Please help us!!! (questions)

[Guard Dog]

1. What tools do you prefer and like to use, that an affiliate program offers to help you promote poker rooms and casinos?

2. What are your favorite back end affiliate systems for grabbing promotional tools and why? (Ease of use, simple to navigate, can just grab code, etc.)

3. What type of commission structure do you prefer? A tiered revenue share based on Net Gaming or on the amount of players sent during the month? Why?

4. What sub affiliate deal would encourage you to refer other webmasters to the program? Or what would encourage you to refer other webmasters to the program?

5. What are the most important things you look for when signing up for an affiliate program?

[Guard Dog]

1. What tools do you prefer and like to use, that an affiliate program offers to help you promote poker rooms and casinos?

Screenshots, screenshots, screenshots. Also, good information about VIP programs and promotional offers helps a lot too.

2. What are your favorite back end affiliate systems for grabbing promotional tools and why? (Ease of use, simple to navigate, can just grab code, etc.)

I like having QUALITY banners. I like having HIGH QUALITY reports. I tend to promote places more if they have better reporting. If they have minimal reporting, I won't promote them at all.

Simple navigation is fine, but I would prefer complex reporting to something simple and useless.

3. What type of commission structure do you prefer? A tiered revenue share based on Net Gaming or on the amount of players sent during the month? Why?

Revenue share only - I don't see the purpose of CPA, I am in this for the long haul and prefer to build up a player base I can live off of.

4. What sub affiliate deal would encourage you to refer other webmasters to the program? Or what would encourage you to refer other webmasters to the program?

10% subaffiliate share. Although I do very little of this, that helps.

5. What are the most important things you look for when signing up for an affiliate program?

Good terms and conditions (surprised?), player happiness at the casinos, good revenue share, affiliate manager communication. Not specifically in that order.

[Chips]

1. What tools do you prefer and like to use, that an affiliate program offers to help you promote poker rooms and casinos?

Screenshots, professional looking banners... ones without a ton of glitz. Tournament feeds, jackpot feeds

2. What are your favorite back end affiliate systems for grabbing promotional tools and why? (Ease of use, simple to navigate, can just grab code, etc.)

Income access software. Newest version for stats on the fly and good deep tracking for analysis of campaings, where visitors come from, multiple tracker set up.

3. What type of commission structure do you prefer? A tiered revenue share based on Net Gaming or on the amount of players sent during the month? Why?

Tiered Rev share on net

4. What sub affiliate deal would encourage you to refer other webmasters to the program? Or what would encourage you to refer other webmasters to the program?

Multi level, 5-10% min on level one. And being able to track the effectiveness of the campaign.

5. What are the most important things you look for when signing up for an affiliate program?

The brands reputation, taking care of players, retention, cashouts, service service, service. Strong network with active cash tables at all levels, micro to nose bleed.

Management that is active and approachable via multiple methods... MSN, Skype, email, caring and helpful and knowledgable. No pushy AM's, no spamming or begging to sign up. Respect.

On time payments every time. Friendly, multiple payment methods.

[Engineer]

Originally Posted by Guard Dog

1. What tools do you prefer and like to use, that an affiliate program offers to help you promote poker rooms and casinos?

• Simple, plain text links. No javascript, no spammy title tags meant to help the casino rank well in the serps.
• Banners in various sizes without the ".com" included on the banner.
• Feeds, feeds, feeds.
• Detailed stats. C-Planet has the most detailed stats, so if you can duplicate what they offer, you'll be in great shape.

Originally Posted by Guard Dog

2. What are your favorite back end affiliate systems for grabbing promotional tools and why? (Ease of use, simple to navigate, can just grab code, etc.)

• C-Planet
• Any NetRefer system
• Virgin Games

Originally Posted by Guard Dog

3. What type of commission structure do you prefer? A tiered revenue share based on Net Gaming or on the amount of players sent during the month? Why?

Rev share based on net gaming is the way to go, IMO. I don't do CPA deals, and I don't like programs that base commissions on the number of "new" players sent per month. The number of new players should be irrelevant. The only thing that matters is whether or not the players (new and old) are making deposits.

Originally Posted by Guard Dog

4. What sub affiliate deal would encourage you to refer other webmasters to the program? Or what would encourage you to refer other webmasters to the program?

5% is a nice starting point.

Originally Posted by Guard Dog

5. What are the most important things you look for when signing up for an affiliate program?

• Whether players are treated well / player retention.
• Age of the casino (brand new = riskier).
• Whether the program has affiliate-friendly, AGD certified T&Cs.
• Commission rates. If the program offers a flat rate of 40% (or close to it), either publicly or privately, then I'm more likely to be interested -- assuming the other concerns I listed above aren't deal breakers.

[mlauriat]

Originally Posted by Engineer

• Simple, plain text links. No javascript, no spammy title tags meant to help the casino rank well in the serps.
• Banners in various sizes without the ".com" included on the banner.
• Feeds, feeds, feeds.
• Detailed stats. C-Planet has the most detailed stats, so if you can duplicate what they offer, you'll be in great shape.



• C-Planet
• Any NetRefer system
• Virgin Games



Rev share based on net gaming is the way to go, IMO. I don't do CPA deals, and I don't like programs that base commissions on the number of "new" players sent per month. The number of new players should be irrelevant. The only thing that matters is whether or not the players (new and old) are making deposits.



5% is a nice starting point.



• Whether players are treated well / player retention.
• Age of the casino (brand new = riskier).
• Whether the program has affiliate-friendly, AGD certified T&Cs.
• Commission rates. If the program offers a flat rate of 40% (or close to it), either publicly or privately, then I'm more likely to be interested -- assuming the other concerns I listed above aren't deal breakers.

I totally agree with Engineer, he has answered all of the questions very eloquently.

[ziggy]

Originally Posted by Guard Dog

1. What tools do you prefer and like to use, that an affiliate program offers to help you promote poker rooms and casinos?

Qualtiy banners, at least a general review from which to quickly compose something on the fly for the time being; chat contact with affiliate manager: lets me know they are working with me.

2. What are your favorite back end affiliate systems for grabbing promotional tools and why? (Ease of use, simple to navigate, can just grab code, etc.)

I like Brighshare; LuckyAcePartners (I can hear the boos) really provide a tremendous amount of marketing tools including screenshots, great landing pages, etc.

3. What type of commission structure do you prefer? A tiered revenue share based on Net Gaming or on the amount of players sent during the month? Why?

Revenue Share. I just have never had any luck with CPA - to the point now I just don't trust a CPA arrangement.

4. What sub affiliate deal would encourage you to refer other webmasters to the program? Or what would encourage you to refer other webmasters to the program?

A lot offer 5% which I feels is too low. 10% seems more reasonable to me as well.

5. What are the most important things you look for when signing up for an affiliate program?

Quality of their casino/poker site. And their help to me. If they help me; they will provide the same type of customer service via me to players if necessary.

[weasel]

I can't add much to what has already been said but important factors for me are:-

revenue share only - no CPA or tiered revenue based upon number of new/active players
no negative carry-over. Not a deal breaker but very nice to have

[darmac]

1. What tools do you prefer and like to use, that an affiliate program offers to help you promote poker rooms and casinos?
Banners are best for me, better at grabbing a player's attention.


2. What are your favorite back end affiliate systems for grabbing promotional tools and why? (Ease of use, simple to navigate, can just grab code, etc.)
I like G3/Playshare, Brightshare and Casino Rewards

Quote:
3. What type of commission structure do you prefer? A tiered revenue share based on Net Gaming or on the amount of players sent during the month? Why?
Revenue Share, I never made much off any CPA deals I have taken.


4. What sub affiliate deal would encourage you to refer other webmasters to the program? Or what would encourage you to refer other webmasters to the program?
Definitely a higher % here also.


5. What are the most important things you look for when signing up for an affiliate program?
Good quality programs with good graphics, definitely a good manager to work with and a good customer service for members..

[ScottB]

Accepting US players is still the top factor for me.

Then the commission rate.
Programs that start at 20-25%, I am likely to give a miss.

Would rather have 30% minimum commission rate than extra sub-affiliate commission - Giving 10% for sub-affiliates is likely to reduce the primary rates.


Having regularly updated sites also helps a lot when considering which sites to promote more. If you put yourself in the position of the player and figure if they are likely to sign up or not.

eg Mainstreet affiliates offer great terms : 40%/no bundling/no carryover.
But their casino sites look very dated now..

[firstclass]

Banners , ofcourse ,

revenue share if you adress highrollers or if your business is well exposed , and good news only - put only reputable casinos that will satisfy the clients