Don't hedge your advertising bets

With brand loyalty now painfully low amongst sports bettors, the market for brands is now becoming ultra-competitive. In fact, according to new research, 95% of consumers say they would change brands for a good offer and almost half (40%) of gamers are actively looking out for new offers.

A European Sports Betting (ESB) survey, carried out by Rocket Fuel, polled 1,530 active sports betting consumers across Italy, Germany, the UK and France, and found that in the online gaming industry, consumers are loyal to the offer and not the brand.

Across the countries surveyed, France could be seen as the most loyal with only 1.7 accounts per player, whereas Germany has an average of three, therefore making it harder than ever for brands to differentiate themselves to prospective customers.

Moreover, the research found that betting habits are impulsive. More than two thirds (62%) of European bets are impulsive and unplanned, with Germany the more spontaneous as 68% of their bets falling under this pattern.

Intelligent approach

Advertising creative and placement is therefore crucial to conversions for gaming brands in such a crowded and spontaneous environment, with half of consumers surveyed saying that an advert has reminded them to place a bet.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can now be used to predict the unpredictable. AI technology, in conjunction with programmatic ad trading, is revolutionising the way that media is planned, bought and optimised.

AI can perfectly calculate and place ads that appeal to individuals’ specific wants, based on their previous purchasing or browser history. Our research into betting patterns showed marginal differences between customer conversions on weekends (52%) versus on weekdays (48%), and at various points across the day.

This suggests that brands need to adopt an ‘always on’ strategy that captures both the impulsive and longer term players with right place, right time, right advertising.

AI technology also makes the decision over which channels will be most appropriate to reach the customer in real-time. PC impression to conversion ratio is highest, according to the research, but mobile represents a third of total conversions.

Marketing to a single profile improves campaign results and campaigns should adjust in real-time to the different ways that consumers are using devices.

Of those surveyed, 47% said their PC browser was their preferred method for placing bets, while 53% preferred using their mobile. Account activation and management behaviour also varies by device, according to the research.

Sporting chance

Meanwhile, creative is also an important consideration for sports gaming brands. Optimising creative will maximise new accounts sign up, according to the research, with creative considerations including customer-specific odds, trial offers, specific incentives and referral plans.

Data learns which consumers are reacting to a tactical creative and which consumers ignore it, to determine which consumers can be influenced and which are wasted media. Top incentives include needing proof the site is fair (44%), a recommendation from a friend (29%) and a monetary bonus for sign up (26%).

Major sporting events also serve to provide impulse to players, with 44% saying large events prompt them to bet on sports they wouldn’t usually, while half of those surveyed say they bet larger amounts for more important games. This makes large-scale sporting events a key battle ground for activation and average revenue per user (ARPU), whilst helping us understand how consumers turn from event only to a regular player.

It’s clear from the research that players change from moment to moment and so should their marketing. A ‘segment’ does not always predict a positive outcome, and in fact can overlook customers who would otherwise act on relevant offers.

By taking an AI-based approach, brands can identify their ideal audiences based on their behaviours, allowing them to influence customer decision-making before they enter the market for the best results.