Social Media Tracker: Is Facebook still the most effective social media channel for igaming operators?

In the world of digital marketing, social media channels can be one of the most powerful tools available. This is clear across many industries including the igaming industry where we see many of the leading operators using these channels to engage with players.

In 2020, some of the most popular channels used by operators include Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For many years, Facebook was the preferred channel but as more players begin to use alternative channels, operators have been making the switch. Below, we are going to look at why Facebook might still be the most effective social media channel for operators.

The average Facebook user demographics

When considering the most effective social media channel, we must first look at the demographic of the users. According to a recent report by YouGov, online bingo players are typically aged between 25-34. Around 26% of people surveyed who claimed to play bingo online were between 35 and 44 years old. It is also worth noting that the majority of online bingo players are female, making up 62% of players. In comparison, male players only make up 38%.

When you compare this to the Facebook demographic, you’ll find that it aligns quite well. Around 13.2% of female Facebook users are between 25-34 years old while 19.3%, the highest percentage of male Facebook users, are aged 25-34. These figures aren’t too dissimilar to those using Twitter but Facebook does have the edge. With the Facebook user demographic matching closely with the demographic of online bingo players, you can see why this channel might be the most effective.

Effective promotional tools on Facebook

Facebook is effective for a number of reasons and the demographic is just one element of this. In 2020, you’ll find that Facebook is the world’s third-most visited website and this is due to how much it has grown as a channel over the years. Operators have a wealth of tools at their fingertips and many don’t even realise the potential that their channels have.

While it can be hard to secure an ad campaign for an igaming brand, there are numerous tools on offer at Facebook that can promote an igaming operator’s site. Aside from regular posting, operators can ‘Go Live’, host competitions, engage with players in the comments section and create polls. While some of these things are possible on Twitter and Instagram, Facebook proves itself time and time again to be the most innovative channel.

The live streaming element of Facebook is being used more and more over recent years. Operators can stream competitions and boost their engagement at the same time. Facebook can help create a community of players and the best part – it is free to use!

Case study one: Foxy Bingo

Foxy Bingo is an online bingo brand that was established in 2005. Since then, they have gone on to become one of the best-known operators in the industry with regular TV ads and a strong social media presence. While Foxy Bingo has accounts on multiple social media channels including Facebook and Twitter, their Facebook page is the most valuable tool for marketing.

As of today, the Foxy Bingo Facebook page has 44,172 likes. In comparison, its Twitter page only has 11,800 followers. This is still a strong following on Twitter but their Facebook page receives the highest levels of engagement.

The team at Foxy Bingo regularly post on Facebook and engage with players. Most of the content pushed on the Facebook page is video-based which is much more engaging and effective. They also host regular competitions such as a recent post that asked players to guess “which room Foxy is hiding behind”. The team at Foxy Bingo also makes an effort to reply to comments from players when they have any questions.

Case study two: Tombola

Tombola Bingo is another leading operator that has a strong social media following. This operator has been on the scene since 1999 and since then has gone on to create two platforms – Tombola Bingo and Tombola Arcade. For this brand, Facebook is the most effective channel as this is where they have the largest fan base. On the tombola Facebook page, you’ll find 180,247 page likes. This is huge in comparison to the tombola Twitter account which has just 10,700 followers!

The tombola Facebook page is very active and players often engage with any content posted. This brand always makes sure to utilise any tools offered by Facebook from video content to live streaming and giveaways. When they ask players to engage and leave a comment – they do!

A recent post from tombola involved a live quiz for National Fish & Chips Day. This quiz received a lot of engagement with over 10K views and 6.9K comments. Through this competition, players were able to play along to a live quiz and interact with each other. This isn’t something that would be possible on Twitter or Instagram.

Is it the most effective?

As you can see, some of the top operators are making sure that they have a strong presence across multiple social media channels. However, both tombola and Foxy Bingo have engaged audiences on Facebook and have worked hard to obtain thousands of page likes.

The truth is that Facebook remains the most effective social media channels for igaming operators in 2020. There are multiple tools available on this channel and the demographic fits perfectly. For any operators, we would suggest focusing on Facebook until things start to move towards another channel. Just remember to stick to any ASA and UKGC guidelines when creating content for social channels.

Sharon McFarlane is the managing director of Crystal Content – 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.crystalcontent.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.