(This interview was originally published in the January 2025 issue of the GPWA Times Magazine.)
Can you tell us about your upbringing in Kesan, Turkey, and how it influenced your entrepreneurial mindset?
Growing up in Kesan was challenging. It’s a small town with limited international exposure, which made it difficult to broaden my perspective or access opportunities for personal growth. The internet and digital platforms were a lifeline — they connected me to the world. I taught myself English by watching western films and playing video games, which allowed me to engage with people globally and expand my horizons.
I began working in a restaurant at a very young age, starting with washing dishes, then progressing to cleaning tables, and later serving food. By the time I was 20, I was managing a small team. That experience provided invaluable lessons in teamwork, leadership, crisis management, and handling finances. Later in life, I understood that I had gained these practical skills, and my exposure to the digital world had become the foundation of my entrepreneurial journey.
How did your early career as a content manager and CRM manager shape your understanding of digital marketing and SEO?
Working as a content manager gave me hands-on experience in creating content that not only attracts but also engages users. Later, as a CRM manager, I gained a deeper understanding of how to nurture those users, drive retention, and build loyalty. These experiences taught me the importance of aligning content, SEO, and data-driven strategies to achieve measurable results.
What motivated you to launch your first affiliate site in 2018, and how did you navigate the challenges of balancing a full-time job, entrepreneurship, and academic commitments?
I’ve always been passionate about building something of my own. In 2018, I saw a growing demand for quality affiliate sites in iGaming and decided to act on it. Balancing a full-time job, writing my thesis, and launching a site wasn’t easy — it required discipline, long hours, and support from my partner. However, the thrill of seeing the site grow, and eventually achieving a successful exit made it all worthwhile.
Revpanda started with just four people in a co-working space. What strategies helped you scale the company to over 100 employees and 300 contractors?
Localization—By focusing on localization, we entered key markets earlier than others. That early entry gave us an edge and helped us stand out.
B2C Experience – We used what we learned when we were working at an operator company. While other affiliates were still figuring things out, we already knew how to handle traffic, retention, and user engagement.
Teamwork – We had a small, tight-knit team that worked well together. Everyone was aligned, and that made a big difference when scaling.
Industry Network – Networking events in the iGaming world helped us find opportunities and solve problems faster than most.
Understanding Operators—We weren’t just sending traffic; we understood what operators wanted and spoke their language. That made us a trusted partner early on, which opened many doors as we also offered managed services.
What were some key milestones that marked Revpanda’s journey from a start-up to a successful global marketing company?
There are several moments that stand out:
• Exit from our first site in 2019, which allowed us to invest more resources for our following projects.
• Landing our first major client in 2020, which validated our approach and helped us gain momentum.
• Winning SiGMA’s Best Marketing Agency award in 2021, which cemented our reputation in the industry.
• Exit from our 2nd site in 2023.
• Expanding to over 300 contractors globally by 2023, showcasing our ability to scale while maintaining quality.
• Launching app.revpanda.com, a custom platform for iGaming companies that helps with task management, content, link building orders, and project tracking.
• Acquiring an affiliate company in summer 2024.
What factors contributed to Revpanda winning awards like Best Marketing Agency by SiGMA and Best Digital Agency by iGaming Business?
Our team’s expertise and dedication have been the backbone of our success. We’ve consistently focused on delivering exceptional results, whether through tailored marketing strategies or cutting-edge SEO solutions. Beyond that, our willingness to innovate and adapt has allowed us to stay ahead of the curve in a highly competitive industry.
How did SEO play a role in the development and scaling of your affiliate sites? Were there specific tactics that you found particularly impactful?
SEO was at the heart of everything we did. One of the key strategies was targeting underserved niches with long-tail keywords. These terms were less competitive but had high intent, which made them incredibly effective for driving traffic. We also invested heavily in building high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites, which helped establish credibility and improve rankings.
Technical SEO was another big focus—things like ensuring fast load times and optimizing for mobile made a huge difference, especially as user experience became more important.
A major advantage for us was focusing on non-English markets early on. These markets were far less saturated, cheaper to target, and often easier to rank in. That gave us a significant edge and allowed us to scale faster while keeping costs down.
Ultimately, SEO wasn’t just about rankings for us. It was about creating trust with users and delivering real value, which naturally led to better results.
How do you see the role of SEO and content marketing evolving for operators and affiliates in the next five years?
SEO and content marketing will become more sophisticated, with a heavier focus on personalization and user engagement. Video content, interactive elements, and AI-driven insights will shape how affiliates and operators attract and retain audiences. At the same time, staying compliant with evolving regulations will be a critical factor for success.
With the growth of AI, how do you integrate technology into Revpanda’s marketing strategies?
AI plays an important role at Revpanda, but we use it primarily for internal operations rather than external-facing tasks. For us, it’s about automation and improving efficiency behind the scenes—things like streamlining workflows, automating repetitive processes, and managing data more effectively.
While AI helps us save time and stay organized, the creative and strategic aspects of our work are entirely human-driven. We believe that the best campaigns come from a combination of data-backed decisions and the creativity that only people can bring to the table.
Beyond Revpanda, you’ve launched ventures like Esimatic and Ace Alliance. What drives you to diversify your business interests?
At Revpanda, we’re fortunate to have an incredibly skilled and ambitious team. We deliver 360-degree solutions and thrive on taking on challenges. That hunger for growth naturally pushed me to explore new ventures outside of Revpanda.
Esimatic, for instance, has nothing to do with iGaming, but we launched it because we wanted to step out of our comfort zone and tackle something completely different. Esimatic is all about connecting people seamlessly with fast, reliable, and affordable global internet. It’s not just a great product; it’s also better for the environment by reducing the need for physical SIM cards, which helps cut down CO2 emissions.
As for Ace Alliance, the idea was born from our deep connection to the iGaming industry. We’ve worked with almost every stakeholder — platform providers, operators, affiliates, service providers, and payment providers. It felt inevitable to take what we’ve learned about lead generation and relationships and carry it into the digital space. Ace Alliance is about connecting individuals, fostering partnerships, and driving innovation, all while keeping the energy of our networking events and parties alive.
Diversifying isn’t just about business growth; it’s about solving problems, connecting people, and staying inspired.
What role has the GPWA played in your journey, and why do you think it’s such a valuable resource for affiliates?
GPWA has been life-changing for me. I learned so much from the platform, and it played a huge role in shaping my career. I remember telling Michael (Corfman), while we were in Morocco together on a hot air balloon, how his project (GPWA) completely changed my life.
Through GPWA, I gained invaluable insights into iGaming SEO, which I applied to my sites, helping them grow and succeed. It wasn’t just about learning; it was also about doing—I bought and sold things through the platform, and the biggest value it gave me was the experience. GPWA was the platform that helped me exit my first affiliate site, and that exit is what ultimately brought me to where I am today.
What criteria do you use when selecting affiliate programs to partner with?
I look for programs that deliver results — good conversion rates and solid retention rates are key. Transparency is a must. I won’t work with platforms that shave or cut affiliates; trust is everything in this business.
I also prefer working with programs where I know the people behind them personally. Relationships matter, and when you know the team, it’s easier to trust that they’ll deliver on their promises.
How do you unwind and recharge outside of the iGaming and product management worlds? Any hobbies or interests you’d like to share?
I keep pretty active. I do kickboxing training weekly, and I play padel or tennis depending on what my friends are up for. I also love travelling with my buddies to new countries, especially places none of us have been before — it’s always an adventure.
When I have the time, I play the drums, although that’s been happening less frequently lately. It’s something I want to get back into more regularly, though, because it’s a great creative outlet.
Imagine a fellow iGaming enthusiast is visiting your area for 24 hours. Where would you take them to experience the best of what your city has to offer?
I’ve been living in Riga since 2018, and the weather here plays a huge role in planning. When it gets as cold as -28°C — which I’ve experienced — it’s not exactly ideal for a walk outside!
If the weather cooperates, I’d start with a tour of Riga’s Old Town. It’s full of history and charm, and there’s so much to see. I’d also take them to see our headquarters. It’s always fun showing people where the magic happens.
We’d then head to Jūrmala for some fresh air by the sea, stop by the Central Market to explore local flavors, and check out the stunning Art Nouveau buildings Riga is famous for. To wrap up the day, we’d have dinner at one of my favorite restaurants. Riga has some amazing spots, so it’d be a memorable 24 hours.
List three things that people reading this magazine don’t know about you.
1. I have a fridge magnet collection
2. I play drums
3. I suck at fishing