The travails of betting and gaming SEO during a year of chaotic activity by Google is the subject of the cover story for the launch issue of SBC’s new Affiliate Leaders magazine.

The feature focuses on Ivana Flynn, SEO director for Medier Agency, who breaks down the impact of Google’s efforts to clampdown on AI content abuse and parasite SEO, as well as the fallout from the June spam update and the botched launch of AI Overviews.

“We can conclude that building a brand is essential in the new AI era, that protecting your brand is a good and healthy practice,” Flynn summarises after examining the latest developments.

“If you are practicing parasite SEO, make sure to diversify your strategy as Google is after you! And lastly, don’t get comfortable and stop learning as Google keeps changing the rules of the game!”

Issue 1 of Affiliate Leaders magazine, which will be available in print at the Affiliate Leaders Summit in Lisbon later this month, features a host of other SEO-focused content.

It includes an interview with Head of SEO at Time2Play Media Deirdre Savage about the impact of Google’s AI Overviews, a look at winning search strategies with Chief Executive of PeakyAds Vasilii Gamov and a guide to E-E-A-T with contributions from Maja Jovancevic, head of SEO at Gentoo Media, Betsson’s SEO Lead Milica Kuzmanovic, Dina Drakatou, head of SEO at Medier Agency, and Liga Tarasova, editor-in-chief at OnlineGamblers.com.

Readers can also look forward to an interview with Game Lounge CEO Richard Dennys, who, having moved from outside the sector, details his main concerns about the iGaming affiliate industry.

“The biggest difference is the lack of maturity or any kind of complexity regarding the tracking and attribution compared to where I have come from in retail/e-commerce,” Dennys says.

“Gaming affiliates do lag in certain areas, particularly in adopting advanced tracking technologies. The sector can benefit from similar advancements to enhance transparency and trust, I am sure of that.”

Elsewhere in the magazine, Clever Advertising’s Vanda Silva talks about international expansion and Max Bischel, Gambling.com Group’s EVP of North America, discusses the idea of licensing affiliates. Jai Maw, founder of Betting Hero, explains how to navigate Ontario’s marketing regulations and Martyn Hannah, founder & MD of Comparasino, and Sue Dawson, head of content at FTD Digital, debate the impact of AI on content strategies.

There’s an examination of the US market, a look at the role of affiliates in delivering responsible gambling messaging, an interview with QiH Group COO Andrew Lee about how to enter a new market, a chat with Floris Assies, founder and CEO of Better World Casinos, about the importance of ESG, and an exploration of Better Collective’s M&A strategy. Affiliates can also pick up some tips on the effective use of influencer