In today’s world, where technology has taken over the entertainment business almost entirely, the video game industry is regarded as one of the fastest-growing multi-billion-dollar businesses. TechJury made an estimation where they predicted the industry would worth $180 billion in 2021. The fact that new games are being released every day, it is getting harder for the companies to grab customers’ attention. This saturation often leads to tough competition for companies to thrive. In order to strive and survive, one has to come up with excellent promotional plans just to reach the eyes of potential customers. Basic promotional tactics might not suffice, and hence there are few effective rules to abide by to fetch the best results. Good promotional tactics come in handy when after popularising a certain game, the developers decide to monetize it.
Here we are about to delve into some of such strategies.
1. You Tube
Studies show that influencer marketing in YouTube Has shaped the gaming industry as such that potential customers with a weightage of more than 90% would watch a YouTube stream before investing in it. Hence social media is playing a huge role in promoting these games. Adapting the correct strategies is now regarded as indispensable for collecting high revenues and reaching the correct audience. So, it is legit to consider video game marketing on YouTube by gamer influencers as the most fetching promotional strategy for popularising it. YouTube is considered the second biggest search engine after Google. Influences can stream then playing the exact game they want to endorse and leave the link at the description box, and this is how customers watch the game being played and instantly decide and buy it if the visuals and other features are compatible with their taste.
YouTube has access to young audiences:
- Famous YouTuber PewDiePie, with more than 108+ million followers, gained this popularity by endorsing video games.
- Brendan Greene, creator of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, and his team went through vigorous processes of interviewing streamers to come to a conclusion that he owes a lot of his success to them when it comes to the promotion.
2. Blogging
Reasons why putting out blogs is a reliable and favourable idea is because of certain benefits, including the possibility of attracting traffic using SEO, attracting players and press, advertising about the product, by also keeping in mind to make peoples’ reading time worth the while. Blog posts are often judged on the basis of their relevance, informative nature, and the fun element that can keep the readers hooked.
Sharing blog posts through various social media platforms can ensure a good amount of promotion through that reach. Not just that, but reviews from relatable bloggers are the most reliable driving force behind opting for a particular product. Creating a buzz around the product is the way of staying relevant.
3. Facebook and Instagram
The commonality between Instagram and video games is in target audiences and visual stimulation; Instagram is the most fetching tool for marketing and promotions. These Instagram campaigns not only reach a greater audience but also cost-effective. Not just ad campaigns but influencer marketing through Instagram is another way of successfully promoting video games. The relevant hashtags are the code to reach the maximum customers out there.
Gone are the days of manipulative advertisements to gain attention. Hashtags are the easiest way to spread a certain campaign among appropriate groups. Moreover, Facebook campaigns can also generate a good amount of returns, according to case studies.
Quality PR associates are hired to determine which influencers are suitable for which games and their target audience. The clear tracker and database are provided by Instagram make it the most relevant for influencer marketing and promotions. These platforms are adept in keeping track of demographics on behaviour patterns of potential customers, paving a path towards easy analysis and tracking.
Facebook engagements can work well to start attracting customers.
4. Podcasts
Podcasts are a preferred media for reaching target demographics when it comes to video games. Podcasts are where guests interact with podcasters or hosts and in conversations letting out views about certain products giving the product ample exposure to the target audience.
Video game podcasts are quite famous these days, and it is important to have a product promoted through such platforms owing to the popularity.
5. App Store Optimization
App Store optimization is a video game marketing tool that enables marketers to position games in such a way so as to boost the ratings, including visibility. Although this is quite a time taking process and demands continual efforts, there are processes of boosting App Store optimization.
Somewhat similar to Search Engine Optimization, App Store optimization fuel downloads by making the product more discoverable. App Store optimization is essential for gaining organic customers. Ratings and reviews undoubtedly create an impact on customers on these platforms.
6. Competitions
In order to quickly start promoting games, it is essential to submit a demo to the competitions taking place in order to get noticed.
7. Promo Codes
Distributing promo codes to people from the same niche enabling them access to free gaming demos for a limited amount of time, and spreading the codes through social media platforms (so that people can get a taste of what the product is) is itself a successful strategy to attract customers into buying the product.
8. Celebrity Engagement
It is not rare for celebrities to make appearances in certain video games. They are actively being engaged in the promotion of these games as a part of the thoughtful strategy for promotion. This engages people from not only the gaming niche but also the fan following of that particular celebrity. We have seen celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger promoting MobileStrike in Super Bowl advertising worth $5 million.
Apart from these virtual methods of promotion of video games, there are ways of real-life promotional tactics in order to broaden up its reach.
9. Events
Apart from all other virtual ways of promotion, another effective way of promoting video games can be in events. In conferences, one can deliver talks about the games and about other details, including the journey of its development and marketing. This will drive people to take an interest in checking out the games and maybe investing in some. In fairs and exhibitions or even expos, one can acquire a booth asking for attendees to have a look at your game. This is where marketing skills come in handy. Apart from that, a steady conversation with gamers and trying to get their feedback will not only attract their attention but also lays the bricks to build a better foundation for future projects.
The iGaming and e-Gambling Industry
Similar to traditional video games, the e-Gambling industry also deals with millions of online games and several billions of online players across geographies. We could classify the e-Gambling industry as a parallel video gaming industry, involving a lot of cash stakes, rewards, bonuses, freebies, and payouts on platforms where gamblers can find new free slots to play. And the e-Gambling industry has been resorting to some amazingly innovative ways of promoting their games across channels.
Conclusion
With demands come market saturation; it is an unwritten rule for demand and supply. But no amount of product quality improvement can replace the power of good marketing and successful promotion of products. Tactics for successfully reaching target audiences differ accordingly, so staying true and relevant is the master key to make a video game launch successful.
Disclaimer: This article contains sponsored marketing content. It is intended for promotional purposes and should not be considered as an endorsement or recommendation by our website. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and exercise their own judgment before making any decisions based on the information provided in this article.
