«Вовлеченность влияет на рейтинг» — Карло Марафиоти, Infadawork OÜ

Carlo Marafioti, co-founder of Infadawork OÜ, joins the new episode of the affiliate interview series on Affiliate Grand Slam

Carlo Marafioti talks about their portfolio, including MachineSlotOnline.it and slots-777.com, SEO, and how to ensure high rankings – read the full interview below.

How did your affiliate business develop?

My business partner and I have already worked in this industry. I was focused on operations, and Michael was in charge of lead generation and affiliation. We connected through a mutual friend, and it seemed very natural to start a business together. We understood the opportunities associated with offering licensed casinos in Italy starting in July 2011, so we launched MachineSlotOnline.it. It was the right time to launch our first site, it’s been a hell of a long journey so far, with 11 years and 4 sites in our portfolio. It is also worth noting that in 2014 we launched our international website slots-777.com.

What sets you apart from other partners? What makes your websites unique?

A lot has changed since our first website came out, just to say that mobile traffic didn’t exist back then. Most affiliates started small, many with a small budget, learning to be a developer and content creator at the same time. There was no need to have a lot of overhead to start generating valuable leads. However, only those who have adapted and embraced the changes over the past decade have succeeded. We’ve seen many affiliates lose leads when things have changed. It must be resistant to overcoming negative spells, as they can take place in successful business ventures as well.

In 2022, business must merge with operations and technology. Nowadays, the UX has changed, so the user interface should follow it. Our industry is similar to mobile gaming and is evolving towards social gaming. It’s likely that our best traits are rekindled through adaptation, exploration, understanding, and fine-tuning.

What importance do you attach to SEO?

There was a time when SEO was important, but not as important as it is today. We did not face stiff competition from the same casinos we partner with. We had a lot of leverage to get qualified traffic. Over the past 5 years, SEO has become exponentially complex, the possibilities are limited. Therefore, this is an area that requires daily attention to achieve the results that our partners expect from us. I would definitely say that this is extremely important, and without a proper SEO team, an affiliate business has no footing.

How to Ensure High Search Engine Rankings?

Focusing on quality in every single aspect is what really matters. I’d rather say it’s a puzzle where every piece has to get to the right place. Content is key, as it has always been. What has really changed is how engagement affects rankings, literally users determine success or failure. There’s no set formula, it’s important to catch what they really want and shape your site accordingly.

What helps make your performance successful?

Maintaining a sustainable approach based on good analytics, sound strategies, and top-notch operations. Evaluate feedback and start over. This may seem obvious, but I can assure you that it’s especially difficult to agree on priorities and what to focus on next. It’s such a hectic business that if you get distracted for a few months, you can easily lose ground.

The key factor is how you see your users. By providing them with valuable content, providing services, and allowing them to choose how they want to interact with your site without interference. Avoiding thinking of them as cash cows is a big step forward, after all, it should be their choice if and when they want to gamble for real money. Annoying pop-ups can only make them leave and never come back to your site again.

What added value do you provide?

We have always been looking for long-term partners who bring mutual benefits that could last for years. You can’t do this by focusing on predatory campaigns or looking to make a quick buck. Understanding the right offer for your users based on conversion rates and retention rates is what adds value over time. For our part, we aim to direct the highest quality customers to the very best casino providers, where they can enjoy the best selection of slot games and access the best promotions according to their profile.

Which markets are you targeting and do you see any potential in emerging markets?

We have 3 websites in the Italian market and 1 international site in the USA, UK, California, Australia and New Zealand. At this point, we can still define the United States as an emerging market, as only 4 states have legalized online gambling. At some point, a few years ago, we expected this to expand at the federal level much faster. Canada is interesting and on the verge of legalization, but again, it can follow the same model as the US. So far, only Ontario seems to be moving forward with concrete steps.

Looking at Latin America, we think Brazil could be an interesting opportunity. We have already prepared the ground in São Paulo and are waiting for the final legal details from the Brazilian government before we hit the road. Mexico, Colombia, and Chile have been on the list of emerging markets for the past 10 years, but for one reason or another, they don’t seem to have picked up enough momentum to justify investment.

What importance do you attach to responsible gaming?

Players should understand that playing for real money is fun and exciting, but it requires some caution to remain just fun and not cause financial problems. We create content on how to set your own pace, and there is no such thing as “one-size-fits-all” gambling. As such, managing players’ bankrolls is something that affiliates should vouch for by default, along with maintaining an objective stance and not incentivizing reckless betting. We have to admit that a lot of progress has been made in this particular area, including through the legal regulation of the “wrong way” to promote gambling. We also understand how rigorously casino affiliates comply with the requirements and review affiliate content, improving the safety of the industry as a whole.

Can you foresee any growth in the affiliate business industry?

In my opinion, we have already reached the peak and the market is entering a stage where we will see an uptrend of mergers and acquisitions. I don’t see much room for new players in the market, as I expect consolidation similar to what has been happening in the automotive sector over the past 20 years. Over time, the investment requirements to remain competitive are increasing, and large media groups with large capital investments will always have an advantage.

I don’t want to sound pessimistic, but I think that difficult times await us. We cannot pretend to ignore the fact that the economic outlook around the world is rapidly deteriorating, and we are experiencing a rapid increase in spending for the average household that has not been seen in the last 40 years. In the entertainment industry, we’ve recently seen Netflix lose subscriptions for the first time in 10 years, and I believe that the decline in disposable income will inevitably impact the gaming industry. Whether it will be a temporary shock or something more stable in time also depends on how the Ukrainian conflict develops. Even if it’s not what I’m hoping for, I think the pandemic and the war could change the priorities and future of this industry.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a very curious person; I like to read a lot and learn a little bit about everything. Sometimes I can be very assertive and not afraid of constructive criticism. I have always been attracted to the financial services industry, in 2007 I qualified as a Security Broker in the UK. I have never worked in the industry as life has chosen a different path for my career. I like to exercise every day: following a workout routine strengthens mental and physical health. “Fortune favors the brave” is definitely my favorite quote.

Find out more about the SiGMA Affiliate Grand Slam here.

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