Digital marketing isn’t just a tactic used to drive sales and increase revenue. Many businesses, including casinos, use it to connect with guests and create an environment that promotes brand loyalty.
If you want to learn more about how casinos utilize digital marketing — or you’re looking for new ways to promote your own business — take a look at the eight tactics below.
1. Retargeting
Retargeting is a digital marketing practice where you show ads to people who have already visited and left your website, referred to as bouncing. Casinos use retargeting to ensure they’re only serving ads to potential guests who might already be interested in coming to visit. In fact, web visitors who are retargeted by ads are 70 percent more likely to convert.
What’s helpful about retargeting is that it’s not limited to just a website. Casinos can even target visitors who have looked at their social media pages on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more.
2. Social Promotions
People love to use social platforms as a way to connect and feel more engaged with brands, including casinos. In turn, casinos use these platforms as a way to promote contests, sweepstakes, and giveaways.
By creating a place where people can commiserate and have a good time, casinos can create a buzz online that will draw more players through the doors. As a bonus, certain contests and sweepstakes allow them to collect information about interested guests, such as age, income, and employment, information which is then used to drive marketing decisions.
3. Online Content
Content marketing is an offshoot of digital marketing that provides consumers, like casino guests, with information and resources they will find valuable. This could be the latest industry news that affects play, press release material about upcoming events, or even reviews about the best online games.
The ultimate goal of a content strategy is to increase engagement with guests. Gambling companies have seen success with using content marketing to generate new leads and convert potential guests into happy, repeat visitors. In fact, 55 percent of marketers say their top inbound marketing strategy is blog content.
4. Mobile Apps
With 70 percent of all web traffic coming from mobile devices, many casinos and state lottery sites are turning to apps as a way to connect with guests. Without ever leaving home, players can purchase tickets for their favorite games, including Mega Millions and Pick 3, and get instant access to fun e-games.
Casinos also use app notifications to get guests in the doors, alerting them to time-exclusive promotions and blow-out events. With the app, it’s easier for guests to have the full experience, allowing them to get directions, reserve tables, and book rooms from their phones.
5. SEO and SEM
Casinos use local search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure their website shows up in search results. This is achieved by matching keywords to common search queries, like “nearby casino” or “best casinos in the area.”
Search engine marketing (SEM) is similar, except paid advertising is used to promote casino websites that match up with search queries. Casinos use SEO and SEM to make sure that, when a guest is looking for them online, they can always be found.
6. Publicize Winners
What better way to connect with guests than to show off all the people who have visited and had a great time? Many casinos use their websites and social media to make a big fuss about their winners, posting smiling pictures with big dollar signs.
This digital marketing practice is a way to promote optimism and create a positive feedback loop online. When people see guests coming to a casino and winning, they imagine themselves in the same scenario, making them more likely to visit in the future.
7. Buyer Personas
Buyer personas are a practice many businesses use to better understand who their customers are, including their goals, needs, and wants. Casinos use them to determine the types of people who might visit and how to guarantee they have a positive experience.
For example, in the gambling industry, one type of buyer persona might be a traveler. This is a person who has taken time off work to relax and have a good time. They will probably want a mixture of gambling, food, entertainment, and overnight accommodations.
8. Loyalty Programs
One popular way businesses in all industries connect with guests and establish repeat visits is by creating loyalty programs. Players can sign up online to receive important updates and access to exclusive deals.
Some casinos take this a step further by creating a club newsletter focused on information guests will enjoy. This develops a sense of community that will transfer to more traffic coming through the door.
How Casinos Use Digital Marketing
From social media to mobile apps, casinos are utilizing digital marketing as a way to better connect with guests, increase engagement, and establish brand loyalty. With tools like retargeting and loyalty programs, it’s easier than ever to draw players in the door and get them talking about what you have to offer.
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Credit
Kacey Bradley is the blogger behind The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Along with writing for her blog, she has written for sites like U.S. News, SUCCESS, Guides for Brides, Hotel Online and more!
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About Are Morch
Hi, I am Are Morch. Your Digital Marketing Coach and Customer Experience Expert that specializes in creating effective digital customer experience offer for hotels while growing and scale customer acquisition and revenue.
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