Do you believe in diversifying your affiliate revenue to other industries?

[MichaelCorfman]

We're all involved in earning revenue through affiliate marketing in the online gaming industry. Most of us focus exclusively in that area.

Diversification sounds great, but diversification means focusing on more than one area, and oftentimes that is hard to do, and yields worse results than a concentrated focus in one area.

What's your strategy? Diversification or concentrated focus?

In addition to answering the poll, let us know why you have that view. And even if you are focused 100% on online gaming, you may have a strategy for diversification within that focus. Maybe different games, or maybe different geographic areas.

Michael

[MichaelCorfman]

This is actually a tough one for me to answer because we have different lines of business, and so we have diversification on that front. But if I just focus on Casino City's affiliate business, we have affiliate revenue from three sources:

1. Online gaming site affiliate and advertising revenue
2. Hotel reservation affiliate revenue (bookings at casino hotels)
3. Book sales affiliate revenue (gaming related books).

So I said we're 90%+ gaming affiliate revene, and that I'm happy with that level of diversification. I actually do want to grow the hotel affiliate revenue a decent amount, but even if we accomplish what I hope to achieve on that front, it will probably still be less than 10% of our total affiliate revenue.

Michael

[Simmo!]

I've dabbled with a handful of other markets but nothing comes close to gaming for a) enjoyment and b) ROI. In fact even within gaming there is a big difference I found. You need major traffic in other industries to make a decent living and that requires a lot of dedication and probably money.

[TheGooner]

I would be interested in diversification ... but ... NOTHING - I mean NOTHING gets results like online gambling.

We've actually diversified over the last three years, from sports gambling, into poker and casino sites, and each stream does seem quite different in terms of revenue hot periods and marketting ideas.

But when I go outside the GAMBLING scene I'm always extremely disappointed in the bottom line results.

To my mind a successful product needs to be a product that is consumable virtually, and desired globally and I cannot think of a single product with the same appeal (apart from sex sites which I refuse to promote).

Forex, shares, gold/silver options all have some potential in theory - but fail to hit the mark due to various issues such as having very specific (and niche) markets and generally poor comission levels.

While consumable ideas like airfares, books and sports event tickets are so specific and so competitive that you're left holding the weak end of a 5%-7% affiliate deal with no room to manouver.

Quality goods are not really going to sell online, people hit your site, and research their options, but when it comes to purchasing them they tend to go to a local bricks n' mortar establishment to make a purchase.

In summary - I'm always keen to hear a good idea - but I have not yet found a product like gambling for selling to a global market.

[JamieF]

Hey Gooner

Thanks for sharing your experiences. It would be interesting to know what you have tried and how you were promoting the product.

If you are looking to diversify then you should work to your strengths from gaming. For example If you have a database of players try email marketing. Promote a product that would interest your database and then try to get an exclusive coupon for your database to test the waters.

In theory the commission are smaller than gaming but the volume and conversion rates are much higher.

[bb1web]

Hi all,

yes thanks Paul for sharing those thoughts as I am in total agreement. First thing I thought of when reading the title of this thread was "sure I'd like to: but what pays enough, isn't saturated with both cheating/non-paying sponsors or has some kind of seemingly exclusive club you have to jump thru hoops and kiss ass to get in?

I've went into at least a couple other areas and worst for me was that after doing a bunch of work on creating about 20 sites, setting up PPC campaigns (did I mention the exclusive group thing I had to endure before being accepted?) ... only a few months later to see PPC ads jump to levels that rival the commissions I am earning on conversions, so I'd have to convert literally on a 100% ratio to show a profit. Some phrases cost more than my commissions.

I'd offer which niche but am not in a hurry to increase my competition so I'll suffice to say it is actually an almost noble pursuit and certainly falls under the category of being an honest business.

but it doesn't look like it will be anything to base a future on.

[Chips]

Staying 100% iGaming foucused. I think you need to have a good understanding on what you are promoting and I am getting there. This is such a vast area that I can expand into different markets easily but stil maintain the needed foucus. Being in retail for now 31 years I am sick of selling products. Services selling (i.e. poker, casino, sports) is so much easier to me and it allows the trapped writer in me free for a short time. I love it and am sticking to it.

[Doolally]

I'd like to diversify into something different and have thought seriously about a few different markets. However, I'd like to find something I can really get into and that interests me in order to keep my enthusiasm levels up.

My other hobbies and pastimes don't really have any levels of affiliate marketing associated with them and certainly not ones that would generate sufficient revenue for me to give up half my time for.

[matted]

It is interesting to see this poll, because it is something I've been giving thought to lately. But I've come to a fairly simply conclusion...

I have a career outside of igaming and could get by on my salary. I see my business as a venture into something I enjoy (even if it is a lot of work - and sometimes I wish I had more free time).

BUT - if I were reliant on the income from my business, I would either be putting money away into a net egg should I ever need to retool from scratch (both living expenses and rebuilding money) or I would be diversifying... Diversification is important whenever you rely on an income stream - whether that is your retirement savings or your income source.

Funny thing - is when I'm talking to my bosses at the day job (some of whom are into 6 figures pay) - they are impressed that I have among the best "plan B" should something happen and I get laid off (and those layoffs have been going around).

[robertmedl]

i voted for the 100%...

when others have asked me similar questions, i've always said that affiliate marketing of anything other than gambling has no interest to me. i'm passionate and knowledgable about gambling, and that makes my affiliate marketing "work" fun, rewarding, and profitable.

[aksana]

I thought about other markets but ... it really needs a lot of time to get some good results...

And I want to have some free time for my family, therefore I've currentely stopped thinking about other markets. So, now I'm 100% in iGaming

[LiveCasinoPartners]

Last year I made some pages for ocean front property in costa rica. It was geared towards adsense. The margins were small, and everything had to be purely organic, and slow.

Aside from trying to get a medical residency program I'm 100% gambling, and plan on keep trudging ahead in that direction.

[JohnCarry]

I personally think one shouldn't limit himself to one direction, I believe in expanding your portfolio and then selecting the best solution based on your own personal taste.
Judging according to CPA, RevShare and user value - I think there are several less competitive areas that are in the same range.