There are many casino affiliate programs out there. If you’re a smaller affiliate, how can you possibly know where to start? And if you’re a larger, better-established affiliate, what kinds of programs should you focus on for more longer-lasting success?
There’s no exact answer to that, but there are a few guidelines that can help steer you in the right direction.
Find a player favorite.
Do your research before registering with an affiliate program. Before you sign on to a program, check out the forums and social networking sites or reviews on CAP to see where players actually like to play, and where you’re more likely to get conversions.
Understand your commission.
Are you satisfied with the revshare rate or CPA you’re being offered? How does it compare to other casino affiliate programs? If you can’t answer this question confidently, you should pick a different program.
Know the rewards.
“No acquisition plan will work if the retention strategy that follows is inadequate,” explains Club Gold Casino’s Konstantinos Veletas. “Players are not only after a high Welcome Bonus, but also a good reward scheme that follows it.
“This could be a scheme with comp points, a cashback, happy hour free spins, or even weekly prize giveaway, to mention some.”
Take a test drive.
Now that you’ve chosen the best casino affiliate partner, it’s time to give it a test drive.
1. Register and get your affiliate tracking code — usually sent automatically.
2. Use this code to register an account as a player at the casino.
3. Call the program’s customer service to learn the ropes. There should be toll-free numbers or live chatting options available. If not, it may not be the kind of affiliate program you’re going to be able to trust in the long run.
“It is important that the team who will support your players are good at their job,” says Konstantinos. “They ought to know the promotions on offer, make sure they do before you move ahead promoting the product.”
4. Deposit! Get the real player experience going by spending money at the casino. You’ll see how smooth the payment processing is, and whether you get the welcome bonus you’re promised.
5. Note the pros and cons of your gaming experience. What did you like? What would you change? Use this as the basis of a review you’ll write, to share your experiences with other affiliates. If enough reviews focus on a problem, it’s likely to be solved rather quickly.
6. Now go back to your affiliate account and check your statistics. It may take around 24 hours for these to appear. If you’ve used your tracking code correctly, you should have:
• One click (if you clicked your own ad),
• One registration, and
• One depositing player.
7. Report any mistakes to your affiliate manager, who should have already contacted you. Now, make sure to let him or her know what you did and didn’t like about the program. Don’t be shy — it’s the affiliate manager’s job to make sure affiliates get all the help and info they need.
Think globally.
A final word from Konstantinos: Especially when you’re dealing with international casino affiliate programs, don’t forget player habits.
“For example, a country like Greece (that has been massively affected by the economic crisis) still has a lot to offer if the operator has the right promotions … A no deposit bonus has certainly higher wagering requirements than normal and would attract a lot of new players.” Operators generally hope to get 10% of these new players to deposit.
“On the other hand, a gambler who plays for the entertainment side, who’s more of a high roller, will be more excited to know that he can play with lower wagering requirements while he can receive a bonus on every deposit he/she makes.
“Affiliates should demand that operators are more flexible not only with players’ cultural background but also playing needs and habits.”
Club Gold Casino is an operator that does just that, as well as meeting all the other criteria laid out above. Konstantinos Veletas is Marketing Manager of Club Gold Casino, a CAP Listed Program.