The economy is looking dire and consumers are feeling the pinch, but one thing seems to be flourishing – Online Bingo!

According to Bingo-reviewer.com, an industry report has shown a whopping 80% increase in active Bingo players over the past 6 months. This surely puts Online Bingo right up there as one of the top Online entertainment providers.

The reasons why this great game is growing exponentially in popularity are fairly obvious, and it’s no wonder why a whole lot of people are moving away from land-based Bingo and exploring the Online alternative. Online Bingo doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to play – in fact you can join a game for an unbelievable £0.05 only! And don’t forget, most Online Bingo operators offer a sign-up bonus that gives new players free cash to play with, making it even more worth their while to join!

Then there are the excellent promotions that offer a constant stream of prizes and giveaways, and the tempting cash jackpot that is often a lot higher than land-based prizes.

And let’s not forget the fantastic camaraderie that exists between roomies in the chat rooms, the exciting mini-slots players can spin in between or even during each game, and of course the all-favourite Chat Games that provide hours of laughter, prizes and good-natured competition.

All-in-all, some good Online Bingo action is exactly what we need in these dark times – so let the good times roll!

We are all in the Online Bingo Affiliate industry to make money. Preferably lots of it. And to make buckets full of money, you need to become a master at online marketing.

Effective marketing has the power to propel even the most mediocre product or service into success orbit. And since Virtue Affiliates have exceptional Online Bingo sites, products and offers, a successful marketing campaign almost guarantees success.

The fact of the matter is that you need to spend at least 90% of your time on marketing if you’re going to turn a profit. Building your Online Bingo site, writing content for it, answering emails and doing your books do not physically bring in money - only advertising does.

When you break it down into simplistic terms, there are really only 2 types of advertising - the type you pay for, and the type you get for free. And both should form part of your Online Bingo advertising strategy.
There are many “free advertising”

Every Online Bingo Affiliate understands the relevance and importance of search engine rankings. One way of increasing your site’s rankings is by building one-way links to your site. One-way links are different to reciprocal links, as there is no link from your site back to the site where the link came from.
This makes it harder to obtain. Back links require the most amount of hard work to obtain, but they’re infinitely valuable and sought after by Online Bingo Affiliates.

How to obtain back links
The best type of one-way link is from the content of another site or blog that is related to Online Bingo. In other words, your site or blog is mentioned in the copy of another site that is relative to yours. This is achieved by posting valuable and relevant Online Bingo content on your site. Other people will view you as an expert on the topic, and quote you in their articles and create links to your site. You can even go as far as asking to be mentioned in a blog, in return for content or links on some of your other sites (should you have any).

Other methods you can use when you build one-way links to your Online Bingo site or blog are article directories, Online Bingo directories, social bookmarking and blog commenting. All four of these methods can get you lots of back links and in time they will end up helping your site or blog rank well. The methods above won’t have a sudden impact on your search rankings, but as they start to age your rankings will start to improve – bringing you more potential Online Bingo players and increasing your revenue.

Find out more about Virtue Affiliates or sign up now!

Online Bingo Affiliates are often told that the money lies in the The Email List. But what to do if you don’t have a list, or even a clue how to build and maintain one?

The first step towards building a killer Online Bingo email marketing list is capturing people’s email addresses. This is easier than you probably think.

The best way to capture email addresses is by creating an opt-in form. All you need to do is place enough information on your Online Bingo Affiliate site that potential players know what they’re signing up for, without creating too much of an expectation (like promising a newsletter every day)

Now you need to supply your subscribers with useful and interesting information that will keep them reading, and not automatically delete your email. Remember, just because someone doesn’t unsubscribe, doesn’t mean the mail gets read. That’s why you must make sure that your emails are topical and add value to Online Bingo players’ play.

One way of making sure that your email marketing list doesn’t stagnate and eventually die out, is by asking your subscribers to recommend you to their friends. Make it worth their while; add an incentive like free bonus credits or money towards their next game, and tell them to send it on to their friends who might be interested in your offering.

This won’t work if you offer a poor product, since you stand the risk of your subscribers telling their friends to stay away from you, your newsletter and your website. So always make sure that your Online bingo newsletter is interesting and topical – you’ll soon reap the rewards.

Press Releases seem to be the dodgy uncle nobody in the Internet Marketing family ever really talks about. And it’s a pity, since a well-written, relevant Online Bingo press release can reach quite a wide and relevant audience.

So how would you go about writing an Online Bingo press release? Michael Bloch from
http://www.tamingthebeast.net offers these format and distribution tips.

What is an Online Bingo press release?

In simplistic terms, a press release is basically a story or event that may interest Online Bingo players or a market segment related to Online Bingo or Online Gambling. The format is a cross between an article and an ad – almost like an informercial. However, it is important to keep too much hype out of it.

Once compiled, the press release is then submitted to media distribution outlets or posted on forums. It is then up to the news services to decide whether they want to run with the story, or not.

What are the benefits of Online Bingo press releases?

Quick coverage:
If your Online Bingo press release is interesting and newsworthy and likely to appeal to readers, then it will most likely be distributed very quickly. Results can be expected as soon as 24 hours of distribution.

Ongoing promotion:
Most press release services archive releases, so it stays on the Net. Search engines may pick up on your release when it is published on other sites, which creates another avenue for people to find you and possibly improve your search engine rankings through link popularity factors.

Credibility:
If a respected Online Bingo media outlet or industry authority picks up your news item and publishes it, you will automatically be viewed as a credible source – which can only help to turn readers into Bingo players.

Extra content for your site:
Every release you create should be saved on your website. It can be included in a separate News page and you can even have ‘Breaking News’ links from your home page. These saved press releases will impress visitors and players and also double up as great search engine fodder.

Online Bingo Press release content

The format and pitch of an Online Bingo news release is very different to your normal website or promotional copy. The big no-no’s are: call-to-actions like, “click here now”, “go play now” or “best bonus offer”, WORDS IN CAPITALS and the unnecessary use of exclamation marks.

Make sure your content always answers the following questions: how, what, when, where and why? Following this guideline will ensure that you don’t leave out essential information, or confuse the reader with incomplete information.

Next up we’ll look at correctly formatting and distributing your Online Bingo press release.

In their latest effort to make the funding of all Online Bingo play even more simple and convenient, online e-wallet provider NETeller have reportedly announced the release of brand new Net+ cards for members.

Online Bingo players have long since discovered the safety and ease of depositing and receiving payments from Online Bingo and Online Gambling websites through this popular online payment method.

According to BingoStreet.com, the new Net+ card from NETeller will be offered in conjunction with MasterCard, and it will be provided as an upgrade option for existing customers as both an online and offline option.

This versatile, pre-paid Net+ card’s Virtual version is designed for use on the internet, which is ideal for Online Bingo players to top up their accounts and take advantage of the many fantastic Online Bingo deposit bonuses available in the Virtue Affiliates brand stable.

The Net+ virtual card works by generating a unique 16-digit card number, and can be used by any online website that accepts MasterCard.

And if you’d like to get your hands on some of your Online Bingo winnings, the standard Net+ prepaid card can be used to access funds within your NETeller account from millions of cash-points or ATM machines.

So with Online Bingo funding and withdrawals becoming increasingly easy and convenient, there are no more excuses to keep you away from your favourite Online Bingo site!

The old cliché goes: ‘The only constant is change’. This is especially true in the Internet Marketing arena where strategies, rules and restrictions constantly evolve. And while this might be frustrating for many Online Bingo Affiliates, it should actually be seen as a blessing in disguise for the on-the-ball Bingo Affiliates at Virtue Affiliates.

Why, you might ask? Because being a Virtue Affiliate means that you’re equipped to adapt to change smoothly and easily. We provide you with all the tools and information you need to stay on top of the ever-changing market, making you more effective and more profitable.

This is not true for all Online Bingo Affiliates, giving you a distinct edge over the competition. Another advantage you can gain over other Affiliates, is being familiar with the following terms associated with current successful marketing techniques:

Keyword phrases:

If you’re marketing Online Bingo and your aim is to rank on the first page of Google for ‘Online Bingo’, I can only say Good Luck and Goodbye. The reality is that a main keyword like ‘Online Bingo’ has millions of competitors, so unless you’re an SEO guru, chances are that you’ll never rank high enough to get much traffic from it.

Keyword phrases, also known as ‘long-tail keyword phrases’, are what you should be aiming for. You’ll not only experience less demand for a keyword phrase like ‘Best Online Bingo Opening Offer’, you’ll also rank for it a lot easier. By focusing on several long-tail keyword phrases within the same niche, you’ll be able to get a substantial amount of organic visitors from the search engines.

Competing web pages:

Finding out how many web pages your site is competing with, is relatively simple. Simply place your keyword phrases inside of quotation marks in your Google search box. The result will showcase the number of web pages that have your exact keyword phrase in them, in other words your competing web pages.

Obviously, the fewer competing web pages, the easier it will be to dominate that keyword phrase.  Many Online Bingo Affiliates will not attempt to target keywords that have greater than 10,000 competing web pages.  Others won’t target anything over 100 competing pages. It’s up to you.

Back links:

Not so long ago, the only thing Online Bingo Affiliates had to worry about was the keyword density of his website.

The more keywords you had stuffed onto your page, the better it fared in the search engines against the competition. These days, back links (the links that direct from other relevant sites, to yours) play an increasingly important role. The more back links your site has, the better. However, don’t just have any Tom, Dick and Harry link to your site. Make sure the site is reputable (i.e not a spam site), and that it has relevance to Online Bingo. In other words, Online Bingo forums, blogs and authority sites are great back links to have pointed at your site.

Stay ahead of the game and you can cash in as a top Online Bingo Affiliate! To find out more about Virtue Affiliates, click here.

The end of July, through to August and the beginning of September is traditionally rather quiet in the Online Bingo Affiliate world. It seems that most people are either enjoying some good weather, or gone away on holiday.

And with less people spending time on the Net, your Bingo acquisitions and conversions are also likely to suffer until things get busy again around Christmas. So what can an Online Bingo Affiliate do during these quiet times to keep the commission rolling in?

How about:

A little spring cleaning – You can use this quiet time to freshen up your website with new content, adding more interesting links, fixing broken links and checking that everything is working as it should be.

Get into the Christmas spirit – People generally go way overboard with Christmas presents, decorations and celebrations, which mean they’re generally also more broke than usual. Create Festive Season banners, promotions and prizes and capitalize on their Christmas cheer and need for some extra money.

Content is king – Take advantage of this quiet time by stocking up your content and article library that you can publish on your Online Bingo Affiliate site later. You won’t always have time to write fresh content, so it’s a great idea to get writing and saving it away for later.

Play around a bit – This is a great time to play lots of Online Bingo, become part of  an online community and really get into the heads of your target market. Play with them, talk to them, ask them questions and most of all - listen to them.

Try something new – Is there some idea, concept or method you’ve been dying to try out? What about that project or revolutionary innovation you just haven’t had the time to do? Now’s the time, and who knows – maybe it’ll be the Next Big Thing!

Get out there and network – Use this time to attend some Affiliate conventions or roadshows, and get to attend seminars, participate in Q & A’s and meet other Online Bingo Affiliates.

Work on your email lists – Clean up your email database for more effective use later in the year. And if you don’t have any email lists – you better get one in place!

Get social – Join as many social networking sites and forums as you’re comfortable with, subscribe to blogs and join in discussions. Once you get your name or your website’s name known on the Net, you can easily build your brand and your reputation online.

If you can’t beat them – join then! This might be a good time to also take some time off to relax, clear you head and get ready for the busy Online Bingo Affiliate season ahead.

So you worked like crazy to get your Online Bingo Affiliate site up and running, and looking just right. You’ve got the right wording, the best banners and greatest offers. You’ve targeted the right audience and kept on working on and refining your site.

And all of a sudden it just falls into place. Players come in fast and furious, and your first Affiliate paycheck is more than you ever dreamed of.

Before you know it, you’re dreaming about all the wonderful things you’re going to buy with all that money. And why not? If every month is as successful as that one, then you can already see yourself in your new boat, launching from the dock at your new holiday house…

Reality bites

Yes, there’s a big ‘but’ coming. The fact is that the Internet is one of the most volatile of beasts. One day you’re up there, and the next, literally overnight, your site has practically disappeared. This is especially true for Search Engine rankings, or organic search. While your Online Bingo Affiliate site might remain at the top of the listings for months on end, it could also drop down into the trenches in the blink of an eye. So bear that in mind before buying that boat (or holiday house!)

Keeping it real – Survival strategies

If there’s only one survival tip you remember, it’s this: Save while you can.

If your Online Bingo Affiliate site is bringing in the cash, then you pat yourself on the back, put the money away and continue working like crazy.

Save up an emergency fund of at least 3 months of living expenses (you might have to calculate your expenses first), before going on a mindless spending spree. You’ll thank me later.

Buckle down

During this time of saving and non-indulgence, work on your site even more. Turn it into a site that people will come back to daily – if you can. Create a newsletter, write a blog, host a forum, hold a competition – do what you can to make your site ‘sticky’.

Think long-term

When you look at Online Bingo Affiliate commission structures, you generally get a choice between a large, once-off commission, or residual (ongoing) commission. The residual option is a good one if you’re thinking long-term, as it is a passive income that could carry you through tough times.

If you generate income through affiliate programs and you’re offered a choice of large one-time commissions or residual (ongoing commissions), if the company is solid; go for the residual commission option - this revenue may be what keeps your mortgage paid if things go wrong and buy you a little breathing space.

Don’t go cold turkey too quickly

There are many people out there who make a very comfortable living solely by being Online Bingo Affiliates. But before you quit your job and jump head-first into this, get a feel for the industry, get settled, make a good name for yourself and think it through thoroughly.

Chasing your dreams is great, but life happens, and it’s worth keeping in mind what you stand to lose should things go wrong.

Happy networking and saving!

Earlier we focused on some vital ways for Online Bingo Affiliates to stop messing about and start making some serious money. One of the most important suggestions was to make sure that you don’t lose focus. It is vitally important to keep your mind on matters at hand, and not allow yourself to lose sight of what’s most important – bringing in players.

The next tip was to make sure you eliminate all distractions like phone calls, emails, instant messages and even RSS feeds. These eat up valuable time and it could take a while for you to get back into the swing of things after having to deal with them.

The last suggestion was to not let ideas float around aimlessly, but to write it down as soon as it pops into your head. This way, you effectively deal with it without having to do something right away, which allows you to put it out of your head and deal with it later.
So what else can you do, as a Virtue Affiliate, to make sure you’re a lean, mean money making machine?

Create deadlines
If you’re anything like me, you probably work a lot better under pressure. It’s a fact – the less you have to do, the longer it takes you to do it. Add a little pressure into the mix, and you get a lot more done, a lot quicker.

So stop the mental procrastination by setting yourself deadlines to complete certain tasks. When working on those 3 critical aspects you identified (see previous post for more details), give yourself a time limit and make sure you stick to it. By working against the clock, you effectively force yourself to focus and finish the job at hand.
Need some more motivation? Promise yourself a reward for completing a particularly tedious task – and then don’t cheat!

Create an email folder system
Although we’ve already discussed managing your email time more effectively, it’s worth taking a more in-depth look at how to deal with this necessary, but time consuming practice.
Another way of dealing with emails more effectively is by creating folders in your inbox. A cluttered inbox creates distractions, so it is a good idea to keep it as clean and clear as possible. Create folders for less urgent emails, emails from friends and family, newsletters and more urgent correspondence that can’t wait. Once you receive mail, put it in the respective folder immediately, and deal with it later. That way, you don’t have to sift through piles of junk mail to get to the urgent matters.

Stay informed
It is vital to keep on top of the Online Bingo Affiliate industry. Although this can be potentially tedious and time-consuming, it is a necessary evil. The good news is that there are many tools to help you stay on your toes.

Install an RSS feeder like Google Reader, or set up Google Email Alerts when Online Bingo is discussed. This is a great way to stay up to date without spending a lot of time browsing around, and it’s quick and easy to install.

At the end of the day, it’s all about what works for you. Being a Virtue Affiliate should be a rewarding experience, and with the right tools and support – it can be a breeze.