In an insightful interview with SiGMA News, Ivana Flynn, iGaming SEO expert, shares her expertise on the nuances of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Through a detailed Q&A, she provides clarity on the intricacies of SEO and discusses its evolving nature in the digital landscape and why SEO is misunderstood.

What exactly is SEO, and how would you introduce it to a novice?
“SEO is anything you try to optimise for search engines. In search, we generally talk about Google because it holds a 90-something percent market share,” Ivana explains. “It’s about making sure your website appears at the top when someone searches for a relevant term, covering everything from the technical aspects to content and links.”

What are the different elements of SEO, and how do they contribute to a website’s success?
Ivana breaks it down: “The technical part ensures that search engines like Google can visit your website. You also need good content that tells what your site is about, like SiGMA’s conferences. Links act like votes, indicating that your site is a reputable source.”

Optimising for SEO

How significant is mobile optimisation in today’s SEO strategies?
“A few years back, Google shifted to mobile-first indexing. This means your website should be responsive across all devices,” Ivana states. “A lot of companies still cling to separate desktop and mobile sites, which isn’t ideal. A responsive site ensures consistency and crawlability across devices.”

What are the challenges when it comes to SEO? Could SEO optimisation adversely affect a company’s profits or revenue-making ability?

“SEO is integral, especially for operators, due to its technical nature,” Ivana notes. “From day one, it should be part of the business strategy. Without proper implementation, other entities could capitalise on your brand’s search queries, impacting your traffic and profits.”

What the future of SEO looks like

How do AI and SEO interplay? Are they allies or adversaries?

“I’d say they’re ‘frenemies,'” Ivana remarks. “While AI tools support us by automating tasks, many SEOs have abused AI, cluttering the web with poor content. Google has since tightened its policies, emphasising content by humans, for humans. AI should be an aid, not a crutch.”

With everyone adopting SEO, how can a company stand out?

“It really depends what the company wants. Some companies just want to play with their brand name, Other companies are going after competitive keywords, such as casino, online casino, betting, online betting. It depends how the company is built and what their focus is, and therefore what kind of SEO they’re going after. It has everything to do with the quality of SEO expertise and the strategies employed,” Ivana explains. “SEO knowledge comes with experience, it involves understanding technical setups and avoiding pitfalls like buying unsuitable links.

For instance if you are stuck in your old ways, you are missing out on traffic channels like and Reddit. Reddit grew unprecedentedly in last year on traffic. there’s some 90 million visitors a day through Reddit, and another 50 million searching outside of Reddit and landing on Reddit to look for data. Reddit is growing and if you’re not digitalising, you’re simply missing out on a massive traffic that you can use to your advantage.”

Is SEO evolving, and what lies ahead?

“Everybody thinks SEO is dead, but I’ve been in SEO for 16 years and I keep hearing it every year. SEO is here to stay but is constantly changing,” Ivana acknowledges. “With AI overviews and emerging search engines, the landscape is shifting. SEO professionals must stay informed and adaptable.”

SEO is misunderstood

One final word that encapsulates SEO.

“Misunderstood,” Ivana says. “If you are not knowledgeable in SEO, you might think that you create a website and then you switch on something and it’s going to work. This is a clear misunderstanding of SEO, because SEO is everything. SEO is your code, your server, your content, your backlink, SEO is how you work with all the other channels, SEO is in everything, so it’s a complex, vital discipline.”

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