Sports Handicapping Business

[jwright0607a]

Hopefully this is the right section for this. I own a sports handicapping service that caters mainly to the United States and the UK. I'm starting to do more and more media buys for it, but I'm working directly with sports betting websites which can be a pain. Anyone have any suggestions for driving targeted traffic towards this in big amounts? Google adwords is pretty much off the table since they don't allow this sort of thing. Are there any media buy networks that have good sports related traffic?

Also, I'm pretty sure a good way to build it up is through email marketing. I mean Docsports is pretty huge and I don't see them purchasing a lot of display ads. How would I go about getting an email list for this niche?

Any tips would be appreciated and if the info helps me I'll send some money through paypal.

[universal4]

There is NO LIST which you can buy that wouldn't be a spam list.

No list purchased would be an opt-in list (to you). Whether those on the list opted-in or not doesn't matter since they didn't opt in to you.

The best and most effective email list would be one YOU built.

Most list sellers will sell you a list they call opt-in, but in reality they are nothing more than compiled names, and names traded for....and none of that translates to opt-in.

As far as driving traffic to your site itself, SEO.

Rick
Universal4

[IBT_Sports]

JWrite - can you share or PM me the site and I'll have a look.

Rick is mostly correct in his point on email, but with that said there are still some sports book lists available that are recent and some what quality. But those you need a connection to get your hands on those . Being that said, its still a numbers game even if you make it through the email pipelines, ISP's, blacklists, and get in the 'inbox'. Now, you hope that the sports bettors buy into capper services...which would be an interesting statistic to know, but having worked on the inside of a few reputable online brands, unless your a major capper player, JimF, DonB, Intelligentbettingtips.com, who2bet, etc. then they play...but still don't as much respect as maybe they should deserve.

As for driving traffic - email will work better for you on a retention side (after building up an organic list) and the others...PM me and I'll tip you to a few for consideration, and notably Display or online advert....unless you got a) time and b) money, your money is spent better elsewhere...but there is a caveat to that too...as with all things

[universal4]

Spam is spam no matter how it is "disguised".

Recommending to just play the numbers and spam in the mnillions instead of the hundreds of thousands just means more spam.

http://www.spamhaus.org/faq/section/Marketing+FAQs

ANY purchased - rented - traded for list is a list compiled by someone else and those on the list did NOT opt-in to recieve mailings from the entity that bought the list.

Now an Opt-In list that you personally compiled, that the recipients on the list opt-in to you....THAT is a powerful list.

Rick
Universal4

[Stephen F]

Hopefully this is the right section for this. I own a sports handicapping service that caters mainly to the United States and the UK. I'm starting to do more and more media buys for it, but I'm working directly with sports betting websites which can be a pain. Anyone have any suggestions for driving targeted traffic towards this in big amounts? Google adwords is pretty much off the table since they don't allow this sort of thing. Are there any media buy networks that have good sports related traffic?

Also, I'm pretty sure a good way to build it up is through email marketing. I mean Docsports is pretty huge and I don't see them purchasing a lot of display ads. How would I go about getting an email list for this niche?

Any tips would be appreciated and if the info helps me I'll send some money through paypal.

JW, there are numerous ways of getting traffic to your website. Some quick thoughts:

1. Build a refer-a-friend program: Your existing members would be your best spokespeople - see if you can find a way to encourage them to tell a friend and get them signed up. If you make it worth their while, they will be more willing to tell their friends. This can be done with some good software as well - links to facebook etc.

2. There are some networks that accept Handicapping sites, so ask around and see what the options are. Im pretty sure I have seen handicapping sites on Google, but I might be wrong.

Just a few quick thoughts.

Stephen

[eagleshot]

SEO is out of the question.. LOL.. Have you seen what Google has done to sports handicappers? LOL.. SEO is dead for this niche. I have been doing SEO for 11 years. Three years ago I started my own handicapping company with several employees/sales people. We where ranked first page for many big keywords. Not anymore! ALL GONE!

If you are trying to rank SEO for the key terms that are effective for SEO, you are wasting your time. Google has completely destroyed many sports handicapping services via search engine. Does this mean you can't still make money online, of course not. Banner ads, text ads, email marketing, SMS marketing, direct marketing can still be extremely effective.

You can still rank for some long tailed keywords that bring limited traffic. However, if you are looking to drive tons of traffic via Google organically, it's not going to happen anytime soon. We have to play the waiting game. Maybe you can get extremely lucky and find a Really good blog network that will except you, but I wouldn't waste my breath.

Also, this guy said you can't find good lists, they would be spam. That's not true either. If you have the right connections, you can hire an expert email marketer that will completely scrub your purchased email list. Most email lists will be completely junk. However, you can find very good leads with these lists. You can't simply send out junk to these people asking for money. You need to properly put together an email asking for permission to send them marketing material about sports wagering. If you get permission to send them an email, it's the same as a double opt-in. You know have permission to send them daily emails if that's what you chose to do.

[universal4]

This guy meaning me is NOT wrong.

And it is an idea shared by many.

If you spam expect reports to your ISP's and the affiliate programs.

The affiliate programs have a vested interest in stopping the spam also.

Rick
Universal4