Alex Gambler, Product Manager of Zenalytics, joins the latest series of affiliate interviews on Affiliate Grand Slam
Alex Gambler will take us through the beginning, present, and future of Casinority. Aspirations, goals, and future plans of Zenalytics’ experts – follow his story below.
From where did you start your affiliate business and how? How much were you willing to commit to it? What do you know now that you wish you knew when starting out?
The Casinority project was released in 2016 in its entirety. At that point in time, we were mainly focused on English-speaking countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.
Throughout that period, we became exceptionally familiar with the gambling niche and its primary aspects. That is the very thing that now allows us to perform with higher standards and better quality when it comes to our project.
Tell us a bit more about Casinority and about your casino and slot reviews.
Casinority experts are a hardworking team determined to provide a top-notch guide to gambling lovers around the world. Each review on our site is carefully constructed using only legitimate facts, exceptional detail, and unbiased information. We create our casino and slot reviews with the sole purpose of bringing the readers to the most fulfilling online gambling experience. Not only that, but we also toss in lots of useful tips and guidelines along the way.
What should operators know about Casinority? Why should operators choose you? What sets you apart from other affiliates?
We delve more in-depth than other operators do in every aspect of the world. Even the simplest of reviews contains information that required quite some digging. Casinority experts do not stop at the bare minimum and never settle for “average”, which means that we always strive to be one step ahead of our affiliates by keeping up with trends, relatable language, and continuous incorporation of new content.
We have also created a self-assessed Casinority Score using selected parameters for each individual review. Another that sets us apart is the consistent negotiation of exclusive bonuses for our users.
Tell us a bit more about your business model, concept, and culture.
The main focus for the Casinority project is to become the top website in the online gambling niche. The business model revolves around the latest information, practical advice, and simple language. We reach our readers by providing the information they want rather than what we wish to put out. To put in short words – our concept is based on the pertinence of each subject. We give whatever is in demand at the moment.
Tell us a bit more about your future plans.
We aspire to reach a point where Casinority contains the maximum amount of information regarding online casinos and slots. That includes reviews about every popular and new online casino, any slot imaginable, and additionally countless “how-to” guides for every aspect of gambling there is. We plan to become the only informative site a casino player needs. Not only that, but we plan to create an applicable resource with a multitude of languages so that any user could receive useful information regardless of their location.
What makes your traffic proposition/traffic sites unique?
Our traffic is 85% SEO-based, which is the indicator of the maximum targeted traffic. To be more specific, the traffic consists of users that seek casino site reviews and best gambling games based on specified parameters (country, deposit methods, software providers, currency, and so on.)
What helps make your performance successful? What are the main challenges?
Our success lies in reaching our audience by writing content that is concise, easy to understand, and is connected to what the reader initially searched for. We also explain concepts in detail and make sure that it is easy to understand whether the reader is experienced or completely new to the niche.
Currently, our main challenges consist of grasping the legal/judicial aspects of each country (legal vs illegal). Also, thoroughly proofreading and polishing information about each casino such as licenses and so on.
Which markets are you eyeing up as a priority and why? Do you see any potential in the emerging markets?
Each individual market is notable and has enormous potential. Any market that has a passion for being innovative attracts our attention. As long as we see the genuine effort and irrefutable results – we’re on the same page.
Presently, a multitude of markets are undergoing a regulatory phase period, and several brands ceased their operation in those countries. We closely monitor this process and inform our users of new information on Casinority.
All in all, the potential of online gambling is grand as this is one of the few niches with a large annual capitalization growth.
How important is social media activity for your affiliate business? How difficult is it with Google’s constant updates?
Social media is not only important but essential. And as much as some hate to admit it – social media is the new way of life. We get it, accept it, and incorporate it into everything we do. In return, this helps our affiliates perform on a higher level.
Of course, Google updates have been quite unpredictable lately, but we are always prepared for them in advance. We create a useful information source for our users, ensuring that our site is convenient and speedy, so it’s as suitable as can be. We don’t write just to write; instead, we try to release expert content while also meeting all the requirements of Google.
Google will continue to gain speed as we go, and the updates will never come to a halt. That does not intimidate us in the slightest, as we put a great chunk of our time exploring all the ins and outs of Google algorithms. Preparation helps us through the process.
Are you contemplating bringing in investors to scale or grow your business? Or, with such a big M&A market, have you ever contemplated selling the business?
We have no current plans of attracting investors at this time, as we have plenty of resources. It is possible that we may consider selling in the future.
How can affiliates be more unique in their approach?
If we had to sum it all up into one answer, we would suggest to always consider the consumers’ needs, and putting a spin on it. People always want something new, simply go along with what’s in demand, and add a personalized touch as a cherry on top. That is a combination that rarely fails.
How does technology play a part in your day-to-day?
Technology allows us to perform with less error and more speed. There is no one answer to this, as there are dozens of ways technology contributes to our everyday production. It is a way to put our ideas into existence and amp them up by a thousand with modern technology assistance.
Which emerging technologies like AI and big data will impact the affiliate industry in 2021 and beyond?
Google uses artificial intelligence for website ranking. Artificial intelligence is what helps Google decipher between high-quality expert content from bad software-generated content.
It’s possible that in the future artificial intelligence will assist in automating a multitude of processes, and quickly analyse large amounts of data. It may also predict and estimate the level of demand in various niches and products.
How has the fragmentation of regulated markets affected your business? UKGC, Swedish regulator and now also the German regulator is mulling regulating this space.
Everyone is affected by such regulations. We make sure to keep a close eye on all the events surrounding the online gambling niche, and regulations are no exception. Our goal is to provide users with top-quality brands that are lawful and legal in each specific country.
How is the Asian market shaping-up for affiliates?
The Asian market is rather specific, and we are not yet completely familiar with it… We do have a bit of work experience with Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Regardless, I believe this market has tremendous prospects since many people concentrate on those particular areas.
Do communication and support with operators meet your expectations? How do you manage your relationship with them?
Communication is a crucial factor in our work. We always make an effort to approach such matters professionally and build excellent relationships with our operators. We often manage to attain special bonus offers for our users with the aid of superb communication.
Have you ever been to SiGMA? SiGMA Europe, Africa, Asia, or Americas – which of these four expo shows would you likely book on your diary for 2021, COVID-19 permitting?
No, I have never been to SiGMA, although I wouldn’t mind visiting SiGMA Europe.
Tell us a bit about yourself – after all, business is done with people, not just companies! Your hobbies, favorite book, favorite quote, whether you are into Gaming yourself, etc.
What I do and create is my hobby. My job is my pastime. In my free time, I enjoy researching the latest things for new ideas. As for books, I enjoy reading biographies of successful people – it motivates me. I also love traveling and look forward to doing so more often once COVID-19 is over.
The SiGMA Roadshow:
The SiGMA Roadshow is stepping up its game; now virtual, the webinar will take on a new jurisdiction every month, targeting a global agenda of gritty conference topics and a small, yet buzzing expo floor. Hosted on an interactive platform, the 2-hours mini conference will delve into 5 key areas of debate, bringing key themes specific to the region – such as regulation, tax and compliance, and emerging tech, to a table of thought leaders and academics at the top of their game. The SiGMA Virtual Roadshow will reflect SiGMA’s global events opening in 5 major regions over the next few years, specifically Europe, the CIS region, Asia, the Americas, and Africa. The monthly event, which launches with a worldwide tour of 14 countries, starts off with the recently legislated Ukraine, and will be published via podcast. Should you want to be part of the SiGMA Virtual Roadshow – REGISTER HERE.
