Affiliate Success
Exclusive Interview with Lee-Ann Johnstone just ahead of this year’s AffiliateFEST
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!!!
Affiliate Success
Slotsjudge Awarded Best Affiliate in CEE at Prague Gaming & Tech Summit 2024
It has been announced that iGaming entertainment and comparison site Slotsjudge has been awarded Best Affiliate in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) at the Prague Gaming & Tech Summit. This prestigious accolade marks a significant milestone in the Slotsjudge roadmap and is a recognition of the company’s services to the iGaming industry.
The Prague Gaming & Tech Summit brings together organisations and projects from a multitude of sectors including iGaming, eSports, Blockchain, AI, Fintech and VR. It is a highly regarded event that recognises and celebrates the works that make up and shape, the future of gaming and technology.
The Achievement and Its Significance
Winning the award for Best Affiliate in CEE is a huge achievement for Slotsjudge as it recognises the services and experiences created by the company within the iGaming industry. It is a reflection of the growth of the brand, innovation, relationships and adaptation in the wider market.
By winning the category for Best Affiliate in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Slotsjudge had to rise above some tough competition. The highly competitive shortlist featured big players in the industry, including AskGamblers, Casino Guru, and Gamblers Connect among others.
Slotsjudge is a project that stands out from others on the market due to its player-centric ethos, trustworthy guidance and unique, community-led SJ Shop. It is a specialist adviser and comparison guide in the region that aims to connect experts with operators and consumers in the industry.
Importance of the Award
The award for Best Affiliate is a testament to Slotsjudge excellence and credibility in the industry. It elevates their status and positions them as a leading player in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond.
The GamingTECH Awards is a remarkable celebration that honours industry excellence, embracing the latest advancements and trends. Not only do they recognise outstanding accomplishments in the CEE region, but also celebrate exceptional achievements across a wide range of sectors, showcasing the diverse talent and innovation within the industry.
Future Outlook
The award demonstrates Slotsjudge’s exceptional framework for performance and credibility to continue on its path to success, centred around core pillars, including gamification, community engagement and consumer personalisation. It holds immense significance as it not only boosts confidence but also opens doors for further future growth. As well as providing increased opportunities and industry-wide recognition within the iGaming affiliate market.
Editor in Chief of Slotsjudge and Product Owner of parent company SEOBROTHERS Aleksandra Andrishaka commented on the award:
“I am incredibly grateful to accept the award for Best Affiliate in CEE at the Prague Gaming & Tech Summit. It is a true honour and a validation of our hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence in this competitive market. Thank you to everyone who voted for us, and thank you to our wonderful Slotsjudge team.”
Affiliate Success
7StarsPartners make it rain with the Iron Mike Affiliate Contest featuring a $100,000 prize pool
Following recent articles announcing the groundbreaking collaboration between Rabona and Mike Tyson, the excitement continues to build as users are already seizing the opportunity to leverage the VIP Iron Offer, courtesy of the legendary boxer himself. This exclusive offer is empowering affiliates to skyrocket their earnings like never before.
Are you ready to step into the ring of affiliate success? Look no further because 7StarsPartners is thrilled to announce the Iron Mike Affiliate Contest, a game-changing opportunity for affiliates to soar to new heights of profitability!
In an electrifying collaboration between Rabona (exclusively promoted by 7StarsPartners) and the legendary Mike Tyson, affiliates now have the chance to harness the power of Tyson’s brand and Rabona’s dynamic platform to maximize their conversions. With a staggering $100,000 prize pool up for grabs, this contest promises to be a knockout success!
Krystal, Head of Affiliates at 7StarsPartners, shares her excitement: “We’re thrilled to launch the Iron Mike Affiliate Contest, offering affiliates a golden opportunity to elevate their success. With Mike Tyson’s iconic presence and Rabona’s cutting-edge platform, affiliates can unleash their full potential and reap incredible rewards.”
Taking part is as simple as ABC: from February 15 to May 15, 2024, affiliates can showcase their skills by driving sport FTDs via exclusive Tyson’s creatives, including landing pages available in multiple languages. Affiliates compete for top prizes, including a grand prize of $30,000! Whether you’re a seasoned affiliate or just getting started, this contest is your chance to shine.
Affiliate Success
ReferOn Shortlisted with ‘Affiliate Program of the Year’ by Gambling Insider
ReferOn, a state-of-the-art affiliate program management system, was recognized alongside MioMedia affiliate program by the reputable Gambling Insider publication on the Affiliate Program of the Year 2024 shortlist.
The MioMedia affiliate program has seen significant growth over the past year, with first deposits up 190%, deposits up 76% and marketing spend up 147%. This growth in performance is due to transparent conditions and the attractiveness of brands such as MyEmpire, Neon54 and Slotspalace, known for their attractive gamification and design.
David Harris, B2B Affiliate Team Manager at ReferOn, noted the achievement: “Our partnership with MioMedia has played a significant role in their success. Thanks to ReferOn’s comprehensive analytics, we have enabled flexible affiliate models, which is one of the keys to growth.”
Helen Reginia, Head of Affiliates at MioMedia, commented on the nomination: “Implementing ReferOn into our processes has been a game changer. The platform has given us the tools to provide competitive commissions to our affiliates, ensuring a stable partnership based on trust, commitment and support.”
MioMedia plans to continue its growth and is preparing to launch new projects, which you can learn about at iGB Affiliate London 2024 from 6 to 8 August on stand E40. In turn, the Referon team will talk about upcoming technical innovations there, at the stand Q10.