Mastering Google’s algorithms is key to effective online marketing, however, the search engine treats every industry differently, according to Martin Calvert, Marketing Director of ICS-digital.
Appearing on the latest episode of Digital Footprints’ video series, Footprints in the Market, Calvert said: “When it comes to SEO, Google’s view of the world is the most important. Google doesn’t treat every industry quite the same and that’s partly because the customers within each industry don’t all behave in the same way. There are different things they look for in terms of their threshold for quality.
“What they see as a good site or a useful site might differ depending on how serious the decision is, if it’s a professional service or if it’s just an entertainment type search in gaming.”
He added that Google is “more pre-disposed towards focusing on English language markets”. As a result, SEO strategies that have become “outdated” in regions like the UK, US and Canada may still have value in other non-English speaking regions.
Run your own race
Several jurisdictions, including Brazil, stand on the brink of new regulated markets and during the half-hour discussion, Calvert offered his advice for operators seeking to market in these new locations, particularly those opting to use their budget on paid media.
“The downside of that is that there will be bigger entities with larger budgets who can afford to waste money and do this badly which inflates the cost for everybody else,” he explained. “The worst case scenario is that people mimic what these other people are doing and are paying over the odds for stuff that isn’t going to get the best possible traffic or [return on investment].
“I think there is a lot of value in looking at the market and seeing what other people are doing, but also know yourself, know your own product, and set up a strategy that leans into what you’re already successful at without necessarily mimicking people who might not give the best example.”
Hosted by Digital Footprints’ Managing Director, Sharon McFarlane, the Footprints in the Market video series is aimed at senior marketing executives in the igaming space and each episode will offer practical insights and expert knowledge from some of the industry’s top minds.
Also on the agenda in episode three of the series were the latest trends in igaming, link building strategies and the impact of Google’s updates on SEO.
To check out the full video, click on the video above. You can also click HERE to catch up on last week’s episode featuring CBS Global’s Head of Affiliate Marketing & SEO, Dan Shannon, who spoke about why site speed should be a top priority for igaming operators.
