This edition sees iGBA editor-at-large Corey Padveen provide the headline takeaways for igaming affiliates including increased mobile gaming use, a Google AI essential course and the growing US sweepstake market.
As we look back at June, we see that the affiliate marketing landscape continues to evolve, influenced by technological advancements, shifting consumer preferences, and regulatory changes.
This month's insights delve into the latest trends that are shaping the industry, providing a roadmap for affiliates and marketers to navigate the complexities of digital marketing effectively. From the growing importance of AI and machine learning to the emergence of new platforms and the deepening focus on ethical marketing practices, June offers a glimpse into the strategies that will define the future of affiliate marketing.
Whether you're a seasoned affiliate or a brand looking to enhance your partnership strategies, these trends offer valuable guidance on optimizing your marketing efforts to align with current and future opportunities.
1. Mobile gaming continues to rise
This is nothing new, per se, but the rate at which new players are being acquired through mobile-first operators should remain a focus for affiliates as they move forward. Mobile gaming, casinos, sweepstakes and sports betting have continued to play a principal role in the igaming space, and affiliates need to be cognisant of the fact that mobile is where they are most likely to continue finding new players. Whether it’s your content, offers, or new operator sign-ons, make sure to keep mobile a primary consideration in your overall strategy.
2. Get to know Google AI with the essentials course
AI has been the number one topic of interest among affiliates and the marketing world in general for the better part of the last two years, and Google has recently introduced its Google AI Essentials course to help marketers better understand the technology, how it factors into Google products, and how it can be used.
Affiliates wondering how best to take advantage of AI can now learn directly from Google with this new course that includes practical use cases and applications for AI in a variety of Google products.
3. Global marketing capabilities with multi-language AI
Google recently announced that they will be integrating 110 languages into its AI suite of tools, which should help international affiliates optimise their cross-border content strategies. While we are still in the early stages of multilingual AI optimization, the fact that the workload can now be shared with AI tools is certainly something worth noting.
4. Keep regulatory challenges in mind
The pace of regulation has always been a step behind technological advancement, and that holds especially true for the speed at which AI has progressed. While I’ve noted before how affiliates need to keep regulatory restrictions in mind when utilising AI - depending on how it’s being used - the closer eye that regulators now have on AI-enhanced marketing strategies means that you need to ensure that your uses of AI stay within the boundaries set forth by market regulators.
5. Sweepstakes continue to thrive
Sweepstakes continue to thrive in the US market, and it may present the greatest opportunity for growth and acquisition that the affiliate market has seen in some time. We’re seeing more sweepstakes or coin-based casinos pop up all over the US, with the added benefit of many being tied to large brands and corporations due to the regulatory nuances of the market compared to traditional igaming plays.
If you haven’t already, consider looking into how sweepstakes operators can factor into your overall strategy. There’s a huge, untapped market for affiliates that seems to be powering forward with tremendous opportunity.
Corey Padveen
is a partner at t2 Marketing International, editor-at-large for iGB and the author of Marketing to Millennials for Dummies. He is also a contributing author to Digital Marketing All-in-One for Dummies.