Welp MagazineWhen launching a new game, it’s important to create buzz around the game. For that, you need to ensure an effective marketing strategy.
With that in mind, here are some of the most effective ways you can promote the launch of a new video game.
Create a Website
One of the best ways to promote a new video game is by creating a website. This will allow you to include information about the game, the team, and the development process, as well as provide links to download demos.
You should also include contact forms so that people can get in touch with you if they have any questions or suggestions for improvements. If possible, add an email newsletter sign-up list so that interested users can receive regular updates regarding your company’s other projects and news related specifically to the particular title. This will help build excitement while also giving people an easy way of staying up-to-date on things.
Provide Free Trials
The best way to get people interested in your game is by letting them play it. If you have a demo available, give it away. You could even go further than that and offer a limited-time giveaway of the full version of your game. For example, if you have an upcoming release date, consider offering access to your game only during this window. You’ll build up excitement among your players while also creating some urgency (and likely additional downloads).
Let YouTubers and Streamers Play
If you want to get your game in front of a large audience, you should get it in front of YouTubers and streamers. These influencers have millions of followers on their channels and can help you promote your game.
The most obvious way is to ask these influencers if they would like a free copy of your game to play and review. If they do agree, ensure that they put a disclaimer at the beginning or end of the video telling their viewers that they received the game for free (or include links).
If they can’t receive copies from developers directly, there are other ways for them to get access. Paying them for coverage is one way to do so. This is more expensive than giving away copies because it requires some sort of contract between both parties outlining how much money will be paid per view or download.
Use In-Game Prizes and Rewards
Another way to promote your game is by offering in-game prizes and rewards. You can give away freebies as a way of providing incentives for players to engage with your game more. Of course, the rewards should only be available for a limited time. That helps ensure an urgency for others to get the game.
You can also reward players who are active over a certain period (say, three months). This could be one month after launch or six months after launch—whatever works best for you. The key here is making sure that you have enough data on when players tend to drop out. In a way, you will not only be promoting the game but also figuring out where its weak points are.
Make a Live Demo Available at Trade Shows
Trade shows can be an effective way to generate excitement about your game, attract media attention and establish relationships with potential partners or distributors. Have consoles at the booths so that people can come in and play the game. You can even arrange for different prizes or giveaways for those who participate. Ensure that people sign up with their email addresses before playing the demos. That way, you will have an email list for future email marketing campaigns.
Use rental trade show displays to rock your next trade show. That way, you do not have to pay much attention to the booth and can focus on other aspects like the game itself. Ask the trade show booth designers or builders to have power outlets within the booth for the consoles and displays.
Tell People What to Expect
When marketing a new game, it is important to show potential players what they can expect from the experience. This can be done through in-game trailers and screenshots, but also by giving them a taste of what they’re missing out on. For example, if you are developing a game with online multiplayer capabilities, show gamers how they might play with their friends or even strangers online. If your title has hundreds of hours worth of gameplay, tell them how many hours there actually are!
All these strategies will help you promote your new video game to a wide range of audiences. Do it right, and you will not only attract gamers, but also those who do not play video games that often.
