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