Greg

Have you ever been to a casino and sat down for an hour to play a few games of bingo? If you have and you also promote online gambling then you’re in the minority. Just one in every 10 webmasters who promote online bingo has actually played the game in person. What this results in is a bunch of websites (portals) that all have the same information. Everyone is simply reading what everyone else has to say and putting it into their own words.



Now, you don’t have to be passionate about bingo in order to make money promoting it. I know several very successful webmasters who promote several different products; and do very well at it. However, these diversified affiliates use email marketing as their primary medium to reach their audience. Writing an email and choosing the correct subject lines are easier than creating a compelling website and keeping fresh content coming. If you are serious about promoting bingo then I would suggest taking at least one night to head to your local bingo hall and talk with the patrons there. You might be surprised what they are into – and you might be able to conduct a little marketing in the meantime.

Most webmasters who promote online poker also play the game, or used to. Likewise most casino affiliates have once in their life pulled a slot machine arm. No question this makes it a little easier to write content, know what players like to see and chose where and how to call your visitors to action. I have had countless affiliates ask me “where do I even start” when building their first bingo portals. This is primarily due to the fact that they have no clue who an online bingo player is or what they are interested in. They know there is money to be made in bingo and there isn’t a ton of competition. The reason these two facts remain true is because webmasters simply don’t know where to start!

Step one is doing some initial research. Check out your local bingo hall and start reading through the forums that bingo players frequent. The less ‘spammy’ Yahoo groups that are devoted to bingo will show you real life examples of who the players are and what sort of things they enjoy. A lot of players are very casual and enjoy paid subscription skill games. Massive gaming communities like Pogo.com contain the exact demographics you’re looking for in a website visitor. Bingo is a culture more than a get rich quick game like slots. The players love the fact that they can win money; but they are equally as interested in the ‘attractions’ outside just the balls dropping. They are interested in chat room (and moderators) and in the players themselves. It’s amazing to me that more of a social networking environment hasn’t been incorporated into the game as of yet. I am sure that the major operators are keeping this in mind with their 09’ re-designs. You as a webmaster should be as well!

Simple portals still work well for bingo. As you start working on your new site this week keep in mind a few things. One, these are real people who are interested in things other than a deposit bonus. Two, they are however interested in winning money; so don’t leave that out! Thirdly make sure that you have options available for different spending levels. Some players are looking for free cash, some are looking for a small match bonus and others are looking to get the biggest bang for their buck and play for a month on their initial deposit. Lastly make it easy to navigate. Bingo players aren’t the most savvy web users (they are not idiots either). Make sure that you clearly explain which programs are best and why. Also explain how to make a deposit and how to make a withdraw. Online Bingo is a booming business and it’s time to take your piece of the gold rush!

Author: Greg Powell
Greg is the Casino Affiliate Manager for Tower Gaming. He has run his own bingo portals and was the founder of the online bingo room BingoSuite.com He has been involved in affiliate marketing and online gaming since 2003.