In today’s era of the peak popularity of the competitive iGaming industry, affiliate marketing is a great way to generate income online. However, starting from scratch may lead to many mistakes. Though mistakes are necessary in every sphere of life as they form valuable experience and make you a better person, some of them are better avoided, as in this industry, mistakes can cost you profit.
Today, we will focus on typical iGaming mistakes and the ways to avoid them. This concerns management, finances, marketing, and some other fields when it comes to betting and gambling. Let us begin!
Choosing Fixed Commissions Instead of RevShare Model
It may seem a lot easier and more stable for affiliates to work with fixed commissions, especially if the advertiser is generous to you. They may offer you $100–$150 for a conversion, but it is a one-time earning opportunity.
With the RevShare model, advertisers share a percentage of their revenue with you. It will lead to long-term income opportunities. While RevShare income heavily depends on customers LTV, you should make more money, as long as you generate traffic of quality.
Moreover, iGaming platform can change the rate of commissions depending on their predictions of their income from deposits. That means today the rate is $150 and in the next month it can be $100 and lower. Contrary to that, many networks offer lifetime RevShare, which is a chance to get some passive income.
Spending More than Necessary
Set daily and hourly spending limits to prevent exhausting another $1,000 overnight, which could reduce your chances for ongoing testing. Since you can’t guarantee that all the conversions you’ve paid for will result in deposits, these limits will help safeguard you against overspending.
Making Big Changes at the Wrong Time
Try to avoid making big changes to your campaign right before major events and tournaments. Their impact might be limited, and the overall campaign performance might drop.
Even when the timing is right, make sure you make small changes at once — one step at a time. As you can easily control and compare results with the previous outcomes instead of reinventing the whole funnel anew.
Being Late or False Start
One of the biggest mistakes when running iGaming ads is starting the campaign too late or too early, which results in massive traffic loss.
It is especially important to be on time when running ads dedicated to a certain event, e.g., the Champions League Finals. The number of users will slowly rise as the date of the event approaches. Then, 12 hours before it, the number will reach its peak. But right before the match, ads will be less efficient, as everyone who searched for a platform has already found it.
The balanced solution is to start a campaign 2–3 days before the event as a warm-up. And on the day of the event, 12 hours before the start, push the campaign. Once the tournament begins, it’s safe to close the campaign.
Mixing All Types of Users in One Campaign
The behavior of iOS and Android users varies, and mobile traffic shows different activity patterns compared to desktop traffic. Additionally, traffic from various countries has varying costs and conversion rates.
Combining all these different traffic segments into a single campaign can lead to non-representative statistics, the results of which cannot be trusted for decision-making.
Cutting Short Your Test Campaign
Take your time while testing anything. 1–2 weeks is a balanced timespan. If you make any conclusions after testing for a couple of days, the results won’t be statistically significant.
Remember that iGaming marketers seek active players, not just subscribers. Ideally, every user will deposit after they click on an ad, but unfortunately, it rarely happens that fast. Therefore, take your time to study the traffic sources.
Neglecting Compliance and Regulations
The iGaming industry is subject to strict regulations, and failing to comply can result in significant penalties. It’s essential to stay updated on the legal requirements in your target areas and ensure that your advertisements conform to these rules.
This encompasses adhering to age restrictions, promoting responsible gambling messages, and steering clear of misleading claims.
Using Poor-Quality Creatives
In iGaming campaigns, creatives should focus on promotions and the value of the offers. Generic claims and hard sales are ineffective and must be avoided.
It is necessary to remember that iGaming players tend to look for bonuses and special offers when joining new platforms.
Avoid unwarranted and hyperbolic claims like “Join the best casino”. Get straight to the point instead: “$100 bonus on the first deposit. Register now!”
More recommendations for iGaming advertisers you can find in our previous article.
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Using Misleading Tactics
Many affiliates resort to using deceptive tactics and promises that they cannot fulfill. For example, a user sees an ad that tells him that they will get a $50 bonus for registration. But after they register on a platform, nothing happens.
After that, the user is unlikely to visit this platform again. Over time, the number of deceived leads grows, and the product owner begins to notice the affiliate’s shady tactics. The owner might take action and, for example, enforce RevShare as a way to align the incentives.
Using the Wrong Language
This is a mistake that is common to every niche of affiliate marketing, not only to iGaming.
Your ad creatives should use either one of the official languages of the GEO or at least the one that is frequently used for communication.
And while English is a standard pick, users tend to ignore ads in a foreign language, so make sure to match the language of your ads to the country they are going to be shown to.
You can also use special slang from spheres you make ads for. That will appeal to certain audiences and make the conversion rate higher, e.g., poker rake, free spins, or highroller.
Not Being Consistent With Bonus Promo
You must be consistent with your offer throughout the funnel. If there is a mention of a bonus in a banner, whether it is a text or visual representation, you should always mention the same information on your landing page. The deal must be the same as advertised, no exceptions.
Seeing a special offer on a creative but not on a landing page can lead to confusion. As a result of this doubt, the conversion rate will drop, while the bounce rate will grow.
Not Including CTA on the Landing Page
Landing pages with CTA (Call to Action) are more likely to make higher CR. When displaying bonuses or promotions on the landing page, you want to direct your users with a CTA to the registration page to convert them right away. Remind users that it takes a couple of steps to complete the registration. Set up triggers to make your offer appear when users are about to leave the site.
Remember that iGaming is all about emotions and action, so give it to the users. Make landing pages interactive and entertaining—spinning roulettes, popping slots, maybe a lucky wheel. Unleash your imagination and make it flashy, interesting, and memorable for users.
But do not overdo it, as tons of banners and such reminders can be overwhelming for users, forcing them to leave instead of exploring deeper.
Making the Registration Form Long and Complicated
Advertisers want a user to register and deposit money as fast as possible. So don’t make long and complex registration forms. You want the users to immediately be converted. Plug-and-play is a way to go. Ask only for a name and e-mail address. Other information can be asked after the registration is complete.
The only excuse to use complex landing pages is when you promote some financial offers, requiring substantial financial commitment. In case of complex products, people take their time to explore the product to safeguard their investments by learning as much info as possible. As a result, they don’t mind prolonged registration forms, but that’s rather an exception.
Missing Some of the Payment Systems
There is nothing sadder than a user who was ready to deposit but stopped because there was the preferred payment system was absent from the list. So make sure you add, and most importantly, state on a landing page, all of the popular payment systems, including some local ones.
That will make users more loyal to the platform, as they will see you caring for their time and convenience.
Overlooking Mobile Optimization
In the modern world, most of us use mobile devices to surf the Internet. So it is very important for both ad creatives and landing pages to be optimized for handheld devices.
Optimize both front-end and back-end. Fast loading time, intuitive navigation, and a seamless user experience are vital, so make sure your campaign is ready for those who click and those who tap.
For the Conclusion
The iGaming sector is currently flourishing, leading affiliate marketers to invest more of their time and effort into it. While mistakes in iGaming marketing campaigns can be costly, they can also unravel new opportunities and target audiences.
Hopefully, with the help of this guide, you can circumvent some of the most common mistakes, so that your earnings remain stable. At HilltopAds, we believe in mutually-beneficial cooperation, which is why we are always ready to help you with your campaigns. Contact us for assistance, and let’s make a profit jointly.
