Knowing how powerful and profitable the casino industry has become, it’s fascinating to learn of some of the methods they use to entice players into their service. We’re going to take a deep dive into the tricks employed by some of the biggest casino sites – some you may have already noticed and others you’ll find difficult to miss from here on.
1. Great Graphics
A visually appealing website is a given in this day and age but casinos can employ some of the best designers in the business. They also have the resources to run focus groups on what engages most effectively with their target market.
You might be aware that some bingo sites for instance are aimed at the female demographic and their feel and aesthetic reflects this. Whereas poker websites tend to sit more comfortably in the young male adult sector – dark themes with flashes of neon blues and reds.
2. A Functional Website
It’s no use having the best looking website in the world if the user experience (UX) is lacking. A successful website is engaging, bug-free and feature rich and should be robust and secure too.
These days it’s not enough to have an impressive desktop site alone, the experience should be scalable to a range of different devices from diminutive smartphones with smaller screen real estate and tablets, both of which should be responsive to touch screen commands and gestures.
3. Customer Service
An interactive chatbot is a great way for websites to provide 24 hour customer support without the intervention of a human being. Using cutting edge but evermore prevalent AI, the code recognizes keywords inputted by the user and tries to solve what it ascertains the problem to be, pointing them in the right direction or providing information where appropriate.
Chatbots lighten the load for the physical customer support team and can save businesses exponentially once they are developed and implemented into the site. Especially in industries where the public’s money is in the equation, problems should be quickly and effectively rectified – negative reviews can really harm the reputation of a business operating in the tertiary sector.
4. Secure Payments
By the same token, trust is integral in the transaction process. Consumers are looking for a wide range of secure payment options so they know their money is in safe hands and they have the necessary safeguards should something go wrong. Each user is individual and has their own habits and preferences so covering at least the most popular alternatives is a must if casinos aren’t to forego potential commerce.
5. Blogging
A blog is a great way for big corporations to portray a friendlier, more personal voice to their customers. A casino operator’s blog can contain anything that might be of interest to users of the site.
Often casino blogs will post compelling articles about the history of some of their games, rules and guides on how to play them and exciting news from the industry. Blogs may also have a comments section where players can share their thoughts and interact with one another.
6. Email Newsletters
Newsletters have come full circle – they were a big part of the early internet days and then fell out of vogue but now with the dearth of information available on social media platforms, they’ve once again found their place. Email newsletters are a great way for casinos to send out direct communications to people they know are interested in their service.
7. Offers and Promotions
The casino market is highly competitive and providers are constantly on the lookout for new ways to raise their head above the parapet and distinguish themselves from the competition. One way to attract new players through the ‘doors’ is to offer eye-catching promotions upon creating an account.
You’ll probably have come across deposit matches, no deposit bonuses and free spins offers promoting several casinos as you’ve browsed the web. But it’s not just new customers that casinos attract with these promotions, loyalty incentives and VIP rewards for big spenders and high rollers ensure customers keep on coming back for more.
8. Social Media
A strong social media presence is a great marketing tool for any modern business and casinos certainly make the most of the opportunity. Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook are the most widely used platforms with TikTok being the new kid on the block but gathering numbers quickly.
Since TikTok is aimed predominantly at younger folks, the advertising of alcohol and betting services are prohibited so casinos will have to stick to other avenues. A well managed twitter account, perhaps with a humorous tweet that goes viral has become a weapon in the marketing arsenal of many modern businesses.
The websites and apps of successful casino operators are well oiled machines, developed with a strong UX and user interface in mind. Sometimes the best online experiences from a design point of view are ones that seem transparent and just make sense to the user.
