Writing Honest Reviews and Conversions - Page 2

TheDonk · #11 08-31-2007, 02:38 AM

Maybe this is a better way to explain what I'm trying to say.

Let's say Xpokerroom.com is down 1 hour out of every 100 hours because of problems. To be down 1 hour every 4 days for 'problems' is actually pretty bad. But put into proper perspective, that only troubles a users experience 1% of the time. So, you don't want to write a review that gives the impression that 30, 40, or 50% of their playing experience will be bad.

Just my opinion.

TheDonk

xpertadvice4u · #12 08-31-2007, 03:42 AM

I think there is a difference between reasons for doing reviews, that should relate to how you generate revenue.

If you expect your revenue to be from sales of advertising, then the more traffic you can generate, the better.

My understanding is the poker rooms pay affiliates for helping to market the product....they want to see their product exposed to the market - in favorable terms....and if you do a good job, they will reward you with CPA.

It would not be in their best interests to reward somebody who is criticizing their site....

Now, if you want to be a "let it all hang out" type of reviewer, blogger, whatever....and you can parlay being "controversial" into more traffic, then you are increasing your value as a place for people to just pay for advertising space - regardless of conversions.....so, you can afford to be more "ethical/honest."

Notspot · #13 08-31-2007, 04:16 AM

This is such an interesting question.

When I first put my site up I was maybe a bit too honest in my reviews. A example would be that I found that I had played Prima for a couple of years and had consistently had problems with the Prima software overheating my laptop after a few hours of multitable play - to the point of having to put the laptop on the cold tiled floor to finish off a particularly long tourney on a number of occasions. This annoyed me so I put it in the review. Well, I received 3 emails (which is actually an avalanche for a new site) from players saying they multitabled and it had never happened to them. I wasn't sure what to do - I tested it with a brand new TOTR laptop and sure enough it crashed (through overheating) after 3 and a half hours of play. Anyhow, I removed the comment and starting getting sign-ups for that room (hadn't had any up til that point).

I still cringe when I look at that review 'cos I know it should be in there but if other players don't experience it and it stops people signing up what's the point? Am I just venting my anger at a problem that only seems to affect me?

Most of my reviews have a few of the room's bad points pointed out as I feel it builds trust. If you've played on Party for a while and know the bad points, why would you trust a site that said FTP was the bees knees if they don't mention those bad points in their party review?

As for top ten lists, people do like them, I notice from my stats that alot of visitors head for the top ten list and waddle off to FTP without reading any of the reviews. I've been under alot of pressure from a couple of rooms to put them in the No.1 spot - so they obviously understand the value of being No.1. It's a great resource for new players, who don't understand or care about the subtle differences between the rooms that we old-hats ponder over. If you just want a game of poker and you don't care where, a top ten list is great. Our top ten list is more of a personal top 10, no points system but more of a 'what order I would recommend sites to a friend'. I'd rather not have the top ten if it was just a list of who paid me the most, I'd feel I was letting people down. But maybe that's why I'm not a baller affiliate? Maybe you have to sell your soul to make the real big bucks?

I feel part of the art of running a good poker portal is balancing the need to retain your integrity (and loyal players) and encouraging people to try a new room. Or am I just being naive?

Darko · #14 08-31-2007, 10:00 AM

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SunPoker.com · #15 08-31-2007, 11:30 AM

I would go the honest route but also know that when you sign up for an affiliate program, you are agreeing to help sell the poker rooms in the affiliate program. There are good and bad with all poker rooms and person's opinions vary greatly on what they believe is important to them. In YOUR opinion, clearly state the pros and cons to each of the poker rooms you promote.

Also, take the negatives and turn them into positives. Think of it like a job interview where some one asks you what your weaknesses are. For example, maybe the poker room has low traffic volume. You could point that out but also mention that they have some of the loosest games around. Something like that.

Best of luck.

Mark

bahh · #16 08-31-2007, 11:40 AM

I agree with Mark here. You gotta be selective in you reviews. One example is Full Tilt Poker which is considered to be one of the best rooms out there. If you write in your review that there are alot of sharks and tough players out there you wont attract any amateur players. Push on that they can play against the pros instead. That will attract amateur players.

Don't lie in your reviews but have in mind what target group you want to reach out to and adjust your reviews to it.

PPP · #17 08-31-2007, 06:12 PM

There is no such thing as "too honest". First, there are maybe two dozen poker platforms out there. You aren't going to get the same person to sign up at all 24. It matters only a little which cardroom a person signs up at, so present them the facts, and your "expert" judgment. That is what you are poresenting yourself as, something of an expert. In the rest of the world, people don't do reviews of things they know nothing about.

If a cardroom has buggy software, you are better off saying that, and then saying because of the buggy software a lot of tougher players won't play there, making the games soft.

It isn't our job to sell these rooms. And it isn't our job at all to sell these rooms equally. Our job is to run our businesses, and the best way to be a stupid poker affiliate is to mislead players in reviews, because what that means is they sure the hell are far more unlikely to come back to your site for anything, including reccomendations about other cardrooms.

It's our job to present visitors with options of playing at online cardrooms, and information about them. Having accurate information is good for the longterm health of your domian, and theirs. Sending people somewhere where they will be unhappy with the room and pissed off at you is lousy business.

(Of course you also save yourself grief by not promoting at all shitty cardrooms at all.)

edmc · #18 08-31-2007, 06:26 PM

There are no honest reviews, period. Unless its on a forum I will bum it up. Its all personal choice & the affiliates go with trustworthy sites from their viewpoint. Best sites to play depends a lot on your own style but you could make 5 different sites and relate them to different styles. Mark is a fantastic frontman for sunpoker. He should get snapped up by one of the bigger sites

PPP · #19 08-31-2007, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edmc

There are no honest reviews, period.

That's just silly talk. Please keep the thread serious.

ThePokerBank · #20 08-31-2007, 10:39 PM

I think that you should be truthful in your opinions and reviews. I agree that when you sign up to be an affiliate, you try and help promote the room and bring in rmps. However, I find it frustrating when rooms ask to be moved up higher in the rankings on your site if you are not already affiiating with them or are affiliating but do not rank them highly.

If certain sites ask for better rankings, ask them to improve their software, support and so on, so that you can rank them better in return. Therefore when they improve as a room, you can improve their rankings. I find it insulting if a room asks me to rank them higher for the fact that they want to have more rmps through me. I belive if they want more rmps, they should badger coders for the software before their badger webmasters.

Just my 2 cents.