Best Marketing and Promotion Strategies For Online Games
What started as perhaps a niche hobby by a minority, the gaming industry has evolved into a multi-billion dollar global business. With there being such a vast amount of games in competition for the players’ attention, publishers and developers must deploy extensive marketing and promotional strategies to stand out in the crowded market. Therefore, whether a new game launch or maintenance of your title at the top of the game chart is on the agenda, a well crafted marketing strategy is vital to capture the attention of your audience.
One promotional strategy that has been around for some time now and is the most effective is offering promotional offers or incentives, such as the popular Boylesports sign up offer which is a welcome bonus for new customers, this is one of many examples of a perfect way to attract more players.
As you can imagine, when incentivising a sign up with special bonuses or deals it is more likely to attract new customers as well as peak the interest of existing players. With the gambling industry being so competitive, any bonus offer could be the difference in a player choosing one establishment over another, one game over another. Rewards such as in-game currency, discounts or exclusive items add value to a player’s game experience but also fosters loyalty amongst players who are then more likely to repeatedly come back.
The impact of social media for organic growth
Social media is the pinnacle for game developers to leverage their products to the masses. With billions of active users across a multitude of platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, it means developers can reach vast amounts of people with relatively minimal expenditure. With ease they can create engaging content such as sneak previews of the game content to your target audience hoping to excite them pre-launch and during.
Building a community is also key in the gaming industry as this is where people will share their experiences, provide feedback and stay in the know on all upcoming features and events, sometimes before anyone else.
Influencer marketing is the future
Influencer marketing has become the cornerstone of marketing strategies across multiple industries and now game production. By partnering with content creators and gamers who are well known, developers can reach highly engaged audiences far and wide. The reason they work so well is because of their credibility and trust they have built with the followers, making any endorsements very effective at driving demand, downloads and engagement.
It is very important to choose wisely when selecting influencers to work with to make sure they have an audience that aligns with your target demographic as well as it is something that aligns with them as a brand. Micro-influencers, though have a smaller following, have higher engaged audiences that can take an action just as much as a larger influencer’s audience base, yet usually come at a significantly lower cost.
A game’s website is everything!
One of the most important features of any marketing strategy is the game’s actual website, given this is usually the first point of contact a player has, therefore making a good impression really counts. Vibrant, engaging and interactive should be the focus of any successful website, providing all the information a player should need whilst offering elements to encourage them to explore further.
Features such as demo games, blogs from the creation of the game, trailers and community forums where players might discuss their opinions on the game are all good starting points. They serve as promotional tools and a hub, which also aid in SEO, as by integrating best practices it will make sure your website ranks highly within the search engine results to drive more organic traffic.
Free trials and demos will get them talking
How else could you expect to create a real buzz around a game if no-one has played it, or at least played a small snippet? One of the most effective ways to get players hooked and then in turn wanting more is to offer them the chance to experience the game firsthand. This is usually a free offering to entice them to effectively try before they buy.
Therefore it is important to note some of the most successful marketing and promotional strategies for online games and approach it from multiple angles that combine all forms of traditional and digital marketing techniques. Leveraging social media, influencer partnerships and offering players the chance to trial the game will adopt an engaged and excited audience, leading to great success in your strategy.
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