GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 48 - December 2020

THE BELONGING CRISIS It is an undeniable truth that the affiliate marketing industry largely relies on numbers. At the end of the day, the wallet of the affiliate network depends on the depositing customers they can bring to the brands they are promoting. However, ensuring a sense of belonging is crucial if they want to thrive in what they do, as we are, in fact, experiencing a belonging deficit. In today’s cultures, the brands we choose reflect our social identities; our choices symbolize who we are to ourselves and THE AFFILIATE BUSINESS: BUILT ON THE PILLARS OF BELONGINGNESS The word affiliate comes fromMedieval Latin , whichmeant “to adopt.” Today, the word has drifted away from its literal meaning, and the verb “affiliate” means to associate oneself with a group. People in the affiliate marketing business are striving to build communities of their own. The affiliate networks that have the power to create a community of players drawn by a sense of belonging are sought after by the gambling brands looking to acquire first-time depositors. It’s simple — on many occasions, the success of a brand relies upon associating itself with such communities where people feel like they belong. We’re intuitively drawn to people who are similar to us. Similarly, we’re attracted to brands that have the power to connect with us on an emotional level and represent something that we want to be a part of. Affiliate programs behind gambling brands invest heavily in ob- taining a dedicated community of players and implement various marketing strategies to achieve their goal. They try to carve a unique voice to attract more affiliate networks but, most importantly, the right networks which will work hard for their brands. Affiliating with a reputable network that has established itself as a strong community of like-minded people interested in gambling, makes gambling brands one step closer to success. The entire process is a chain where the gambling brand reaches out to an affiliate network (or vice versa) to borrow their community of ded- icated players, instead of investing into creating one from scratch. But what guides themwhen they choose who to collaborate with? What players desire from the affiliate networks is trust. Beyond numbers and the monthly traffic, it’s crucial to look at the affiliate network’s reputation and evaluate its trust levels among players. Players will only truly belong to a community if they trust that it has their best interest at heart. THE AFFILIATE RACE: FROM IMAGINED COMMUNITIES TO A SENSE Businesses that find the right balance by personalizing their marketingmethods , creating a positive brand experience , offering excellent customer service and reliable options on their plate are the ones that will come out victorious from this belongingness deficit . G P W A t i m e s . o r g 46