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Online sportsbook brands invest millions of pounds in marketing and acquisition campaigns around major sporting events. But given the fierce competition they are up against, being heard above the noise made by the rival books is easier said than done. This, combined with consumer ad fatigue, is seeing the ROI from these campaigns drop to all-time lows. So what can operators do to stand out?

We sat down with Dan Kersley, Product Manager at influencer ad platform, 2mee, to learn more about the challenges operators are facing and how the latest hologram technologies could provide the solution they are looking for.

What are the main challenges sportsbooks face when it comes to driving acquisition around major sports events?

During major sports events, sportsbooks face intense competition from other gambling operators vying for the attention and engagement of bettors. The high level of competition can make it challenging for sportsbooks to cut through the noise and attract new customers. This makes acquiring new bettors expensive due to increased demand and competition.

Sportsbooks may need to invest heavily in marketing and advertising efforts to stand out and attract new customers, which can put pressure on their acquisition budgets. But consumer behaviour and preferences can change rapidly, especially during major sports events and this can mean aiming for ever-moving goalposts. Sportsbooks need to stay attuned to the latest trends and adapt their marketing strategies accordingly to effectively target and acquire new customers. Of course, major sports events are often seasonal, and sportsbooks may face challenges in sustaining customer acquisition efforts beyond the peak periods of these events.

What makes this such a challenging space in which to acquire new customers?

Sportsbooks must comply with strict regulations and advertising rules in the United Kingdom, which can restrict the channels and methods they can use for customer acquisition. This can limit the options available for sportsbooks to effectively promote their services and acquire new customers during major sports events. Responsible gambling is a growing concern in the gambling industry, and sportsbooks need to be mindful of promoting responsible gambling practices. This may involve additional compliance requirements, such as displaying responsible gambling messages, implementing deposit limits, and conducting age verification checks which can add complexity to customer acquisition efforts. As mentioned above, acquiring new customers during major sports events can be expensive due to increased demand and competition. Sportsbooks may need to invest heavily in marketing and advertising efforts to cut through the clutter and attract new customers, which can strain acquisition budgets and impact profitability – especially if new players are not retained after the event.

Operators tend to focus on the same old tactics – big bonuses, banner ads, TV campaigns, etc. Are these actually working and are they delivering a good ROI?

In my opinion, I wouldn’t say so. Banner adverts face challenges such as ad blocking and banner blindness (where users ignore or do not notice banner ads) which is driven by the constant clutter of banner ads we see on many publications these days. The ROI of banner adverts can depend on factors such as the placement, design, and targeting of the ads. If the ads have compelling design and messaging, they may generate a positive ROI. However, I think both banner ads and TV campaigns simply offer an effective way to reach a wide audience, create brand awareness, and convey messages with little ROI.

When it comes to banner ads, why are engagement levels so low?

There are lots of reasons why users simply do not engage with banner ads these days. The main ones would be:

Banner blindness refers to the phenomenon where users ignore or overlook banner ads because they have become accustomed to the presence of ads on websites and apps. Users may have developed a tendency to automatically ignore or filter out banner ads, resulting in lower engagement levels.

Ad fatigue can occur when users are repeatedly exposed to the same or similar banner ads, leading to a decline in interest or attention. Over time, users may become less responsive to banner ads, resulting in lower engagement levels.

Lack of compelling content. The content and creative elements of banner ads play a crucial role in engaging users. If the content, design or messaging of the banner ads are not compelling, users may not be motivated to engage with the ads.

The placement and design of banner ads can impact engagement levels. If banner ads are poorly placed on a webpage or have a design that does not attract attention, users may not notice or engage with the ads.

How can operators really capture player attention? How do holograms help here?

Holograms definitely help to capture players’ attention in a space where people are bombarded with messages day in, day out. No one seems to be thinking outside the box! All we see is social media, search engine optimization and targeted online advertising which at this point is getting very predictable and boring. By using a hologram of an influencer or ambassador at the point of acquisition, retention, KYC, compliance, etc, an operator can influence user behaviour. We have seen from previous campaigns we have run with operators that using an influencer or ambassador in acquisition campaigns can increase CTRs by 8x, ultimately driving more leads to your site, delivering more conversions.

Can you give an example of how a hologram can be used as part of an acquisition campaign for a major sporting event?

Holograms integrate straight into an operator’s marketing mix by providing an acquisition driver from third-party affiliate sites, social media or email campaigns. We have run many campaigns for large sporting events like The Cheltenham Festival, where we saw holograms placed on a third party affiliate site driving traffic to an operator. In the two-week period before and over the festival, the 2mee HoloAd™ delivered 33% of all signups from a low traffic page. Using an influencer or brand ambassador increases the likelihood of someone being ‘influenced’ when viewing an operator’s advertisement. The friendly face of the brand offers the consumer a level of trust, empathy and connection. All of these things increase the likelihood of someone 1. Viewing the advert and 2. Interacting with the advert as well as gaining increased brand awareness by sweating brand assets across the Open Web.

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