$92.9 billion. That is the value of iGaming market for 2023. Isn’t it a reason to get acquainted with it, if of course you haven’t still done it before? iGaming affiliate marketing is a rightfully challenging and though solvable niche. So here we have many hints on how to strive in it and even double your campaigns’ ROI.
What is iGaming?
Here is a thing: iGaming is often mistakenly taken for gaming houses, which means promoting solely one type of offers (restricted in some countries). But this vast field has many angles, formats, solutions, and purposes. So don’t forget about lottery games, sporting fixtures, carnival games, etc., including even coin-tossing.
The main principle is simple: something valuable in any respect is to be wagered with an unpredictable outcome. As the process is based on transparency as the main principle, people keep their interest and annually increase the popularity of iGaming. Of course, there are fraud risks, but the more the industry develops, the more protected it becomes. And as it’s obviously not going to speed down, now is the best time to join.
To Contents ↑What is iGaming traffic?
iGaming traffic comes from users who are into winning money by having fun. They visit websites, social networks, apps and meet advertising that comes in various formats. The main sources of such ads we can list are:
- Websites
- Popunders
- Native ads
- Push Ads
- Context ads
- Search systems
- Social media
- In-app ads
- Google UAC.
Adsterra is a way to reach as many traffic sources for iGaming as possible. Accurate targeting settings and more than 35K direct publishers: all you need for a nice profit.
To Contents ↑Which iGaming affiliate payment model should you choose?
Go on finding out the difference between various affiliate systems: how do they work for iGaming, and which one to choose?
CPL
Classical cost-per-lead is probably the most popular way for iGaming. In this system the advertiser pays when a lead is completed. Common, clear, working.
Here you’re very welcome to read our partner’s case, where this model was used and had shown 306% ROI. We’re sure it’ll inspire you to try repeat the success!
CPA
Cost-per-action is also a very well-known pattern: in this case, payment comes not for a lead but for any needed action. It may be filling out a questionnaire, sharing a postal address, or anything else.
Revenue Share
Revenue share is a kind of partnership is when an iGaming source operator pays a certain percentage of the revenue to the partner. Such payment can be made multiple and no-limited times for each referred client. The amount of revenue is always discussable.
Hybrid Deals
As it comes from the name, hybrid means combo. Usually, it’s two models: a fixed part and a percentage. The fixed part comes from CPA deals, and the percentage part counts from a revenue player generated during the source usage. Exact amounts, as usual, depend on the region, payment methods, target groups, etc.
Where to acquire iGaming traffic from?
iGaming isn’t a newbie among niches, so trends for its best sources have changed several times and probably will do it again. But we will assume the most actual for now.
Paid search traffic and traffic boosting
People logically trust websites from top positions, so you are motivated to do your best to reach them. The more efficient your SEO is, the higher your position in the online search. Respectively, the more organic traffic you get and at the end of this chain, the more you earn. When buying SEO traffic for your iGaming landing page, make sure that it goes to an optimized page. So you can achieve the desired efficiency.
Tips for SEO and traffic boosting:
- Meta tags for websites, blogs, and campaigns to make the search more specific
- Relevant keywords for content optimization (you can do it yourself if you have time to do some research or hire an SEO specialist)
- Trustworthy content to add value, which helps get converting and not just massive traffic.
Social media marketing
No one underestimates social media marketing today. So using Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc, is a must.
As a special tip, we’d notice that Telegram is also an excellent platform for SMM. It is still less frequently mentioned than Facebook, but its impact in these terms is impressive. It’ll show it at its best for subscribers of <45, has millions of users and can boast of its security and vast geography: 38% Asia, 27% Europe, 21% Latin America, and 8% from MENA.
Personalized vs user-generated content
As we’ve already discovered that massive traffic is out of our interest, we need to pay attention to the content and make it more personalized.
Know your website: the most noticeable section, clickable areas, and demanded topics. Collecting and analyzing this data is a way to make the portrait of your target user the most detailed and accurate.
Make user-generated content a part of your winning strategy: let your audience generate reviews, videos, highlight tips, write testimonials, etc.
To Contents ↑Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is a logical continuation of the topic of personalized content and SMM. Influencers, especially ones with loyal auditory and expertise in a certain field, can boost your campaigns’ reputation in the best way possible.
So keep an eye on who’s on the roll in iGaming and collaborate.
Live streaming
Any personal content raises the trust of the auditory. That’s why the reviews from players and live streams are so popular: those who doubt or are afraid of trying iGaming use it as proof that it’s entertaining.
Live streaming helps users make sure that iGaming is safe and profitable. So thanks to it, you get loyal and interested someone to work with.
The trust-factor
One of the significant iGaming issues is the need for more trust. Alas, it’s a consequence of the reputation gained many years ago, and although it has drastically improved through the years, the trust factor is still a thing to work on.
That is why it is vital for affiliates and iGaming operators to build strong relationships. Believing in the product attracts players, and there is nothing more demonstrative about the profitability of the affiliate-publisher relationships than the traffic stream. And advertisers obviously profit from cooperation with publishers as a sequence.
To Contents ↑Advertising networks
Networks offer a lot of opportunities for iGaming traffic acquisition. One of the advantages of working with a Network is a thoughtful and well-built approach to connecting offers to traffic. You can choose from a variety of ad formats, from Popunders to Push ads, use advanced targeting options cost optimization tools such as CPA Goal.
To Contents ↑4 Types of iGaming traffic sources
We at Adsterra support different types of traffic sources and stand for the best matches in order to get the best profit. Here are 4 most effective of them at your service.
Popunders
Efficient full-page attention attractors. These ads appear in a new tab or window and traditionally drive the largest traffic volumes of all. Pop ads work perfectly if you want to reach as many users as possible, and they are also demanding when it comes to design issues. Do your best to make them as catchy and convincing as possible, and the result will amuse you!
Social bar
Interactive action motivator. It uses signals as a way to immerse users. The Social bar creates a very effective impression of urgency and provokes a desire to make an impulsive purchase. As a result, it can lead to one-time or multiple purchases, depending on the quality of the goods or services you offer.
Push Ads
Fading web push ads successors. The best thing about these ones is that their multiple predesigned templates easily match any OS. Huge traffic volumes are also a plus: average ~1.5B per week. Just saying.
Native Ads
Core content elements and AdBlock tricksters. These ads are aimed at those sincerely interested in iGaming and related activities. Use it to connect with the most loyal audience initially tuned for paying.
Now we know the basics about formats and so on, but some peculiarities still may catch you on your way. Let’s break them down then!
How does iGaming affiliate marketing work?
There is no vital difference for this niche: affiliate marketing for iGaming generally has the same scheme of work as for any other sphere.
Affiliates earn commissions for every player they refer. The payment, as usual, depends on various parameters, i.e., the player’s involvement. So, choosing the appropriate payout model is essential, as in any other niche.
Here is how it works:
- You decide to make money advertising or promoting iGaming products.
- You find an offer with such a product (e.g., you take it from an affiliate network or a program).
- After reading out the conditions set by the product’s owner, you choose a traffic source where to buy traffic.
- Next, you either create a landing page or post featuring the offer, or examine the advertiser’s landing page.
- You start buying traffic and directing it to the offer’s page.
- Finally, you analyze your performance and get paid.
How profitable is iGaming affiliate marketing?
This controversial question actually can’t have one exact answer as we all have our own idea of what is profitable.
But we can say for sure that this niche is definitely among the most developing and growing, including the financial side. So the $92.9 billion value we mentioned at the beginning of this article is for sure not the highest frontier for it.
Types of affiliates in the iGaming industry
iGaming industry includes three main types of affiliates:
- Unattached. The least uninvolved form of all. In this case, an affiliate has no relation to the product/service they promote. No attachment means no duty to advise, making the whole process mechanical and plain.
- Related. More frequent type, where affiliates have enough influence to use their authority as a source of trust. Any claims are still irrelevant, and the affiliate is still very separate from the product.
- Involved. The type with the most deep connection between the product and the affiliate. It can be a personal experience, related sources, and anything that can show the affiliate’s expertise.
How to choose the right iGaming affiliate marketing approach?
iGaming industry differs from other fields concerning affiliate marketing. The thing is, it has truly over-regulative terms and a high level of competitiveness. Let’s consider what strategies it can offer and how to choose the right one to make the start smooth and easy.
Expertise
This is a really attractive model thanks to its high profits even in comparison with the other options. However, it for sure has some nuances: it takes time and effort for money making and also requires exactly CPL and CPA models to use if you’re interested in keeping the motivation.
If you are a newbie, this bet is optimally safe. It works its best in the short term as you won’t know some parameters, such as lead quality.
Commitment
Your commitment to the industry influences your strategies as a matter of priority. CPA and CPL models may be profitable in a short-term perspective, but if you are aiming for a long-time occupation, iGaming has something more appropriate to offer.
Active Leads
Leads’ activity is a thing to take into account. Everyone wants quality players, i.e. quality leads to be attracted to the platforms. This is the only way to make sales repeat and, respectively, to make players bring more and more profit.
The nuances of legal restrictions
Getting back to iGaming peculiarities, we inevitably recall the issues of legal regulation. Facebook and Google Ads block all mentions of such content, which confuses newbies. However, the niche lives, develops, and does it great. It means various ways of promotion bring in substantial income. Let’s figure out how to use it to your advantage.
Promoting iGaming services on Facebook
Facebook is strict about iGaming. It allows only permitted (in a prior written form) advertising of any monetary value-required to play activities. Also, age regulations are to be considered: no related ads for people under 18 y.o. with no exceptions.
What is not covered by the Facebook iGaming policy:
- Advertising of physical establishments
- Social lotteries and ones with state support
- Handicappers
- Free entertainment that does not require deposits.
Promoting iGaming services via Google Ads
GoogleAds require special certification for platform or product promotion. After receiving such a license, you may promote a website referrently linked to the iGaming resource.
Google restrictions also come about GEO: it’s better to learn them in advance. So as for Facebook, brick-and-mortar establishments can be promoted as usual. And last but not least, despite all the nuances, GoogleAds is still one the most popular promoting resources for iGaming.
Common restrictions by region
Geography directly influences restrictions. Different regions have different laws and regulations, so before launching, you must research. The First Amendment Law for the US, advertising and marketing rules and regulations for the UK, and data for particular areas for Asian countries and regions can differ drastically, so be sure to find out all the nuances.
Tricky moments about online iGaming advertising
- Visuals
Catchy visuals aren’t always about banners only. Remember that your audience knows how the Internet works: they’ve seen thousands of ads and know you want them to be caught by your promotion. So make it smooth and native, just like those transitions in your favorite YouTube videos. Don’t forget to be as close to the user as possible: Push notification or a private chat would for sure bring both clicks and conversions.
- Reputation work
Recommendations are a clue to people’s trust. Cooperate with a popular influencer to raise not only the awareness of your product but also to gain loyalty from the target audience. Use reviews, success stories, etc.
- Tier-dependence
Tier also influences the whole strategy. For example, Tier 1 reacts to adrenaline buzz and excitement; they’re into everything new and promising. Tier 3 generally has another type of mind: its representatives are not looking for entertainment mostly; they’re looking for a chance to get rich as a reward for their hard work.
- Inviting and intuitive
Create your campaigns from the user’s point of view: make them as inviting and intuitive as possible from the very beginning. Consisting and matching elements require the same style. For example, if the landing page is made in pin-up style, creatives shouldn’t be dedicated to classic royal aesthetics so as not to confuse the users.
- No misleading
There is no need to explain this point more precisely. Any misleading or even allusion to it may destroy your reputation and ruin the chances of your future income, especially in an iGaming field, where trust issues are among the main pitfalls.
To Contents ↑Conclusion
Controversial? Yes. Worth it? Also yes.
Summing up, let’s admit that iGaming requires a special approach: with much attention to details and legal issues, thought-out creatives and trustable content.
Knowing the right way and being ready for it makes iGaming a wonderful niche to profit. We did our best to collect all the main info about possible pitfalls and fears that often prevent newbies even from trying.
However, even enormous niches go through some changes in a controversial and ambivalent reality. So we will continue highlighting the most essential of them and also invite you to stay in touch with Adsterra managers.
To Contents ↑iGaming affiliate marketing — FAQs
Figures are truly the most inspiring argument for iGaming affiliate marketing. Even beginners earn up to $10,000 monthly! Of course, it’s not a guaranteed sum. Nevertheless, among all niches, this looks impressive. Advanced affiliates progress closer to hundreds of thousands; even $1 million per month is not an extraordinary income here. For pros, it can count multi-million dollar fortunes.
After choosing the most attractive iGaming part to work with, you have to think of a strategy to use. If you want to avoid all the common pitfalls from the very beginning, the best variant is to cooperate with a proven and trusted network. There are many options on the market, and we sincerely offer you Adsterra as a perfect supporter for all-level affiliates. You’re welcome to join!
1. Build strong relationships with related resources to always stay tuned.
2. Support good reputation of those with whom you cooperate and worthy products for work with.
3. Work out trust issues to support and develop your relationships with partners and clients.
Adsterra optimization experts have a whole list of recommendations to apply to raise the conversion:
• Before the start — prepare all the necessary materials, including landing pages, images, slogans, etc. Tick all the key benefits, check the strategy, and choose CPM for a longer conversion flow (deposit, double deposit, CC submit, etc.) and CPA for a shorter conversion flow (SOI, DOI, trial, install, sign-in with no deposit, etc.). Get ready to wait for results: complex conversions don’t come fast. And don’t ignore the prelanders.
• Tests — we advise starting with Popunders. They mix cost-effectiveness with no demand for creatives and provide up to 2Bn impressions per week. Social bar is also a nice option. Choose a minimal bid and set broader targets, as it’s not time for over-optimization. Also, avoid multi-GEO campaigns and begin with neat, unfiltered traffic for each GEO. And don’t forget the tracking tags (#PLACEMENT_ID) to the landing page URL.
• Optimization & Boosting — count your spending. Separate massive traffic sources and decrease the bid if necessary. Use non-mainstream websites for promotion (i.e. video streaming, anime, etc.). Check all possibly suitable ad formats to catch up with missing traffic. And if you have any questions, feel free to contact Adsterra’s managers!
