You need more than good gameplay to stand out in the gaming industry.
As one of the largest entertainment sectors in the world, attracting players across the multitude of platforms is a challenge due to the competition being fierce. That’s why effective marketing is important in acquiring the right players, keeping their attention and interest, and turning them into a loyal community.
1. Retention and Reward Systems: Keep Players Engaged
There’s a “scenario” among gamers where they start playing at a certain time, and by the time they are done, the sun has already risen. That happens because of retention. And in video games, retention is everything because it keeps the players engaged for hours and hours with quests, hidden POI’s, and tons of rewards they always look forward to getting.
How reward systems work in games:
- Daily and weekly challenges: Encourage players to open their game by letting them complete quests that reward them daily and weekly with in-game currency or incentives. For example, completing 4 daily randomised quests in Genshin will reward the player with 60 Primogems.
- Seasonal events and battle passes: Limited-time content will also encourage players to play more often due to the exclusivity of the item/s being shown. Games like Fortnite and Marvel Rivals have seasonal skins that rarely make a comeback.
- Loyalty programs: Giving players a reward for logging in for the first time or 100th time will encourage them to continue playing. In Final Fantasy XIV, long-time players have exclusive mounts after playing for a certain period.
Interactive approach: Developers and community managers can involve players by asking them to participate in creating new content. For example, Monster Hunter frequently holds weapon design contests and the winner’s design gets to be an in-game weapon players can use.
Why it works: Aside from the sense of achievement of participating in something tangible, players also feel a sense of community and that the developers actually care.
2. Influencer Marketing: Reach and Engage Niche Audiences
Content creators have become vital to the video game industry. They are often contacted by video game marketing agencies to help promote certain games or products. Due to their frequency online, other players tend to trust them more than traditional ads because the content creator provides actual gameplay and sometimes an interactive experience.
Tips for working with influencers:
- Find the right content creator or influencer for your target audience.
- One post won’t be enough. Create long-term collaborations to help build trust within your community.
- Strategise with the content creator as to the kind of content they will make. Creating a variety will help your audience stay excited and up-to-date. This can be live streams, gameplay highlights, or tutorials.
Interactive tactic: Content creators can host streams where they can play games with their audience. Not only will you be able to promote the game, you also strengthen the community.
Example: Developers often partner with streamers to showcase upcoming content in a game. Seven Deadly Sins: Origins holds monthly live-streams with other content creators of the game to talk about new characters and other new features.
3. Social Media Marketing: Engage and Interact
Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok have become critical in reaching a wide audience. Through these social media platforms, they share updates and content, building excitement with your community.
Key strategies:
- Post short-form videos that highlight gameplay, funny or surprising moments, or some behind-the-scenes.
- Polls, contests, and other interactive campaigns can help build trust and bring the community closer.
- Track your metrics to see what type of content your audience usually go for.
Interactive tactic: Ask your community to send their own highlights, create their own fan art to be featured on the game’s social media, or even hold a stream where players can talk about suggestions to make the game better. This increases engagement and shows that the devs are listening.
Why it matters: Consistent interactivity makes your players feel like they are part of something that cares for them. It can strengthen the community and encourage brand loyalty.
4. Community Building: Discord, Twitch, and In-Game Interaction
A strong community is one of the most powerful assets for a game. Discord servers, Twitch streams, and in-game social features allow players to connect with developers and fellow gamers, creating long-lasting engagement.
Start building your community:
- A dedicated Discord server or forum for communication is a must.
- Once established, you can then host live events, simple Q&A sessions, and fun competitions.
- A little recognition goes a long way. Make sure to highlight clips. Fan art, or reward engagement from your players.
- Introduce interactive in-game events tied to your milestones.
Interactive tactic:
Developers can run in-game events linked to community milestones. For example, achieving a collective goal unlocks a special item for everyone, giving players a reason to collaborate and stay active.
Impact:
Engaged communities drive organic growth as players share their experiences, attract new players, and create a culture around your game.
5. Cross-Platform and Cloud Gaming: Broaden Your Reach
Cross-platform and cloud gaming have changed the way players access games. Most players nowadays expect flexibility and a seamless experience across multiple devices.
Marketing strategies:
- Highlight cross-play capabilities during your campaign to attract audiences.
- Cloud-based trials or limited demos let players experience your game without investing in hardware.
- Emphasise convenience and performance in your posts.
Interactive tactic: Encourage wide participation by asking players of compatible devices to team up or compete against each other.
Example: Fortnite is available on both mobile and console. Players can play with or against each other during events to encourage interaction and participation, and allow them to get exclusive in-game skins or items whether they win or lose.
6. Immersive Technologies: VR, AR, and Branded Collaborations
To help your game stand out, experiences such as virtual and augmented reality can generate interest due to their immersive capabilities.
Strategies for immersive marketing:
- The features of virtual or augmented reality demos can provide hands-on experiences for events.
- Limited-edition in-game content can come from collaborations with popular brands.
- Augmented reality features can be used for interactive campaigns, like treasure hunts or meeting your favorite game character.
Interactive tactic: Include challenges that take advantage of the features of VR or AR, where they can acquire rewards for attempting the challenge and/or promoting the game.
Impact: Virtual or augmented reality can even help smaller games by targeting the right audience, with a high chance that they will become long-time players.
7. Paid Advertising: Reach the Right Players
Platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube allow developers to target specific audiences by using paid advertising.
Best practices:
- Based on metrics, see and test which ad format works best for your audience.
- Use retargeting campaigns to bring players back.
- Monitor your ad performance and maximise ROI by adjusting your messaging and visuals when needed.
Interactive tactic: Turn your ads into mini-engagement opportunities, like having players complete small in-game challenges to earn rewards.
8. Integrate Strategies for Maximum Impact
Games and developers that are able to create partnerships with content creators, use every tool social media has to offer, build a community around their game, and are able to retain their audience’s attention usually find success.
Implementation approach:
- Study and understand your player base to see what strategy you can use.
- Try different approaches to see where you are getting the most engagement and adjust accordingly.
- Always keep your players as the center of every strategy. Your campaigns, rewards, and messaging are all about them. Make them meaningful and show that you are keen and ready to listen.
In Short: Marketing in the gaming industry requires more than your usual marketing campaign. You need to build communities and communicate with them, partner up with content creators, execute data-driven advertising, and create experiences that your audience will never forget. We know you have your hands full with developing your game, so that’s where we come in.
At The Game Marketer, we help developers like you reach the right people through the right channels, with the right tools. Whether you’re an indie developer or a large studio, our marketing strategies are designed specifically for the gaming industry, AKA for you.
