The video games market is huge and it’s only getting bigger. With 3.1 billion users and a projected market volume of $467 billion by 2027, marketing for video games is a must if you want to make an impact and keep up with others in the industry.
What is Video Game Marketing?
Video game marketing is the art of driving attention towards your new game to entice your target audience to make a purchase. Creating, developing, and launching a game is a good start but it’s simply not enough on its own. You need to implement a targeted marketing strategy to stand out against the plethora of competitors and have any chance at success.
Creating Memorable Campaigns
Thousands of video games are released every year. Whilst that’s great for gamers, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for developers and publishers to make a name for themselves and connect with their target market (unless they’re already a market giant of course!) With this in mind, you need an innovative team behind your campaigns to help ensure they’re memorable. Easier said than done though, right?
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to video game marketing. When you work with a specialist agency like VerriBerri, however, we will take time to understand your brand and its niches. Playing to your strengths, we will formulate unique campaigns that stand out among the masses.
Growing your Indie Game on a Budget
Indie games are created by independent developers and they’re becoming increasingly popular. However, one of the biggest challenges that indie game developers face is getting the word out due their smaller budgets. Here are three top tips that you should consider:
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Choose the Right Platform
Building customer persona profiles can help you to determine the best way to communicate with your target audience. If you’re looking to implement a social media strategy, there are plenty of platforms to choose from. Focus on the best fit for your game’s audience and your marketing goals to gain a competitive edge.
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Utilise App Store Optimisation (ASO)
ASO is similar to search engine optimisation (SEO) and involves using relevant keywords to attract interested gamers. You will also need to use high-quality creatives and optimised copy to make your game stand out amongst the crowd. After all, encouraging people to visit your page is the first step; but ensuring they commit to installing your game is another matter entirely.
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Get Creative!
Marketing for video games is incredibly visual; you want to showcase your design with eye-catching creatives that portray your games true personality. With distinctive logos, exciting screenshots, impelling characters, and breath-taking trailers, you can show what makes your game truly special.
Who is your Target Audience?
Understanding your target audience will go a long way when it comes to connecting with gamers who are likely to be interested in your video game. Research who is playing games similar to yours as well who you want to play your games – this will help you to determine how your campaigns are performing and where you need to optimise further. Plus, players tend to appreciate when game developers keep the communication lines open and respond to feedback in an appropriate manner.
Build a Community
Growing a community can be daunting, especially in the world of gaming when reviews can make or break your name. However, a healthy fanbase of engaged players can really take your marketing efforts up a gear. After all, nothing compares to the power of word-of-mouth recommendations and engagement.
Keep your community alive through posting on forums and engaging in conversation with your supporters. It’s a great way to bridge the gap between your developers and your customers, instilling trust and commitment amongst your audience.
Tell a Story
Video games are highly immersive and interactive, and they’re a great way to unwind after a busy day. Like games, why don’t you use stories to develop your business? Get your audience involved and capture their attention with like-minded content to build an emotional connection. Unique stories help to showcase yourself as an individual and keep your audience engaged in the long-term.
‘Gamify’ Your Marketing
At the centre of every game is the system of objectives and earning your way up the levels; this is also known as “gamification”. The dopamine and relief that comes from achieving a goal is known to relieve stress. In terms of marketing solutions, this can be tailored to customer loyalty programs.
For example, you could offer a reward when users carry out a desired action, such as buying your game, following you on social media, or subscribing to your blog page. This could be offering a discount or competition entry if they sign-up with their email address on your website.
Invest in In-game Advertising
In-game advertising is revolutionising digital marketing for video games. With billions of people spending over 6 hours playing video games weekly, advertising in games themselves is the most sought-after space to connect with engaged audiences.
This form of advertising involves displaying images, videos, and audio ads in video games. There are four different types of in-game ads:
- Intrinsic ads. The ad is placed within the gaming experience naturally and it doesn’t interfere with the gameplay.
- Adjacent ads. The ad is located next to the game, such as a surrounding banner image.
- Interstitial ads. The gameplay stops so the ad appears and becomes the focus.
- Audio ads. The ad is overlaid during gameplay as it’s only audio.
Contact Us
If you’re looking to make a name for yourself amongst the gaming community and take your products to the next level, then marketing for video games is a must. Get in touch with our specialists on 01376 386850 or click here to send us a message directly.