Online gaming is big business with millions of people every day trying their luck and skill with the hope of winning a fortune of their own. So it’s no surprise that there’s a great deal of competition between long-established sites and new start-ups to grab a share of the very lucrative market.
But, as they say, there’s great risk behind great rewards so if you really want to be a player it’s going to take time, money and effort to get into the game, as well as having many hurdles to cross on the way.
The first thing to realise is that even a relatively simple igaming site is going to need to be a flexible and dynamic entity which is 100% secure and trustworthy for players. So, to get you started, here are a few tips to designing a great-looking and professional site.
Have a clear vision
The first thing to do is to have a very good idea about the website that you’re going to develop. For example it’s important that it has its own distinctive visual style and maybe even games that no-one else can offer.
Make it mobile
With more and more people choosing to play online via mobile devices it’s vital that you make sure that any iGaming site you develop is optimised for display and play through these, especially if you’re aiming for a younger audience.
Off the shelf or bespoke
At the heart of your site is going to be the software that drives it. You’ll find you’ll have a choice of using software that already exists and adapting it to your needs or paying for a bespoke version to be created. The former’s the most cost-effective option, but the latter’s going to give you more control over functionality.
User experience is everything
If a site’s hard to navigate and isn’t intuitive then it’s unlikely that players will stay on it for long – similarly, if the design looks unattractive or amateurish you’ll be putting yourself at an immediate disadvantage. So make sure that the user experience is as good as you can possibly make it.
Be safe and secure
As already mentioned, the trustworthiness of your site is of paramount importance so clearly show all the security measures you have taken and let players know your policy about keeping their details safe.
Imitate, but don’t copy
Take a look around for sites that you think work well. Then analyse what’s so good about them and try to incorporate these features into your own. It doesn’t mean doing a straight copy. It’s more about isolating elements and creating your own versions of them.
Test, test and test again
The last, and by far the most important point, is to continually test your site using a variety of different devices. You’re sure to notice glitches along the way and these can be corrected immediately. The inadvisable alternative is to wait until the site’s complete and then go back to correct them – but this runs a real risk of overlooking some which will then affect the user experience.
Finally, remember that even Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg had to start somewhere. So keep the faith and follow these simple steps and, just maybe, you’ll be heading to Davos yourself one day!
