"Our Website is Unique" �C P. Van Deursen Shared

Paul van Deursen, CEO of Your Business Leads, joins the latest installment of the Agent Slam in our Affiliate Interview Series.

In this interview, Paul van Deursen talks about their website mainly targeting the Dutch market, as well as agency activity in the Dutch market �C here’s his story

When and how did you get into the agency career? Have you been following the gaming industry in the past?

About 10 years ago, an operator asked me if I knew anyone who could help them target the Dutch market. I didn’t know anything about websites at the time, but I had friends who ran a web design company in the Netherlands. I talked to them and finally decided to start our first project together, which was www.top-바카라.nl. It was interesting to see how people found the site, so I started learning more about SEO. I didn’t always focus on gaming, I worked in multiple industries during and after my studies, but it was a way to start my own business, and we just went with it.

What makes you different from other agents?

I think I might be more casual than other agents. From the past to the present, many people are emphasizing that Dutch regulations are coming, which brands you should or should not promote, what changes will occur in our business, etc. However, change also symbolizes opportunity. There are some things you just can’t change �C therefore, it’s useless to focus on these things, it’s better to adapt to new situations.

What makes your website unique?

Our website is very unique. We always use custom designs, as do the features and tools. These sites run on a customized content management system, which gives us a lot of flexibility to adjust when needed. We want to make websites that people can trust and visit again. It’s easier to get a click-through rate than to keep it, but we strive to focus on the latter.

What helps your performance succeed? What are the main challenges?

A good Agency Manager (AM) and a trusted Agency Program are very important to me. These include fast response times, assistance when needed, access to complete statistics, and a general understanding of the business. If the collaboration between AM and me is not successful, the partnership will be difficult to succeed. Of course, it is a question of whether there is a chicken or an egg first. If I don’t bring good numbers, AM won’t be willing to help much, so we need to build mutual trust. When I start a partnership, I don’t negotiate deals, but wait until we know more about each other.

The biggest challenge right now is the increasing competition in SEO. Existing affiliates are working harder than before, but now everyone is competing with each other for licensed operators’ search results and search page ads, and sports betting agencies are targeting the same group of operators (previously more clearly differentiated), as well as new websites with strong authority that want to seize the market after regulation.

What are your main websites?

The main betting-related sites are and in the Netherlands. In addition to this, we also operate some international betting sites. In addition to the gaming industry, we also run some traffic referral sites, and not long ago, we also started an online store. It’s good to be as diverse as possible, don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Which geographies are you focusing on, and do you see potential in emerging markets?

We mainly focus on the Dutch market, but there are also some other regional and German websites running behind the scenes. The market in other regions is difficult and not profitable; We will convert these sites and focus on another region later. In the emerging markets part, we do not currently plan to operate in countries where we do not speak a language.

How has the market changed in the Netherlands after the adoption of online gambling laws?

Well, actually everything has changed. As I mentioned, there’s more competition and the way people search has changed. This presents both challenges and opportunities. Fortunately, players are more protected, and operators are now under constant supervision by the authorities. However, there is still much work to be done before the market matures. There will be new operators on board and regulations will continue to change. This is a process that is now ongoing. Before the regulation, the situation was relatively calm, but now there are new developments almost every week.

What are your thoughts on the future of affiliate marketing, especially in the Dutch market?

For the Dutch market, agencies will become more important to operators due to changes in advertising regulations. The regulations do not allow targeting people who don’t want to search for betting-related content, and for example, there will be no TV ads, no (online) newspaper ads, and no more targeted email marketing. This means that a genuine 바카라 proxy website will be an important marketing channel for all licensed operators in the Netherlands.

Looking at the world, there is a bigger change, that is, AI-generated content. With AI, it will be easier for everyone to generate content, regardless of language. I still prefer real content written by real people, but the difference between good AI content and “real” content is getting smaller and smaller. Hopefully, website visitors and Google will still be able to tell the difference.

Do you produce all the marketing materials that need to be promoted in-house, or do you outsource?

We have in-house content writers and also work with content agencies and freelancers. It depends on what type of content we need. The same goes for pictures, there are many that we can do ourselves, but sometimes you need a professional designer who really specializes in it.

What emerging technologies such as AI and big data will affect the agency industry in 2023 and beyond?

As I said earlier, I believe that artificial intelligence will bring great changes to agents. However, it seems to me that for (most) agents, the use of big data is not that relevant. It’s important to analyze your own data and draw conclusions based on it, but at the micro level. On the other hand, for the industry as a whole, it is important to detect changes early and make adjustments. Therefore, large operators with budgets for acquiring and analyzing big data will have an advantage over smaller operators. Personally, I will continue to pay attention to news trends, look around and listen to all directions. I know I’ll be one step behind those who adopted technology early on, but maybe one step ahead of most of my competitors.

How does ChatGPT automate many tedious and time-consuming tasks in affiliate marketing? How will this affect SEO? What is the worst and best case?

Let’s start with the worst-case scenario: the internet will be full of cookie-cutter content that doesn’t make sense. Sometimes you can’t tell the difference between a real video and a fake video; Perhaps a quality mark should be set for authentic content. I hope the situation does not come to this point. On the search engine side, I sincerely hope that Google (and others) will detect AI content and lower the score, because people will no longer be able to tell what is true and what is not. For example, fake news will also become more rampant, as creators will be happy to create several websites to support their ideas.

AI will also be better at creating SEO content, so my confirmation is that it is useful to incorporate AI into our work. Software can help you with some of the content; However, you should always confirm and fine-tune before uploading.

It’s a bit like industrialization, because machines can replace human labor, so there is less need for workers �C but you still need an expert to control the machine. Or, when the first big supermarkets appear, absorb the bread sales of your corner bakery. People still want to go to the bakery sometimes, chat with the baker, or buy some quality bread. The online world will change, but there will always be room for expertise and quality.

How do you choose your operator and how do you maintain relationships with multiple operators?

At the moment, since the Dutch market is full of new operators, I would like to try to do business with all of them and give them some exposure. Based on the performance of each operator, I will make suggestions for them and give them more exposure. As for contact methods, the preferred routes are Skype or email. Also, it is always better to consolidate your relationship with them in a more informal atmosphere during the meeting.

Outside the Netherlands, it will be more difficult to choose the right operator before it is regulated. There are too many operators. Here, a little piece of advice for carrier and agency managers: please don’t spam my inbox, just to be a partner; Also, if you’re already a partner, don’t ask for more exposure, because it will only backfire, at least that’s how I am.

How is the experience of participating in the 300 Heroes event?

It was a great session for me. My main goal for the event was to meet some new partner companies. I had already been in touch with all Dutch operators via email or Skype before the meeting, so getting to know a new window or looking for a new operator was not the main plan. I also do go to events like parties and networking dinners, occasions where I get to know other agents. It’s always nice to be able to discuss the market and exchange ideas. The hotel and rooms are very good, and everything related to the 300 agents is well organized. While the booths at SiGMA are close together and some areas of the convention center may be full, attendees are able to enjoy a vibrant and lively atmosphere with high overall energy. Additionally, the spacious outdoor area provides a refreshing place to rest and the opportunity to communicate in a more relaxed environment.

Are you a regular at SiGMA events? Are you participating in SiGMA Africa? SiGMA Americas, Asia, Balkans/CIS, Eurasia, Europe �C which shows would you like to book on the 2023 schedule?

I have attended SiGMA events before, but only focused on the European summit, so I can’t share too many ideas about other shows.

Tell us a little about yourself �C after all, business is about people, not just companies! Your hobbies, favorite books, favorite quotes, whether you also like gambling, etc.

Outside of work, I enjoy golfing, skiing, watching football (I used to play football), and doing some gardening. Social activities, it’s always fun to play games with friends over beer. Sometimes we play gambling games, but playing cards and board games is also fun. I don’t like gambling that much now; I used to go to 바카라s and play poker occasionally, but I wouldn’t call myself a gambler.