FEATURE
THE PRODUCT
AGE
Smart affiliates understand that it’s no longer enough to simply feed
operators’ appetites for first-time customers. Joanne Christie reports on
the new breed putting product at the centre of engagement and retention
THERE HAS LONG BEEN ONE many consumers will buy all their question that the plethora of books insurance products through affiliate is long past the point when it was
and websites dedicated to helping brands such as Comparethemarket, sufficient to throw up a few links and
those wanting to create web businesses Confused.com or GoCompare and pull in the cash. Particularly in the
has posed: “Do you want to sell other book their holidays through affiliate UK, a shift is now firmly underway,
people’s products or create your own?” brands such as Booking.com or moving from products and content
Conventional wisdom was that there TripAdvisor. “I’m a strong believer related to what had long been one
were two viable business models to that, long term, the big winners in the of the key differentials between
choose from: affiliate marketing or UK sports-betting industry will operators: free bets and sign-up offers.
product creation. be product-led affiliates with user-
But in today’s igaming affiliation
focused brands.”
market, the line between the two is
blurred. When it comes to sports
betting, many affiliates have created
their own recognisable products
in a bid to help them sell those
of operators.
This mirrors a more widespread
shift in the online world, says Richard
Moffat, CEO at OLBG. “We have
seen how other industries have
matured this way to the extent that
The igaming affiliate industry
“Affiliates have been successful in
marketing operator offers and focusing
on what has been the key differential
“The big winners
in the UK sports-
betting industry
will be product-led
affiliates with user-
focused brands”
Richard Moffat, OLBG
between operators – the free spins
offers. This was how operators
marketed and affiliates took their
lead from that,” says Tom Galanis,
director at TAG Media. “In the UK
right now we are seeing a pinch with
bonuses getting taxed, so one imagines
that more and more will happen on
the product front.” In the long run,
this move away from free offers is a
iGB Affiliate Issue 71 OCT/NOV 2018
37