We’re back with episode 2 of Footprints in the Market | Influencing iGaming Season 3. This week, we’re delighted to welcome GameTime Digital CMO Alex Windsor, who sat down for a chat with Digital Footprints Managing Director Sharon McFarlane about expanding into US markets, modern SEO strategies and AI’s impact on marketing. Listen in below.
UK v US Market Differences
As more and more US states move to regulate online gambling, it’s an exciting time for the iGaming industry. However, before diving into US expansion headfirst, it’s worth considering the differences between the UK and the US markets.
Alex explains: “It’s very different there in terms of education. We’re so used to sports betting in the UK as it’s been around for so long. They’re far behind over there, in terms of where you can and when you can’t bet, and what you can bet on. Different leagues have different rules about what sportsbooks are allowed to accept.
“They also use different terminology than we use in the UK, and they mock up their odds in a completely different way.”
These are all important considerations for any business looking to expand into the US market. Going in with an understanding of not only player behaviour and preferences, but of the unique compliance landscape, will leave you far better placed for success.
Has AI Killed SEO?
AI tools are revolutionising the industry. They’re being used for everything from content creation to data analysis. While they are undoubtedly valuable and can considerably enhance productivity, some fear that AI will, or already has, killed SEO.
Alex gives his take: “I mean, SEO has been dying for maybe 10 years. It’s something we’ve had rammed down our throats by everybody. I’ve seen t-shirts, I’ve seen memes, I’ve seen everything saying SEO is dead.
“I’m not saying that AI isn’t a big concern. At some point, we might all be out of a job because these machines are smarter than us. But I don’t think we’re at that stage yet. People want to interact with people. They want real people’s opinions and real people’s perspective on things.”
The marketing space is undergoing huge changes as a result of AI. But, as Alex explained, the technology isn’t yet capable of replacing real people, and there’s still real value in human input and opinion.
Data-Driven Decisions
Data is an integral part of any marketing strategy, but it can be easy to suffer from analysis paralysis. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, understanding which data points to focus on can help streamline the process and avoid wasting time.
Alex said: “I’m not obsessed with data, but it plays such an important role now. You could have a website with 10,000 pages on there and you could be getting 7 million traffic visits per month. And really, only one or two of those pages could be driving all of the revenue for the site.
“It’s so important to see what works and what doesn’t. And when you find what does work, double down on that.”
Alex and Sharon also discussed:
Expansion Strategies in a Regulated Market (jump to 12.02)
The Impact of the PASPA Repeal on the US (jump to 17.02)
Managing Multiple Brands (jump to 18.51)
A massive thanks to Alex Windsor for taking part and sharing his knowledge. Watch this space for episode three of Footprints in the Market.
