iGaming (interactive gaming) link building is a strategy for online gaming websites to become more visible and trusted online. It helps your site show up higher on Google and adds credibility, making people more likely to visit and enjoy the games you offer.
What Makes iGaming Link Building Challenging?
The online gambling industry made about $64 billion in 2020 and is predicted to reach over $100 billion by 2025. With new online casinos popping up regularly, there’s growing competition for customers and visibility on Google.
iGaming is one of the most profitable and competitive industries for gaining exposure. But iGaming link acquisition differs from conventional link acquisition because while achieving a high rank is crucial, you need to put in extra effort to build trust for your website, as Google tends to be less favorable towards gambling sites
Rigorous Regulatory Landscape
Getting links for online casinos and betting websites is tough. It’s not impossible, but there are rules, and some people don’t like linking to gambling sites due to the bad reputation attached to it.
Gambling is heavily regulated in many countries, and some places have strict laws about promoting online betting services. So, building links in this domain is hard because you have to deal with many rules.
Image: Challenges of iGaming Link Acquisition.
Bad Reputation
Online betting websites often get linked with addiction and money troubles. Because of this, many website owners are cautious about linking to them. So, it’s not just the rules; it’s also about the bad reputation that makes link building for these sites tricky.
Moreover, some people believe linking to casino sites could hurt their website’s reputation. They don’t want to be seen endorsing something that negatively affects people’s lives.
Keyword Competition
Keywords related to interactive gaming and online betting face challenges because there are strict rules limiting the usual ways to advertise, making it hard to show up on Google.
Since the fight for high exposure and authority on SERPs (search engine rankings pages) is tough, companies might waste time and money trying to get more links. It can be frustrating if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing.
Why are paid links so common in the iGaming sector?
Most prominent players in the field usually buy links. This sector is fiercely competitive, with countless sites vying for attention in search results—making it necessary to pay for links to improve rankings.
Additionally, negative perceptions around betting activities limit chances for natural links in this space. Because of these unfavorable views, many site owners are reluctant to link to casino sites on their own, adding another reason why casinos often resort to buying links.
Read through our article on buying backlinks to learn more about the process.
Developing Your iGaming Link Building Strategy
In online gaming, where competition is tough and rules are strict, getting good at link building can make a big difference.
Before starting any efforts to build links, I suggest following the rules of both local and international gambling laws. Following these regulations doesn’t just avoid legal problems; it also helps in gaining trust from users and search engines.
Here are some effective strategies to help you get started:
• Content Creation and Marketing: The interactive gaming sector frequently faces difficulties generating original and valuable content because of the repetitive themes surrounding games, betting strategies, and reviews.Create compelling infographics, interactive guides for games, or immersive experiences that capture your audience’s attention. High-quality content draws in natural backlinks, improves user engagement, and promotes social sharing, adding value to a comprehensive SEO approach.For example, the infographic (shown below) by Capermint, a game development company, offers insights on the history of interactive gaming.
Image: Infographic on the history of iGaming. Source: Capermint.
To gain more insights on content planning and marketing, read our article on the top content planning tools.
• Craft Compelling Anchor Text: Anchor texts are the words you click on in a link, and they tell search engines what the linked page is about. In interactive gaming link building, it’s important to use link texts that describe the content and include keywords.
Image: Anchor text best practices.
Your writers should carefully place anchor text within interesting topics, avoiding random insertion. This balance helps improve your website’s position on Google, ensuring an engaging approach.
• Social Media Signals: Social media is a big part of interactive gaming, affecting how well your website appears on Google. Share your content on social media, get people to share it, and build a community around your brand.The likes, shares, and comments you get on social media indirectly help your website become more important and appear higher on Google.
Image: Screenshot of an iGaming ad posted on social media.
Social media helps you quickly connect with the right audience, making your promotions more effective.
If you run social media campaigns like the one shown in the image above, they can generate a buzz and get people talking. This leads to more sharing and participation in activities related to your brand.
• Manual Blogger Outreach: Getting publishers with relevant websites that fit the bill and have high authority isn’t easy. That’s why many sites go for shortcuts like Private Blog Networks (PBNs) and paid backlinks, even though they come with big risks.But, when it comes to the iGaming industry, it’s even trickier.The list of suitable domains shrinks further due to the ethical concerns surrounding online betting, and some webmasters reject any attempts related to its promotion. If link builders lack expertise in this area, their clients might not be happy because they end up with only a limited set of websites for getting backlinks.
Image: Infographic of the different steps involved in Manual Blogger Outreach.
Blogger outreach aims to connect your brand with new audiences without being pushy, creating a comfortable environment for potential clients to engage with your company. It lets you get top-notch, original content featured on those websites, broadening your reach and exposure.
Aim to introduce your business to a diverse audience while having valuable content, along with your link, published on reputable and authoritative websites. Growing your audience and strengthening domain authority work together to enhance your online exposure naturally.
I recommend reading our article on the top blogger outreach platform to explore this topic further.
• Building Trust: In interactive gaming link building, creating backlinks is like building bridges between your website and others. It’s not just about getting noticed; it’s about earning customers’ trust. By establishing connections with credible sites and sharing valuable content, you enhance your website’s visibility and gain the confidence of your audience in the competitive industry.Every interactive gaming brand needs to demonstrate trustworthiness to their customers. While these companies may use various features and security measures to make their gaming platform safe, the first step is convincing new website visitors to become players.Building trust online involves creating a welcoming and transparent online environment where players feel assured about the reliability and credibility of the brand.Effective communication, transparent policies, and a user-friendly interface contribute to building the foundation of trust, which is essential for fostering long-term relationships with customers in the competitive landscape.
Image: Infographic of the different aspects of iGaming Link Building.
How does influencer marketing help iGaming brands reach potential customers?
Teaming up with influencers in the interactive gaming industry can be an effective practical approach to strengthening your link-building strategy.
Image: Infographic of the impact of influencer marketing in iGaming.
Gaming influencers often have a niche-specific and dedicated following within the interactive gaming community. Collaborating with them allows brands to reach a targeted audience interested in gaming, casinos, and related content, resulting in more relevant and impactful backlinks.
Since Influencers have a strong bond of trust with their followers, leveraging this trust and relatability can impact how the audience perceives the linked content, increasing the likelihood of positive interactions.
Key Takeaways1. Content Creation and Marketing: 2. Craft Compelling Anchor Text: 3. Social Media Signals: 4. Influencer Collaborations: 5. Manual Blogger Outreach: 6. Building Trust: |
iGaming Best Practices
1. Set a realistic budget: Though free and budget-friendly choices exist, putting resources into premium backlinks often leads to superior outcomes. As the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.” Dedicate resources to secure top-notch backlinks from respected interactive gaming sites and credible sources in your industry.
2. Diversify your link portfolio: Getting links from interactive gaming sites is essential, but reaching out to other related industries like entertainment, sports, news, or technology can give you more exposure and bring in a diverse audience.
Explore strategies such as PR, link exchanges, news/media coverage, and no-follow links such as those found in social media profiles. Diversifying your tactics ensures a well-rounded approach to building a solid online presence and effective link portfolio.
3. Build relationships with others: Build authentic relationships in the interactive gaming sector and partner with fellow stakeholders for backlink exchanges, guest posts, or mutually beneficial content collaborations. Prioritize outreach efforts in establishing meaningful connections with influential figures in the industry.
4. Focus on quality check: In the world of link acquisition, quality matters more than quantity. Check potential backlink sources carefully to ensure you’re getting good links that boost your search engine rankings.
Look at domain authority, referring domains, link domains, domain rating, and organic traffic. Keep an eye on website ratings and traffic regularly to make sure they’re relevant and trustworthy.
5. Be mindful of link velocity: Keep an eye on how quickly you acquire links. Rapidly accumulating links may appear unnatural and could potentially raise concerns with Google.
You contribute to a sustainable link building strategy for your interactive gaming website by managing your link velocity and staying within a reasonable range.
6. Monitor your results: It’s important to keep an eye on the results of your marketing campaign.
• Regularly check which websites link to yours, ensuring they’re relevant and reputable.
• Track the growth of your backlink profile and monitor changes in your website’s search rankings
• Stay attentive to any unusual patterns or unexpected drops in performance.
• Adjust your strategy based on the insights you gather, ensuring a healthy and effective link-building campaign for your interactive gaming site.
Conclusion
iGaming link building is crucial for online gaming websites to enhance online reach and credibility. Despite challenges such as a competitive industry and regulatory constraints, effective strategies involving engaging content, social media, influencer collaboration, and manual outreach can overcome these hurdles.
Adapting your strategy based on these insights ensures a healthy and impactful link building campaign for your interactive gaming site.
