On this week’s episode of Footprints in the Market | Influencing iGaming, we’re excited to welcome Routy Co-Founder Michael Filletti. Michael and Digital Footprints Managing Director Sharon McFarlane sat down to discuss everything from the role of data for affiliates to the importance of transparency and education.
Challenges in Affiliate Marketing
You don’t need us to tell you how huge data is in iGaming. However, many affiliates still struggle to fully maximise the potential opportunities that data collection and analysis can offer.
Michael said:
“There’s this big problem in affiliate marketing; affiliates aren’t just struggling to report revenue, but are also leaving a lot of money on the table. They’re not optimising. We want them to be able to use data, to leverage it, to grow.
“Let’s say you’re an affiliate. A player comes in, clicks a link on your website and they go to Bet365, for example. Now you’ve lost the player data wise, because now they’re on the Bet365 platform, and you rely on them to give you the data. Getting that data isn’t easy, because you don’t own. You’re reliant on Bet365. That’s part of the challenge as well; making sure the data you get is rich enough for you to make insights.”
The Power of Referrals
When it comes to B2B products and services, referrals and word of mouth are still some of the most effective marketing tools. While social campaigns and mailshots are undoubtedly key strategies, ensuring that referrals and word of mouth recommendations are ticking over is critical, especially for B2B brands.
Michael said:
“Referral marketing is unbelievable. For us, it’s a game changer. A good percentage of the clients we get come through referrals. We’ll have one client who’s happy, they tell another client, they tell another client and so on. Having this kind of network really, really helps.
“Affiliates are very protective of their data. If I go up to an affiliate and start selling to them, they’re unlikely to budge, because they don’t know me. But if someone I know knows an affiliate and tells me they need help with something, it jumps over a tonne of hurdles. It’s the element of trust.”
Authenticity and Brand Image
There’s a seemingly endless rotation of conferences in iGaming. However, these are valuable opportunities to meet people face-to-face, which helps brands build trust, authenticity and image.
Michael said:
“I think that being authentic, being relatable and just being approachable and nice helps you for sure. Meeting people at conferences helps our brand and it helps our image. Because if I’m going around being an a**hole, who’s going to buy from me, right? No one will want to deal with me.”
Conferences are fantastic places to network, learn about new products and come up with new ideas. However, simply taking the time to talk to people on a personal level can help forge relationships that will pay dividends in the future.
Big thanks to Michael for taking part! We’ll be taking a break next week, but join us the following week for the next episode of Footprints in the Market | Influencing iGaming!
