Introduction
In recent years, several gambling affiliates have shifted their focus towards editorial content to attract and engage their audiences. While the link between sports betting and sports journalism might seem straightforward, the operational execution of this strategy often proves far more complex than anticipated.
Historically, affiliates have relied on Exact Match Domains (EMD) and Private Blog Networks (PBNs) to dominate search engine rankings with content focused on comparisons, promo codes, and bonus offers. A quick search for terms like « Bet365 promo code » highlights the dominance of affiliate assets in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). However, as the digital landscape evolves, affiliates are beginning to realize the limitations of these traditional approaches.
The strategic reason for the editorial shift
The threat of over-reliance on SEO algorithms
For many affiliates, SEO remains the primary traffic acquisition channel. Yet, competition is intensifying, and Google frequently updates its algorithms to clean up search results. EMDs and promotional content have often been targeted for de-ranking, as seen in Gentoo Media’s Q3 results, where sites struggled to recover following Google’s March 2024 update.
In response, some affiliates have turned to paid media campaigns to make up for lost rankings, though this often cuts into their profit margins. This dependence on algorithmic traffic highlights the need for a more sustainable, evergreen content strategy.
Building evergreen content for long-term growth
Affiliates are increasingly diversifying their content strategies to reduce dependency on Google’s algorithms. By moving beyond business-focused content like comparisons and promo codes, they aim to attract not only bettors but also sports (and gaming) enthusiasts, ultimately converting these visitors into first-time depositors.
Journalistic content—such as in-depth analysis, interviews, and industry insights—offers a way to attract a broader audience and keep them engaged over the long term. Additionally, these assets can leverage email marketing for direct outreach, providing an alternative traffic source.
Expanding into new media formats like streaming partnerships, podcasts, and YouTube videos also allows affiliates to reach different demographics and diversify their revenue streams.
Operational challenges of the editorial transition
While adopting a content-driven approach may seem appealing, it comes with significant challenges, especially in terms of human resources and operational management.
Managerial challenges: bridging different content teams
As affiliates pivot to more diverse content types, they often find themselves managing two distinct types of writers:
- Journalists: Skilled in producing exclusive, engaging content with a unique editorial voice.
- SEO Writers: Experts at crafting conversion-driven articles optimized for search engines.
This separation of skill sets introduces several challenges:
- Recruitment and retention: Finding and keeping talent to consistently produce both journalistic and business content requires careful hiring and onboarding processes.
- Managing P&L: Scaling content production across different regions and formats leads to higher costs. It is crucial to monitor profit and loss (P&L) per site and country to avoid over-hiring and maintain profitability.
Organizational challenges: aligning teams and processes
Bringing together teams with divergent objectives—one focused on generating recurring traffic, the other on conversions—requires thoughtful process management. Key considerations include:
- Training on SEO best practices: Ensuring that new hires understand and adopt effective SEO techniques for different types of content.
- Defining KPIs: Establishing relevant key performance indicators and reporting metrics to align the goals of both teams.
- Incentivization: Designing incentive structures that balance traffic growth with conversion objectives.
- Feature development: Coordinating across teams to align on new site features that enhance both user engagement and conversion rates.
Financial challenges: investing wisely in media assets
Not all affiliate assets are suited for an editorial transformation. For instance, converting a site like « topbettingpromocode.com » into a legitimate media outlet may not yield significant results. Affiliates need to identify the assets that can truly benefit from this editorial shift to avoid investing in dead ends.
Considerations include:
- Market selection: Different markets have varying costs for assets and human resources, which can affect profitability.
- Geographical Nuances: Google’s algorithm differs by region, so the urgency to reduce dependency on SEO updates may vary. Affiliates should experiment with a lean approach, adjusting one parameter at a time to gauge results.
- Mergers and Acquisitions: In some cases, buying existing media assets with established audiences can accelerate the transition. However, such investments require careful financial planning and ROI assessments.
The strategic advantage for operators
This shift towards a media-centric model aligns with operators’ interests, particularly in terms of player quality. Whether in sports betting or online casinos, players drawn from high-quality editorial content tend to be more loyal and less promotion-sensitive compared to those who only respond to promo codes.
Moreover, media sites generally enjoy higher traffic volumes, allowing operators to benefit from increased exposure while predominantly paying on a performance basis. Affiliates who successfully transition to a content-rich strategy may also find opportunities to renegotiate their contracts, securing better fixed fees or commission structures.
Shifting from a purely promotional approach to a diversified content strategy is not without its challenges, but it offers significant long-term benefits for affiliates and operators alike. By adopting an editorial mindset, affiliates can attract a broader audience, reduce their reliance on volatile SEO algorithms, and ultimately achieve more sustainable growth.
Are you an affiliate looking to pivot towards an editorial content strategy and need advices from people that been through your challenges ? Reach me !
Pierric Blanchet
Founder @ TGC