In the distant past online slot players looking to find their next hit of reel action had one choice which was to scan the endless lines of games in the lobby of their current favourite casino. Games could be sorted by A to Z and if you were lucky, game provider. And with 1,000s to choose from, it was like sticking a pin in a map and hoping you found an exciting destination.
But over the last decade, slots fans have been given an alternative route to explore and discover games they like with the rise of specialist slots affiliates. This niche group of website owners, led by Twitch streamers expanding their influence into the world of organic search on Google and Bing, has created an incredible resource.
Here are some insights into how it has been done.
A Sector Evolving at Speed
The slots sector has seen incredible change in the last 10 years, spurred on by new, young game studios entering the market with fresh ideas and perspective. The new breed were led by Big Time Gaming and their Megaways slots games that combined a unique new payline model with super high volatility and win potential.
This new kind of game just happened to meets the needs of a new cohort of gamblers – the streaming community who live-streamed their slots play though Twitch and YouTube channels. Streamers need high drama to keep their audiences engaged, and the kind of high volatility games provided by BTG met this need.
Close behind BTG have come names like Nolimit City, Relax Gaming, Push Gaming and Hackswaw Gaming. All are producing fast-paced gaming with new features never tried before and the chance to win much bigger prizes than ever before.
A New Type of Affiliate
Streamers make their money from promoting online casinos in their chat rooms. But some have took the step of creating their own websites too. There they publish videos of their play and review the games they enjoy in full with detailed descriptions of how the best features unlock to trigger the big wins.
And readers who come to their sites trust what they read and return to find out more about new games when they are released.
It wasn’t long before professional gambling affiliate businesses recognised what was happening and got in on the act so that there is more information than ever about online slots available through Google.
Providing In Depth Analysis
So, what does a good slots affiliate site do? The best ones provide a space in which a slots fan can explore games, browse articles, read about how slots RTP and variance work, and find new slot sites to play on.
For example, this review of Nolimit City’s True Kult slot breaks down the game into its component parts – theme, maths and gameplay. It provides comparisons with other similar games in both text and tabular form, describes the (strange) narrative and design, and then lays out each feature in turn, explaining how they can be unlocked and what the likely outcome is. The reviewer has even detailed what happened over 200 spins on the game.
Reviews like this didn’t exist 10 years ago but are now a regular feature of casino and slots affiliate sites.
Searching Game Catalogues
Well-built slots affiliate sites allow their readers to search game review lists in the same way as an online casino does, with filters for game providers, themes, features, paylines and variance. With 1,000s of slots to explore, and 100s more dropping each month, this is an important part of the new slot affiliates repertoire. Through this mechanic they can also show a reader, ‘Games like’ their favourites, creating an almost personalised experience that keeps them returning to search again.
Freeplay Game Demos
Some affiliates have also started to offer players the chance to spin games for free through their websites. However, under UK law it is a requirement that the player verifies their age first. Software companies that facilitate this charge per verification, so it can be costly, though it does make the affiliate site stickier and encourages return visits.
New and Interviews
As a new generation of slots players has come through and game studios have developed their own fan bases, there has been a growing need for a connection with the makers of these products. Players like to hear about what inspired a game to be produced, how the maths model was worked out, and what new releases are coming up.
Slots affiliates are meeting this need too, building relationships with game studios and inviting product team members to talk online about their work. You’ll regularly find this kind of article on the best affiliate sites.
Conclusion
A subculture has developed around online slots over the last decade and slots affiliates are providing another channel for members of that subculture to satisfy their interest not just in the games but the business around them as well. This is a great example of how successful online gambling affiliates evolve in alignment with the developments in the industry.
