successful indie game marketing: how to market your game with a $0 budget
DESCRIPTION
To become a successful indie game developer, you must first become a successful indie game marketer. Trouble is, for many indies, marketing doesn’t come naturally or fit the indie budget. No worries! This SlideShare exposes the most frugal, yet successful marketing methods to get your game discovered and promoted. In addition, you'll leave with a list of actionable takeaways to immediately increase your fanbase that cost $0 to execute.TRANSCRIPT
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SUCCESSFUL INDIE GAME MARKETING How to Market Your Game on a $0 Budget
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
EMMY JONASSEN
Founder, Indie Game Girl @IndieGameGirl [email protected] www.indiegamegirl.com
Hi, I’m Emmy!
I help indie game developers build adoring fanbases with free marketing instruction.
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
Becoming a successful indie game developer is !"r#.
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
FACT
95% of indie games are $%& pr%'&"b(). 80% operate at a (*+.
- ConceptArt.org
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FACT
Only 25% of iOS indie developers have made over $30,000 ,$ &!),r (,f)&,-).
- Streaming Colour Studios
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But marketing can +)r,%.+(/ increase your chances.
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
EXPERT ADVICE
“Marketing is %$) &!,r# of your chance at success.”
- Joost van Dongen, Ronimo Games
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EXPERT ADVICE
“…indies skew their efforts far too far towards production and away from marketing: &!,+ ,+ %$) %f &!) r)"+%$+ w!/ so few games are a genuine commercial success…”
- Paul Taylor, Mode 7 Games
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EXPERT ADVICE
“Unfortunately, it’s no longer enough to only create great content. In order to differentiate yourself from the masses, /%. -.+& concoct a structured, coordinated marketing plan.”
- Robert DellaFave, Divergent Games
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If success is hard, but marketing helps, w!/ #% +% f)w ,$#,)+ invest in marketing?
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
Because many indies believe in a -/&!.
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© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
MYTH
“Successful marketing requires a 0,0"$&,1 budget.”
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MYTH BUSTED!
Situation
3 months after Monkey Labour launched it sold only 1K copies. Solution
Dawn of Play realized the need for marketing and reached out to review sites. Other than time, the team spent $0 on this effort.
by Dawn of Play
Results
In 10 days, Dawn of Play secured 11 reviews and sold 6K copies of Monkey Labour.
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MONKEY LABOUR SALES
Sales Secured By Marketing
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
MYTH BUSTED!
Situation
Hitbox Team had limited to no marketing budget for Dustforce. Solution
The team had a friend manage its marketing to keep costs low. Its friend launched a teaser campaign, generating hype among the public and press.
by Hitbox Team
Results
A week after launch, Dustforce received 100 reviews. The game was profitable in seven days.
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DUSTFORCE SALES
Sales Secured by Marketing
Sales Secured by Marketing
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Great, now I know it’s possible to successfully market
games with a $0 budget.
But, how do I start?
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© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
3 Steps to Achieve M"r2)&,$0 S.11)++: ☐ Create irresistible promotional materials. ☐ Score articles in top-tier publications. ☐ Build an adoring fanbase.
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
DEFINITION
Irresistible promotional materials are pieces of marketing content so alluring they 1%-p)( +!"r,$0 "$# #,+1.++,%$. Without them, you cannot market your game.
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
AN EXAMPLE
Situation
After one year of development, Sauropod Studio hadn’t created any promo materials or grown a fanbase for Castle Story. Solution
The team created a tech demo and posted it to Reddit.
by Sauropod Studio
Results
Within hours of posting the demo, Castle Story amassed a fanbase that has since grown to over 40K members.
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5 M.+&-H"v) Promotional Materials:
1. Trailer Video 2. Screenshots 3. Press Release 4. Landing Page 5. Development Blog
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#1 - TRAILER VIDEO
Best Practices: 1. 90 seconds or less 2. Attention-grabbing intro 3. Music/sound effects 4. In-game footage 5. Reviews (if possible) 6. End with next steps
- Guacamelle Gold Edition, DrinkBox Studios
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#2 - SCREENSHOTS
Best Practices: 1. High resolution 2. Excellent composition 3. Well lit 4. Engaging scene
- The Witness, Jonathan Blow
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#3 - PRESS RELEASE
Best Practices: 1. Grab attention and
summarize theme/important info in first paragraph
2. Use quotes 3. Company and contact info 4. Send with screenshots
and trailer video 5. Use in-text hyperlinks - AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaaAAAAaAAAAA!!, Dejobaan Games
AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! – A Reckless Disregard for Gravity
"January 30, 2009 – Watertown, MA – Dejobaan Games, LLC has announced its next game, AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! – A Reckless Disregard for Gravity,” for Windows desktop PCs. ""You dive off a skyscraper, relying on quick reflexes to negotiate the intricate triangle of girders that make up the City. You perform aerial stunts at terminal velocity before parachuting into the arms of your cheering fans. While other skydivers have it easy, you have to earn the adoration of the crowds by gliding within an eyelash of that glass super skyscraper at 70 miles per hour."
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#4 - LANDING PAGE
Best Practices: 1. Remove navigation 2. Grabbing headline 3. Social sharing icons 4. Strong call-to-action button 5. Trailer video 6. Captivating screenshots 7. Testimonials/reviews 8. Contact and press kit
buttons or links - Beast Boxing Turbo, Goodhustle Studios, Inc.
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#5 - DEVELOPMENT BLOG
Best Practices: 1. Post x1 per week min 2. Use images 3. Link from home page 4. RSS feed 5. Email subscription 6. Social subscription 7. Social sharing buttons 8. Promotion at posts’ end
- Castle Story, Sauropod Studios
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3 Steps to Achieve M"r2)&,$0 S.11)++:
þ Create irresistible promotional materials. ☐ Score articles in top-tier publications. ☐ Build an adoring fanbase.
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BUILD TARGET PUBLICATION LIST
1. Research publications you want to/should be featured in
2. Record publications in a spreadsheet list
3. Categorize publications into three tiers based on traffic
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FIND WRITERS’ CONTACT INFO
1. Visit each publication’s site on your list
2. Search for writers’ and editors’ contact info (look for an “Editorial Staff” link in the footer)
3. Record any contact info in your spreadsheet
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GET IN TOUCH
1. Create an email template to introduce you and your game
2. Make sure it answers a writer’s most important question: “why would my readers give a shit?”
3. Customize the template toward each writer/site
4. Attach screenshots and your press release
- Monkey Labour, Dawn of Play
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THANK YOU NOTES
1. Thank any writer who replies to your email, republishes a press release or writes and publishes an article
2. Email thank yous are fine, but handwritten notes go the extra mile
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KEEP IN TOUCH
1. Maintain relationships with media because you never know when you’ll need them again
2. Check in often with a quick hello via Twitter, Facebook or email
3. Comment on articles your contacts publish every now and then
Hello friend!
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
3 Steps to Achieve M"r2)&,$0 S.11)++:
þ Create irresistible promotional materials. þ Score articles in top-tier publications. ☐ Build an adoring fanbase.
© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
Make Your Game E"+/ to Discover:
1. Set up social media channels and post daily 2. Become active in forums, blogs and other relevant sites 3. Participate in game jams and other events 4. Get involved with the local development community 5. Start a crowdfunder
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Convert Visitors into Fans with C%$&)$&:
1. Game and company updates 2. Data and other insights 3. Opinion pieces 4. Interesting articles 5. The occasional funny and random post
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N.r&.r) Your Relationship with Fans:
1. Respond to comments and questions in a timely and personalized way
2. Initiate and engage in discussion 3. Thank fans privately and publically 4. Ask for and incorporate fan input 5. Respond to criticism in a thankful and professional way
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THANK YOU!
For more free, step-by-step marketing instruction, visit
Happy marketing!
indiegamegirl.com.