How to Attract and Retain an Audience in Social (Free) Casino Apps

Category:
Published:
15.01.2023
Read Time:
10 minutes
Edited:
09.08.2024

Over the past few years, social casinos have gained popularity. This is easily explained by several factors: interactive mechanics, free betting coins, and the ability to play with friends. Free sites are popular with players of different ages — each age group uses different mechanics to attract and retain attention. We'll talk more about them in the article.

Attention retention mechanics in free casinos

Creators of free (social) casinos confirm - it is not enough just to attract the audience. It must be held. In other words: you need to make the registered players regularly go to the application and play the machines. 

To solve this problem requires more than just a large catalog with slot machines and a variety of bonuses. To keep the attention of the audience developers use such mechanics:

  1. Quests. They are in most social casinos and are implemented as follows: the player performs a task and gets a prize for it (coins or free spins). Often there are seasons - a staged competition limited in time. For the passage of the entire season is a big prize.
  2. Promotional offers in the mailing list or in the notifications. If a player doesn't log in to the platform for a long time, he will probably receive a popup notification or email with a promo offer in a couple of days, with 100% probability. If the user is interested in the game, he will take advantage of the promo and continue to play. Such promos often involve vouchers or promo codes - in addition to managing to get the player's attention back, the casino also profits from the purchase. 
  3. Updates to the casino or catalog with games. Social casinos compete with each other on the number of games in the catalog. Since over time, users get bored playing the same slot machines, the directory is periodically updated with new products. Announcement of new games developers complement the special promo.
  4. Events. Some social casinos or casual applications provide events - these are short-term promotional offers. They pop up in the application randomly and are valid for a limited time. For a specified period of time, you need to perform a task (collect the specified symbols, spin the wheel, etc.) and a prize will automatically be accrued. 

gamble

Mechanics such as quests or tournaments keep users' attention for reasons such as:

  • regular task updates;
  • there is a progress bar;
  • the type and size of the bonus is known in advance;
  • are valid for a limited time;
  • are available to every player without reference to his level and status. 

The easiest way to keep the attention of younger players - from 12 to 18 years. This is due to the peculiarities of the psyche. They are easily involved and quickly switch their attention. If we are talking about older players (from 18 years), they know how to prioritize. Therefore, the task of social casino developers is to come up with and implement such mechanics that would be universal for all users. 

Advertising in social casinos

You can meet social or free casino advertisements on different platforms - Youtube, social networks and search engines. The emphasis in the advertisements is on such aspects:

  1. Free play. To play in social casinos, you do not need to replenish your account and register. Bets are made on virtual coins, so it is not possible to withdraw the winnings. 
  2. Playing in a team (with friends). Free casinos are not just called social. Most sites give the opportunity to team up, participate in tournaments or quests. 
  3. Chances of winning the jackpot. Just like in the usual casinos, in some slot machines the jackpot (a large cash prize) is played. It can only be fixed - the size of the winnings is set by the site. The nuance is that it is impossible to withdraw the winnings. 

Advertising of gambling entertainment is regulated by law. Thus, it is necessary to indicate the age limits in advertisements - access to the casino is allowed only if you are 18 or 21 years old. Unconventional approach to advertising ensures that the ad will attract the attention of players: they are not just follow the link, but download the application on your phone and play.

Social casino ads also emphasize communication. In gambling clubs there is a special chat room for this purpose. Special bonuses are given for attracting friends. Gifts can be exchanged with other players - these and other ways of social interaction make casinos popular among players of all ages.

Ads are shown in social networks as well. They are not blocked on Google Play or the App Store. On Facebook, ads are spun off in the format of Playable Ads - this allows you to demonstrate how social casinos work in practice. 

Games in social casinos are played for entertainment purposes only. The player does not use real money for betting and can not withdraw the winnings. This is also indicated in advertisements, which attracts a large layer of the audience. 

Free casinos and social networks

Most gambling clubs are active on social networks - Facebook and Instagram. The communities not only publish up-to-date information about new products and updates, but you can get various promotional offers. They are drawn in an interactive way - the player needs to perform certain actions in order to receive a prize.

Incentives come in different forms:

  • a bag of free coins;
  • free spins;
  • promo codes;
  • exclusive cards;
  • access to participate in tournaments.

To use the rewards, you need to be a registered user of the site. Prizes are given according to the principle: the player fulfills the conditions of the promo offer and receives prizes in the form of a link. Next, it is necessary to click on it, so that the cash rewards will be credited to the balance. 

social-networks

Free casinos are active on social media for several reasons:

  • attracting an audience;
  • retaining active users;
  • issuing promotional offers;
  • publishing ads;
  • notifications of new products.

This is also a great method to attract interested players. Users go to the site's page and clearly see its features. With the help of publications, one can briefly get acquainted with the casino's gameplay, its bonus offers, and novelties of the catalog. Publications also provide an opportunity to assess the relevance of the site among users. 

The method of socialization in the casino

Free casinos emphasize socialization. This allows players to play in the company of friends and other users, team up and participate in tournaments. Each of the above methods of socialization has certain advantages:

  1. Inviting friends. For inviting friends players get a special bonus - it can be a package of free coins or freespins. The number of friends that can be invited is not limited. The bonus is credited only if the player registers for the first time at the site.
  2. Teaming up. This option is not mandatory, but in some casinos gives access to additional benefits. For example, you can get exclusive cards or exchange gifts. Some sites additionally have team competitions - participation in them opens up access to valuable prizes.
  3. Personal messages. Each social casino has a personal cabinet. It displays messages from other users and important notifications. This allows you to communicate with other players and exchange prizes. 

The socialization of free casinos happens through social networks as well. Sites like Slotomania or House of Fun from Playtika actively maintain pages on Facebook and Instagram - these are thematic communities where you can not only find out the current updates, but also ask questions and interact with other players in the comments. 

Keeping a player's attention on different platforms

To make the article clear, let's break down the attention-retention mechanics on the example of specific platforms - Slotomania and House of Fun. These are social casinos from Playtika that follow the main principle - the game is played for entertainment purposes.

slotomania

To keep the attention of players in Slotomania uses such mechanics:

  1. Level system. Each player is assigned a level. It determines the amount of incentives and access to games in the catalog. The player knows what affects the level and how to move up in the system - with this in mind, actively placing bets and spend more time playing in the casino.
  2. The road of levels. It consists of points, upon achievement of which a special prize is awarded. At each point it is necessary to perform a task. The advantage of the mechanics is a clear progress bar.
  3. SlotoClub. This mechanics is focused on active users. It is based on the accumulation of points, the assignment of status and obtaining valuable prizes. The difference between the club and the standard loyalty program is the limited time available. Players come to actively play in order to retain membership. 

Interactive mechanics are also in place at House of Fun Casino, GameTwist, Caesars Slots, Gaminator Slots and many others. In addition to the tier system and the Playtika Rewards Loyalty Program, they are used to attract attention:

  • Quest system. Players need to accumulate special symbols and get cash prizes for it. The action of each quest is limited in time - this forces the player to spend more time in the casino and play the machines more actively. Using this mechanics casino performs two tasks: keeps the attention and encourages players for activity. 
  • Daily Bonuses. This is a standard mechanic that can be seen at many gaming sites. House of Fun provides a daily bonus for entering the platform, a wheel of fortune, and a time bonus. Because of the opportunity to receive rewards, players actively enter the casino and use the bonuses received to play. 
  • Activity in social networks. If you go to the casino page on Facebook, you can notice that new promos are published every day. The platform also conducts polls about updates, interactive drawings, announces new products in time and answers players' questions. This makes the casino's audience loyal and therefore increases the likelihood that the user will stay on the platform. 

These are the basic mechanics used by social casinos. The concept of the sites also helps to retain attention - players know that no deposit is required to play, so they are free to spend their time playing. This also reduces the risk of gambling addiction. 

Quite often players are registered at several social casinos at the same time. This is due to the fact that different platforms offer different incentives and a catalog of games. Therefore, the platforms have the additional task of making sure that the player spends the main time in their casino. 

Conclusion

The social (free) casino industry is actively developing. This is expressed in several aspects:

  • the number of players is growing;
  • Increasing number of app downloads on Google Play and App Store;
  • the growing popularity of sites in social networks;
  • active addition of new slot machines;
  • the introduction of new trends in the gaming market;
  • addition of interactive game mechanics;
  • emphasis on socialization between players.

Relevant is the question for casino developers about keeping the player's attention. On different platforms it is solved in different ways - quests and tournaments are actively conducted, team competitions and player leagues are implemented, social networks are actively conducted and individual promotional offers are created. 

Each of these mechanics has both advantages and disadvantages. They have also proven themselves in different ways: some work worse and some work better. What is constant is that the platforms try to attract and retain the attention of every player. 

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