In part one of this two-part blog, we discussed creating relationship-building content, audience intent, content adaptability and targeting your audience. This second part dives into the latest iGaming tech trends, as well as content marketing tactics worth implementing and refining in 2019.
Emerging & Evolving Technologies: Voice search (VS), AI & AR
According to Hootsuite, the top three countries using voice search (VS) or commands on the internet, across any device, are India (51%), China (49%) and Indonesia (48%). These countries also happen to be amongst the five most populous regions in the world.
And now, because of VS, long tail keywords are becoming the new norm. People are looking for question-based keyword phrases, which means these should be at the top of the stack in terms of implementing core key phrases. This also optimises your content to rank for more than one keyword.
With content marketers aiming for high-ranking keywords, it’s important to revamp content for quality, readability and brevity.
Going back to our discussion on readability in Part 1, you’ll have to make sure that your communications piece uses simple terminology and meets an appropriate Flesch reading score for your target audience(s). While evaluating the SEO benefits and importance of pushing your content to the top of its results page, be equally conscious of creating content that will attract further engagement from prospective customers.
Augmented reality (AR), an immersive and interactive technology where real-life objects are augmented with additional graphics in view, is also one of the latest technologies being explored for online casinos. Combined with virtual reality (VR), a computer-generated setting which replaces the real world and inserts players into a fictional one, the technologies could revolutionise the live gaming experience by replicating a real-life gaming environment.
While iGaming AR and VR functionalities could take years to further develop, artificial intelligence (AI) technology is hinting that automated betting and smart AI assistants could make their breakthrough post-2019.
Many businesses already make good use of chatbots and AI to quickly answer simple online queries. However, the industry can expect more AI applications, useful for setting bets, pricing odds and providing human-like help for analysing key markets.
Where Does it Leave Us in 2019?
The ever-evolving challenge of creating a comprehensive content marketing strategy aligns with the evolution of how the world/humans work.
Currently, 57% of the world’s population, that is 4.4 billion, are active internet users and 4 billion of those are mobile internet users. As a marketer, it’s imperative to keep up with latest trends and new social platforms like Twitch and TikTok, which if adapted correctly, could elevate your brand.
In terms of social media sharing, showcase your brand values in the messaging, be authentic and address your entire audience when delivering your message. Oftentimes, micro groups (secondary/tertiary target audiences) that are found on social media are the drivers of important conversations, and sometimes, even the trendsetters.
Moreover, the use of influencers for marketing only continues to grow. Influencer marketing allows brands to show that real people use their products/services. Think of influencers like walking and talking testimonials. Working with niche influencers can include ad promotions, how-to YouTube videos, sponsored giveaways and more, successfully raising your business’ authenticity level.
On the other hand, with more smartphone users and faster data connections than ever, the digital detoxing trend is also on the rise. Whether it’s switching off notifications or entirely deleting ‘addicting’ apps off their phones, many are concerned with their time spent on screen.
Social media apps like Instagram adapted and even rolled out features where individuals can monitor their usage and set reminders to take a break. Combined with the use of ad-blockers, how will this change the way you share and target content?
Overall, content marketing in multiple formats such as short and long-form blogs and videos continues to dominate. Podcasting, however, is a medium steadily gaining leverage as 51% of the US population reported having listened to at least one podcast in the last few years. Sixty-nine per cent of that audience agreed that podcast ads made them aware of new products/services, providing another potential channel through which to start targeting the US market.
In terms of video content – it’s everywhere and here to stay. We’re looking at a healthy mix of short form content like Snapchat stories and GIFs to long form videos like Instagram’s IGTV, livestreams, VR and 360 videos.Now that you’ve read both parts of this blog, let us know which content marketing strategy you believe will gain the most momentum in the iGaming market this upcoming year. For more information on our affiliate marketing and digital marketing services, please reach out.
