Rakeback Manager Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about the Rakeback Manager Software that I receive. If your question isn't answered here, please use the contact page to submit your question and I will get back to you ASAP.

Do I need rakeback software? If you run a poker rakeback service, or any other online business, one of the things I'm sure you know already is that appearance can help make your business look professional. Although some members might signup with a service who has a shoddy looking website or member's area, most won't because appearance can indicate quality of service. The Rakeback Manager Suite will not only make your business look professional, it will be professional.

What are some of the benefits I will receive using rakeback software? First, and foremost, is that your members will trust you, and that leads to more referrals from your members. Second, you will not be spending all of your time handling simple technical support requests. Third, rakeback services that are not automated, drop a lot of information through the cracks, resulting in emails not getting answered, support requests not getting resolved, and generally unhappy members. If you run an excellent customer service program, a member will refer your service to three or more of their friends; if you run a shoddy business, a member will complain about your service to thirty-three or more of their friends.

Why should I trust your software? Our software is currently in use by some of the biggest poker affiliates today. Many of our affiliates run their businesses in very different ways, which testifies to the extremely versatile nature of the software. We would be delighted to give you professional references and you can see for yourself. Due to our privacy statement, we can not advertise or post our references on the website but we can provide a few of them that have agreed to be references.

How long does it take to get a site online? Depending on your approach to running your business, a new site can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. If you have existing web sites that simply need to "plugin" to a database, setup can be within a few hours. We have "basic" templates that can be used if you are pressed for time and also need a front end web site to promote rooms. Generally speaking, the more sophisticated the front end website, the more complicated to get the backend integrated.

What is your support policy? We always offer our poker affiliate managers practically immediate support either through email, instant messenger or telephone.

Can you design my site for me? Yes, we have basic design services available if you need them. Basic template designs are FREE to you but you always have the option of finding your own designer. Custom website designs can start around $500 typically. Give us a call or send us an email .

Can I install Rakeback Manager on my site? Rakeback Manager is a LAMP application (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/PERL), and includes several specialized libraries, database tables and cron processes, all of which operate on our servers that are well-maintained. For these reasons, Rakeback Manager is a "hosted" solution. We do not install software on servers that we do not manage ourselves.

How much does your service cost? Depending on your needs, many different and flexible options are available such as cost per seat, cost per active member or revenue share. Give us a call or send us an email.

What are my chances of being a successful poker affiliate? We've seen people with no experience do quite well and we've seen some affiliates make absolutely no progress growing their business. Getting members to signup takes marketing experience and dedication. It helps to know others in the industry as well, and it helps to write articles, maintain blogs, etc. for driving traffic to your site. It also helps to run frequent promotions such as rake races and leaderboards. Most importantly it will help if you maintain an active site with frequently updated pages to attract search engine traffic, which takes experience with keyword research and relevent content writing. The bottom line is that you will get back what you put into it. Don't think for a second that you can just slap up a few pages and the money will start rolling in — nothing works that way regardless of what the internet gurus would have you believe.

Are there setup charges for this service? There are no setup charges.

I have my own site. How can I use Rakeback Manager? It isn't necessary to host your current website with us. You can purchase a domain name just to host the service and then put a link on your existing sites to the signup form and add a login box. All of your sites can then feed directly into your rakeback backend service. Rakeback Manager tracks where signups come from so it is also possible to have members in your database that belong to several different sites. Each site can be configured separately so it is also possible to have each set of members see a different look and feel.

Can you tell me please what it will cost me to use your rakeback tracking software on my own existing site. Prices for RakebackManager are $1.50 per month per active player. Active players are defined as a member that has actually earned rakeback in the current month.

Can I just integrate your software into my site seamlessly so that it appears that my clients are staying with me? We don't install Rakeback Manager on servers that we don't maintain but you can get a domain specifically for your members to login such as "domain-members.com". Rakeback Manager can be then be "skinned" on this domain to look like your existing site.

Am I still in control of my clients when using your software? Unlike other rakeback software systems, Rakeback Manager was designed so that you promote your own cardrooms (not someone else's), and you own and manage your own members. We only provide the infrastructure. You must manage your own helpdesk, faqs, etc. The admin panel allows you to export your member's info into Excel anytime you wish.

I have read that doing a rake back site can be time consuming and alot of work. Managing the web site can be a lot of work if you want to rank well and get good traffic. Managing members can also be a lot of work unless you automate some of the tasks such as signing up members, managing member referrals, handling cashouts, assisting members with basic "how do i" questions.

How does your software works? Rakeback Manager is a hosted solution in that you register a domain name and set the DNS of the domain name to point to your hosting account. Your hosting account is free and provides all the bells and whistles that a normal hosting account would have. Rakeback Manager is also installed on your hosting account. Your front end web site (where you post your offers, signup form, and login form) can either be on the same hosting account, or, if you prefer, can be a web site you maintain with some other provider. Think of Rakeback Manager as a "specialized web site hosting account". We manage the database, email, backups, and basic infrastructure to keep your web site running without interruption.

How much does it cost? Rakeback Manager is unique in that it is not a service that you signup with and then you promote the service's rooms. Rakeback Manager is a service where you promote your own rooms. The rakeback profit you earn is 100% yours. The Rakeback Manager fee is $1.50 per month per active player. Rakeback Manager distinguishes between active players and non-active players by examining the stats you upload for each of your card rooms. There is actually a sliding cost based on number of active players. The more active players you recruit, the cheaper the cost. Charging a monthly fee is what separates Rakeback Manager from other rake back software systems. In other systems, you are actually promoting the services links and helping to build their player base. With Rakeback Manager, you are building your own player base.

How does the rake back get added? When you signup as an affiliate with a card room, you will be given a login to access your stats. You simply export the player stats to excel, remove all the columns except for the two that are important, save the spreadsheet as a CSV, and then login to Rakeback Manager and upload the stats for that card room. If you promote 5 card rooms, then you have to upload the stats 5 times, once for each card room. This can be done daily, once a week, or once a month.

Is your product a one time fee or a monthly fee? Affiliates using Rakeback Manager are charged a monthly fee based on the total number of active players for the current month.

If I have a site designed will I be able to incorporate your product into an existing website? You can simply add links to the signup form, host the signup form yourself, and provide a login box on your existing site. Some affiliates currently have several sites that are hosted elsewhere and they all feed into their Rakeback Manager database.