The power of social media as a marketing tool is recognized by many entrepreneurs, brands and companies all over the world. You can see a wide range of products sold online, big and small, old and new. So it is definitely possible to use social media as your promotion tool for your app or your video game.
It is far easier to find products online and video games can benefit from this fact. You can promote and even sell your video game without investing too much on marketing and advertising. With the wide reach of social media, you can hit different consumers during your video game promotion.
What you have to be concerned about is how to maximize the potential to hit the right consumers for your video game (regular video game users), as well as develop a new consumer base (occasional video game players) who may find your game interesting. You have several options to choose from in social media platforms. Each one has its specific user demographics as well as reach. It is not always practical to be everywhere.
Maximizing the potential to create interest and awareness for your video game will depend on your choices. Do not think that because a social media platform is there, you should use it. You have to do some research as well to understand the features, strengths and weaknesses of each platform before you start your video game promotion. Moreover, you need to decide whether you want to sell your video game, offer it on a trial basis or offer it as a free download.
Promoting your video game on social media
Here are some ideas on how to use social media for your video game promotion, using the right sites to hit the maximum number of audiences that you can convert to users. Aside for using social media for your video game promotion, think first about building a website for your video game. This will be the place your video game’s users can visit to find all relevant information about the game.
1. Create a powerful and exciting trailer
Depending on what kind your video game is, treat it like a movie and create a similar approach even if it is on a smaller scale. Creating a trailer provides your target audience with a moving visual that is more exciting than a static image. A trailer shows your potential audience what your game is about, its genre and other information about the game. It should elicit enthusiasm, excitement, energy and anticipation. Include a call to action so the viewers know what to do next.
Post your video game trailer on every social media site that matters, especially on sites that allow video sharing. If you have a budget, think of paid social media advertising on the big ones like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Think of creating content that will go viral.
It is all right not to splurge. Use the data for audience reach and number of shares so you know which ones are more effective and favorable to your video game.
2. Use content marketing
The power of words should not be forgotten. You can write a blog about your video game yourself or have someone do it for you.
Write interesting stories about your game. You can share how you came up with the idea for the game, how you started its development, who or what influenced you, the things you learned during your game’s creation and possibly your plans for the game’s future.
Make your content edgy, funny or even shocking to some extent. Make sure that the content is memorable and unexpected. These are features that are always a hit with online audiences, which can increase the number of shares, comments, downloads or sales.
You can also share screen shots, character artwork, game play, videos and other things that are visually related to the game and post them on your selected social media sites.
Encourage users and readers to share your posts, to increase the reach of your promotional effort.
Aside from the interesting things you can share, you should not forget you call to action message, whether it’s to encourage them to learn more or download the game. Additionally, you can use a QR code generator and share the download page link. By including a QR code, you can cater to users’ short attention spans and make the download process even more straightforward.
3. Find your social media voice and create a fan base
Your social media voice should match the personality of your video game. Is your game’s character funny, geeky, adventurous or serious? This is one thing that you have to decide first before you can create your blogs and promo posts on social media sites. You need to define your game’s character as if it was a person, so you will know how it will act or sound like.
When you have defined your voice, be consistent in its use. Do not change your game’s voice every time you update or create new materials. Choose the right platforms to share content, such as LinkedIn, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. You can build your fan base from these sites.
How should you do it? You should constantly monitor the sites where you posted your promotional content, your blogs and other materials. Build relationships by creating conversations. When users post comments on the written content, photos, videos or updates, join the conversations. It shows readers and users that you are active and available to acknowledge their comments, answer their questions or give comments on their suggestions.
As you slowly build the fan base for your video game, give them some incentives, such as holding contests each week and giving your fans some small prizes when they can answer questions about the game. You can build loyalty through this method. Moreover, it helps to draw the attention of other social media users.
4. Maintain your social media marketing efforts
Consistency is one of the keys to maintaining loyalty and increasing your fan base. Once you have used social media for promoting and marketing your video game, you should not stop. Keep in mind that online audience is very fickle. If your visibility is not consistent, they will forget you in time.
You should see to it that you are consistent in sharing and engaging consumers regularly. You need your online audience to spread word about your video game and increase your fan base, and you can only continue reaping the benefits of social media on your promotional efforts if you always come up with fresh content. You can create good will by doing this and people you deal with will appreciate your efforts and return the favor.
5. Collaborate with influencers, publications and bloggers
Prepare good content and find relevant publications and blog writers who are willing to share your content with their numerous readers. This is not an easy task but if you want to increase the awareness regarding your video game, collaborating with them will be very beneficial to you.
First you have to identify which publications and blog sites are relevant to your target audience. Next, you have to find the persons writing for them and pitch your material.
You do not have to make a lengthy presentation. Remember that they are busy so in your pitch, state why you are reaching out to them, what you want them to do and ensure that they could do it easily.
Your pitch should have links to the content in different social media sites and a link to your own website where they can find all information they need. Ensure that your pitches are customized. You never know if some of them know each other.
At the same time, find out the influencers on other sites. You can identify them by their number of followers. But see to it that you choose those who will be beneficial to your product. The trick here is to be reciprocal. So, be sure to share their relevant content to your own fan base.
>6. Make it very easy to download your video game
You know that the web is populated by video games, apps and other downloadable materials, so you know that the competition is fierce.
Ensure that you make it very easy and simple for users to download your video game. Provide a download link within your blog, shared information, updates, game information and in any content that you share with your fan base and target consumers. Cater to their short attention span and make your download link very visible within your content. It would be better if the link will immediately lead to the download page, so users are not distracted by other things.
With these six tips you are likely to promote your video game to as large an audience as you desire. Just make sure that you have a plan and a goal. Do not rush things. Do your research, seek the help of experts and follow the steps one at a time.
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