“Give the visitor the best and most honest information” – Paulo Mendes
Paulo Mendes, CEO & Founder of Betmedia Agency, joins the latest series of affiliate interviews on Affiliate Grand Slam
Paulo Mendes of Betmedia Agency speaks about their main goal which is producing and creating exclusive and dedicated content for online games. They believe that once a trust relationship is established, it is easier to acquire and maintain players – follow his story below.
How did you first get into the affiliate space? Were you always focused on the gaming space?
My starting point to get into the affiliate space was when I started writing articles and reviews about football games in some websites created by myself. At the very beginning, I entered in this world for fun; it was never my initial goal. However, my path until there starts with some micro blogs addressing topics of society. Then I started to develop my own projects, initially in the world of sports betting and later in online casinos.
What is BetMedia Agency? How did it take off and what is its goal?
Betmedia Agency started in 2019 and as I mentioned, my company took off when I started developing my own projects and at the same time, I was getting to know this world better. The main goal is to produce and create exclusive and dedicated content for online games, where the main focus is on sports betting and casino online.
Tell us a bit more about your business model, concept, and culture.
We are an independent company dedicated to creating content for our websites. That includes reviews of online casinos, casino games, sports betting, and their respective bonuses and offers. The aim is always to give the visitor the best and most honest information about each game. We believe that once a relationship of trust is established, it is easier to acquire and maintain players.
What sets you apart from other lead generation sites?
Quality and reliable content for those looking for information about online games. Apart from that, we provide betting quality to our players. The approach we take is based on white-hat SEO, always providing quality content and consistency that is understood whatever the level of knowledge of the players.
Which markets do you focus on and do you see any potential in the emerging markets?
Currently, my main focus is the Portuguese-speaking market, i.e., Portugal and Brazil. However, in recent times, I have been working with other markets such as Latin and Central America and some French-speaking countries.
Which niches work best for your affiliate marketing, and which are the most profitable?
The world of online casinos is currently my main focus. This space works very well in the acquisition and maintenance of players.
Why is SEO important for gaming and how long does it take to see results from SEO?
SEO is a very important tool to position content and keywords on the top of search engines. However, competition is increasing and requires more care and more work. Usually, to obtain relevant results it takes about 8 months.
Which SEO tools do you use? Link tracking tools, translation software tools, heat tracking maps – what’s your favorite must have tools out there? Can you share a few of those and tell us what makes them so indispensable?
The only tool I use is Ahrefs. It’s very complete, has many suggestions, and helps to correct the readability of the content. This, in itself, will be more beneficial to the reader. On the other hand, I recognize that it has a very high cost. Currently, there are others available like Neil Patel, which is much cheaper, but in my opinion, it is still not up to the mark of Ahrefs.
How important is social media activity for your affiliate business? How difficult is it with Google’s constant updates?
More and more, social networks become indispensable for the disclosure of information. They are very important nowadays. Yet, both Facebook and Google are constantly changing the algorithm which is making it increasingly difficult to get organic traffic. In this case, we can arrange a solution: buy advertising to get better results.
Google is constantly updating its algorithms. From Panda updates to Penguin updates. Put yourself in Google’s shoes – what can we expect in its next update?
You will never really know what new updates Google will bring. However, and according to the “history” of Google, it has been giving importance to the quality of content. So, I guess that Google will continue to give more of that importance: simple, direct, and in the educational sense as possible. I suppose that long articles with very exhaustive explanations will not be very successful.
What does it take for an affiliate business to thrive?
Lots of patience, dedication, and believing that the project can succeed.
What are your predictions for the future of the sector?
The future will be very positive. Internet access is getting easier and anywhere you have the availability to use it. People just need a mobile phone! So, the number of potential players will be increasing. The important thing will always be to make educational content with high quality.
What is your approach in the initial stages of a new partnership?
Trust is the key.
Have you ever been to SiGMA? SiGMA Europe, Africa, Asia, or Americas – which of these four expo shows would you likely book on your diary for 2022?
In 2021 I was in Malta, a SiGMA event for the first time. I really enjoy the country, the event, and all surroundings. From the conferences, the conviviality, to the ease of exchanging contacts. It was very well organized and I will certainly attend next time. For 2022, I’d like to book events principally from SiGMA Europe.
Tell us a bit about yourself – after all, business is done with people, not just companies! Your hobbies, favourite book, favourite quote, whether you are into Gaming yourself, etc.
When I’m not working, I like to watch sporting events in particular, football. To keep in shape, I like to run and go to the gym (more recently). The quote I would prefer “May the losers never know each other” a characteristic phrase of Portuguese paratroopers. Lastly, I like to annoy my coworker every single day!
After the exciting set of conferences that was Malta Week 2021, the SiGMA Group plans to take the world by storm with the golden steeples of Kyiv and the snowy city of Toronto being hubs to draw the best and brightest of the iGaming world together. Our next expo takes us to cutting-edge metropoli of the United Arab Emirates for three days of networking, panel discussions and festivities. Stay up to date with the latest and greatest through SiGMA News.