The Inside Scoop – The Blueprint Of A Profitable Poker Affiliate

Editor Note: Jeremy Enke is an industry veteran most well known for his publications as well as his industry accomplishments. Jeremy also leads the community at Poker Affiliate Listings. Jeremy writes a weekly feature for Poker Affiliate Solutions on the fast-moving developments in the regulated U.S. online poker market.

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Over the last few Inside Scoop columns we have covered the New Jersey regulated online gambling market in great depth. As the market continues to mature and grow, so does the impatience and frustration amongst gambling affiliates.

With respect to the affiliate aspect in New Jersey, we are still very much in a holding pattern. So with that said, this week we are going to shift gears. Regardless of when New Jersey opens up for affiliates, the same fundamentals will be necessary for success in the regulated markets as are in the unregulated markets.

I was actually inspired to go further into depth on this topic from a great thread running over at Poker Affiliate Listings. In this thread, many affiliates are sharing their stories of how they got involved in the online gambling industry. Feel free to join in the discussion there.

So this got me thinking about my own tenure and success in the industry, as well as some of the things IÂ’ve seen and learned over the last decade. What a wild ride it has been for many of us. I have seen kids still in college embrace the fundamentals of affiliate marketing, and fast forward 5-10 years later, they are now legitimate millionaires.

After UIGEA and then Black Friday, I witnessed many U.S. focused affiliates lose almost all of their gambling affiliate income, only to rebuild their businesses to be much stronger. As I reflect on all of this, IÂ’d like to share some of the common traits that successful gambling affiliates share with each other.

Surround Yourself With OtherÂ’s Who Are Successful In The Industry

I realize its cliché, however in the gambling affiliate industry it makes a huge difference. Many of the top affiliates in our industry are fierce competitors as well as friends at the same time.

In a constantly evolving market like the online gambling industry, knowledge is power. And like any other industry, the most successful members are usually the most knowledgeable. And the beauty is, with online communities, and especially industry conferences, developing relationships with other top affiliates is not that difficult. WhatÂ’s difficult for some is putting forth the initial effort.

Content Is Still King

For years gambling affiliates have been attempting to game the system and outrank their competitors with various link schemes, directory submissions, and other outside the box SEO strategies. At the end of the day however, the old adage that my early mentor Randy Ray told me back in 2003 still holds true, Content is King!

And in the new age of social media, this canÂ’t be overstated enough. Good content gets linked to and passed around naturally. I canÂ’t think of a better recent example than Chris GroveÂ’s recent article last week shredding Sheldon AdelsonÂ’s recent Op- Ed. Most SEOÂ’s would agree, the amount of exposure and natural links this story received is exactly what Big G wants to see.

Pick A Niche, Focus, And Get It Dialed In!

Too often I see webmasters put up general online poker sites and then go on a content buying spree, only to be disappointed by their results. You should very clearly be able to define exactly whom your site is targeted to, as well as know what the overall demographics of your traffic is.

For example, trying to be a poker news site in addition to a poker review, and a poker strategy site right out of the gate is a recipe for confusion and disaster. Have a look at the top affiliate sites in the world; the trait they all share in common is that they are specific and focused.

If YouÂ’re Not Diversifying, YouÂ’re Doing It Wrong!

Take it from someone who has personally been burned to the tune of several thousands of dollars twice with U.S. traffic! Diversify both inside gaming and outside of gaming. If youÂ’re having moderate success as a poker or casino affiliate, there is no doubt you can emulate your skills to be successful in similar markets.

Without sharing names, the owners of some of the largest binary trading sites started out as successful poker affiliates. One poker affiliate I know leveraged the SEO skills he mastered in gaming to open his own specialized apparel line. Another couple of gaming affiliates I know started their own precious metals company. There is a plethora of opportunity out there if you simply apply your existing skills.

DonÂ’t Be Lazy!

There, I said it. ☺ LetÂ’s be honest though for a minute, affiliate marketers can some of the laziest six figure earners I have ever met. I can already see some of you smiling when I say that. But, itÂ’s true. Another common trait amongst ultra successful affiliates is that they work hard and play hard.

Very seldom does a super affiliate just wake up one day and find thousands of dollars loaded into affiliate accounts. ItÂ’s because they treat their operation like a business, and are not afraid to work 60 hours a week if thatÂ’s what it takes to be successful.

Have Fun And Do What You Love!

Many of us got involved in online gambling because of our genuine passion and enjoyment of it. In your diversification efforts, donÂ’t just chase easy money. Instead chase fun money! There is nothing better than being able to wake up every day and truly say you love what you do, and actually mean it.

While there is no perfect blueprint for success in affiliate marketing, if you follow these simple steps, you’ll soon realize that success in affiliate marketing is not rocket science.

And lastly, remember this favorite quote of mine:

“ThereÂ’s a million ways to make a million dollars, you only have to find one!”

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