Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are strictly those of the author, CT Moore, and interview subject, and in no way reflect those of IGN.
Online sports betting has really matured in recent years. And with the mobile web so compatible with sports betting and growing as quickly as it is, online sports betting seems to poised to continue growing at a steady and rapid rate.
For a trusted and established name such as Centrebet, these trends represent a considerable opportunity to transcend their native market and expand globally. Well, I recently got to chat to with their Lee-Ann Johnstone, Centrebet’s Global Affiliate manager, and from what she told me, that seems to be precisely the plan for Centrebet.
Amongst other things, Lee-Ann explain how Centrebet intends to keep pushing into the global market. But that’s not the only new ground they have their eye on. They also plan to start implementing social media as part of both their acquisition and retention strategies. And with Google having opened up Adwords in the UK, Ireland, and Austria, Centrebet similarly has its eye on SEM, namely extending their SEM by pushing it out to their affiliates.
CT Moore: What have been some of the most popular and effective promotions that you've run, and what were their outcomes?
Lee-Ann Johnstone: We’ve found a focus on promoting particular sporting events has had a better turn around than generic campaigns. We also look to our affiliate partners to help run successful campaigns, as they have a strong understanding of what their punters [seek] from a broader market perspective. A good example of this was when we ran the recent UK Cheltenham event, where we offered punters a free bet on any of the main races. This performed well as an acquisition strategy as it was popular in both Australia and UK markets.
CTM: Where has social media fit into your marketing strategy?
LAJ: This is something we are looking to utilize more and more, not only in the affiliate channel, but also in terms of our customer acquisition and engagement. There are a number of channels that we would like to implement to stay in touch and update our affiliates more regularly, and so this is something that we will be working on improving and including in our mix in the next year.
CTM: What branding techniques have you employed to increase awareness and recognition?
LAJ: In the past we have made specific focus on the “Aussie vs Pommie” rivalry, which has been revisited again with the Ashes this summer. This has converted exceptionally well for the sports book, due to the nature of the events. The Centrebet brand is still evolving from a predominately Australian sports book to a well rounded global offering, and you should see some of this thought process emerge visually in the latter part of this year. So look out and do watch this space!
CTM: Have you applied SEM strategies to increase your site's visibility on key search engines? If so, what were your outcomes?
LAJ: We have a corporate strategy for SEM – but I’m looking to work more cohesively with search specialist affiliate partners, who would be able to help and consult more closely. This also includes PPC; although we have a limited policy in our terms and conditions, I’m always keen to engage partners that are specialists in this area to help compliment our overall search strategy.
CTM: How much does CRM factor into your retention strategy?
LAJ: CRM is an integral part of our retention strategy – and we have a recently acquired an experienced CRM manager within the marketing team, Julian Timmins, who has a wealth of knowledge in iGaming after spending 7 years at the TAB in Sydney. His vision for the next year will focus on improving communications through better content, creative design and a good variety of promotional offers and of course competitive bonuses!
CTM: How often do you measure your traffic conversion from visitors to customers?
LAJ: We regularly monitor all stats within the affiliate program and across the board in all online channels. There has been a lot of emphasis placed recently on determining growth and acquisitions, and understanding trends that build up over time.
All this analysis is now reviewed daily, and we communicate more frequently with our partners so that actions can be taken faster and prevent potential drop off in the acquisition channel. I believe that this approach is in line with the ethos of “watching the numbers” we probably share with most other online gaming companies.
CTM: How often do you update content on your site?
LAJ: Admittedly, the affiliate site hasn’t been utilized effectively in the past to communicate with our partners, but as mentioned above though, Centrebet is undergoing quite a few changes in terms of the way we market our brand globally. Along with this, you will see a radical change in the way that we project ourselves as an online brand and communicate with our affiliates going forward.
We are always looking for feedback on how we can make the program better for our partners to promote – and are always keen to hear from you – so do get in touch. We can only make it better with your help and guidance.
At the time this was written, CT Moore was a new media strategist for Income Access, which provided Centrebet with affiliate marketing software.