Esports betting sites face different marketing challenges compared to traditional betting sites. After all, esports enthusiasts are quite different from general betting fans.
Most importantly, esports betting must attract gamers, a market that is quite opaque compared to football or basketball fans. Betting companies need to consider the differences when planning marketing efforts. This difference is further exacerbated when choosing affiliate marketing sites. Fortunately, betting companies can leverage some esports-specific traits to improve.
In terms of media, esports fans are very different from sports fans. While NFL or NBA fans are more likely to watch established networks like ESPN or FOX Sports, esports fans are more open to independent news sources. This means that affiliate sites can serve as excellent educational resources or even entertainment for esports enthusiasts, especially those interested in betting. Betting companies can maximize the percentage of visitors who click on affiliate links by keeping some conditions in mind.
What esports betting operators should look for in affiliates
Many media have tried to become the "ESPN of esports," but none have succeeded. Professional gaming is still in its infancy, so fans cannot turn to existing mainstream news media for news and analysis. Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube are the main platforms for esports content, but the lack of a centralized platform means that curious esports bettors are more likely to just Google questions and click on whatever comes up.
Therefore, search engine optimization (SEO) must be conducted. Any affiliate site should have already implemented clear SEO standards. Proper SEO can significantly increase the number of people finding content through search services, thereby increasing the number of clicks into the site.
Potential video game bettors also appreciate certain content more than others. They are internet-savvy and more familiar with how online businesses operate, so sponsored reviews mean little to them.
News, historical information, and general betting advice are more suitable for the esports market. Gamers are usually younger than traditional sports bettors and do not have the same experience or comfort in sports betting. Educational content specifically designed for esports attracts many valuable experiences.
Finally, the golden rule of affiliate marketing always applies. When researching potential partners, conduct due diligence. Research other betting sites they work with and how they represent them. If they explicitly promote esports, check if they have worked in the field before, or just have a slight understanding of the esports industry.
The quality of content is also important, so you can go to the website and read some articles first. In the eyes of esports fans, affiliate partnerships can establish links between their content and websites. If SEO is successful, but the content is completely outdated, esports fans will not visit the betting site.
How to attract quality esports betting affiliates
Betting operators should consider Esportsbets.com as a standard. Its homepage is frequently updated to provide new designs and content, featuring internal esports news, educational content, and useful tools for bettors. It offers free odds trackers for CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota 2, and Overwatch. Esportsbets.com uses SEO to score clicks from search engines, but players have reasons to return to the site. Frequent visitors are more likely to end up clicking on just one site.
For hybrid sites, TheSportsGeek.com does well in balancing traditional and digital sports content. Its SEO is primarily aimed at attracting sports bettors, but an entire section of its site is dedicated to professional gaming. All content is completely different from existing traditional sports content, so esports players feel as important as football or basketball bettors. Affiliates will match their betting sites.
