As the SBC Summit Lisbon approaches, SBC and Affiliate Leaders had the opportunity to sit down with Heleen Lambrecht, Head of Partnerships at clovio, to gain insight into her experiences and the strategic direction of the company.
In this interview, Lambrecht shares her journey since clovio’s inception in 2011 and its evolution in the gambling industry. She delves into the nuances of user content consumption preferences, the importance of SEO in their content strategy, and the vital role of data analytics in optimising performance.
Lambrecht also discusses the challenges and opportunities in forging partnerships across diverse markets and highlights the innovative strategies clovio employs to engage younger generations.
SBC: Hello Heleen, and thanks for agreeing to speak with us. clovio was your first venture into the gambling industry. What have you learned in the past (almost four) years about user content consumption preferences and cultivating player loyalty in such a competitive environment?
Heleen Lambrecht: Hi, and thanks for inviting me! There’s a lot that goes into cultivating player loyalty. I would say that one of my most important learnings is that it’s important to keep up a regular pace in publishing relevant casino and betting news to keep our visitors engaged. This content can be about new slots, promotions, major soccer leagues, and even more niche sports. While implementing content tactics across all our Feeling Lucky websites increases efficiency, local trends also need to be followed. For example, newsletters work better in some markets, while others prefer video content. Furthermore, to build trust with our audience, ensuring the content is up to date is crucial. Bonuses, for example, tend to change frequently.
SBC: Could you share with us the range of offerings within clovio? With the company established in 2011, how has it evolved over the years? Has its mission and focus shifted during this time?
HL: While we have increased and changed markets and verticals over the years, our mission has always been to create captivating content to connect our visitors with the right solutions. We want to be a reliable source of information for our audience so they can count on Feeling Lucky to learn more about legal betting options in their country. Over time, our visitors have come to expect a quality standard that all our content needs to adhere to.
SBC: When it comes to clovio’s review sites, a significant emphasis lies on content. What role does SEO play in clovio’s content strategy, and how do you ensure content is both search engine-friendly and user-friendly?
HL: Most of the traffic on Feeling Lucky comes through organic search. As these visitors are specifically searching for the best legal gambling options in their country, we add value by providing trustworthy and relevant information. Therefore, it’s important to show that our content is created by our own Content Team, which comprises experts in their field. This is demonstrated by making videos with our team on screen or by adding biographies to the websites. Moreover, users and search engines want to find fresh and accurate information, so we need to regularly review all our content to ensure that all information is up to date.
SBC: Your background in languages and economics is quite interesting. How has this dual expertise aided you in your current role leading partnerships at clovio? What are the main strengths of clovio that you highlight to partners, and what are the usual challenges you encounter during these engagements?
HL: Our partners have many different nationalities, so knowing multiple languages is helpful. In addition to these communication skills, my background in economics helps me analyse data, which is imperative in the performance-based affiliate industry.
As to clovio’s strengths, when meeting with partners, we often hear that they appreciate our focus on content and organic search. After all, these visitors tend to be more relevant. As we only work in regulated markets, we also need to show licensed operators that we comply with all applicable laws. For example, we refer to the Gaming Commission on our website and have age pop-ups in the countries where it’s required. We also go beyond this by creating safe gambling content.
When starting a new partnership, we not only need to show that we’re compliant but also that we’re trustworthy. Entities such as Affiliate Roulette that provide reviews about affiliates can help diminish these challenges.
SBC: In what ways does clovio leverage data and analytics to optimise its content strategy and improve performance? How do conversions differ across the markets you operate in?
HL: It’s important to use data to make well-founded decisions. We look at metrics such as earnings per click (EPC) to know what content types and brands to prioritise. While we can learn from our experience in other industries, every market has important differences. Some markets are more saturated, others have a higher average player value, and some prefer different content types. There are also markets that have a stronger interest in casinos over betting or the other way around. This way, it’s essential to analyse the data for every market separately.
SBC: As streamers and influencers gain prominence, do you think the traditional affiliate model needs to reconsider how it connects and builds relationships with its audience? What strategies do you employ to engage younger generations?
HL: We believe it’s beneficial for affiliates to think about and implement influencer marketing strategies. Like personalities on social media, we present our Content Team to demonstrate that experts have tested every brand and created a trustworthy review. We also add a more personal touch to things by creating YouTube and TikTok videos, with our team reviewing a specific soccer match, slot, or online casino. Our visitors can also connect with other gamblers and the Feeling Lucky team by leaving a user review on our Feeling Lucky website, similar to what they would do on social media.
SBC: Beyond its role in content production, how do you foresee AI influencing the future of affiliate marketing practices in the coming years?
HL: While we find it important that a team of expert writers creates content, AI can be a valuable writing assistant. Furthermore, thanks to AI, we believe it will be possible to gather and analyse data across various affiliate platforms more easily and connect this with our website’s data. This can give us more granular insights into which brands, landing pages, and content types convert best. This, in combination with an AI sales assistant tool such as Donna, can give a real boost to affiliate marketing.
SBC: Looking ahead to the SBC Summit in Lisbon, what are your hopes for the event? Who are you aiming to network with, and what are your primary goals during the event?
HL: We’re thrilled that SBC is coming to Lisbon because clovio has its headquarters in this sunny city. There’s a vibrant gambling community in Lisbon, and Feeling Lucky Portugal is one of our key markets. Of course, we look forward to meeting our existing Portuguese partners. But we also want to fortify current partnerships and form new ones with operators from Belgium, the Netherlands, Romania, Colombia, Hungary, Spain, and Peru.
Source: SBC News