Today, we share the second and final part of our iGB Affiliate article, which discusses how CRM tools can be beneficial for a brand. In part one, we looked into the increasing importance of affiliates and what they have to say in the 2020 iGaming space. In the second part, presented below, we will explore how operators can complement their marketing efforts by engaging their audience through effective CRM.
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Using CRM Tools to Manage Audiences
With quality traffic and the right tools, operators can complement their marketing efforts by engaging their audience with relevant and personalised content. In an industry that’s constantly evolving, this content needs to be diverse and unique whether it pertains to newsletters, landing pages or exclusive incentives.
An inclusive CRM platform is user-friendly, supports automation and integrations and provides extensive analytics. The platform should also improve the overall reception of consumer-facing content.
“In an increasingly competitive industry, it’s key to optimise any acquisition investment. This means being able to identify high ROI sources and efficiently managing spend,” Lartner notes.
“Before developing a retention strategy, brands should also have a solid understanding of their customer behaviour, as well as external and uncontrollable elements, and how they influence different business KPIs.”
From an affiliate perspective, Symmonds says: “If brands took the lead and started to reward affiliates for the full customer journey, then they would achieve much more value from affiliates.”
He gives the example that “affiliates could be rewarded for keeping existing players active, regardless of who referred them, or reactivating players who have become dormant”.
Additionally, brands should adequately equip affiliates with marketing tools. According to Symmonds, this includes up-to-date banners, working links and customised insights.
“I hear from many operators that a large proportion of the affiliates registered to their brands are dormant, and, in turn, operators close their accounts, or introduce player quotas that then lead to damage to their affiliate programme brand,” he says. “If instead affiliates were provided more coaching through performance analysis and better data, it might encourage them to work harder at promoting a brand.”
CRM software can serve to expedite the analytical process. Larter says products such as AretoNet’s can enable the igaming industry to analyse acquisition sources effectively while providing the business intelligence, automation features and analytics required to retain customers.
He adds: “Brands can use these key insights to support their affiliates, collaborate on retention activities and ultimately drive success for all parties.”
As long as affiliates continue to be one of the strongest sources for businesses’ user acquisition, they will influence the relationship consumers have with brands. Complementary to the affiliate’s value, brands should leverage customer acquisition and retention solutions, which will help maximise a brand’s audience by anticipating and responding to consumer needs.
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We thank you for taking the time to read our full article on the growing influence of affiliates. We now invite you to get in touch with us and let us know what your thoughts are on this subject.
For more information on our affiliate marketing and digital marketing services, please reach out.
