Focus on content not bonuses
Andrew Morgan, international director at ICS Mediagroup, says that sportsbook marketers should move away from promotions and focus on content
The 2019/2020 English Premier League season is now underway and as we have come to expect from previous years, online sports betting operators are doing everything they can to engage new punters and sign them up to their books.
The usual tactics have been deployed; generous sign-up bonuses including free bets and cashback thrust into the mainstream media via expensive and elaborate marketing campaigns across TV, radio, social media and online.
But with bonuses and promotions – and how they are advertised to players – coming under increasing scrutiny by the UK Gambling Commission and marketing watchdogs such as the Advertising Standards Authority, it begs the question whether this is still an effective approach.
What’s more, punters are now super savvy and understand how bonuses and free bets work. For many, they do not offer genuine value and they are seen for what they are – a marketing ploy for encouraging players to sign up and bet with a particular brand.
It could be argued that to date marketers have been far too focused on bonuses and above the line advertising and have missed an opportunity to truly engage punters on a more direct and cost-effective level.
So how can sports betting brands engage and acquire new players in the early part of the season and, more importantly, ensure they are still betting with them when the winning team lifts the trophy come May? The answer is content.
Savvy punters demand added value
Content – written, audio and video – allows sportsbook brands to provide their punters with something that adds tremendous value to their wagering experience. It means they can keep up-to-date with their favourite players and teams regardless of where they are or what they are doing.
By publishing news, previews, reviews, interviews, analysis, features and betting guides across written, audio and video channels, operators and their marketers can ensure players remain connected to their brands at all times.
It also prevents them from using other sports media companies to stay on top of the latest football news – companies that are often affiliated with sports betting brands or even run their own white label books.
The types of content that work best
Written content should form the foundation of all content marketing activity. Operators should create a content hub under a tab on their homepage and pack it full of news, features, interviews and guides. It should be updated daily to give players a reason to keep coming back for more.
Audio content usually takes the form of radio broadcasts that can be opened via the operator’s website or mobile app. These broadcasts can include studio commentary, news blasts and pundit shows with experts discussing all the games and results coming in that day.
Radio works particularly well on mobile and ensures that punters are connected to the sportsbook brand even when on the move. Of course, audio – plus written and video – content can include calls to action to drive punters to make bets but in a natural way.
Finally, video content is fast becoming a must as it taps in to the second screening phenomenon and also provides content for operators and punters to share on social media. This includes video blasts with the latest match updates as well as Gillette Soccer Saturday style pundit shows.
Why content works
Content is a superior acquisition and retention tool to bonusing because it provides genuine value to sports fans and bettors. It allows the operator to build an authentic relationship with customers and keeps them coming back for more day after day.
They will not always wager – sometimes they will just log-on for the latest news and views – but when they are ready to bet, they are far more likely to do so with the brand that has provided them with a wealth of information and insight.
What’s more, as regulators and watchdogs continue to clamp down on bonuses and advertising, content could be one of the only options available to operators and marketers moving forward.
Andrew Morgan has been international director and senior editor at ICS for ten years. He ran fanzines at university which operated in parallel with a number of betting companies before moving to ICS in 2010. He has a background in freelance journalism.