Writers, in my opinion, have alter egos they must continuously grow and hone. It is a part of you that needs a different set of skills to survive the perilous jungle that is the ever-changing landscape of the online content consumption machine. And here’s the thing…
Anonymity is no longer an option for iGaming writers
And I get it! That’s really why, probably half my fellow writers chose this as a profession. Let’s face it, gambling used to be perceived as everyone’s dirty little secret, and for a long time, being part of the industry wasn’t something people bragged about.
The times allowed affiliate sites promoting gambling to remain untraceable back to the real people behind them. So authors writing for these sites had the option to remain anonymous when reviewing and rating casino games or platforms.
However, Google and common sense came along. It is unthinkable that websites that have anything to do with your money as a whole and gambling in particular would be left off the hook.
So now you will hardly find an iGaming affiliate site without a detailed About Us page listing all the people behind the project. Including authors.
And I mean real authors, not some AI-generated persona with a fake picture and fake social account.
My author’s bio page, for instance, proves to Google and readers that I exist. Yes, there is a Katerina Gadzheva in the real world who does play casino games and reviews gambling sites. And she’s been doing it for over 10 years.
So this only comes to prove that…
Author Bio Pages are Your CV Now
Building trust in you as a writer means you need to pick up your bio-filling game. Treat it as your personal card or CV. Don’t just write several sentences with no substance as an introduction.
Your bio should sell you, so make it count.
Fill in your name and socials, and no matter what, never use nicknames or different aliases. Your bio is also the place where you need to outline what makes you a valuable writer. So think about your specific areas of expertise in the field. For instance, I like to highlight my firsthand experience as a player, my KYC expertise, and my unmatched research skills, especially when it comes to complex gambling law topics.
The bottom line is that your bio pages are permanent, often-overlooked prime E-E-A-T real estate.
And still, just having a nice name card will never be enough. What you need more than anything is…
Know Your Audience, Engage Your Audience, Be Part of Your Audience
I have always loved expressing myself through the written word. But I have never ever written to people from a higher stand. I want to engage with my readers and make them feel I’m talking with them and not to them.
How do I do it? I keep track of what really matters! Writing helpful content that addresses pain points for users.
And how do I know what triggers a casino player?
It’s really simple. I listen to what real players have to say in forums and chat rooms across casinos and iGaming affiliate sites. I comb through complaints and real review sites daily. I also engage with players on social media daily.
Being an iGaming writer, a good one, is so much more than putting words to paper (or in our case pixels onto a digital white canvas). It means becoming part of a community and knowing exactly where you stand within it.
Not on the sidelines looking in; not on a pedestal looking down. You need to mingle with the real players, listen to them, and lend your voice to them.
That is, in my view, essential for building your E-E-A-T persona without stripping off your humanity.
Of course, talking about humanity, I cannot help but stress how important it is to…
Be a Person First, an E-E-A-T Persona Second
With all that being said so far, I must often remind myself of my bottom line and which line not to cross.
I may sell my writing services for hire, but never my consciousness. I will never take on a job that disregards responsible gambling practices.
Transparency is also a big green flag for me. So I always try to be transparent when I work for affiliates that may take a commission from a link included in a piece I have written.
Overall, I believe an E-E-A-T persona can mean experience, expertise, authority, and trust, but only after you morally check all other boxes that make you a good human being first and foremost.