Affiliate Interview Series - Alex Windsor - allaboutthebets

[GPWA Abby]

(This interview was originally published in the November 2017 issue of the GPWA Times Magazine.)

How did you first get into the iGaming business?
I have been an affiliate for almost eight years. I stumbled into the affiliate world when I was working at a call center. I was trying to get a good betting app for my phone, and there were a lot of choices and not a lot of websites offering reviews and guides on the apps. So I thought, why not make one? I have always been into mobiles, tablets, technology and gadgets, so it seemed a perfect fit. I had no idea what I was doing and paid over the odds for my first site. I spent a lot of time looking at SEO forums, reading e-books, listening to audio books and using whatever I could get my hands on to try to understand the web and search engines.

Before I was an affiliate, I worked for a few mobile phone providers in sales – jobs I don't miss, but I miss the people and working in a big building and office.

Tell us about your sites. When did you launch your first site?
The sites I am working on now were only started in February of this year, so they are all very new. Previously, I had 14 sites that I built up over five years, but I sold them and then had to start from scratch two years later. It has been a slow start to make money this time around, but I have not spent as much time as I would like or need to on them. The industry has become a lot more competitive now than it was five or six years ago. I had quite a good month (in August) and should start to make some good money soon.

Are you a full-time or part-time affiliate?
Currently, I work on the sites part-time due to my other business commitments. I am hoping to free up a lot more time over the next few months to spend on the websites.

Do you have employees, or do you run your site by yourself?
I run all the sites by myself. I use freelancers to help me with logos, banners and design work, as I don't mind admitting I am useless at design.

Your sites all focus on mobile apps. What made you decide to organize your sites around apps rather than websites?
It seems to be the way the world is going, and most of us spend more time on our phones and tablets than we do on a desktop or laptop. Nearly everyone has a phone and we all use apps every day, so I thought I would focus more on apps than websites. I have a lot of friends who bet regularly on their phones and apps and never use the operator's website.

Most of your sites are about sports betting, but you have one site dedicated to bingo. What inspired you to start a bingo site?
I started my bingo site (earlier this year) so it is still very new. When I was looking at the SERPS, I saw that there is a huge amount of competition for sports betting apps, so I thought I would focus more attention on bingo apps for the next site, since bingo is getting more popular. I have been playing bingo for a few years and really enjoy playing on my mobile. I try to appeal more to female readers with my bingo site, as I think it is more popular with ladies than men. I also had my fiancée use the apps with me, so I can get a female perspective and a genuine novice's verdict and see how she found the operator.

Do you have plans for additional sites?
Yes, I plan to do quite a few more as soon as I get time. My next site will be a poker site. I would love to do a site on binary and one on forex, but it is difficult finding time to do them. There are not enough hours in the day.

Sports betting can be a tough sector, especially when players are doing well. How volatile are your revenues from month to month?
So far it has not been a problem, as I haven't had a chance to make much money yet. I am hoping this changes when the football season starts again and I can start getting a bit more traction.

What makes your sites unique? How do you help them stand out from the competition?
I try to give visitors an honest review of the operator and all the information they need about using the app, such as bonus information, country restrictions, contact details and as much info as I can give without rambling. On my main site, as well as sports, I also cover bingo, casino, live casino and poker apps too, so quite a good variation. On top of this, I also provide free tips across football and horse racing.

How do you decide what sportsbooks to promote?
I have worked with lots and lots of bookies and companies over the years, and I will only work with big operators with a good reputation. I won't promote a bookie or casino I have personally had problems with. When I first got in to the industry, the GPWA forum was a fantastic source to find good, reputable operators and to see how other affiliates got on with them.

Do you bet on sports yourself?
I regularly bet on football and the horses. I love going to the races and try to get to a few meets a year. I always bet online, 99% of the time from my mobile. I support my local football team, Stoke City, and I am a big England fan. I have been to a quite a few international games.

How often do you get to see and interact with other people in the industry? Have you attended any conferences?
I have been to LAC twice before and really enjoyed it. Next year I am going to try to get to BAC or AAC. The conferences are a great way to meet affiliate managers, see some speakers and meet other affiliates. I would recommend anyone get to one if they can.

What traits do you look for in an affiliate manager? How about in an affiliate program?
I like managers and programs that get back to you quickly. I hate sending an e-mail, then having to wait for a week to get a reply. Managers should be polite and helpful and do all they can to try to help grow a successful partnership. I have been lucky with most I have worked with; I have only met a few who have been useless. I don't like being promised something and then having to chase it two or three times. That is not a good experience.

I think it is good to be rewarded as an affiliate by a program for doing well, too. In the past I have been taken to Goodwood and Wimbledon by a program, and I had a great time. It was good to meet the people behind the e-mails and phone calls.

What's your preferred method of communication with affiliate managers?
E-mail all day. I like to keep a copy of all information and conversations, just in case I ever need to go back to them.

You're relatively new to our forums. What prompted you to join the GPWA?
The GPWA is a great place to chat with other affiliates and to get advice and help. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people on there, and I spend a few hours a week reading posts. It is a good place to go to keep up with the industry, as there is so much happening all the time. The GPWA seal is also a big draw to being involved with the GPWA.

What do you like about the industry?
I love how fast-paced and ever-changing the industry is. It is a massive industry that spreads to every corner of the globe. Things never stand still; there is always something new and something to update.

If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be and why?
I hate the amount of spam that I get every single day via e-mail. It is ridiculously annoying and needs stopping.

What do you think the industry will look like in five years?
It is difficult to see where the industry will go from here, other than to get bigger. I think live casinos and live poker will be a lot more popular, given how far they have come in the last few years. It will be interesting to see what happens over in the U.S. now that Donald Trump is in power. It will be a massive market if it opens up.

What do your family and friends think of your work as an affiliate?
Most are quite jealous of the fact I can work anywhere, anytime. Some understand what I do; others think I work as a bookmaker or work for an operator.

How do you manage your to-do lists? Do you use any special software to help you out?
I use Google Keep and Calendar – I would be lost without those two. I do like old-school sticky notes and a pen and paper, too, when I am in my office.

How much time do you devote social networking for your sites?
Not a huge amount. I think Twitter and Facebook are saturated now with affiliates. It will be interesting to see what comes along next, as I think a lot of people are bored of Facebook. I never use my own personal account anymore.

What's the most difficult thing about running your sites?
Keeping on top of the SERPs and ever-changing algorithms. One minute you can be doing well, the next you can slip several places. It is difficult to rank as well against older, more established domains, even though the content is old and out of date.

What's the best thing about running your sites?
I love the freedom to work when I want, where I want. Sports is a big part of my life, and I am very fortunate that I can incorporate this in to my work. I love watching football.

What do you do to stay in shape – both physically and mentally?
I try to go to the gym five times a week and if I can't get there, I have a treadmill at home to keep me ticking over.

Mentally, I never switch off, which is the way I like it. I am not one to sit around twiddling my thumbs – I am always thinking about the next plan, what can I do to make XYZ better, what if I were to do this or do that, how can I improve this, what can I add, where is the next big thing?

What do you do with your spare time?
Spare time is a rare thing at the moment. As well as my websites, I am also part owner of a new, thriving, healthy restaurant/takeaway, which is taking up a huge part of my time. I am also expecting my first child with my fiancée in September, so a little baby will keep me very busy! When I do get a spare five minutes, I like to watch football, go out for meals and see friends. I love traveling and going on holiday. I have visited some amazing places over the last three years all around the world.

What did you dream of doing, both professionally and personally, when you were a kid?
I wanted to be a footballer when I was younger and played at a good level until I was 14, but then my love of playing faded away. I didn't have a clue what I wanted to do for a career, and I am very lucky I landed on my feet in this industry as I love working in it.

If someone from out of town were visiting you, what’s the one place you'd definitely take them to see?
Alton Towers, which is a local theme park, is about 30 minutes away from where I live. It's a great day out with lots of fun, adrenaline-filled rides.

When you need to get as far away from work as possible, where do you go?
I go to the gym or the pub, but even then I am doing e-mails or on my phone. I very rarely need to get away from work, as what I do is part of my life and that is the way I like it. I am a workaholic, but I work hard and play hard. I am very fortunate to do so many things I love doing.

What's your all-time favorite movie?
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

If you could invite any five people, living or dead, to dinner, who would they be?
Frank Lampard, Jay-Z, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Rihanna and Warren Buffett.

Name three things that people reading this magazine don't know about you.
1. I am about to become a dad – which I can't wait for!
2. I am a qualified scuba diver.
3. I run a mobile bar company.

[ocreditor]

Great read thanks!

[BetSmartUK]

Nice insight

[Breakout Ewa]

Nice one!