The Bonus Code Debate...

[PokerProp]

I hijacked my own thread and it turned out to be a decent discussion. Any mods feel free to change the title and remove the first couple posts if you feel inclined - or move into a new thread or w/e.
Sorry did not even realize I'd take it way off topic but this seems like a good discussion the way it went.

[haynesey]

I've always wondered peoples opinions on this.

Doesn't having the ability for players to enter bonus codes, screw the card room as well?

Surely a unattached player who then enters a affiliates code, because of a google search, is putting the site at a 20-30% loss due to the affiliate commissions they now need to pay.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by PokerProp

I hijacked my own thread and it turned out to be a decent discussion. Any mods feel free to change the title and remove the first couple posts if you feel inclined - or move into a new thread or w/e.
Sorry did not even realize I'd take it way off topic but this seems like a good discussion the way it went.

I've updated the title and will add something in the first part and move it to the general affiliate discussion section. I think this is a very interesting topic that should be discussed.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by haynesey

I've always wondered peoples opinions on this.

Doesn't having the ability for players to enter bonus codes, screw the card room as well?

For the bigger rooms that advertise on TV a lot (ie. Stars, FTP and Party), I would think most likely (unless those ads are driving a bonus code, but I really haven't seen much of that). Smaller rooms that are mostly affiliate driven, probably not.

[kaus]

Anyways back on point the difference between the SEO strategy is that a player getting rakeback MUST use an affiliate. Therefore I don’t feel I am competing with the poker rooms by SEOing “PokerSite XYZ rakeback” I’m rather competing with a group of other affiliates which is something the model these rooms set up actually encourages. Why they decide to also have rakeback affiliates compete with non rakeback affiliates is beyond me? But they seem to like it that way.

Now on the other hand from an SEO standpoint optimizing PokerStars Marketing Code is intended only so that when a player looks at form and does not have a code they might find your code and enter it. That concept seems even sillier to me – I don’t understand with all the advanced technology poker rooms have why that field does not disappear at every single one of them if the player already has a cookie. In fact I think the concept is lame anywyas, because why do the card rooms want a player who saw their ad on TV or in a Magazine or one someone hat or T-Shirt to end up being tagged to an affiliate?

I could say the same thing about rakeback though Prop...your not bringing in new players who have notheard of that room before. So without marketing XYZ rakeback where would they go? How many of your players have you converted that have never heard about cake poker or full tilt poker prior to you or any affiliate offering them rakeback. You are IMO providing them with a bonus very much similar to what others provide. I mean rakeback offers are all the same these days with maybe a few exceptions, because if an affiliate is going to offer rakeback they cant cheapen out on what is available to the player. They will have to offer the max to be able to get the player. Rakeback affiliates optimize their sites for the best deal available likewise bonus affiliates also optimize their sites for the best deal available, and whether that be multiple sites providing the exact same thing (as rakeback sites pretty much do) than there really isnt much of a difference.

Now I could also say that yes that player could very well have been tagged to another affiliate, and no thats not fair if they were BUT plenty of rakeback sites ask players if they have never made a deposit and never played for real money to contact them for rakeback. Does this mean that a tagged player will then be provided with rakeback? I am guessing yes or it wouldnt be neccessary to have that information there.

We can also go into the sites that also ask a player to delete cookies...very common and pretty much all rakeback sites tell players to delete cookies (not even going to get into those that say uninstall the software) So now we have rakeback affiliates who could be taking from other affiliates. Its not just about the optimization, its everything that the affiliate does. So whether my bonus code overrides a cookie, that rakeback affiliate is doing the exact same thing in a different manner and one that is completely intentional from my point of view.

[kaus]

Let me add both systems are completely silly

[PokerProp]

Kaus,
For the record I don't agree with the method rooms have used to have rakeback affiliates marketing against non rakeback affiliates, it doesn't seem to make much sense imo. Anyways the poker room chose to set it up this way not me. My primary business is not conducted off clicks from a website. I supply prop players to some of the internet largest poker rooms on very private basis. I more or less work as an agent for the big players - in the process of finding new candidates for this we have other less private deals. I find many players daily that propping is not ideal for and refer them to rakeback deals etc. Anyways my point is my primary business which earns us many thousands of dollars per month is working as agents for high volume players. This is why of course I promote rakeback even though I don't agree with the way card rooms set it up. I'm in the business of finding players the best deals.

Perhaps I'm blinded but i really have not seen an argument yet that suggest what I do worst then sites optimizing for PokerStars Marketing Code - or Full Tilt Referral Code - or Something Coupon Code. These are terms players only become familiar with during registration.

Someone naturally thinks hey let me search and see if Poker SIteXYZ is available. Players don't naturally search and say let me see if there is any good PokerStars Marketing Code, unless another website (which deserved the credit) or the sign up form informs them of the term.

IMO sites that optimize for Site XYZ code are working hard to do nothing more than steal players. They're either stealing them from the room as a player is about to sign up, or there stealing them from the affiliate who referred them to the room.

I'm mostly talking about bonus code abuse. I use bonus codes where I feel it will help me better convert players and I don't see nothing wrong with sites using them properly, i might even rank for a few of the smaller ones (naturally - not forced), not sure if I do or not but if so its probably not top 3 but anyways, Its the sites that optimize and go out of there way to rank for these terms, that I personally feel are doing nothing more in this instance than stealing players.

[PokerProp]

Also should note 100% of the rakeback deals i promote, the poker rooms themselves pay the player - there are no circumstances where I pay the players direct.

[TheDonk]

Ahhhh. My life has gotten so much easier since I decided to stay away from topics like this. I haven't been in a single argument in weeks and this is one of those threads I could easily get wayyyy too involved in.

[NewPokerGirl]

It really doesn't make a difference if someone aggressively goes after "xxx bonus code" or just unintentionally ranks for it because in the end someone will rank #1 for it anyway and the same # of players are going to search that term rather we optimize for it or not. Using codes that will track players can be a good thing, with all the cookie problems out there they can help insure the right affiliate gets credit. There are obviously problems with this system but using only cookies has a lot of problems as well. Using codes helps with offline marketing as well, I don't promote offline but if I did I am sure they would be useful