As the popularity of legal sports betting continues to rise and more countries regulate the industry, the significance of Sports Betting SEO has never been greater.
In 2023, SEO has evolved significantly from what it was in 2010. This holds true for sports betting sites as well. Numerous on-page and off-page factors contribute to your SEO ranking.
However, many sports betting sites fall short when it comes to onsite SEO. This is the cornerstone of your SEO strategy and should be deemed “revenue critical” and given top priority if you aim to become a leading betting site in the market.
Here are some crucial points that you must ensure are covered:
Technical SEO is the Foundation for Sports Betting SEO
The platform you choose for your site is the most important factor for SEO. While you can optimize off-page SEO and place a WordPress site on top of your “functional” betting site, this is not ideal. The main reason is conversion and capitalizing on long-tail betting terms.
Therefore, the best approach is to ensure that your odds/market feed, page structure, titles and meta descriptions, as well as on-page content, are integrated on SEO-focused pages that load quickly and provide an excellent user experience.
Additionally, you should put on your business hat and optimize conversion for both new customers (registration/FTD) and returning customers (bet/deposit).
Your betting platform can either significantly hinder your SEO performance or, if set up correctly, become a key competitive advantage.
Common SEO Mistakes Made by Sports Betting Sites
- Unfriendly URLs: URLs that are not “readable” and do not reflect the content of your site can negatively impact your SEO. Opt for clean and descriptive URLs that are user-friendly.
- Lack of Proper Titles and Meta Descriptions: Surprisingly, many betting sites do not have appropriate titles and meta descriptions for their pages. Ensure that each page has unique and optimized titles and meta descriptions.
- Absence of Structured Data: Most sports betting sites rely on feed-based content. This can be turned into structured data, which helps to display rich snippets, such as upcoming fixtures. Incorporate structured data into your CMS template to enhance your SEO.
- Neglecting Brand and PR: While most links to your site will come from affiliates, your brand and PR play a crucial role in SEO. Building your brand and improving brand ranking signals can differentiate you from competitors and boost your rankings on generic searches.
- Poor User Experience (UX): In the betting sector, users have low tolerance for subpar UX. If your site fails to provide a seamless and enjoyable experience, users are likely to bounce back to the search engine. Pay attention to core web vitals, as they are essential for SEO in the sports betting industry.
- Excessive Subdomains: Having too many subdomains, especially when each product is siloed in its own ecosystem, can harm your SEO. Aim for a unified and cohesive website structure to improve your rankings.
- Unattractive Pricing: The pricing offered by your trading department can impact SEO. Better prices lead to longer time spent on your site, which is a positive UX signal for Google. On the other hand, unfavorable prices result in quick bounces back to the search engine, harming your SEO.
- Product Quality: Having a good product is crucial for SEO, as user metrics are becoming increasingly important in technical SEO. Optimize your user metrics, and search engines will take notice.
SEO Approach for Online Sports Betting Sites
To embark on a successful SEO journey, you need clarity on two key questions:
- Define your brand positioning: Understand how you want your brand to be perceived in the market.
- Develop a content strategy: Determine the type of content you will create and how it aligns with your brand positioning.
Generally, sports betting SEO can be divided into six distinct areas:
- Market Pages: These pages focus on specific betting markets, such as first goalscorer or over-under markets. Include specific text related to the teams or competitors involved and use structured data for the market. Ensure that odds are included in the title and description.
- Tournament Pages: These pages cover major tournaments or events. Similar to market pages, include specific text related to the tournament/event, use structured data, and incorporate odds in the title and description.
- Sport Pages: These pages provide an overview of a particular sport and its top markets. Include relevant events and a description of popular markets. Incorporate an FAQ component and use structured data for key races/fixtures. Betting should be included in the title and description.
- Betting Educational Pages: Ranking for educational-style pages can be beneficial. Include detailed information on specific betting markets, use FAQ structured data, and provide internal links. Ensure that the title and meta description are optimized.
- Free Bet/Promo Pages: Consider whether you want to rank for free bet terms, as it may have cost implications. If you decide to rank, include “offer” structured data and substantial content. Include terms and conditions for offers, especially for jurisdictions with specific requirements.
- Blog/News Event Preview Pages: Utilize platforms like WordPress and SEO plugins to create high-quality content. Increase interaction by including interactive banners and contextual widgets. Leverage Google News if you post regularly. Embed videos and use correct structured data to improve search results.
Changes in Sports Betting SEO
Upcoming changes in Sports Betting SEO, including the impact of AI on search engine results, should be closely monitored by operators and affiliates. Early tests by Google suggest that AI will influence how results are displayed, raising strategic questions for SEO in the sector.
Differences Between Sports Betting SEO and Online Casino SEO
While both sports betting and online casino SEO adhere to best practices, there are some distinctions:
- Sports betting focuses on ever-changing events and markets, while casino SEO relates to game availability.
- Evergreen sports content uses hub pages and time-specific market pages, while most casino content is evergreen.
- Head terms are important in both, but long-tail keywords play a significant role in sports betting SEO, requiring smart use of market pages and Google News functions. Casino SEO largely centers around slot games and niche games.
So, sports betting and casino SEO have their own unique characteristics, but the core principles of technical SEO remain the same. Create relevant content for target search terms that are easy to index, understand, and use.
While this article only scratches the surface, topics such as international SEO, leveraging sponsorships for brand mentions and links, and SEO automation and AI deserve further exploration. However, onsite SEO should be prioritized as it can significantly increase traffic and deliver a high return on investment compared to paid search.
Measure the value of traffic based on customer acquisition and cost savings from SEO. In regulated jurisdictions, where paid search keywords are expensive, a solid case can be made for investing in SEO within the sports betting industry.