Standing out from the crowd is essential to attracting and retaining UK bingo players, and we spoke with Bojoko's bingo expert, Kati Saari, to find out how bingo sites can optimise their bonuses to maximise the potential of their affiliate marketing.
Saari has over 10 years of experience in the online iGaming industry and has led the Bingo section at Bojoko since its launch. His expertise in market trends and player preferences makes him a trusted voice within the community.
In this interview, Saari shares his views on the importance of affiliate marketing, the types of bonuses that are most appealing to UK players, and strategies bingo sites can employ to stand out in a competitive marketplace.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and Bojoko?
I'm Kati Saari, an avid bingo enthusiast and expert from the affiliate marketing platform Bojoko.com. I run a bingo vertical and also test and review UKGC licensed bingo sites, which is a tough job. Bojoko.com is one of the UK's largest iGaming comparison platforms and thousands of Brits use our services when choosing a new gambling site.
Bojoko is designed to help players make informed decisions by providing transparent and unbiased reviews. We cover a wide range of gambling sites, including bingo, casinos, sports betting, and more. Our team works tirelessly to ensure that users have access to the best bonuses, games, and customer support available on the market.
What role does affiliate marketing play in the bingo industry?
Affiliate marketing is crucial in the bingo industry. Bingo sites can reach a wider audience by partnering with websites and influencers who promote their services. Affiliates earn commission by driving traffic and conversions, creating a win-win situation.
At Bojoko, we place great importance on building strong relationships with our affiliates to ensure that promotions are effective and mutually beneficial.
What types of bonuses are most attractive to UK bingo players?
UK bingo players are particularly attracted to no deposit bonuses, free bingo tickets or bingo room passes, and high percentage deposit match bonuses. These offers allow players to try out a site without risking their own money, or get more value from their deposits.
Of course, no deposit offers carry financial risk for bingo sites and may not be viable without a proper retention strategy, but high percentage deposit bonuses are very safe and can attract a lot of players.
Bingo sites need to regularly update their bonuses and offer competitive deals to keep players interested and coming back.
How can bingo sites optimize their bonuses to stand out in a competitive market?
For a bingo site to stand out, all they need to do is offer more unique and attractive bonuses, which is actually not that hard to do – just change your bonus from the standard 100% welcome bonus to a more unusual 200% and you'll instantly grab attention.
It is also unfortunate that many bingo sites do not have bonuses specifically designed for bingo players – most sites make their bonuses very generic and seem to forget about bingo games, offering standard casino offers such as free spins instead of bingo tickets or free bingo games.
What many bingo sites don't consider is that more and more players are using affiliate sites like Bojoko when choosing their next bingo brand. They actively look for bingo bonuses overviews, but a 100% offer won't stand out. A small tweak to that formula can help you stand out.
Visit Bojoko’s list of the best UK bingo bonus offers and you’ll quickly find 200% offers, tickets and more. You need to look at your competitors and decide what you can do to stand out.
The better your offer, the more likely you are to convert, and the more likely you are to convert, the more exposure you're likely to get. Essentially, you get a marketing advantage for more or less free.
How can bingo sites ensure that bonuses don’t negatively impact their bottom line?
It is very important for bingo sites to strike a balance between offering attractive bonuses and controlling costs, and the easiest way to achieve this is to offer lower bonus amounts and higher match percentages that are still very attractive to players.
For example, offering a 200% match bonus on small deposits can attract interest without significantly increasing costs. By carefully structuring their terms and conditions, including reasonable wagering requirements and clear guidelines, bingo sites can offer attractive bonuses that convert well while keeping costs down.
You may also consider setting a lower maximum bet limit and/or a maximum win limit to reduce volatility and get more predictable results.
What strategies can bingo sites use to boost their affiliate marketing efforts?
Bingo sites should focus on building strong, transparent relationships with their affiliates. Providing affiliates with quality marketing materials, regular updates on promotions, and timely payments can significantly boost their affiliate efforts. Additionally, tracking and analyzing the performance of different affiliates can help sites understand what works best and optimize their strategy accordingly.
What advice would you give to new bingo sites looking to attract UK players?
New bingo sites need to understand their target audience and focus on what will appeal to them. Key elements include offering generous and easy-to-understand bonuses, ensuring a seamless user experience and offering all the popular payment options.
The most important thing is to go live on as many of the top UK affiliate sites as possible. Unless you have a big TV or radio advertising budget, most of your traffic will likely come from your affiliate partners.
Additionally, by leveraging social media and other digital marketing channels, you can build a strong online presence and attract more players.
