Betsoft is one of those iGaming companies that always surprise us with state-of-the-art slots. The award-winning company is known for its innovative approach to slots which boast highly engaging mechanics, features, bonus rounds, multipliers, and a proven math model.
You might remember the last interview we did with Betsoft's CMO Renata Banyar, where we talked about the company's history, games, tools, and game development approach. Well now, we've got another chance to speak with them! Kami Scerri, Head of Brand at Betsoft, sat down with SlotsWise and shared more details about Betsoft brand management, identity, uniformity, and awareness.
Welcome, Kami! Thank you for taking the time to chat with us. To start off, how would you define brand management and its importance within a business?
"For Betsoft, brand management is the series of techniques we use to increase the perceived value of our games, associated products and the services we offer.
Effective brand management builds customer and player loyalty through positive brand association. It is measurable as it has a positive effect on the bottom line if you are doing it well. Additionally, strategic brand management enables us to improve our brand recognition, boost revenue and achieve our long-term business goals.
The importance of strategic brand management comes from the positive impact it can create across the board.
Through strategic brand association, Betsoft has become the first choice for many players looking for immersive gaming which offers pure entertainment married to big win potential. Not only is this great news for Betsoft’s commercial team, but also for our operators. They know that our games are a guarantee to attract and retain player bases. This also minimises churn."
How do you create a brand identity and ensure its recognition, especially in a crowded market?
"With over 16 years’ experience in the iGaming market, we have worked hard to secure and hold a big mindshare of both players and operators. By focusing on the standout features of our slots and ensuring the quality of our product is dependable, Betsoft has built its reputation for guaranteed experiential playing.
When you think of great gaming, you automatically think of Betsoft slots. We have also consistently innovated and improved our back-of-house products, in-game tools and general account management services to ensure that the Betsoft brand really does reflect the quality ethos we have worked hard to build. There is substance behind our branding.
The importance of brand management within Betsoft, or any business really, is ensuring that your brand ethos resonates with your customer base, espouses and delivers their values and is authentic. Very few businesses do not operate in a crowded market; so while it is important to know your competition, it is equally important to differentiate yourself from them."
How important is social media for driving brand initiatives?
"A robust social strategy is critical. Social media channels and platforms are the backbones of most marketing strategies due, in part to the immediacy of the information delivery. Long term, they are key to building meaningful connections with consumers to create brand loyalty. As an online business, Betsoft relies on social media to drive brand initiatives as well as to navigate our clients and players to the links for new products such as our in-game tools Take the Prize™ and Tournament
Social media is also a highly visual environment and so is the perfect landscape to optimise photos and videos for us. Whether it is a new game launch or a social initiative such as our Twelve Days of Giving charity drive last Christmas, it is easy to create an instantaneous impact – even though a lot of time and crafting will have gone into the campaign. Visuals are highly effective at building a brand and can help maximise the ROI on any channel."
What new channels are you using to create and raise brand awareness?
"Currently, our focus is on Streamers and Affiliates. We have been working with different companies for some time now as streaming services are about more than just technology; they are about cultivating and empowering a community of fans and creators. Our portfolio of award-winning games is a huge draw for iGamers, whether experienced players looking for big wins or newcomers looking for fun.
With the Affiliates, we are also able to reach a new and global player demographic through a different channel. We translate and localise many of our slots so it makes sense to translate and tailor our messages and content for those audiences too. Affiliates have individual platforms which intersect both country and market sector and this gives us a new way both to talk to our players and to hear their views and feedback which is invaluable."
How does your market research aid brand awareness?
"The Betsoft brand is strong and benefits from both heritage in the industry and a recognisable visual identity. We know that many players actively search out our slots by our brand, not just genre or theme. Using feedback and commissioned research, Betsoft has accessed different market segments - such as female players who may be new to iGaming.
Our team has tailored volatility levels for regular payout/win opportunities for some players and the high volatility slots for the experienced gamer looking for big wins. The market research also helps us ensure we are connecting with our audiences and to avoid mistakes."
Where should a company incorporate its brand to promote uniformity?
"Everywhere! The brand should permeate throughout the business. We have brand guidelines that are issued to all members of the Betsoft team. These are the backbone to ensure consistency in everything we do or say.
The delivery of the brand starts with the staff whether they are client-facing or back of the house. Our HR Department has programmes for onboarding and regular workshops for training every member of staff to understand what the Betsoft brand means and how to convey it effectively. Account managers are unofficial brand ambassadors as part of their role and so their training is especially crucial.
We also have official Brand Ambassadors who advocate for us across channels and platforms and we issue branded and quality merchandise to both staff and clients.
Moreover, our communications across the entire spectrum – from our recently re-designed website and client area to social media posts always reflect us and what we stand for. The importance of brand uniformity cannot be underestimated. It ensures instant recognition and provides assurance that anything carrying the Betsoft name is trustworthy, of high quality and authentic."
What is next for Betsoft in terms of brand management?
"We are currently working on a plan to streamline the client experience in conjunction with both HR and the account management team. What makes a great CX is efficiency, plus a knowledgeable and professional service alongside up-to-date technology, personalisation and an easy mobile experience. For this to happen, employee engagement is key: the company is expanding and the team has grown significantly over the last few years.
Ensuring our staff understand, uphold and deliver our brand values is our main focus. From the players’ perspective, our new releases will incorporate innovations including more in-game promo tools, re-designed progressive jackpots and the new “Hold and Win” feature that we have just released."