User Journey in Retention Strategies for Online Games

The pandemic has done more good than bad to our beloved industry! In short, Covid19 has boosted the inevitable developments in the gaming sector by decades. But the real problem is that no online gaming firms were equipped to handle this sudden surge in traffic. The players seemed to register in herds, making it an ample opportunity for the online gaming platforms to capitalize. The chance to try new games at new online casinos triggered by increased competition among the operators led to chaos in the gaming industry. The players quit the platforms even at the slightest discomfort. Only those online casinos that have an advanced marketing system are able to sustain such challenging situations. This article will find a complete solution to your casino marketing challenges.

What are the challenges faced by an online casino operator?

Throughout history, online games have encountered several obstacles. But, of course, the blocks have evolved as the world has progressed. Other concerns specific to the new era surfaced in 2022, including optimization, fraud, and a worldwide pandemic. Aside from these issues, this industry regularly deals with a slew of others.

Competition:

An online casino is a more advanced version of a live casino. It provides many advantages that gamers may enjoy from the comfort of their own home. The digital version is taking over the game to the next level. On the other hand, video games pose a far more significant menace. As you may be aware, the aesthetic of today's most popular games has long gone exceeded that of classic games like Super Mario and others. An increase in competition has led to a massive advancement in the technical quality of the entire video game industry. The competition is not only limited to the technical aspect of the gaming world, but it extends all the way to reaching the end customer successfully (marketing). Marketing is by far the most challenging task faced by upcoming gaming platforms. Only smart marketing strategies will guarantee longevity in the gaming industry.

Player Acquisition:

The dilemma of attracting new players and keeping them in the game without breaking the law never goes away. Gaming firms employ various communication methods to reach their target audience, including emails and other channels. However, the outcomes of these behaviors are not always pleasing. This battle will inevitably be won by platforms that provide personalized experiences. Gambling businesses that do not have a solid plan to attract players will not last long in the industry. Acquiring players with minimum investment requires plenty of market understanding and smart marketing decisions. It can only be accomplished by marketing automation software which we will be discussing in the coming sections.

Player Retention:

As discussed above, players are spoiled with thousands of online casinos, making it difficult for gaming operators to retain players. Therefore, one of the most crucial tasks for a gaming operator is to increase customer retention. The higher your retention rate, the better your business performance. Player retention is one of the most complicated tasks, but it will provide multifold ROI. Read here for more ideas how to boost your retention rate. 

Churn Rate:

Customer churn is a formidable foe to all businesses. Customer churn in the gaming industry is the number of players that cease to engage with your gaming platform. It is also known as player churn in the gaming business. It refers to the quantity or proportion of gamers that have abandoned a platform. These are the gamers who have stopped contributing to the platform's earnings. Only when you prevent the leakage can you focus on taking your gaming brand to the next level. Read here more: Churn rate prevention strategies.

Irrelevant marketing:

What is the use of sending repeated poker tournament offers to a player who is not interested in poker but roulette? It consumes the time and resources of the firm and negatively impacts the casino business. Avoid spamming your players at all costs! We prepared for you some smart marketing ideas how to boost your marketing with analyzing player behavior.

Player experience

What can you do to improve the player experience? Deliver real-time solutions. We mean that catering to players' needs in the heat of the moment will help you establish trust and resolve any issues then and there. Thus, players will find your platform dependable and not leave you anytime in the future. For example, when a player is onto depositing and is not able to complete the transaction successfully, you should step in real-time and address the situation. As a result, you will be able to get the deposit and also improve the player experience big time!

How to counter the pain points?

The challenges discussed above have a significant impact on business performance. When neglected, it may result in the downfall of your business. But when adequately countered, it will boost your ROI and the brand's quality in the long run. Following is the ultimate casino marketing for online casinos.

Marketing automation:

Marketing automation has changed the landscape of traditional marketing. It allows us to send personalized messages in real-time. With ease, businesses can now automate marketing campaigns, target clients, and provide highly tailored content across numerous channels. With the help of superior marketing automation software like OptiKPI, your marketing efforts will become error-free and straightforward. Gaming operators may concentrate on areas that demand immediate attention by minimizing repetitive manual tasks. Marketing automation is the most effective way to increase your visibility and improve the quality of your marketing. For advantages of marketing automation, read : Advantages of Marketing Automation

Real-time solutions:

Real-time or near-real-time marketing provides a quick response or reply. It's all about adding value to customers' lives by sending them relevant messages and services that meet their requirements. OptiKPI makes it easy to incorporate real-time marketing and a fully customizable automation platform into your current marketing system. We don't need physical labor because we recognize the importance of scarce resources. Our software observes player activity 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and automatically intervenes and engages players with relevant messages at the appropriate times. For example, when a player's balance drops to zero, OptiKPI will contact them in real-time with a unique deposit offer to encourage them and assist them in reclaiming their lost position.

User Journeys

Player Journey is one of the most significant aspects of marketing for game operators since it allows them to better utilize their interactions with customers. A smooth player journey enables casino operators to maintain control while providing their players with an excellent user experience. OptiKPI lets you set up multiple touch points to investigate and capitalize on the options provided by the player journey. For example, suppose a player deposits $50. In that case, OptiKPI will automatically choose the best-suited games for that deposit amount and send out recommendations and special offers relating to those games. Check this article to know more about capitalizing on player journeys.

First Time Deposits (FTDs)

In the gaming business, first-time deposits (or FTDs) refer to the initial deposit made by a new player on a gaming platform. For example, a freshly enrolled player at an online casino who has made his first deposit of $10 is a first-time depositor on that platform with an FTD amount of $10. It is impossible to overstate the significance of first-time deposit rates (FTDs). The first-time deposit rate should be higher for a gaming platform to thrive. When FTDs accelerate, it indicates that your platform is gaining traction. An increase in first-time depositors has a direct impact on your business performance. The player is more inclined to make subsequent deposits after making an FTD (loyal customer). Learn more about FTD’s here : What are First Time Deposits?

Personalized campaigns

According to a Statista poll conducted in May and June 2020 on the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on gaming, monthly spending on video games in the Asia Pacific area surged by 42 percent during the pandemic. With the increase in gaming engagement, rivalry among casino operators reached new heights. Those who capitalized on the circumstance could keep up with the trend. Others were not so fortunate. Hundreds of online casinos shut down during the epidemic, while others reached new heights. OptiKPI lets you understand each player entirely by collecting user behaviors right from the start. Learn about your player's favorite games, gaming habits, and more. Then, use OptiKPI’s personalized marketing campaigns to get significant ROIs. To leverage your user data and create advanced personalized campaigns using OptiKPI, read : 5 Best Gaming Marketing Campaigns ever.

What is a Journey?

The word "player journey" is only used in the gaming business, and it refers to the whole experience of a player when interacting with a gaming brand. A player's journey begins with brand awareness and extends all the way to the end. The engagement of a player and the experience with the brand is the critical metrics that are being focused on, not transactions. The Player Journey is one of the most significant aspects of marketing for a gaming operator since it allows them to utilize their interactions with customers better. A smooth player path enables casino operators to maintain control while providing a fantastic user experience to their customers.

Every online casino should possess the ability to create, edit and handle player journeys effectively. These are some of the most crucial marketing tools that an online gaming business should have in its arsenal. Building great player experiences is one of the most vital aspects of growing a business, and customer journeys are critical for establishing a route of meaningful interactions between you and your players. Provide bespoke processes that touch every brand touchpoint with marketing automation to create a smooth trip across the cycle.

Create ultimate casino marketing strategies using Journey Builder from OptiKPI:

Aside from using a customer's name in the subject line of every message, use OptiKPI to develop dynamic content that best matches distinct groups of players. Reach out to your players at any point along their journey to make necessary changes to their course. Customize the user life cycle to boost retention and lessen the churn cycle. Engage your consumers in real-time with selected messaging, and ensure that your platform provides the best possible experience for your gamers. Convert prospects into loyal consumers and create a brand with a consistent and long-term following!

OptiKPI is one of the most excellent marketing automation software built explicitly for the gaming industry. It can significantly improve the performance of any online gaming platform in a short time. In addition, customization and automated messaging will allow you to connect with users more effectively. We provide uncompromised service round the clock. Connect with our support team from any part of the world and get personalized solutions anytime and anywhere. We help you set up OptiKPI as your marketing automation assistance within weeks.