Interview with Bojoko’s CEO, Joonas Karhu, on the Bonuses That Increase FTDs

The role of bonuses in attracting new players to online casinos is pivotal. Affiliate sites like Bojoko play a crucial part in this by offering insights and data-driven recommendations to casinos. 

Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Joonas Karhu, CEO of Bojoko, about the types of bonuses that have been proven to boost first-time depositors (FTDs) significantly.

Bonuses are obviously one of the main marketing tools of online casinos. Can you describe the impact bonuses have on FTDs from an affiliate perspective?

Joonas Karhu: Yes, bonuses are a fundamental tool for online casinos to attract new players. They serve as an initial incentive, making the prospect of signing up more appealing. Our research at Bojoko shows that the right bonus can substantially affect the number of FTDs a casino can achieve each month.

Could you elaborate on the research you conduct? 

Joonas Karhu: Certainly. We track all FTDs we send to our operator partners and can extrapolate quite a lot of information from this dataset. We closely monitor how different brands convert compared to others and can see the difference in FTDs based on what pages they are listed on. We have several bonus-specific pages, and we can see the additional FTDs a brand receive when added here. We can also see which casinos get picked over others on our general lists. 

We also analyse what happens when a casino changes its bonus. For example, if a casino switches from a 100% bonus to a 200% bonus, we can directly observe the impact on their FTD numbers. This detailed tracking allows us to provide accurate and actionable insights to our partners.

What specific types of bonuses have the greatest impact on increasing FTDs?

Joonas Karhu: According to our data, it becomes instantly clear that increasing your bonus percentage above the usual 100% offer has a huge impact. Casinos that offer a bonus of 200% or higher can expect to gain an additional 8 to 15 FTDs per month just from our Bojoko.com. This kind of bonus is particularly attractive because it gives players more value for their initial deposit, increasing their willingness to sign up and start playing.

No-deposit bonuses are an even more effective strategy. Casinos that add a no-deposit bonus offer can expect to gain between 8 to 20 more FTDs monthly. These bonuses are particularly appealing because they allow players to try out the casino without any financial commitment, which significantly lowers the barrier to entry. However, this is a double-edged sword, as along with these new FTDs, a large number of players will just collect the bonus, play through it and never come back.

Have you noticed any impact with bonuses that go beyond 200%?

Joonas Karhu: Yes, and it is notable. Our data shows that casinos offering bonuses in the range of 400-500% can expect to see an additional 12 to 20 FTDs per month. That is, compared to a regular 100% bonus, not bonuses of 200% mind you. These extremely high bonuses are very enticing because they offer exceptional value, making players feel they are getting a fantastic deal right from the start. It is worth noting here that this benefit comes even if the bonus amount itself is small. You can get away with higher-than-average wagering requirements, though this does have an impact on the FTDs.

What makes these bonuses so effective in attracting new players?

Joonas Karhu: The effectiveness of these bonuses does not just lie in the value itself, though it is obviously a big factor. It first and foremost comes down to a casino’s ability to stand out and be noticed. Today, players find casinos through affiliates like Bojoko.com, and often, as they scroll through the top lists, the bonuses are the main thing they see and pay attention to. This is why even a 150% bonus can stand out and pop out at you.

There’s also a large number of players actively searching for casino bonuses of 200% or more. These players go to Bojoko, visit our page listing all UK casinos with 200% deposit bonus, and sign up directly from there. Having a welcome bonus of 200% or more, will get you onto our overviews on these high-conversion pages, and being present here has an instant impact. 

Are there any other factors that casinos should consider when designing their bonus offerings to maximise FTDs?

Joonas Karhu: Absolutely. While the percentage of the bonus and the inclusion of no-deposit offers are critical, the terms and conditions attached to these bonuses also play a significant role. 

Casinos need to ensure that their wagering requirements are reasonable and that the bonuses are easy to understand and redeem. Low-wagering and no-wagering bonuses have decent search volume and interest, and they will impact your conversion. Additional offers such as cashback will also have an impact, and so can something as simple as just changing your bonus from sticky to non-sticky.

If a casino has questions about what they can do to convert better with us, they can get in touch and we can give more concrete suggestions based on their brand and existing promotions.

Finally, do you have any advice for casinos looking to improve their bonus strategies?

Joonas Karhu: My advice would be to continuously analyse and adapt. The iGaming market is highly competitive, and player preferences change as well. Casinos should work closely with affiliate partners like Bojoko to gain insights into what bonuses resonate most with players and adjust their strategies accordingly. Regularly updating bonus offerings and experimenting with different types can help find the perfect mix that maximises FTDs and keeps players engaged in the long run.

Not too long ago, we also sat down with Joonas and discussed the iGaming landscape in the US. You can find the interview here.

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