Giving players a better experience on gaming sites

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Games sites and gaming apps have seen an influx of new players during the global lockdown.

Being forced to stay at home, the shortage of alternative forms of entertainment and the need to escape from anxiety and uncertainty has led to a huge surge of first-time players for both gambling sites and online or downloadable video games. But as the pandemic recedes and the outside world begins to reopen, the big question for these sites is how to retain those players and keep them coming back for more

Game sites and apps are well aware of the need to continually improve the experience for players to keep them engaged and active. To stay in business, they need to attract new players, keep existing ones and bring back former players who’ve drifted away. They want players to stick with them in a highly competitive market, and for them to engage with a range of games on a regular basis.

 

Fresh content

The best way to achieve this is to constantly update your site with fresh and preferably unique content, creating new games and also updating existing games regularly. Partnering with leading brands can give players a way in and can help to raise expectations. Of course, this only works if the games are of a consistently high quality.

NetEnt slot games include a high number of branded games that tie-in with existing film, TV or music franchises, giving players an extra interest and investment in the game. They also specialise in high-concept slots, with complex narratives, 3D graphics and multiple side quests.

It can be extremely difficult to stand out from the crowd in the slot market, where the basic design is the same but there are thousands of versions to choose from. NetEnt has succeeded by understanding the timeless appeal of a simple, classic game while always coming up with a new twist or variation to attract players. The opportunity to play games for free before playing with real money (and the possibility of large cash payouts) also helps attract new players to the latest games.

 

A secure environment

When people play games online, they want to feel that they are in a safe, secure environment that works as it should. The mechanism of how it works should be invisible and frictionless; generally, we only notice the mechanisms of a site when something goes wrong. If that happens, fast, reliable in-house customer support is also an important part of an improved experience.

Gambling sites invest a great deal in making sure they provide a secure payment and withdrawal system. Players should be able to deposit and take out money without the risk of their financial information being compromised in any way. Unfortunately, online fraudsters and thieves are continually becoming more sophisticated in their approach, so websites need to continually test and update their security in order to stay one step ahead.

 

Regular promotions

Players expect the gaming sites and apps they use to offer promotions, and many actively compare what’s available in order to choose the site where they’ll have the best advantage. Often the generosity of the promotions can outweigh the quality of the games in terms of the factors affecting a player’s decision on which site to patronise. So, in a competitive market, sites have to outdo each other in terms of bonuses, free spins, loyalty rewards and so on while still making sure they are turning a profit.

Creativity can be the key to making promotions stand out. Offering something a bit different from the usual will turn heads and attract players. Welcome bonuses are great for attracting new players, but long-term players also need to be kept sweet with regular rewards and extras to show their loyalty is appreciated.

 

Optimise for different platforms

There’s nothing worse than trying to play games on a website from your tablet or phone that’s only designed to work on a PC, and many players will give up if the site they choose isn’t optimised for their favoured platform. Thankfully, with mobile now the most popular way to access the internet, most paging providers now either make sure their site is accessible via multiple platforms or have a version specially designed for mobile users. A third alternative is to have a version of the site that can be downloaded as an app.

Making sure that the infrastructure of a site moves with the times is all part of giving players a better experience on gaming sites. Providers know that if they can’t give their customers state of the art entertainment, they’ll take their trade to someone who will. It’s a cut-throat market, but for players it’s a win-win situation, as the games and the offers just get better all the time.

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