways andacquisitionbehaviorprior to registra- tion, concerned stakeholders are able to spend more time crafting messages and strategies that stand to make their company more money. This can also spark greater motivation and passion, as data will increasingly be viewed as central to supporting a more balanced work schedule. Stringent data review is invaluable to the success of an affiliate operation and will remain an important task for the fore- seeable future. But that doesn’t mean that it needs to be all-encompassing, not allowing room formore engaging tasks. Customer benefit If greater communication, collaboration and balanced work life are not enough to convince one of the merits of smarter, more comprehensive data analytics, then maybe greater customer satisfaction will serve the endgoal. Better segmentation and strategic tar- geting can result in happier customers. By conducting A/B testing in tan- dem with more robust data analytics that show conversion pathways, af- filiates can work with their operator counterparts to ascertain which ads, promotions and calls-to-action have bet- ter results based on website placement, timing and audience. While affiliates can use this information when conceptualizingplans thatwill cre- ate more audience engagement, compre- hensive data reporting will only provide a framework for success. Implementing attractive campaigns for consumers will still require a good deal of creativity and marketing instinct. Strategic teambuilding Better data creates more qualitative sce- narios and case studies with which to challenge creative teams. The information couldbeof particular benefitwhenbring- ing innew teammembersandassembling amoredynamic creativeunit. This isn’t to suggest that insight from this databe incorporatedas anevaluation tool prior to someone joining an organization; rather it could be used at the time of the individual’s introduction to an affiliate or affiliate management team. Not only wouldhavinga tool toextract keymetrics highlight the resources that an operation has at its disposal but it would also provide specific scenarios forwhich team memberscoulddevise theoreticalplansof actionforpotentialreal-worlduse lateron. Smarter data allows affiliates to get more granular and detailed when looking at what works and what doesn’t while providing a better understanding of the big picture and solutions that will serve it accordingly. It also means identifying which teammembers are best suited for particular projectsmoving forward. This is probably where brands and indi- viduals have themost potential to imple- ment “hall of fame”marketing strategy. Dataonlya tool Data can be big, complicated andmessy. But it can alsobe avaluable tool for those who choose to look at it asmore than just a daunting collection of numbers and reports. The numbers are reflective of human actions in response to messages that brands seek to disseminate online. A big part of that dissemination can be through affiliatemarketing. Solutions providers like Income Access create tools that allow for thorough analysis of large amounts of data and smarter conversations between iGaming affiliates and operators. Without such solutions to assist with the heavy lifting, industry stakeholders will continue to confront thedilemmaof having toomuch datawith too little context. Data is not in and of itself a solution for marketing conundrums. What it does provide, however, is more time for marketing professionals to market and find creative solutions in response to the informationbefore them. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AllanPetrilli ismanager of affiliateservicesat Income Access. Dedicated tobuilding strong relationships in the iGaming industryand im- mersinghimself in theworld of affiliatemarketing, Allan strives tobea trusted resource and leader forhis teamand within the industryat large. “ Smarter dataallowsaffiliates togetmore granular anddetailedwhen lookingatwhat worksandwhat doesn’twhileprovidinga better understandingof thebigpictureand solutions thatwill serve it accordingly." 12 Jumping into theBigData revolution