Anastasia Borovaya: “Influencers are key to attracting a new generation of players”

In this Casino Guru News interview, Anastasia Borovaya, Head of Affilka by SOFTSWISS, explores the trends that will define 2025 in terms of affiliate marketing opportunities and challenges, paying attention to Artificial Intelligence, gamification, and influencer marketing, all of which will need to be addressed by companies in the sector who wish to stay competitive in the future. Affiliates will need to comply with more rigorous guidelines and lower commissions, argues Borovaya who notes that there has been a significant shift towards data-driven products that will become increasingly important. Read the full conversation with Borovaya in the article below.

Q:Anastasia, the year is already in full swing. What do you see as the main trends that will define 2025 in terms of affiliate marketing opportunities and challenges?

The most impactful trends in affiliate marketing include regulatory changes, which affect compliance, commissions, and market focus. Data-driven decision-making, where real-time analytics help optimize campaigns, is becoming increasingly important. AI integration improves player targeting, content creation, and automation. Gamification enhances player engagement and retention through interactive elements. Influencer marketing continues to grow, leveraging social media personalities to attract and convert new audiences. These trends are shaping the future of affiliate marketing, driving innovation and efficiency.

Q:We are entering an era of increased scrutiny and regulation, with affiliates held to more robust standards. Has this impacted business, or has it proven to be an opportunity for enhanced growth?

Changes in the regulatory landscape are among the most significant factors affecting the affiliate industry. Market regulations directly influence affiliates, imposing strict rules on how they can promote their content and attract players. Affiliates face challenges such as lower commissions, more rigorous guidelines, or outright prohibitions, while operators navigate the complexities of regulatory compliance.

Limits on deposits, restrictions on bonus promotions, and affordability checks contribute to increasing the cost of player acquisition, making it more expensive to attract players. Regulatory shifts may push affiliates to reevaluate their marketing strategies in various regions. Some larger companies have the resources to adapt the focus on emerging and regulated markets, while others explore less-regulated markets to maintain growth.

Q:Artificial intelligence is undoubtedly shaping business strategies and even consumer preferences. Can we discuss the most significant ways this has already happened?

AI tools add another layer of efficiency by predicting player behavior, lifetime value, and return on investment. They complement data-driven analysis by identifying patterns in player behavior. AI is also highly effective in content creation, including graphics, design, and copywriting. Tools like ChatGPT and other AI solutions are already shaping SEO and copywriting, streamlining processes and improving productivity across various areas.

Q: Beyond AI, there's been a significant shift toward data-driven solutions. What valuable insights do operators gain from these data points, and are they positively impacting business?

Data, analytics, and AI tools play a key role in affiliate success. Through data analysis, partners can identify more profitable operators and optimize their marketing campaigns. When operators share detailed performance data, affiliates are more likely to prioritize promoting their projects.

Data-driven decision-making is fundamental. This is where Affilka by SOFTSWISS stands out – it offers comprehensive reports with near real-time statistics. This data provides a competitive edge, as operators and affiliates need timely information to make informed decisions. The faster affiliates receive data on player activity, the quicker they adjust their marketing strategies to attract higher-quality traffic.

Q:SOFTSWISS Affilka is uniquely positioned to witness the latest trends in affiliate marketing. What do you think about influencer marketing?

Influencers are key to attracting a new generation of players. Traditional marketing methods aren’t always effective with evolving audiences and generational shifts. Influencer marketing resonates with newer audiences, as evidenced by the growth of platforms like YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels. While gambling advertising is generally restricted on these platforms, influencers can still reach broad audiences and drive traffic to related projects when used responsibly and in strict compliance with platform guidelines.

Not all influencers are celebrities; many are ordinary people with large social media followings. Their popularity lies in the easily digestible content they produce and the high level of trust they inspire – followers often perceive influencers as unbiased and authentic. This trust translates into higher engagement rates, making influencer marketing a valuable channel for affiliates looking to attract quality traffic.

Q:What do you think the new year will bring for SOFTSWISS Afflika?

In 2025, we've enhanced our platform with Cohort Analysis for deeper insights into player behavior. This allows operators to group players by registration date, first-time deposit, or other shared characteristics, providing a detailed view of trends, retention rates, and campaign performance. This helps operators measure retention and fine-tune their strategies for long-term success.

We also plan to upgrade our platform with powerful features like an enhanced Subaffiliate Module with new commission plans and reporting tools and a Traffic Report for affiliates, ensuring comprehensive data on users' clicks by country, user agent, device, operating system, and more. The additional geo-specific payment methods for affiliate cashouts will strengthen the platform. We will also continue to focus on optimizing traffic delivery, load balancing, and enhancing system stability and fault tolerance to ensure uninterrupted traffic flow.

Moreover, from 25 to 27 March, I will take part in the Affiliate Management course as a guest lecturer at the Gaming Operations Academy. The course equips industry professionals with practical skills in affiliate recruitment, relationship management, and performance optimization.

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