Advertising/Marketing for Mobile Games

Business and Project Management Discussions
#1

I’m in the process of building a mobile game, Legends of Yore. It’s developed to run on Android and iPhone - for which I charge after a fixed period of play. I’m trying to find interesting and productive way of getting the word out about the game and trying to stimulate some more downloads and hopefully sales.

What have I tried:

1) Web Version - there’s a free web version to play which I try to tout out as much as possible. I see it more as an advertising thing as I don’t see much money in casual small web games.

2) Word of mouth / twitter / facebook (it’s now playable on facebook aswell)

3) Admob adverts

4) Contact games review sites myself

1 and 2 have worked out ok - though I don’t think they have a high return. Though given they are both basically free it’s not too bad :slight_smile:

3 was just expensive and seemed to have no effect what so ever.

4 has had varied results, though mostly no reply at all.

I’m considering:

A) Paying for the press release service that pushes your press release to lots of interested parties (quite expensive, but well worth it)

B) Getting some Google adwords.

C) Creating a flash version and approaching the portals - though I’m worried this will simply make another free web game and won’t stimulate any mobile sales at all.

I’d be interested in hearing any other ideas or experiences other people have had.

Cheers,

Kev

#2

create some controversy or pick a fight with someone, its worked for other indies and helped them hit front pages on multiple news/games/tech sites.

#3

You’re suggesting I pick a fight to get publicity? :slight_smile: I’m not a tabloid… hmm but then they do make a lot of money.

Kev

#4

Submit your game to the different small app review sites.

Send the full mobile version for free(full version for good gesture)(as this will prove better than just asking for a review) to not only game review sites,
but also check out youtube for people with lots of followers that do app demos and reviews of sorts.

If you haven’t yet. Try to make an action packed little 30 to 45 second video that you can post on youtube or other sites. Make it only as long/short as it needs. Id make 2 versions. One for the roguelike rpg fans, and one more intense/faster. Itd also be useful if later on you notice 1 take off more, then you can further polish/add features that mimic that style/pace better

continuously add features
Especially things that make it more comparable competitive as competitive stuff will make word of mouth grow faster. as players will want to compete.
i.e. achievements & leader boards. Those things definitely help facebook and mobile platforms.

Make a competition or tournament of some kind of free prizes. (not only the game)(make sure this is visible through the ios/android forums somewhere) but people can play the free version to compete. i.e. fastest to go from lvl 1 to 10. or fewest “moves/turns” to complete 2 full dungeouns(final boss on level)
offer a $5,10,$20 prize or gift card to their respective marketplaces(in addition to free game gift, so they can gift the game to friends)
If you are using free version, you only get 1 time/turn entry. If you are using full version, you can “compete” and enter multiple times.

Try and make a little webcomic using the ingame graphics or something with textclouds. It might draw a little more attention/links/word of mouth. Aim for at least 10 unique strips.

I personally don’t see the flash version thing helping much. But that’s just my humble opinion.

Random question, I don’t know if you can discuss this but
How does the free plays on mobile compare to the paid? (In percentage only, not raw numbers)
How many buy the full game outright vs upgrade from within free version?

#5

Persuade Markus to name-drop it in an interview.

Or re-direct the question to the dollar-eyed business folk at Indiegamer.

#6

Markus tweeted it actually, it’s definitely a good way to get some views :slight_smile: He’s very kind, I didn’t even have to ask - would have felt dirty asking tbh.

I’ll certainly try indiegamer aswell.

Kev

#7

make some viral facebook pages (preferably a lot with 100k+ likes) and then post your links on the facebook pages = profit

(you have to understand current social situations, etc for this to work though.)

#8

I quite liked to read Steambirds by the numbers articles some time ago. Maybe you get some tips from those.
http://www.andymoore.ca/2010/03/steambirds-by-the-numbers/
http://www.andymoore.ca/2011/03/steambirds-survival-by-the-numbers/

#9

Steambirds is very inspirational - interesting reading there!

Kev

#10

I’m not sure you’re cut-out for marketing. :wink:

#11

LOL!

#12

Seriously I’m really not, and I guess thats the big problem…

Just can’t bring myself to sacrifice morality.

Kev

#13

Can you make the game educational somehow? Maths/history/language…

Then you can market it like you’re on a mission from God!

#14

ROFL!

#15

I am probably the last person to ask, but ill answer anyway.

When you send the review/blog sites information about your game do you send them “press packs” a nice interesting trailer of the game, quality graphics, posters, icons, etc. Make it as easy as possible for them to essentially make an advertisement for you in their post.

Also maybe to entice them to post about it, give them a few free game codes to hand out to their users.

just some ideas, good luck with this, you deserve it!