How I'm marketing my new game PLOP Master
Fogelberg
Member Posts: 103
I though I'd share some info on how I'm marketing PLOP Master and how things are going.
A couple of weeks ago I started writing about the forthcoming game on some of the forums like Toucharcade, Ifans, iphoneforums and of course the Gamesalad forum.
I made a gameplay video on youtube and some screen dumps that I made sure would be part of my posts. I made a web site www.plopmaster.com (using Wordpress) and continued to work on the site until the release date.
PLOP Master was released on Friday the 8th.
I sent a mail, incl a small presentation about the game, with promo code, link to youtube video and site, to around 30 of the biggest review sites.
I wrote a press release and payed PRMac.com $20 to send it to around 600 recievers (Apple related sites, magasines, blogs etc).
I hit the forums again and wrote that the game was now released. Wasted 5 promo codes on the Toucharcade forum. won't to that mistake again. Grabbed by lurkers and not really any response about the game.
Wrote about the release on Gamesalad forum and got some solid suggestions that I'll use in the first update.
Wrote on my Facebook page that my game was released and urged everyone to download it.
Added the game to freshapps.com where it now has one (1) fresh.
OK So where are we today..
A couple of the review sites have returned my mail, begging for money to review the game.. which I won't give them.
A polish site refered to my press release and also beg for money to review my game.
A chinese app site asked me for promo codes for a competition, so I gave them 3 promo codes, for which they were very grateful.
That's about it. Sales are slow but I think they will pick up once the game gets reviewed. (I hope so).
A couple of weeks ago I started writing about the forthcoming game on some of the forums like Toucharcade, Ifans, iphoneforums and of course the Gamesalad forum.
I made a gameplay video on youtube and some screen dumps that I made sure would be part of my posts. I made a web site www.plopmaster.com (using Wordpress) and continued to work on the site until the release date.
PLOP Master was released on Friday the 8th.
I sent a mail, incl a small presentation about the game, with promo code, link to youtube video and site, to around 30 of the biggest review sites.
I wrote a press release and payed PRMac.com $20 to send it to around 600 recievers (Apple related sites, magasines, blogs etc).
I hit the forums again and wrote that the game was now released. Wasted 5 promo codes on the Toucharcade forum. won't to that mistake again. Grabbed by lurkers and not really any response about the game.
Wrote about the release on Gamesalad forum and got some solid suggestions that I'll use in the first update.
Wrote on my Facebook page that my game was released and urged everyone to download it.
Added the game to freshapps.com where it now has one (1) fresh.
OK So where are we today..
A couple of the review sites have returned my mail, begging for money to review the game.. which I won't give them.
A polish site refered to my press release and also beg for money to review my game.
A chinese app site asked me for promo codes for a competition, so I gave them 3 promo codes, for which they were very grateful.
That's about it. Sales are slow but I think they will pick up once the game gets reviewed. (I hope so).
Comments
I did pretty much the same re: use PRmac, get lots of emails for unmissable opportunities that you had to pay for, announce on forums, made a youtube vid etc.
I tried to engage more actively with people that were interested in/had bought the game.
Rather than just stick some promos up and waiting for people to anonymously take them, I gave them out to a few people that were really interested in it via PM (i.e. the most likely buyers! - and also to the wonderful chap that posted a picture of the band, Air Supply, in the TA forum - gave me a good laugh!).
Most of all, I tried to make the interaction fun. I listened to what the players had to say, and responded to every question with either details of how I would address their issues or why I couldn't/wouldn't.
I also emailed my friends and family who had iPhones to let them know the game was out, and used Twitter a hell of a lot.
Some stuff happened randomly - people making video reviews of the game, for example, or writing reviews when I'd not even thought to request them from particular sites.
This was really wonderful, as these were all really nice people, who I enjoyed talking to, getting to know, and as a bonus, helped promote my game a bit due to their enthusiasm for it.
Other stuff happened that was out of my control - Non-English speaking territories would see a sudden surge in sales (Japan, *during* the earthquake stuff, bizarrely bought a lot of Air Supply - I was both hugely honoured and a bit concerned that surely they had more pressing issues
Obviously I had no influence over this as I don't speak the language. But something happened there, and in other territories, and sales were pretty good.
What I'm trying to say is, try and engage one to one with people. They appreciate that you take the time to respond to them individually (and believe me, it takes a lot of your time up).
But I think it's worth it. They're people who also have opinions, likes and dislikes, and you can have some lovely chats and insights into their world while also gathering valuable info for both current and future releases.
We make games firstly for ourselves, but once they're 'out there' they belong to the players. And their opinions matter!
Updating your app based on user feedback can make your app better too, and it gives you something new to post about. I'm submitting the third update in a month to Air Supply today. And this seems to be the pattern I'm falling into:
1. Spend a month recovering from the last game, getting everything together for a new game, trying out code, ideas, getting graphics and music and whatnot.
2. Spend the next month making the game. Adding stuff. Testing. Always testing. Add more. Love your game. And then finish it!
3. Spend the third month pushing the game - responding to people on forums - individually if need be. Get user feedback. Act on that feedback. Update your app. Start looking towards the next game having learned a lot from the one just made!
I think the key is:
*Have a good, fun game.
*Engage with your audience.
*Send out promos to websites with youtube vid(s) and information. Try and be professional but a bit informal too. Make it personal.
*Inject some personality into your promotion. Make people remember you!
*Never, ever, get big headed or complacent. Every sale and satisfied player is a gift. Never forget that.
*Don't expect anything, but work towards achieving some reachable goals.
Having said all that, there are people here who have sold many thousands more than me and been far more successful. This is just what I'm comfortable with personally, and, as they used to say in the old days, "Screenshots may vary"
Good luck!
QS
Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Quantum_Sheep
Web: https://quantumsheep.itch.io
Quantumsheep: I'm finally taking a look at Twitter. Been avoiding Twitter since I first read about it but finally I feel I actually have something to say.
http://www.youapp.cn/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=6965&extra=page=1
Could you share the list of review sites which they didn't beg for money.
Thanks a lot and good luck with the sales.
I have never paid for a review, and I doubt I would. It's just not kosher, right?
QS
Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Quantum_Sheep
Web: https://quantumsheep.itch.io
I have never paid for a review, and I doubt I would. It's just not kosher, right?
QS
Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Quantum_Sheep
Web: https://quantumsheep.itch.io
So far:
www.applemania.pl
www.theiphoneappreview.com
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1804701510018&id=1014273246
It would be nice to have a list of sites that review games for free !!!
I've seen that Weswog, does reviews of games for instance:
1) http://gamesalad.com/p/Weswog
Thanks
Sebastian
from http://www.beeanz.com
PileUp Pandas Game
Cheers,
Ran.
E-mail: ran@youapp.cn
MSN: ran1112011@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.youapp.cn
Oh and I'm on Twitter now: www.twitter.com/BjornFogelberg
I have to start right now to write emails to game reviews sites.. ;-)
(scroll down a bit)
I kept meaning to say that I think the name is your biggest weakness as the game itself looks ok!
QS
Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Quantum_Sheep
Web: https://quantumsheep.itch.io
It is likely to do as much good as harm and unless it gets heavily picked up on I wouldn't worry about it too much, it could well be a boost to sales.
edit: paying for reviews is a joke and totally pointless.