Chris from Munchweb.com is a successful mainstream webmaster and he provides his tips on the secrets to success and his analysis of the gambling affiliate business
Some non gambling affiliates have said that the gambling affiliate business is saturated and it's too tough or impossible to compete, what is your assessment of this from an SEO point of view? Do you think all the good keywords are taken and new affiliates don't have a chance?
The obvious high traffic keywords will certainly be tough to compete with, but like any niche the
gambling niche is always evolving and there are lots of new keywords and opportunities presenting themselves, and still many undiscovered longtail keywords if you look hard enough that can soon add up to a lot of traffic. Also SEO is only one source of traffic, there are plenty of other opportunities to bring in visitors and keep them interested to come back. For example, its still very possible to produce outstanding content that will gain traction in the blogosphere and social media to bring in fresh visitors if you know how to get the word out.
Give one common mistake you find on gambling portals.
Often many want to send you off to an affiliate program they are promoting as soon as possible. Instead a focus on building a long term relationship and enticing repeat visits will produce more revenue in the long term, and ultimately more value for the reader.
Which is your favorite marketing conference and why?
I've only been to a small handful so could not really say which is my favorite.
What is the 1 piece of advice you would offer to new webmasters who are looking to start their own website or portal?
Focus on a small but
profitable sub-niche within a bigger niche. Something small is maneageable and its easier to become the main player more quickly. An example might be trying to build the definitive resource on Video Poker, and you could even go more niche by picking a single video poker game such as being the definitive resource on
Jacks or Better for example. Small niches like these can be surprisingly popular and competition is much lower so it is easier to stand out, and success in a small niche will provide substantial leverage to start moving into more competitive areas. The main thing is to get started and to keep pushing forward with promotion and more content.
The reason why you are successful
Success is a relative term, and I think by my own standards I've not really reached the level of success I would be happy with. But I guess the reason why we've managed to build up 7 figure monthly traffic is largely due to persistance, the many experts I've learned from over the years, finding and working with awesome people, and
staying focused on one or two projects at a time. I personally think it is less to do with any magical strategy, but more to do with the correct approach to starting and growing a business.
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MunchWeb.com for helpful online marketing advice or follow him on
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