Did you know that 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine? With this in mind, every business owner should understand the importance of search engine optimization (SEO).Although the gaming industry is extremely competitive, the websites that rise to the top of the rankings for popular keywords are in position to attract thousands upon thousands (or more) of daily visitors.
And that is what this interview is all about. Roo Wright, a long time SEO expert and gaming industry professional, shares some top advice for dominating the search engines, attracting qualified traffic, and using this strategy to boost revenue.
Let’s get started!
Why is SEO in the gaming industry such a challenge?
This is a great question, with a pretty simple answer: the competition is greater than ever before. There are many players in this space, some of which have been around the industry for quite a few years.Take for example the search phrase “best online bingo sites.” There are 7,790,000 results, with many of the websites at the top well established and making all the right moves from an SEO perspective.
In order to outrank these websites, it’s essential to have a targeted strategy in place.
What advice would you give a company that isn’t able to reach the top of the search engines for their primary keywords?
As frustrating as this may be, it’s not the end of the world. SEO is a time game. You can’t expect to reach the top over night. What you can do, however, is compete for low hanging fruit, or long tail keywords.Rather than focus solely on the phrase “best online bingo sites,” consider something like “best online bingo sites in UK” or “best online bingo sites in Ireland.”
Sticking with the above example, “best online bingo sites in Ireland” only has 610,000 results. And with less competition, your chance for success is much greater.
Getting targeted with mobile can also prove advantageous. 61% of smartphone users even say they’re more likely to buy from sites on their mobile phones with more localized content, according to Google.
But it’s not all about driving traffic, right?
You are spot on. It’s one thing to drive organic traffic to your website. It’s another thing entirely to do so with a bigger strategy in mind.How will you convert the traffic? How will you turn these visitors into profits? Step one is generating traffic. This is where your SEO strategy comes into play. From there, you need to think about how you will qualify and convert each visitor. And finally, it’s time to welcome your customers and keep them happy.
So yes, you are right. Driving traffic is the start, but it’s just that: a start. You need to be ready to serve each and every visitor.
What one tip would you give someone in the gaming industry who wants to generate more organic traffic?
Things have changed a lot over the past five years, and we can expect the same in the future. But where things stand right now, I would advise the following: spend your time creating high quality, unique content. Along with this, get active on social media.When your content is better than the competition, you give the search engines reason to rank your site at the top of page one. Secondly, focusing on social will help from an SEO perspective, while also allowing you to build a strong brand.
Last, but certainly not least, what are the top mistakes gaming companies make in regards to SEO?
I come across a lot of mistakes, and I have even made many of these myself. But here is what I would say: don’t ever buy links. This is something that worked in the past, but it will hold you back in the future. It could even lead to your site being penalized. Also, don’t rush the process. You aren’t going to see results overnight. This doesn’t mean your strategy is a failure. This doesn’t mean you should opt for a “black hat approach.” Stick with what you are doing and wait for the results to come.Thanks for your time, Roo. This advice is perfect for anybody in the gaming industry who has an interest in SEO!
Find out more about Roo’s latest venture by checking out his new site, Hityah.com.