Betmedia’s business COO, Sam M. Barranco recently gave an interview to Affiliate Grand Slam. Founded in 2009, Betmedia is an online marketing agency located in La Coruña, Spain, specializing in advertising campaigns and strategies for the digital market.
In addition, the company is said to be quite influential within the gaming industry due to its technological expertise, financial services and entertainment.
And nowadays, Barranco is part of a creative team, focused and with professionals with long experience in the market. The company’s differential is its flexible approach and the ease of adapting to customer demands.
Check out the interview of Sam M. Barranco, from Betmedia
How did your affiliate marketing business succeed?
I joined the company at the beginning of 2013, at that time Betmedia was already on the market since 2010. I just completed 8 years of company. Betmedia was born from Hastoplay (a pioneer company in Spain in the poker affiliation that was born in 2005) with the objective of dealing with the sports betting affiliation part.
Is iGaming your only vertical?
iGaming started out as the only vertical, but over the years our repertoire has expanded with different products, such as financial products (negotiation, courses, etc…) and, of course, we have expanded the online marketing service.
Today we can consider ourselves a media agency specializing in games. We also have an influencers’ agency. We are a very flexible company, which adapts quickly to the needs of the market.
What makes your affiliate business unique?
The flexibility and adaptability we have. We are able to evolve with the market and learn to read it before others. We use common sense to make decisions and simplify processes as much as possible. But the most important thing is the team behind it; very valid and committed people.
What sets you apart from others in affiliate marketing?
Flexibility, adaptability and constant evolution are probably important in this differentiation, as well as innovation and vision. Although I think that what really sets us apart is our philosophy and our closeness.
It is not just a commercial relationship that we have with operators, in many cases we have true friendship and, in all cases, empathy predominates because we understand that in business all parties must win.
Tell us a little more about your business model, concept and culture.
I think in the previous answers it is quite clear and in a nutshell, it can be said: understand, evolve and collaborate. But above all: enjoy; we like what we do.
Tell us a little more about your future plans.
At the moment, our present and future is called Betsfy. It is our application and in it you will find everything we do.
What helps make your performance successful? What are the main challenges?
Basically, we understand the different markets and offer what they ask for. The main challenge is to keep growing and not get lost along the way. And, of course, remain profitable in such a competitive and difficult world.
What are the main SEO challenges today and how are they different from a few years ago?
When it comes to SEO, now you have to fight many factors, but most of all against changing algorithms and multiple competition. You also need to understand that placement is no longer just a search engine issue.
Before it was much easier and almost enough for you to have good quality content or find the right niche. Right now, not even having the best possible content can guarantee this position.
Why is SEO important for games and how long does it take to see SEO results?
I am not an SEO expert, but I am sure that the player you gain from this tends to be more valuable (more profitable). As for the time needed to see the results, it will depend on the strategy you have and what you expect from those results.
Which markets do you focus on and see potential in emerging markets?
Our main market is still Spain, but we have moved and grown in several markets. Emerging markets are always interesting and have enormous potential, but they have their own evolutionary times (the same process as the markets that are now mature). Many are still a medium to long term bet and others I hope will be a reality soon.
Which spots work best for your affiliate marketing and which are the most profitable? How did you find your most profitable spot?
The best spot is everyone’s mix. We have been in the market for many years and we realized for a long time that you cannot bet everything on one option, you must have different alternatives. This is our most profitable niche. I do not deny that it works for many and it is profitable for them to focus on a niche, but it has not been our case.
What role does technology play in your daily life?
We are a 100% digital company, so technology is the main pillar of our day to day. There are other important factors, but in the end, everything is based on technology.
Are you thinking about attracting investors or expanding your business? Or, with such a large merger and acquisition market, have you thought about selling the business?
We are just talking to different potential investors and we are open to hearing proposals. We have grown a lot, we are expanding and it is always interesting to contemplate, so we are open to all possibilities.
What emerging technologies, such as AI and big data, will impact the affiliate industry in 2021 and beyond?
Undoubtedly, business intelligence (BI) combined with artificial intelligence (AI) is already impacting and will impact more and more precisely.
How has the fragmentation of regulated markets affected your business? The UKGC, a Swedish regulator and now also a German regulator, is considering regulating this sector.
Regulations are always good when your goal is to protect all players in the industry (operators, customers …); when they establish clear rules that help to understand what can be done and how or what cannot be done, when they are fair to all parties and make the sector sustainable, when they aim to avoid abuses and problems.
A well-regulated market is one that offers stability and is very attractive to all parties. If the regulation is only intended to prohibit and be restrictive, it is probably not a good regulation.
To answer your question, the fragmentation of regulated markets means that we must first understand what we can do in that country and then adapt it. It is necessary to use more resources to increase costs, but it is also true that this helps to know the market much better.
Do communication and support with operators meet your expectations? What can operators do to increase support for affiliates?
In our case, communication with the operators with whom we work is increasingly fluid. Support is also mutual, and helps both parties to improve. In that sense, they fully meet expectations and we are very happy with the relationship we have with them.
As for what operators can do to increase support with affiliates, I think most are on the right track, as it is mainly about listening to their affiliates and doing things with them based on their (reasonable) requests.
Ultimately, affiliates are the ones who know their market best and not listening to them is a waste of a very valuable resource. Fortunately, many operators already know this and listen carefully and even promote this communication.
How can affiliates and affiliate marketers be even more differentiated in their approach?
Here I will answer something obvious, but it is never simple: understand the needs of the market and offer the solution to those needs.
Have you ever been to a SiGMA event? SiGMA Europe, Africa, Asia or the Americas – which of these four exhibitions would you probably attend in 2021, if COVID-19 allowed?
Yes, I participated in Malta and I would be very pleased to participate again. We hope to overcome this situation and go, if possible!
Tell us a little about yourself – after all, business is done with people, not just companies! Your hobbies, favorite book, favorite quote, if you like games, etc.
Well, my daily escape route is to watch television series and movies; it helps me to disconnect. Of course, I also watch a lot of sports, mainly football and I also bet (in moderation).
But my favorite activity is definitely traveling. I love getting to know new places and new cultures. It is something very healthy and it also helps you to have a much more open mind. To end my two favorite quotes: the one from the company; “Play hard, with intelligence, socially and have fun”. And mine: “live intensely”.
