It’s hard for indie games to establish relevance in the mobile game scene. There are millions of games floating around, and you risk being buried under them all. Because of this, marketing your game is more important than ever, as it ensures that people will actually find your game and give it a shot. Here are 7 simple tips that are meant to improve your marketing efficiency and effectiveness.

 

1. Post on forums frequently
Forums are a great way to talk to enthusiastic gamers online. Start conversations with them and make sure to link to your games and website (perhaps in a signature). Make sure to not overtly advertise, as that could result in you being ignored or your posts being deleted. You need to perfect the art of making people on a forum aware of your products without actually advertising; once you’ve perfected this art, forums become a great source of customers and fans.

 

2. Invest money in ad space
For as little as $25 a month, you can get an advertisement on a decent site that generates a good amount of clicks. Don’t be afraid to spend a little money on advertising—it’s an investment that pays off well in the long run. Paid advertising is possibly the best way to maximize exposure, but don’t get carried away spending hundreds or thousands on ads; you only need a few hundred clicks to turn a decent profit. Additionally, more expensive advertising doesn’t mean better advertising. Do some background research before buying up ad space.

 

3. Highlight uniqueness
The best thing you can do for your game is to differentiate it from other similar games—that is, make it unique. Highlight what makes your game special, make sure people know that your game isn’t just another Clash of Clans (or other) clone. If your game is unique, chances are it won’t be glossed over; you might also snag a few recurring customers who’d be eager to download more of your products.

 

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4. Be informative
Don’t make your advertisements or marketing campaigns lengthy and boring, but make sure to put in a good amount of information in it. Fill your description up with even more info, being sure to highlight all your game’s qualities and selling points. The more clear you are, the better.

 

5. Hold giveaways/contests
These are a great way to bring your future user base together, as well as increase interest and popularity. You could raffle off gift cards or game codes for your game. Giveaways make you look like an engaged, accessible developer and will surely help your image in the public eye. Moreover, people who didn’t win the free game code will still be hyped up enough to purchase the game when available.

 

6. Use social media
Twitter, Facebook, your own website—these are ways to establish your online presence. Create a Facebook page and a Twitter account for your game and update it regularly. Maintain and grow a following of users while keeping them hyped up about your game and new releases. Your website should be a place where one can find lots of information pertaining to your game, its future, and yourself. Link to your website from your forum posts and your social media pages.

 

7. Get your money’s worth for advertising
Don’t spend money on an advertising service that’s netting you fake clicks. Use tools to make sure that the clicks you’re getting are legitimate—that way, you won’t be worrying why few people downloaded your game while thousands of people must have seen your website. Do your research on what advertising services are the best, not the most expensive. Be sure to track your clicks when using advertising services—that way, you gauge how effective the advertising tool is and you can decide whether it’s worth the investment.

With these tips, you should be well on your way to effectively marketing your indie game. Even utilizing one of two of these tips will result in great results. Just be careful not to go too overboard, or you’ll be wasting money and resources on something that may or may not turn a large profit. As always, be careful, but make good marketing investments—right technique will pay off well in the end.

 

Special thanks to our team for authoring this article.

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