Download - Successful Indie Game Marketing: How to Market Your Game with a $0 Budget

© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com © Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com

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.


Becoming a successful indie game developer is !"r#.



FACT

95% of indie games are $%& pr%'&"b(). 80% operate at a (*+.

- ConceptArt.org


FACT

Only 25% of iOS indie developers have made over $30,000 ,$ &!),r (,f)&,-).

- Streaming Colour Studios


But marketing can +)r,%.+(/ increase your chances.



EXPERT ADVICE

“Marketing is %$) &!,r# of your chance at success.”

- Joost van Dongen, Ronimo Games


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


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


If success is hard, but marketing helps, w!/ #% +% f)w ,$#,)+ invest in marketing?



Because many indies believe in a -/&!.



MYTH

“Successful marketing requires a 0,0"$&,1 budget.”


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.


MONKEY LABOUR SALES

Sales Secured By Marketing


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.


DUSTFORCE SALES

Sales Secured by Marketing

Sales Secured by Marketing


Great, now I know it’s possible to successfully market

games with a $0 budget.

But, how do I start?



3 Steps to Achieve M"r2)&,$0 S.11)++: ☐ Create irresistible promotional materials. ☐ Score articles in top-tier publications. ☐ Build an adoring fanbase.


DEFINITION

Irresistible promotional materials are pieces of marketing content so alluring they 1%-p)( +!"r,$0 "$# #,+1.++,%$. Without them, you cannot market your game.


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.


5 M.+&-H"v) Promotional Materials:

1.  Trailer Video 2.  Screenshots 3.  Press Release 4.  Landing Page 5.  Development Blog


#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


#2 - SCREENSHOTS

Best Practices: 1.  High resolution 2.  Excellent composition 3.  Well lit 4.  Engaging scene

- The Witness, Jonathan Blow


#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."


#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.


#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


3 Steps to Achieve M"r2)&,$0 S.11)++:

þ Create irresistible promotional materials. ☐ Score articles in top-tier publications. ☐ Build an adoring fanbase.


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


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


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


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


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!


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.


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


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


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


THANK YOU!

For more free, step-by-step marketing instruction, visit

Happy marketing!

indiegamegirl.com.

http://www.indiegamegirl.com