Promoting Your Game with Small and Mid-Sized Influencers
/If we understand anything, it’s that game development is challenging. However, boosting your title’s exposure can be equally tricky—if not more so. There’s a veritable buffet of video games available to players across various platforms. Here’s what that landscape looks like:
Apple’s App Store hosted over 262,000 games in late 2019. Apple Arcade is also home to over 100 premium titles
Google’s Play Store hosted almost 350,000 games in late 2019
Steam touts its library of over 30,000 titles, from indie to AAA
Microsoft’s new Project xCloud claims over 50 titles and counting
You came here to learn about influencers, so why do these numbers matter? It’s now that much harder for your title to stand out. Developers must creatively generate buzz and convince gamers to give their titles a shot. The democratization of the development process has been awesome, but games are now flooding the market at a faster clip.
Influencer marketing can help you gain a sizable edge over your competitors. Pitching your game to content creators on YouTube, Twitch, and Steam can lead to massive success. While other developers simply publish and pray, you can jumpstart your promotional campaign. Here’s how small and mid-sized influencers can help your game succeed:
Defining Small and Mid-Sized Influencers
When evaluating influencers, we typically compare spheres of influence—the total sums of their outreach. We can quantify this with follower counts, total views, likes, and shares (to name some examples). The larger an influencer is, the larger their sphere generally becomes. Influencers may also branch out to other channels. YouTuber gamers often establish Twitch streams, for example, and vice versa.
We sometimes call these figures “micro influencers,” yet they’re anything but small. Those with followings of roughly 100,000 or less are your target demographic. These follower counts (and influencer tiers) fluctuate by platform. This chart breaks down the general relationship between influencer tier and follower count:
Image courtesy of Ste Davies.
Additionally, influencers also have an intangible effect that reverberates throughout their circles. Measuring that is a little more complicated. You should also consider reputation, since esteemed promoters can bring positive momentum to your marketing efforts. Associations are important.
Why not target the biggest names?
It’s undeniable that influencers sway pop culture and generate interest. As a developer, you might also choose to pursue “top” influencers. These include some of the biggest household names worldwide; think social-media stars, sports greats, and even organizations. Such influencers have millions of followers.
You should understand that these figures are much harder to approach—and secure a partnership with—than the smaller content creators we’re discussing. They’re usually inundated with requests and even messages, making it easy to slip through the cracks. Indie developers especially may find smaller influencers more targetable.
Image courtesy of Branch & Bramble.
Furthermore, you might be able to gain free promotion from your influencer. This doesn’t always happen. It’s quite possible that hiring a smaller creator will be cheaper than hiring a household name, though. Price can be crucial when you’re getting off the ground.
Unlocking Success Through Exposure
Influencers can rapidly vault your game to popularity through their endorsement. It’s true that smaller and mid-sized content creators might not have the largest following; however, there’s much more to promotion than that. Let’s jump into the nitty gritty.
Finding the Right Match
Consider the following hypothetical scenarios:
You’ve secured a partnership with a YouTuber boasting 1,000,000 subscribers. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll say that every subscriber tunes into every video. This YouTuber covers a wide swath of topics, many of which aren’t typically connected to the gaming realm. Surprisingly, most viewers simply ignore your promotional message. Only 1% of all viewers download your game.
You’ve instead secured a partnership with a YouTuber having 50,000 subscribers. Same rules apply as above. This YouTuber is an avid gamer—often posting “let’s play” content at a regular interval. This is an ideal match. Most viewers will watch the promotional message. This time, 25% of those download your game.
See the difference in conversion? In our first scenario, we have an abysmal download rate for a total of 10,000 downloads. Our second promotion—an ideal influencer match—produces plenty of engagement. A much smaller audience has accounted for 12,500 downloads.
Naturally, gaming audiences will generate much more buzz around your title. They’ll share online more often with friends. They’ll spread the word in person. That influencer opinion may be the nudge gamers need to try your game! We know people do this—for pure enjoyment or pop-culture awareness. That’s the type of success we’re looking for.
You’ll want to seek influencers who play games similar to your own. We also want to avoid audiences (and creators) who only play major, AAA titles. There’s less overall engagement to be had.
Your influencer’s content will determine their following. Working with someone in the gaming space with enthusiasm for games will pay dividends. Because audiences share these interests, they’ll be much more attuned to what you’re putting out there.
The Down-to-Earth Effect
There are two things smaller influencers possess: trustworthiness and relatability. We can liken this to business—especially since creators have become revenue engines for themselves and others. Earning influencer status has become an exercise in branding, and audiences are the consumers.
What does that mean for your game? Perception directly impacts an influencer’s pull. Edelman’s 2019 Brand Trust Survey echoes this: 63% of consumers trust influencer opinions more than what brands say about themselves. That’s not all—58% of people have made a purchase in the past six months due to an influencer’s endorsement. Respondents all claimed that relatability was twice as important as popularity when making these decisions.
Those statistics are useful when vetting your influencers. Look for those who have tight-knit communities, as small to mid-sized influencers often do. This engrained trust will go a long way in popularizing your game. Potential gamers will also trust you more as a developer by proxy.
Image courtesy of eMarketer.
Credibility is indispensable, and audiences rally around it. That’s doubly true when influencer audiences grow organically—not due to payments or fake accounts. The next time a smaller influencer says “this game is incredible,” you can bet that many followers will instantly hop aboard.
That said, what are some of the most common types of promotions?
Pre-Launch Promotions
Game development and promotion occurs in stages. In the early days, you’ll probably want to stoke the fire with teasers and pre-orders. Two franchises have done this to perfection: Call of Duty and Nintendo’s Mario games. Developers have adapted these games to mobile (and PC), and many promotions have thrived on those platforms. How do we adapt this to the influencer marketing model?
As an indie developer, you must get a little more creative—television commercial slots are out of reach, as are expensive campaigns launched by agencies. Influencers can help close this promotional gap. You can supply your partners with gameplay clips. Giving audiences a sneak peek is an easy way to build excitement. Paired with a launch date, this will have people counting the moments until your game becomes available.
The Benefits of Creative Control
Smaller influencers are more likely to give robust shout outs. You can share what the game will include, launch dates, and the unique appeal it has over other titles. Your influencer can relay these key points to their audiences. Because these influencers are at the micro level, it will be easier to dictate the presentation of key talking points. Their audiences will care more, and they’re likely to devote a larger chunk of time to your content as a result.
While we often emphasize the media side, there’s a journalistic component to pre-launch marketing. Influencer blogs can give your title good PR. These writers have devoted followings, and their articles can be consumed by almost everyone.
Launch Promotions
The big day is here! Your game’s now available to the masses, on whatever platforms you’ve chosen. It’s time to leverage your influencer connections to ignite interest and find some added publicity.
You have access to better video samples by the time launch rolls around. You’ll also know the main plot points, gameplay features, and a future roadmap with certainty. These are things your influencer can share with their audience. Since your game is live, players can download and play immediately. We can harness more direct calls to action because of this.
Some games cost money, while others are free (while offering in-game purchases). If you charge up front for your title, you can share discount codes through your influencer. People love getting a deal, and you can ride the positive momentum to great popularity. This is your game’s honeymoon period, and a good influencer will inspire waves of viewers to partake.
Taking Viewers Along for the Ride
Walkthroughs (synonymous with let’s plays) are a powerful tool in the influencer toolbox. Launch day live streams are common in the gaming industry. Twitch streamers and YouTubers love diving into gameplay ASAP—taking their audience along for the ride. This interactive format promotes immersion. Niche influencers are playing for enjoyment; they’re likely to break down the unique elements that define your game. That enthusiasm is contagious.
Potential gamers will be raring to secure their own copy. View counts typically spike during these periods as new games start trending. YouTube’s algorithm tends to elevate videos based around these trends, drawing more and more eyes to your title.
Revival Campaigns
No matter how successful a game is, enthusiasm is sure to wane as time goes on. New games come out, new content trends, and world events divert attention elsewhere. That’s unavoidable.
Luckily, nostalgia is a powerful force in the gaming world. Gamers want to relive their glory days. We attach very strong, positive memories to the titles we sink numerous hours into. Perhaps your game was popular once—it likely still has a crowd of devotees just aching for a reason to play again. Games can develop a cult following over time, especially when influential voices throw support their way. Consider that niche creators can build strong emotional rapport with their followings. Harnessing this influence is useful when bringing titles back from the dead.
You can base revival campaigns around key developments, such as remastering, feature updates, and more. These will draw former players back into the fold. Influencers can communicate these in-game changes in an effort to reignite your player base.
Your Game Deserves Digital Promotion
We live in a culture of saturation, where we’re constantly overwhelmed by options. Navigating those unclear waters can be challenging, especially when so many developers leave gamers to hunt down information on their own. These developers aren’t promoting their titles—they’re relying on luck, in great part.
Studies show that influencer marketing is highly effective. In our digital age, connecting with audiences is a must. People turn to influencers for guidance on a number of topics and products. Smart developers recognize this trend and pounce. Getting your game over the hump might be as simple as reaching out. That could make all the difference in the world. You worked hard—now share your creation far and wide.
(Portfolio header image courtesy of Ouch!)