Exclusive Interview with Kseniia Korolchuk of Endorphina: The Woman Convincing Affiliates That Providers Deserve a Seat at the Table

Meet Kseniia Korolchuk: Rethinking Affiliate Partnerships

Joshua: Thanks for carving out time for this interview, Kseniia. It's always thrilling to connect with partnership trailblazers like yourself who are driving innovative affiliate strategies in the iGaming space.

Kseniia: Thank you. We are always open to communication and grateful for the opportunity to talk about working with affiliates - not in the standard casino - affiliate model, but by including the slot provider in this chain as well.

The Biggest Misconception About Slot Providers

Joshua: To kick things off on a fun note, what's one unexpected lesson you've learned about the iGaming world since joining Endorphina that still makes you smile?

Kseniia: I realized that many people don’t see the difference between a slot provider and a casino. One of the main lessons I’ve learned is to tell at the very beginning: we don’t have an affiliate program or revenue share, and my goal isn’t to “steal” an affiliate from their favorite casino partners. On the contrary, we help them turn their traffic into revenue by providing creative campaigns with attractive slots. 

Endorphina’s Philosophy on Affiliate Collaboration

Joshua: Can you walk us through Endorphina's philosophy on affiliate partnerships? What sets your approach apart from competitors in building these relationships?

Kseniia: We are one of the few slot providers that work directly with affiliates and influencers. There are so many different projects in the industry, and I’m constantly amazed by the creative ideas partners come up with to attract traffic and build player communities. Because of this, we strive to be very flexible and tailor deals to each partner, offering ideas that fit their specific project. We’re always open to discussing new concepts, and if they align with our marketing strategy, we’re more than happy to get involved.

How Endorphina Selects and Onboards Affiliates

Joshua: How does Endorphina select and onboard new affiliates to ensure they're a great fit for promoting your slots and games?

Kseniia: Overall, the steps are similar to those of a casino affiliate team:

• Get familiar with the project and its requests.
• Analyze the traffic sources to see if they meet our standards.
• Share our vision for the partnership if we have any ideas.
• Discuss the terms, and if they align with our criteria and marketing strategy, we start working together.

If a promotion requires using a casino product, the process naturally becomes more complex and approvals can take longer. I really hope that in the future we’ll be able to speed up communication.

I’d also like to note that we rarely sign long-term deals right away - usually, we start with a 1 - 2 month test period to make sure both sides are comfortable working together and that the results meet expectations. I believe this is a true win-win approach for us.

Key Metrics Endorphina Uses to Measure Affiliate Success

Joshua: What key performance metrics do you prioritize when evaluating affiliate success, and how do you support them to hit those targets?

Kseniia: It would be fair to say that our methods for analyzing performance are tailored to each specific partner. Is a tough question and a pain point for an affiliate team at a slot provider, because we don’t have the same level of transparency as a casino, where traffic can be tracked across multiple metrics.

A key criterion for us are the total bets and spins on a product or on specific slots. However, there are many variables - tracking performance across a large product is much more difficult than for a smaller casino. That’s why other criteria should also be taken into account, such as reach, the number of FTDs generated by the partner during the promotion, the number of promo code activations for free spins, the number of participants in social media campaigns, and so on.

Tools and Resources Endorphina Offers Affiliates

Joshua: In a crowded market, how does Endorphina empower affiliates with unique tools, creatives, or data insights to drive better conversions?

Kseniia: - We have a client zone where partners can access all necessary promotional materials, subscribe to our news and slots releases. We are also happy to provide statistical insights and valuable information for affiliates looking to optimize their campaigns.

- We offer direct API integration, allowing affiliates to upload our entire slot library seamlessly.

- It’s worth noting that we are one of the few providers with tools for integration into social casinos and the ability to run tournaments within player communities.

- Finally, if an affiliate requires specific promotional materials or information not included in the standard dashboard, we are ready to provide custom assets tailored to their platforms. We are very open and flexible with affiliates.

Building Long-Term Loyalty with Affiliate Partners

Joshua: What's Endorphina's strategy for fostering long-term loyalty with top-performing affiliates?

Kseniia: I believe that, just like for affiliate program managers, the key to success lies in a combination of factors: open communication, a fair reward system, performance analytics, and a forward-looking development plan. Sometimes it makes sense to start small and scale up gradually, rather than trying to take everything at once and risk hitting a rejection from controllers in future deals.

Future Trends in Provider - Affiliate Partnerships

Joshua: Looking ahead, what emerging trends in affiliate marketing excite you most for Endorphina's future partnerships?

Kseniia: I feel that affiliates are becoming more open to collaborating directly with slot providers. We can see a positive trend even compared to last year. Whereas before we were constantly approaching partners with collaboration ideas, now they come to us with proposals themselves. This shows that slot providers are gradually entering the circle of affiliates’ interests. I believe that in the future, the casino - affiliate - slot provider model will become increasingly common, and coordinating all three parties will become easier and faster.

Life Beyond iGaming: Kseniia’s Sources of Inspiration

Joshua: Outside of iGaming, what's a hobby or passion that helps you recharge and bring fresh energy to your role?

Kseniia: It’s actually quite simple:

1. Swimming in the pool in the evenings.
2. Traveling (even if it’s exhausting business trips - they’re still very inspiring).
3. Connecting with creative people who are passionate about what they do. In fact, this is one of the reasons I love working with affiliates - they think outside the box and really into their projects!

Kseniia’s Advice for Future iGaming Marketers

Joshua: Finally, what's one piece of advice you'd give to aspiring marketers dreaming of a career in iGaming partnerships?

Kseniia: iGaming is complicated, and I would say extremely dynamic. At the same time, building something new and earning authority and trust takes time.

Give yourself and your team the time and resources, work hard and everything will fall into place.