How our UK affiliates use our data insights to improve their offers

Christoffer Ødegården has become one of the most prominent figures in the British iGaming industry.

He currently holds the position of Head of Casino at Bojoko, a leading platform in the affiliate domain. With an extensive background and progressive mindset, Ødegarden is spearheading Bojoko’s efforts to revolutionize affiliate partnerships in the UK market.

In this exclusive interview with Business Matters, Ødegården will highlight how Bojoko’s data insights enable UK affiliates to refine their offers for UK players. From parsing the complexities of data-driven strategies to understanding what UK gamblers actually want, this dialogue promises valuable insights for affiliate professionals navigating the dynamic landscape of iGaming in Britain.

Can you share with our readers your journey and how you came to your current role as head of casino at Bojoko?

My journey in the iGaming industry has been one of constant learning and growth. I started as a journalist in Norway before starting my own marketing company. This is where I first cut my teeth in the iGaming sector, moving from gambling in Norway to gambling worldwide and then slowly moving into the UK market, which remains the largest iGaming market in the world.

The speed at which the industry has developed and changed has made it an incredibly rewarding challenge, and there is never a dull moment. I have a natural urge to follow the data and lead with quantifiable insights, likely due to my journalism background, making this industry a perfect fit for me. There is simply never a dull moment and things can change in an instant. You have to be ready.

Over the past decade I have held various management positions in the iGaming industry, overseeing several UK-focused partner platforms. This was excellent preparation for joining Bojoko.com, which focuses exclusively on providing secure UKGC licensed casinos, sportsbooks and bingo sites to UK players. Our casino experts take great care to vet each brand we list and present information in a clear, consistent manner so our users know exactly what to expect.

Right now I see myself as a bit of a matchmaker, using data to enable players to find the brands that best fit their checklist. I’m incredibly proud that we can use data to empower users and give them the ability to make informed choices. I’m also equally proud of how we can use our data insights to help our affiliates strengthen offerings.

How does Bojoko use data insights to help operators improve their bonuses and increase FTDs?

It is important to underline that we are here first and foremost to help our users. This may initially come as a surprise to many affiliates, who are used to simply buying exposure rather than improving their product, for which they will be better rewarded later. At Bojoko we list and highlight the brands that our casino experts consider the best and that we can tell from our data that our users actually enjoy. If we present them with weak brands, we lose trust.

If an affiliate is struggling to convert with us, we actively advise our casino, sportsbook and bingo site partners on how to effectively reach and resonate with their target audience, rather than them paying us.

Our ethos is not to push average products to our users. Instead, we want to improve the overall gaming experience by ensuring operators deliver exactly what their users want. Our dedicated team of experts meticulously analyzes data and user feedback to identify areas where operators can improve their offering, whether this is by refining their game selection, optimizing their user interface or refining their promotional strategies.

Through these consulting partnerships, Bojoko enables operators to gain deeper insights into their audiences and forge stronger connections with them. This leads to a more fulfilling gaming experience for users.

What are some of the easiest ways online casinos can increase their traffic?

Our extensive analysis shows that the fastest way a casino can increase its conversion is by adjusting its welcome offer. Two types of bonus offers have proven to be particularly effective in attracting and engaging new players: high percentage welcome bonuses and no deposit bonuses.

Our data shows that even a small increase in the welcome bonus percentage above the standard 100% consistently delivers tangible results. However, to see a big impact, they should opt for a welcome bonus of 200% or higher, as this is where the changes for FTDs (first-time savers) go from tangible to notable.

It’s always so intriguing to see the changes in real time when an operator tries out a new deposit bonus. Nothing else needs to change, necessarily. They can stay in the exact same place on our casino bonus page, but just by changing their offers they get new clicks, and many of these clicks turn into savers.

This vote of confidence will also help them move up our rankings as our users now love these brands and they will be relevant to others. Many brands on our bonus page will have that these new deposit bonuses and enjoy this influx of new interest. Others may have changed their bonus months on our advice, if not years ago, and enjoyed a level of popularity that continues to this day.

Furthermore, online casinos that include a no deposit bonus offer in their promotions can anticipate an even more significant increase in FTDs. It is worth noting that the quality of the no deposit bonus plays a crucial role and offering these bonuses provides lower returns than welcome bonuses.

In general, we only recommend making no deposit offers if a casino has a robust retention mechanism; if not, increasing the welcome bonus percentage is always the safest option.

Other bonuses, such as wagering-free bonuses, bonuses with low wagering requirements and of course cashback, can also yield many additional FTDs.

How can operators ensure that their bonuses are attractive to players and at the same time financially sustainable?

Balancing player attractiveness with financial sustainability is a delicate task for operators, but this is especially an issue when considering no deposit bonuses. Actual deposit bonuses, as well as reward bonuses, are given when the player actually makes a commitment to their brand.

These bonuses are sustainable as long as the standard terms are in place and the wagering requirements are not overly generous. More importantly, operators can increase engagement and retention by offering bonuses that match player preferences without jeopardizing their bottom line. Not optimizing their bonuses is riskier. Too many brands fade into obscurity because they don’t have the offerings players want.

First of all, they have to have offers that the players get. Very few brands have the marketing budget or innovative features to do this without attractive bonuses. The welcome offer simply has to be strong. Next, operators must implement strategic bonus structures to encourage continued play and maximize the lifetime value of their players. Ultimately, finding the right balance between player attraction and financial sustainability requires a data-driven approach and a deep understanding of player dynamics.

But right now the data should come from them, not us. We can only see what makes a player sign up for the brand.

Besides bonus offers, what other strategies can online casinos implement to increase their first deposits?

Online casinos can use several additional strategies to increase their FTDs. One effective approach is to offer a wide range of payment methods to meet players’ varying preferences. British players in particular are quite selective when choosing online casinos, often preferring platforms with their preferred payment method. You may think that this or that payment method is a niche, but if you don’t have Boku or Neosuf, for example, you are missing out on potential players.

Most other high impact solutions that are not tied to bonuses are also tied to deposits and withdrawals. If your brand charges for either, it will suffer. Removing costs will help you in the long run. A similar example is how lowering the minimum deposit limit immediately attracts and retains more players. While they may only deposit a few dollars at a time, these players can become regulars and spend many years, if not decades, at your casino, sportsbook or bingo site.

Unfortunately, I think many brands are not following the data and believe they need more extensive and expensive solutions, such as a complete redesign, to increase their conversion. This is simply not true. There are many small and simple steps, especially with bonuses, but also with deposits and withdrawals, that can be done to see immediate, positive results.