The secrets of marketing in the gaming industry

The Gaming industry has increased its outreach in recent years from the traditional market of nerdy teenagers and young adults to include players and followers from all spheres of life. The enhanced gaming experience, coupled with the unprecedented growth in mobile gaming, has increased its appeal to diverse groups. Indeed, research suggests that the industry will have a valuation of $180 billion by 2021, making it a tantalizing target for marketers.

However, marketing in this sector is a daunting challenge for most marketers due to the maverick nature of gamers and difficulty integrating promotional content into the gaming environment. This post reveals some of the effective strategies of reaching out to the gamer community.

Collaborate with influencers

Most marketers are aware of the value influencers can bring to a gaming marketing campaign. They have legions of followers that are very receptive to their messages and actions. As such, marketers can use them to reach potential customers and increase brand visibility. Marketers can harness their potential by entering strategic partnerships with influencers, whose values and follower profiles align with their brand.

For instance, Red Bull partnered with gamer Tyler Ninja Blevins to sell the message that the energy drink gives gamers the energy to play for long hours in highly demanding games. However, marketers should only sign short term contracts because research indicates that very few influencers hold a top 10 position for more than a year.

Video content

Video content has grown exponentially in recent years and now accounts for almost 80% of web traffic. It is a big deal in the gaming industry, with the leading YouTube channels covering gaming content. Most gaming influencers have dedicated YouTube and Twitch channels that they use to share content with followers or stream live gaming action.

Most of these channels feature influencers in intense gaming action, either playing challenging games like Fortnite or competing in tournaments. Followers watch this content to learn new tricks or find new releases. Top channels are popular with big companies such as Disney, that partner with influencers to promote their brands. Top channels present a myriad of marketing opportunities for the innovative marketer.

Target mobile gamers

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A recent study highlighted the fact that mobile gamers contribute 51% of the revenue in the gaming industry. Therefore, mobile gamers constitute a substantial segment of the gaming industry that marketers should target. Marketers can collaborate with influencers to create content that will resonate with their audience to increase brand awareness and sell products.

For instance, the developers of Brawl Stars managed to get five million subscriptions during the game’s release by partnering with several influencers. They dominated influencer content for several weeks and even organized a tournament. The campaign was so successful that it became the leading mobile game on YouTube.

Female influencers 

Research indicates that 46% of American women are gamers, implying that marketers can benefit immensely from partnering with female influencers. Most female gamers are into challenging puzzle games rather than the action games popular with men. Notably, most women discover games through social networks such as lifestyle blogs set up by female influencers. The new trend increases the scope of products that marketers can sell to the gaming community.

Strategic positioning

Gaming marketing options in the industry are not limited to influencers. Brands can choose to be different and still succeed. For instance, Social Point Games partnered with Mark Fischbach to promote donations towards the needy through sales of Monster Legends. The company chose Fischbach due to his association with social consciousness. The campaign was highly successful, with several gamers purchasing the game.

Similarly, Rockstar Games promotes its new releases through posters, graffiti, and teasers with great results. Their games receive extensive media coverage and fan anticipation, yet the company makes minimal investments in conventional marketing.

 

Author Bio: John is Managing Director of Cotter Marketing, Ireland’s leading manufacturing product distributor. Cotter marketing has grown to become an industry leader in their field by utilising strategic marketing to develop and promote their brand.