Counter Brand Protection Discover how the operators are planning to reduce your earnings through brand protection and how to counter attack.
Oct 20, 2014
Counter Brand Protection
Discover how the operators are planning to reduce your earnings through brand protection and how to
counter attack.
Paul Reilly - Affiliate/SEO
• Founder of Media Skunk Works• 14 Years SEO experience• Previously Head of Search at an NMA top 10 Search
Agency• Specialist in large scale international iGaming SEO• Affiliate specialising in iGaming International markets
Nick Garner - Operator/SEO
• Head of Search Unibet (5,000,000 registered customers)
• 13 Years SEO experience• Previously search Manager Betfair• Specialist in large scale international iGaming SEO• Interests in Social Media and 'Social proof'
Marketing
"Houston - We have a problem"
Here is why....
Brand site = 50 - 60% CTR | Others = 40 - 50% CTR
Affiliates ranking for 'unibet'
It's a big problem. 50%
24%13%5%
2.2%
1%0.5%0.3%
4%
It's our most important phrase and its being attacked by affiliates!
And it's not just us.
google.co.uk'Bet365'
Affiliates ranking for 'bet365'
Local: UK
And it's not just us.
google.se'Betsson'
Affiliates ranking for 'betsson'
Local: Sweden
And it's not just us.
google.fr'betclic'
Affiliates ranking for 'betclic'
Local: France
And it's not just us.
google.co.uk'bwin'
Affiliates ranking for 'bwin'
Local: UK
Here is the issue....
Back of napkin calculations
Brand x 1,000,000 queries• 500,000 go elsewhere• 20% are new visitors = 100,000 visitors• Conversion to funded on brand = 1%• New accounts = 1,000
The other 500,000• 20% are new visitors = 100,000 visitors• Conversion to funded on brand = 0.5%• New accounts to affiliates = 500!
Fail = Operators
Win = Affiliates!
We will fight back!
So how do we fix it?
Put a business case together Work out our spend on affiliateCost of SEO Cost of sites / content
over
Reduced spend on affiliatesReduced spend on bonusesIncreased conversion via our properties
= give me budget please!
Small catch...
SEO-ers don't usually get paid on brand conversions. This campaign assumes more conversion on brand, therefore its hard to break out the normal brand conversion from the incremental gain....
But...you can track if they are your properties.
What will win for operators?
Social proof = greater conversions!
Reviews
Like this, but on our own properites
Editorial
This is good, but maybe not this (see arrow)
Forums
Ideally with tracking!
Editorial
It's nice when people say good things about us !
Affiliates ranking for 'unibet'
google.co.uk'unibet'
We do our SEO
And it's fairly easy! • Brand links are easier than i.e. 'casino'• Online PR• Revisit sites already linking - ask for more ;-)• And all the typical SEO for an industry sector like ours!
Take that affiliates!
Option 1 - Affiliates Response
Parasitic
Option 1 - Affiliates Response
Option 1 - Affiliates Response
Option 1 - Affiliates Response
Option 1 - Affiliates Response
Option 1 - Problem
• Parasitic SEO positions 3rd party sites easily• Just tag, add friends, add a couple of back links• Done!
Problem• Getting conversion is difficult at best
Option 2 - Affiliates Response
Collaborative
Option 2 - Collaborative
As is the human body, so is the cosmic bodyAs is the human mind, so is the cosmic mind.As is the microcosm, so is the macrocosm.As is the atom, so is the universe. - The Upanishads.
Atom
Universe
Collaboration is in our design
Collaboration is in our design
Quiz: Where is this?
Answer: Tahrir Square, Cairo
London Riots - Clean Up
London Riots - Ladbrokes Looting
Introducing....
#BAClink
Format....
#BAClink {products...} {territories...}
Example....
Create a twitter list or follow...
@paulreilly/BAClink
Create a twitter list or follow...
Reciprocate follows = DM
Collaborate
Reciprocate Links
Collaborate
Rank Higher
Collaborate
Any Questions
Brand Opportunity for Affiliates
• Opportunity to rank for brand's name in natural search• Easy high converting traffic• Leverage the operators brand equity• Earn lifetime commissions
Brand Protection from operators
• Our most important phrases are Brand• Affiliates do rank all over 1st page
Winner: Operator?
We will win because:• Big budgets• SEO team already in place• Users already want to know about 'Brand X' • We can get the best content• Google really does like brands more ;-)
Winner: Affiliate?
We will win because:• We're agile• We can collabourate• Users really want choice and value • Google cannot distinguish between brands and affiliates