"The growth of crypto projects and new partnerships are highly correlated" - Edward Ackins

Edward Ackins, CMO/Senior Member of MMT, Joins Latest Series of Affiliate Interviews on Affiliate Grand Slam

Edward Ackins and other teams at MMT are focusing on online crypto casinos; They specialize in bitcoin casinos, and their main project is bitcomasinotop.com. They believe that consistency, persistence, and trust in new products are what drive performance to success. They treat the problem simply as an opportunity for growth. – His story continues below.

When and why did you start thinking about affiliate business as a career?

In 2018, I realized that it is possible to monetize something that brings joy.

How did you get into affiliates? And have you always focused on the gaming field?

I used to attend digital marketing conferences, and at one of them, I met some people in the iGaming industry and started to understand how it works. In addition, I am a poker fan who used to work in offline games. Because of that, I focused a lot on this niche and had a good experience.

How and where did you start your affiliate business? How much were you willing to commit to it?

In 2016, I launched the first affiliate site in the fintech industry. At the end of the year, he made his first profits, after which he switched to iGaming. Yes, I was prepared (laughs).

How did your affiliate business take off? And is iGaming the only vertical market?

It’s always quite difficult to come up with a new project in an already established market. But it’s really interesting. In terms of excitement, this process can be compared to casino games. My team and I.iGaming are not the only industries I work in; There are also Fintech, Ecommerce, and R&D projects, but the team’s main course is iGaming. Our flagship project is bitcoincasinotop.com. We believe that by leveraging our experience and focusing on the results of this niche, we can succeed.

What do you know now that you want to know when you leave?

Good question!

• How to choose the right partner
• How to communicate with your brand
• How to Track Affiliate Statistics Correctly
• How to set up the network as correctly as possible.
• What are the criteria for identifying gambling professionals, and how to distinguish them from robbers and scammers?

What was your biggest challenge when you first started?

Recruitment and team training.

What is the biggest nightmare ever?

Search engine updates (laughs). Thanks to them, the indeterminate state never leaves you. Even if you’re 100% sure you’re doing everything right, your website is always at risk.

How did you expand your affiliate business?

For new contacts; There is a high correlation between the growth of crypto projects and new partnerships. New partners will help you get started, and product emergence will help you find new partnerships. This is a vicious circle, and it’s great.

What can help you achieve successful performance? What are the main challenges?

Consistency, persistence, trust in new products – these are the main factors, and I think every businessman can confirm it. Employees are also important. A team of like-minded people can work miracles. The main challenge is not to give up, not to give up and treat problems only as opportunities for growth.

What are the main challenges in this area, especially during this pandemic?

The most important challenge in a pandemic is learning how to adapt. Some employees may not have been able to work from home or adapt. Therefore, we had to part ways in the middle. In general, it made us stronger.

What promotes you more and what motivates you?

I enjoy the project and I don’t need any more motivation. I can say I’m lucky because I’m living it and doing what I love. Also, choose people who think the same way. Daniel Pink also leaves a great quote on the occasion “If I need you to motivate me, I won’t hire you” I really agree with him.

How is your company structured? What aspects of business development are you currently focusing on?

Our team is relatively small and young. There are six main members: owner, marketer, chief editor, reductor assistant, programmer, and affiliate manager. On a part-time basis, two journalists, five gambling experts, and two financiers specialize in crypto. We are working together, preparing in advance and improving the quality of our content that will be useful for our audience, i.e. Bitcoin casino enthusiasts. That’s what we’re focusing on.

How is your company structured, including the affiliate team? What aspects of your business development are you currently focusing on?

If we are talking specifically about affiliate tasks, then it is mostly solved by affiliate managers. The main goal of an affiliate manager is to optimize the work with current partners and constantly seek out new mutually beneficial partnerships. She has a really big scope of work, when crypto reaches its peak of popularity, just like the gambling niche in general (as evidenced by many of the annual reports of gambling fees in most states). Thank you for hosting the event in the format of iGathering – they are great for starting new relationships that lead to new partnerships.

What markets are you focusing on? And do you think there is any potential in emerging markets?

The main market we are focusing on is Canada. We like this country, its gambling market is big; In addition, we have Canadians on our team who can define their needs and meet their intentions.

Which markets are you targeting and why? Do you think there is any potential in emerging markets?

Speaking of interesting markets, New Zealand is one of them.

What markets are you prioritizing and why? Do you think there is any potential in emerging markets?

The market with the most perspective is the United States, and we are confident that if the US market is legalized, it will lead the global gambling industry in a few years.

Which niches are best suited for affiliate marketing and which are the most profitable? How did you find the most profitable niche?

It depends on what you call a niche. Let’s talk about it in the context of Bitcoin casinos, which we specialize in. Globally, the niche is online gambling, while the sub-niche is online casinos. In this case, we have only selected a relatively small segment that we understand best; Namely, online crypto casinos. That’s our focus in this huge niche.

Are you looking to bring in investors to expand or grow your business? Or have you ever thought about selling your business in such a large M&A market?

I had never thought about investors. I don’t like this model. This is because this model involves a lot of one-sided commitments, which can cause significant damage to the product in the long run. But when it comes to sales, it is possible. If the business is successful, I think such a proposal will also be accepted.

Have you thought about going down the operator route?

No, I’m not interested. I looked at this business from the inside, but not as creative as our work. Our main goal is not just to make money, but to create a community of crypto gamblers, develop it, help each participant, solve his problems and share information. For us, this is more than just business.

What role does technology play in everyday life?

Huge. Everything around us today is based on technology. Most casinos operate online. The most popular currency is Bitcoin. Think about how the tech ecosystem surrounds these two facts: security, blockchain, websites, hosting, internet marketing, external advertising, communications, casino software development, electronic payments, and more.

Which new technologies, such as AI and big data, will impact the affiliate industry in 2021 and beyond?

Currently, very few people use AI for gambling. This is because AI is difficult, time-consuming and costly. On the other hand, we are already gradually looking in this direction and have begun to train AI on individuals. Because we strongly believe that it is the future.

How do you manage relationships with multiple operators? What can operators do to increase support with affiliates?

Multitasking and sociability are our strengths. Therefore, there is no problem with using multiple operators.

What are the benefits of attending a major iGaming event?

By attending iGaming conferences, you can gain new knowledge in your niche, deepen your understanding of global online gambling, make new contacts, and build partnerships. It’s okay now!

Have you ever been to SiGMA? SiGMA Europe, Africa, Asia, or Americas – if COVID-19 allows, which of these four expos would you like to visit in 2021?

Yes, I have attended several SiGMA Europe events. I plan to visit Malta in 2021 and hope that in 2022 the pandemic will allow our team to go to SiGMA Americas It would be great for all operators to attend the SiGMA conference and organize a conference for personal acquaintance with affiliates. It makes it easier for you to do business.

Talk a little more about your personal life. All business will be done not only between companies, but also between people! Your hobbies, favorite books, favorite quotes, whether you’re interested in games, etc.

As mentioned above, my job is a hobby. I also love poker, chess and basketball. My favorite book is Marketing Warfare by Jack Al Ries and Jack Trout. One of my favorite quotes is Peter Drucker’s “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

Learn more about SiGMA Affiliate Grand Slam here.

SiGMA America Virtual 2021:

The SiGMA America Virtual Show will take place from September 13-14, 2021 and will include a fully interactive expo floor, networking chat rooms, and a lineup of high-profile panelists. Review the agenda or see who is on the floor plan.