Callum Broxton, CheckdMedia: "Affiliates and bookmakers alike can no longer afford to be lazy"

With the Betting on Football conference and Digital Marketing Forum just around the corner, CheckdMedia caught up with their Head of Social Callum Broxton, to discuss his hopes and aspirations for the event. Broxton will speak on a panel entitled ‘Is Betting Anti-Social… – Is brand narrative a lost discipline?’ on the first day of the Stamford Bridge event. Read the full interview below.
CheckdMedia: How long have you been at CheckdMedia?
Callum Broxton: I’ve worked at CheckdMedia for just under three years now, joining bang in the middle of Euro 2016 which was a real baptism of fire. I initially joined as a social media assistant after seeing one of the brands tweet asking for applicants. I was travelling in America at the time and had a Skype interview in the living room of my Airbnb in LA which was surreal.
Since joining, I’ve progressed through the social team, starting out as an assistant before becoming an executive, then manager of one of our brands. I’m now our Head of Social, overseeing the social strategy for our in-house brands as well as working with external clients, helping them to transform their social output.
CM: CheckdMedia is a leader in socially-led betting. Which direction is this phenomenon headed?
CB: People say socially-led betting is going to be the next big thing but in reality, it’s been the big thing for the past century. The challenge today is how the industry maximises delivery while the revolution from physical to digital continues to morph and transition unpredictably. The real ‘next big thing(s)’ are private groups, temporary posts and private messaging. These three key areas are the ones the social platforms will be investing in most as they’re where the users are spending significant and ever-increasing amounts of their time.
Private groups on Facebook are already favoured by their much-maligned algorithm and the integration of messaging services on Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger is not far away. As we move ever closer to a time where social media is all-encompassing, it’s imperative that industry players are fully committed to developing a comprehensive approach to social media or they risk literally disappearing from the face of this new social world.
CM: What do you hope to gain from speaking at Betting on Football?
CB: I’m keen to gain a greater insight into how the industry, particularly bookmakers, approach social media. There’s no doubt attitudes towards it have improved and it’s so easy to see who’s committed to becoming social-first and who isn’t.
The size of that ‘isn’t’ column is startling to me as, like I alluded to earlier, social media is going to dominate everything in the very near future, even more so than it is already. I’m also looking forward to sharing my thoughts on the directions the various platforms are headed and how this can be capitalised on and taken advantage of.
CM: What do you think have been the biggest changes in the industry during your career?
CB: During my career, the biggest change by far has been the increased compliance regulations, and rightly so. Aside from bringing the affiliate industry up to scratch in terms of advertising standards, which was much needed, it has also benefited the followers no end.
Affiliates and bookmakers alike can no longer afford to be lazy in how they capture the attention of their audiences. This circles back nicely to my earlier point about having a comprehensive social strategy and simply put; without one people don’t see what you’re putting out there.
To hear Broxton and a host of other thought leaders, book your tickets for Betting on Football, kicking off at Stamford Bridge later today, HERE. Book your tickets for the Affiverse-run Digital Marketing Forum, which is running in tandem with Betting on Football, HERE.