Affiliate Success

Exclusive Interview with Lee-Ann Johnstone just ahead of this year’s AffiliateFEST

Published

5 years ago

June 27, 2018

Exclusive interview with Lee-Ann Johnstone ahead of the AffiliateFEST Bootcamp2018

We had the opportunity to catch up with Lee-Ann Johnstone who took time from her busy schedule to answer our questions on a wide range of topics related to affiliate marketing. Lee-Ann is the co-founder of Affiliate Insider and has been in the affiliate marketing industry for over two decades.

In the interview she talks about her career, the growth of Affiliate Insider and what is in store in the upcoming affiliate conference AffiliateFEST. She advises affiliate marketers to “invest in your skills development” and describes how to go about it.

While she admits that she has “no crystal ball that can predict the future”, she is quite confident that “commercial acumen and personal touch” will remain the secret of success in this industry even amidst the advent of artificial intelligence, machine learning, smart analytics and all that.

Over to Lee-Ann now.

GAV: Let’s start with a few words about yourself. Our audience love to hear top-class professionals saying a few words about themselves.

Lee-Ann: I like long walks on the beach and sunsets? … Just kidding, I’ve been in the iGaming space for almost two decades and seen a lot of affiliates build businesses which is incredibly difficult to do alone. Having spent a lot of time building affiliate programmes and relationships I saw the gap to break out of the corporate world and make a difference helping others to grow their businesses with mentoring support, which isn’t readily available in the affiliate sector. This is why I’ve built Affiliate Insider – a company that can help support best practice, strategic growth, and skills development for affiliates and operators alike. I’m passionate about this Chanel and about what we do and I think it shows in the quality of the services we deliver to our clients, sponsors and delegates alike.

GAV: How did you choose affiliate marketing as a career? Is it deliberate or is there an interesting story behind that. About 20 years ago, it might not have been a popular choice.

Lee-Ann: It wasn’t a conscious choice back then as it was still an industry evolving. I learned everything I know today – on the job (as digital marketing was being created still, I was learning it as we went along) I just really loved it! I moved into online from a traditional offline marketing background and had a in depth online media buying background before moving over to affiliate relationship management and I guess it was the people aspect I loved the most. Finding ways to meet the end goal and revenue objective innovatively is what spurred me on to specialise in this channel and here we are almost two decades later and I’m still learning so much each day.

GAV: It’s been under 6 months since affiliateinsider.com was launched. The website offers all-round coverage of the affiliate industry. Is the growth so far in anticipated lines?

Lee-Ann: As we are still a new brand to market our growth rate has been well above expectations and this is due to the fact that our content team know this industry inside out, we live, breathe and consume everything about the affiliate marketing sector in the iGaming space each day. We manage clients affiliate programme, we create content that supports affiliate growth and we teach others the skills our team has amassed over two decades of being in the iGaming sector. Through this FREE for all knowledge share Affiliate Insider has built a solid reputation in a very short time as a thought leader and developer of best practice, strategies that impact revenue growth and events that deliver a depth of content found nowhere else. The combination of mentoring, training, content lead events and insight is what makes this business invaluable to the industry both affiliate and operator facing. Suppliers need to engage with our site too as it is here that they will engage new business leads for the products and services they deliver in this market place. We have a steady and loyal repeat readership growing on the site and in our newsletters who spend time on the site, and take time to read the content we are delivering which is offered with no paywall restrictions.

GAV: What about AffiliateFEST? What is special in this year’s event on September 19th? Who will benefit from attending the event?

Lee-Ann: All our Affiliate Bootcamps are special – but AffiliateFEST really is about helping affiliates growth hack their marketing and digital activities on site to increase their revenue. Today we just announced the Keynote for September’s event who is trailblazing influencer marketing as a new digital medium : Ben Jeffries (CEO of Influencer along with YouTube sensation Caspar Lee). This is the kind of content we focus on bringing to affiliates and operators in order to share the latest tangible insights and marketing techniques. This really is the core of what this conferences offer. Digital Marketing Insights that help affiliates get ahead of digital disruption within the iGaming industry offering them a competitive advantage to implement strategies and tactics to really row their revenue.

Each Bootcamp we run is unique and has a very specific subject or vertical focus – for example we have the Affiliate Insider America Track coming in April 2019 at Betting On sports America, and an exclusive African Business Retreat for those affiliates who want to expand their business and localise into the African Market as well as have a but of a retreat in South Africa alongside to take time out from working in their business to work ON it.

GAV: You have been in this industry for two decades. What’s your advice to people who are starting out on the affiliate industry? What does it take to become successful in the industry?

Lee-Ann: It’s a lot of hard work. You learn every day and you need to keep your knowledge base fresh. I consume an incredible amount of media around the subject of affiliate marketing, I also write a lot about it too from my own experiences which helps to upskill others. It takes determination and grit to be a good affiliate manager, as the skills set required to be a real good one is vast. My advise to anyone coming in to the industry is to invest in your skills development by finding experts you can learn from. This generally means finding people who have hands on experience for a few years longer than you in doing the job successfully.

There is no accredited School of Affiliate Marketing for the iGaming space. Therefore we have created The Affiliate Insider Training academy which offers a range of training options for both corporates and individuals to gain access to expert lead affiliate marketing strategies and for affiliates – a source of iGaming business mentoring that can help them advance their skills and work with like minded individuals to knowledge share and grow revenue in the affiliate space. Everything we do is about offering a high end in depth service with tactical content that can be implemented in any iGaming business for success.

GAV: Final question now. Could you provide your take on the evolution of affiliate marketing industry over the years? We have been hearing a lot about machine learning and all that. Will there be a time when robots take over affiliate marketing scene?

Lee-Ann: I think we are in for a big evolution in terms of how the affiliate model sits within the digital marketing mix. As one of the largest and most cost effective drivers of traffic the channel continues to evolve year on year and grow. AI is a big part of the reason why this is happening as we get smarter analytics and more regulated the opportunity for innovation continues to expand in this channel as well. The entire ecosystem will need to overhaul the value chain and how relationships interact in the affiliate model. We could see a move to differential pricing from traditional CPA and Revenue Share or Hybrid models based on tracking omni channels more accurately. There is no crystal ball that can predict the future but I can say that relationships will always require a commercial acumen and personal touch to really succeed and this is what we excel at delivering at Affiliate Insider as well.

Thanks for your time Lee-Ann, we really appreciate it, and all the best for the AffiliateFEST!!!

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GreenSpin.bet partners with Affiverse for Affiliate Marketing Services

Published

3 months ago

July 10, 2023

George Miller

GreenSpin.bet partners with Affiverse for Affiliate Marketing Services

Globalconvert Limited, the new ownership company representing GreenSpin.bet, today announces its partnership with Affiverse, a multi award-winning affiliate management agency to support the relaunch of their GreenSpin Partners Affiliate program. This collaboration will support the brand to lead future affiliate partnerships and global brand growth. Affiverse experienced agency team will be responsible for the day to day administration and management of the GreenSpin Partners Affiliate program, offering affiliates personalized service and a unique opportunity to convert customers and earn increased revenue.

With the online gambling market thriving and expanding rapidly, this partnership recognizes the importance of robust and strategic affiliate marketing campaigns and partner management to drive customer acquisition across core markets including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Germany and Austria. Ahead of attending the popular IGBLive Affiliate conference in Amsterdam next week, the program is also announcing an attractive Incentive to get started with a 50% Revenue Share promotion, for affiliates who are joining the program during the Summer Promotion term.

Affiverse, known for its expertise in delivering cutting-edge , data driven affiliate marketing services emerged as the preferred choice for GreenSpin.bet due to their exceptional track record in the gaming industry.

Frixos Constantinides, CEO of Globalconvert Ltd , expressed his excitement about the agency collaboration, stating, “We are thrilled to join forces with Affiverse as our outsourced affiliate marketing agency. Their extensive experience and deep understanding of the online gambling landscape make them an ideal partner for GreenSpin.bet. We are confident that their innovative approach and proven management tactics will significantly contribute to the success of our revitalized affiliate program.”

Affiverse founder Lee-Ann Johnstone, shared her enthusiasm, stating, ” We understand the unique challenges and opportunities in the online gaming industry, and we are dedicated to providing tailor-made solutions for our clients that drive measurable results. We look forward to collaborating closely to help our client achieve their marketing objectives and establish them as a leader in the industry.”

As part of this collaboration, Affiverse will employ its own comprehensive suite of affiliate marketing services to support and leverage existing and new affiliate partners to gain momentum in new markets and support the launch of the brand’s new sportsbook program.

The partnership between these two companies demonstrates the brand’s commitment to building long-term affiliate relationships. With Affiverse’s expertise and GreenSpin.bets’ intuitive and exciting gaming platform, this collaboration is set to elevate the online gambling experience for players worldwide.

Affiliate Program News

Cellxpert Launches Advanced Tagging Feature Empowering Affiliate Managers to Streamline Affiliate partner management

Published

3 months ago

July 4, 2023

George Miller

Cellxpert Launches Advanced Tagging Feature Empowering Affiliate Managers to Streamline Affiliate partner management

Cellxpert, a leading provider of affiliate tracking and program management solutions, is pleased to announce the release of its innovative tagging feature for system operators. This technical enhancement, known as the “Tag Manager”, was released into the Admin dashboard for affiliate managers today. The new custom tag management function will assist system administrators to efficiently tag and segment their affiliate partners for streamlined organization and improved productivity.

In response to the growing complexity of managing large affiliate programs, Cellxpert has developed this cutting-edge feature to simplify the process of handling and organizing tags associated with affiliates. With the new “Manage Tags” section, affiliate managers can now access a comprehensive overview of tags within the affiliate management interface, offering a seamless experience when searching for affiliate partners or grouping them together in segments based on specific customized tags.

By leveraging this advanced functionality, affiliate managers gain greater control and efficiency in partner management and reporting processes.

Key features and benefits of the “Manage Tags” section now include:

Simplified Tag Management: The intuitive interface allows affiliate managers to easily create, modify, and hide tags as needed. This streamlines the process of organizing partners based on specific criteria or attributes.
Customized Tag Creation: Cellxpert enables the creation of custom tags tailored to the unique needs of each affiliate program. Administrators can assign tags to partners based on their performance, industry, geographic location, traffic or campaign type or any other relevant reporting parameters.
Efficient Partner Search: With tags prominently displayed in the affiliate management section, affiliate managers can quickly locate and filter partners based on specific tags. This feature eliminates the hassle of manually searching through an extensive partner list and enables faster decision-making.
Enhanced Partner Segmentation: The ability to assign multiple tags to partners allows for more granular segmentation. Affiliate managers can create segments based on specific combinations of tags, facilitating targeted campaigns, personalized communications, and optimized reporting.

“Cellxpert is dedicated to providing industry-leading solutions that empower affiliate managers to optimize their partner management processes,” said Assaf Dor, CEO of Cellxpert. “With the introduction of the ‘Manage Tags’ section, we are excited to deliver a feature that simplifies affiliate program management and offers enhanced control and organization for our valued clients.“

The upgraded tagging feature is now available to all Cellxpert users as part of the platform’s latest update which rolled out today. Existing customers can access the “Manage Tags” section by logging into their Cellxpert account.

Affiliate Success

Fiat & Crypto: King Billy players get the best of both worlds

Published

6 months ago

March 20, 2023

George Miller

Fiat & Crypto: King Billy players get the best of both worlds

See how the casino players can deposit in crypto and play in fiat.

Since the dawn of e-gaming robust payment systems have been crucial for the success of any online casino, as they are a key factor in creating a positive and satisfying gaming experience. Moreover, the availability of different payment options allows players to choose the method that works best for them, whether it be classical fiat money or cryptocurrency.

But is it possible for an operator to give its players the best of both worlds, fiat and crypto at once? Yes, it is, with the King Billy feature “deposit in crypto, play in fiat”. The concept is simple. A casino player deposits in crypto (choosing among 4 cryptocurrencies King Billy supports). Then, the system automatically shows them their balance in the currency of their choice (among the 14 currencies King Billy supports, used by more than 3 billion people worldwide). When the players withdraw, their transaction takes place back in crypto.

What are the advantages of this system? Ruslan Legenzov, King Billy Casino Head of Affiliates (or “Lord of Affiliates” as the internal etiquette demands) has the answers: “Good things come in threes, and there are certainly 3 very good things about our “deposit in crypto, play in fiat” feature.

First of all, depositing in crypto means less hassle and paperwork for the player and elimination of the dreaded “transaction not coming through” issue. This has been a problem and actually a torment for many of our players in remote areas of the world. As a global casino, we are happy to act in ways that give peace of mind to our players.

Secondly, this system offers a greater player experience to the King Billy Citizens and Nobles, as they can now take advantage of our numerous promotions and offers in fiat. For example, players who deposit in crypto can now participate in our extremely popular fiat-only “Slot of the Month” offer, that’s been a staple of our casino since our launch.

Finally, with “deposit in crypto, play in fiat” our players, especially the not so cryptocurrency-savvy have a much clearer understanding of their wins or losses. I am sure that a player, let’s say from Vietnam, prefers to see, in real time, how much his slot win is worth in the Vietnamese Dong than running in parallel a crypto converter tool to do the math!”

Well said and well done your Majesty.

For those interested in the “deposit in crypto, play in fiat” feature, King Billy Casino accepts the following currencies: Euro (€), US Dollar ($), Canadian Dollar (C$), Australian Dollar (A$), New Zealand Dollar (NZ$), Norwegian Krone (kr), Indian Rupee (₹), South African Rand (R), Vietnamese dong (₫), Indonesian rupiah (Rp), Malaysian ringgit (RM), Thai baht (฿) and the Philippine peso (₱). King Billy also accepts the following cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Tether (USDT).

King Billy Casino is a new-generation online casino, launched on St. Patrick’s Day in 2017. It is available in 4 languages (English, German, French and Finnish) and it has an impressive record in awards with 25 wins, shortlists and other distinctions, and an amazing variety of features and games. King Billy has prioritized the creation of a superb user experience, focusing on the myth of King Billy and his Kingdom and treats all players with the specialness they deserve.