affiliate marketing, african market, igaming, betting, responsible gaming, affiliate programs, premier bet

African Affiliate Landscape Insights to an Emergent Marketplace

Join Lee-Ann in the Affiliate Marketing Podcast as she discusses affiliate marketing with Gilles Catteeuw. The head of acquisition for Premier Bet Partners, Gilles looks after the digital marketing and affiliate marketing aspects of running Premier Bet’s many labels covering 22 African countries.

Listen into the conversation to find out what Gilles and Lee-Ann think about the cultural differences in African and British betting and what is to be learned by affiliate marketers.

What can western companies learn from African markets?

Maybe there’s a case to be made for more traditional forms of marketing, depending on the situation. We’re all perpetually online, yes, and therefore the data backs that an online presence is the best marketing, but there’s something to be said for a real and human conversation, especially in bustling cities like those in Africa.

As Gilles explained: “Visualizing what our brand is about, I’m thinking about a city like Kinshasa [which is] heaving, loaded with very driven people, all doing what they have to do. And Premier Bet really embodies that spirit too. We want to make their lives easier and offer products that are easy to operate with and that actually are adapted to these market circumstances.

“I think a big part of that was on the streets. A lot of human contact. So, a lot of face-to-face interaction to educate people around our products. And that was actually the foundation of our long-term trust with people that operate for us, but also ultimately the customer.”

What can western betting companies learn from African behaviour?

You’d think a punter is a punter. The beauty of the betting market is that it’s not overly complicated right? You’re appealing to sports fans and casino fans. Easy right? Well, apparently when you enter a new market, you have to understand the habits of the average punter there, or you could end up with a demographic that’s not taking you up on what your service offers.

As Gilles explains: “A classic way of betting, in a market like UK is pretty sophisticated builder bets, where you have quite a duplex with five specific selections, red cards, whatever. Africa is all about accumulators, so you know they will [bet on] the Barcelona, the main cities, the more likely winners, and they’ll find 30 of those across at that time.”

And as Lee-Ann points out: “They kind of skipped the desktop phase. They just went straight into mobile and the penetration in mobile in Africa is [interesting]. I mean, if you’ve ever been to Africa, you can see pretty much everybody on the street has a mobile phone and they’re ordering things, and they’re selling things and they, they’re transferring money to each other.”

What can western affiliates learn from African markets?

There are some insights that iGaming brands and influencers in the west can gain from comparing very different cultures, like noting a habit and leaning into it when it comes to marketing or the services you offer.

Lee-Ann explains: “People in Europe are a little bit more closed off. They’re in their cliques. You know, you go on the tube in London and nobody even makes eye contact. Whereas in Africa, somebody will have a full-on conversation with you on the train before you’ve even reached your destination. You’ve shared a sandwich. … It’s like, it’s very a community focused. So, I think brands need to realize that.”

If you are interested in more affiliate and social media marketing insights, take a look at our blog for all the latest news and advice. Or for a more personalised approach, book a free call with a member of our team.

Or, for the very best advice from industry peers, register to gain access to our Amplify Action Day. Taking place in January 2023 doesn’t mean you’ve missed it. Amplify aims to bring you the latest affiliate, performance, and partner marketing insights from across the globe and it’s all available to stream from our website.

Listen to find out more about:

  • African versus British betting culture
  • Education’s place in iGaming
  • Finding the right combination to make a powerful partnership

Key segments of this podcast and where you can tune into go direct

[05:00] – The importance of “on the street” marketing

[15:00] – Prioritising user experience over everything else

[25:00] – Influencers bringing their own talents to marketing

[35:00] – Gilles’ personal passion for Africa

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