Tom Wardman, Business Development Executive at Independent Content Services, offers affiliates advice about how to use content to drive engagement during the Cricket World Cup

The Cricket World Cup got underway last week and is expected to attract a global audience in the billions between now and its conclusion in the middle of July.

For online sportsbook operators, it is a huge opportunity to engage new punters while re-engaging existing customers with generous promotions and a great range of odds and markets.

Indeed, it has been reported that 34% of tickets purchased for the tournament have been done so by people who have never attended a cricket match before.

This presents tremendous upsides for affiliates who can use their skills as content creators to engage new cricket fans and push them towards the sportsbooks they are partnered with.

But to succeed, affiliates must put in place a clear plan of action and a detailed strategy to be sure they are targeting the right audience with the right content.

Let’s consider the audience that affiliates should be targeting during the Cricket World Cup.

The tournament has a global audience but is particularly big in India, where the sport is a national obsession. But with online sports betting largely illegal, affiliates must focus elsewhere.

This means tailoring content to meet the needs and expectations of fans and bettors in markets such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa where online betting is more widely available.

The good news for affiliates is that English is the standard language in these countries, so translation is not so much of a concern for content created around the tournament.

But what sort of content should affiliates be creating, and how can they use content to ensure that punters signed-up during the World Cup continue to engage with their sites afterwards?

It is important for affiliates to understand that they are not just competing with other affiliates, but also the major sports media brands, some of whom also offer sports betting.

Content must therefore go beyond general news stories and include things like match previews and reviews, player analysis, interviews, stats and data.

More feature-based pieces are also popular, including top tens (scores, best LBWs, comebacks, etc) as well as input from pundits and former players.

While most of this content will take the written form, affiliates should also create and publish audio and video content as this can unlock even higher levels of engagement. These are particularly good to share on social media.

Take audio, for example. Affiliates can partner with content providers to offer live, ball-by-ball match commentaries that their readers can listen to.

This allows readers and potential punters to stay engaged with the tournament if they are unable to attend in person or watch it on TV.

Broadcasts can also be tailored to individual affiliates to include calls to action that encourage listeners to sign up with particular sports betting brands.

For example, “England are now 2/1 to beat Pakistan. Sign up now at Sportsbook Operator A and receive a free bet.”

In addition to radio, affiliates can provide audio blast score updates, analysis bulletins and even podcasts. All of this can be done very cost-effectively.

It is really about helping the audience remain engaged with the Cricket World Cup via the affiliate site wherever they are, whatever they are doing.

They may not bet all of the time, but with regular calls to action built into audio content, when they are ready to sign-up to a sportsbook and bet, they are more likely to do so via the affiliate.

Affiliates wanting to offer something truly exciting should also plan for video content as this allows them to leverage the phenomenon of second screening and also the power of social media.

Content providers such as ICS offer cost-effective video in the form of match previews and reviews, video blasts and score updates, plus Gillette Soccer Saturday style shows.

Again, this content can be tailored to individual affiliates and include bespoke calls to action that drive viewers back to their sites and to the sportsbook brands they work with.

The other great thing about video content is that it is sharable across social media, and delivers high levels of engagement. This in turn drives brand awareness among new audiences.

Of course, the real challenge for affiliates is ensuring any new players remain engaged after the Cricket World Cup – this is often easier said than done.

But content is a powerful retention tool. Once the tournament is over, affiliates should put together a content plan for the Indian Premier League and the Big Bash League as well as the Ashes.

The key thing to remember here is that 50-over cricket is different to 20-over or Test cricket, and you can’t always assume there is a mutual interest.

But so long as the quality and variety of the content is on point, and ensures that players remain connected to the affiliate’s brand, there are plenty of opportunities for retention.

The Cricket World Cup is one of the largest sports tournaments in the world, and smart affiliates that prioritise content will be hitting for six now and throughout the year.