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[SUMMARY] How to Successfully Market Your Indie Game on a $0 Budget
This post is a complete summary in bullet point form of all the slides found in Indie Game Girl's excellent video on How to Successfully Market Your Indie Game on a $0 Budget.
7 Min Read
Originally posted on @EmotionTheory's tumblr blog here.
This video on How to Successfully Market Your Indie Game on a $0 Budget by Emmy Jonassen AKA IndieGameGirl is an essential watch for all independent game developers.
This post is a complete summary in bullet point form of all the slides found in the video. I definitely advise watching the video in full, so consider this a resource to refer to after watching it!
Please advise that I've done nothing other than type in all the points already mentioned and threw it into this blog post for ease-of-use. I have no intention other than create a helpful reference for those that found the video useful.
Full summary below.
Create irresistible promotional materials
Irresistible promotional materials are pieces of marketing content so alluring they compel sharing and discussion. Without them, you cannot market your game.
Trailer Video
Short - 90 seconds or less
Attention-grabbing intro - about 3 to 5 seconds to make an impression
Music + Sound effects
Show In-game footage
Show Reviews (if possible)
End with next steps - learn more, buy now, follow us, etc
Screenshots
High resolution
Excellent composition
Well lit
Engaging scene
eg. The Witness
Press Release
Grab attention and summarize theme / important info in first paragraph
Use quotes
Company and contact info
Send with screenshots and trailer video
Use in-text hyperlinks - site, blog, etc
eg. Template
Landing Page
Sole purpose to convert visitors to customers
Development Blog
Post 1x per week minimum
Use images
Links from home page
RSS feed
Email subscription
Social subscription
Social sharing buttons
Promotion at posts’ end
Score articles in top-tier publications
Build target publication list
Research publications you want to be in + should be featured in
Record publications in a spreadsheet list
Categorize publications into three tiers based on traffic
Find writer’s contact info
Visit each publication’s site on your list
Search for writers’ and editors’ contact info (look for an “Editorial Staff” link in the footer)
Record any contact info in your spreadsheet
Get in touch
Create an email template to introduce you and your game
Make sure it answers a writer’s most important question: “why would my readers care?”
Customize the template toward each writer / site
Attach screenshots and your press release
Thank you notes
Thank any writer who replies to your email, republishes a press release or writes and publishes an article
Email thank yous are fine, but handwritten notes go the extra mile
Keep in touch
Maintain relationships with media because you never know when you’ll need them again
Check in often with a quick hello via Twitter, Facebook or email
Comment on articles your contacts publish every now and then
Build an adoring fan-base
Make your game *easy* to discover
Set up social media channels and post daily
Become active in forums, blogs and other relevant sites
Participate in game jams and other events
Get involved with the local development community
Start a crowd-funder
Convert visitors into fans with *content*
Game and company updates
Data and other insights
Opinion pieces
Interesting articles
The occasional funny and random post
*Nurture* your relationship with fans
Respond to comments and questions in a timely and personalized way
Initiate and engage in discussion
Thank fans privately and publically
Ask for and incorporate fan input
Respond to criticism in a thankful and professional way
And… that’s it!
I’m personally doing my best to follow through with this advice and have since set up a number of social channels while I work towards producing higher quality content and assets for my game.
You’ll find all my channels below; let me know if you have any questions, comments, or feedback.
A blog summarising my game: What is Project Ascension (and why am I making it)?
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