Should operators be using blog content to drive traffic from social media channels?

Over the years, the way in which we consume content has changed drastically. While bloggers still write content for their own personal blogs, there seems to have been a switch to social media content and YouTube videos.

However, according to recent statistics, 77% of internet users still read blogs. Despite the fact that 43% of people admit to skimming blog posts, they are still making their way to the page.

With the popularity of blog content in mind, we ask – should more operators be creating blog content to drive traffic from their social media channels in 2021? We explore this idea below and look at an operator who is doing this well.

Why is blog content important?

There are tons of reasons why blog content is so important in 2021, including the fact that it can help to drive traffic to an operator’s website. According to OptinMonster, companies who blog get around 97% more links to their website.

Blog content is shareable, it is educational and most importantly – it drives traffic. If you know anything about SEO, you’ll understand just how effective perfectly optimised content can be when it comes to increasing your overall Google ranking.

Additionally, blog content can help to showcase the writer as an expert on a particular topic. If your brand becomes the go-to source for the latest post-match analysis or game releases, it will also see an increase in traffic. As a result, users will be more likely to engage with your content and help with your overall social reach.

Where does social media come into this?

Did you know that around 59% of people will share an article before reading it? Additionally, according to OptinMonster, 95.9% of bloggers use social media to promote their blogs.

Social media is a proven effective tool for promoting blog content and driving traffic back to your site. Sure, informative posts about offers and new games can drive traffic but they often aren’t quite as effective as a social media post.

To really drive that traffic, operators should be creating interesting content that users will want to share with their friends. When this content is shared on social media channels such as Facebook or Twitter, links to the site are spread across the internet. It should be noted that blog content isn’t as effective on channels such as Instagram as it isn’t always possible to share a direct link.

Case Study: Unibet

Unibet is a leading iGaming and sports betting operator that has a strong presence on social media. The Unibet official Facebook page has over 930K page likes and they get regular engagement from fans. Unibet works hard to create engaging content for its users with a mixture of regular posts and of course, blog content.

The Unibet blog is not only updated regularly but is also filled with trending stories and interesting content. This helps them to drive traffic organically through popular search terms in line with current football matches and drive traffic from social media.

The majority of the posts on the Unibet Facebook page include links to relevant blog content. This includes expert picks for upcoming matches, previews for UFC fights and longer-form content.

A recent blog post about the EURO 2020 final gained a lot of attention with 71 likes and 95 comments from fans. It is safe to say that many of these fans will have travelled directly to the Unibet website to read the content before commenting on it back on Facebook.

Within the blog content, you’ll find match odds, links to promos and other sales techniques. This showcases just how effective this kind of blog content is for Unibet.

What kind of blog content can you create?

If you want to drive traffic to your website, blog content is arguably one of the best ways to do it. Of course, you need to be creating the right kind of content for your audience if you want it to deliver your desired results.

We recommend sports betting operators focus on the trending news stories and present themselves as experts in the field. Write about the upcoming matches, showcase the odds and interview any sports personalities that are of note.

For slots or bingo operators, the focus of the blogs can be on new games, new developers and big winners. Write about interesting topics that players want to know more about and don’t forget to share these across social channels as much as possible.

It’s worth the effort

Blog content might not be at the top of your priority list as an operator but it can be an effective source of traffic. If your social content is getting a bit stale, consider creating a blog and linking your followers back to it a few times per week.

Any content should be fully optimised to allow for organic traffic to also visit the page. Overall, we believe it is worth the effort for any operators. Spend some time looking at Unibet’s blog and you’ll soon see how this can fit into your overall strategy.

Sharon McFarlane is the managing director of Digital Footprints – a digital marketing agency that specialises in igaming. She has eight years’ experience in the industry and has contributed regularly to industry magazines and conferences sharing her expertise on all things digital marketing. Her company (www.digital-footprints.co.uk) offers an outsourced solution for igaming businesses when it comes to content marketing, social media, UX design, website design, branding and conversion rate optimisation.