Affiliates often play a hugely important part in players' decision-making. Like any other industry, prospective customers will no doubt do a bit of research or shop around before purchasing an item online. We could liken it to the hospitality industry, with third-party review portals helping you find and engage the right deals and services.
In the online gaming industry, things are a bit different. Firstly it's a highly saturated marketplace, and sometimes the sheer choice can confuse new players who want to find the best entertainment value.
Affiliate sites or web portals offer players an objective and authoritative source of information about different brands and offerings, helping you select what matches your preferences and requirements.
When players search for a brand online, they will likely find a host of affiliate sites created to help simplify the search journey. Trusted affiliate sites carefully investigate, review and curate their findings, offering great content to help new players understand the pros and cons of each product offering.
This is why you will often find the most successful and popular affiliate sites are the ones that rate and review operator sites objectively.
Giving a brand a star rating, which is then included in schema markup on SERPs, gives the prospective player an idea of what this site thinks about the brand before they even click through to find out more.
It's clear they have done their homework, give in-depth info on licensing, wagering requirements etc. - and won't just promote a brand for the sake of it and have integrity in their marketing.
You will also find that affiliate sites that allow user-generated content perform incredibly well and solidify the trust of the prospective player. Typically, great affiliate sites also build brand equity and trust with their customers. Like user testimonials that verify information and services, information from real-life players makes it a more trustworthy source.
There are numerous ways affiliates include user-generated content into their sites to help build trust. For instance, affiliates will encourage players to contribute to news items or site reviews or allow them to rate the site and provide feedback. Usually, there will be a comments section or forum where their notes are moderated and published, allowing players to voice their views.
In some instances, player choice sections will feature brands that players highly recommend, making the decision-making a little easier.
A good affiliate will also educate their customers on the game providers and features of the different casino games and table games, helping them learn new game rules or benefits of various slot games. If a brand review is regularly updated with new and innovative games, it will more likely be featured and generate more exposure on the affiliate's website.
In conclusion, by providing value-added services, affiliates can affect how players gravitate to specific brands and offerings, influencing player behaviour and assisting them in making informed choices.
