How can I do marketing for a released a game?

Rootgames

Hello
I currently have developed the game by using Gamesalad.

The typical game is as follows:
- Touch Eggs Ep1.

But this has not been able to demonstrate their good performance.
I think the biggest reason is promotion and marketing did not work properly.
I wonder if there is able to do without spending a lot of money for marketing.

Thank you.
Do all the success!

carlblanchet

Try sending your game to all the game reviewing websites

gyroscope

Hi @jogyuseok

Exactly as @carlblanchet says: see if you can get your game reviewed online. Also consider sending out a press release: I've started a thread about this, just after I sent out my first-ever press release. Here's the link to the forum post, if you're interested to read; might help you out more:

http://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/45712/my-first-ever-press-release-and-then-lessons-learnt#latest

apppickercom

I am launching a new section next week on my site www.AppPicker.com . We would do a review and run a promo code giveaway if you would have 10 codes available.

Rootgames

@carlblanchet
thanks

Rootgames

@gyroscope
thanks for your answer.
i try that.
cheers

Rootgames

@apppickercom
Thanks

maxbeaumont

Hello,

Marketing is a key aspect of making a game successful. In this current market, making a great game just isn't enough. You need to go and make a FaceBook, Twitter, and Youtube page at the minimum. Make a trailer for your game, make a good description and press release, and start searching online for where to send it out too. Make sure you have good art and your game has a nice icon. The first thing people see when looking at games is the icon for it. If it is a crappy icon, do you think there are going to want to click any further? You are also going to need some good screenshots, as that is the second thing they will see if they click on your game. The small stuff counts, don't forget that. I hope this has helped in some way.

Cheers,
Max

JustMe74

Press releases for games are probably a waste of time unless you're a big studio.
Getting on review sites, word of mouth, Facebook and Youtube are all good ways for indie games to get noticed.

Just remember, there are very few overnight successes in this business... think of your games like a brand - you want to build the brand and build a following over time.

gyroscope

Hello,

Marketing is a key aspect of making a game successful. In this current market, making a great game just isn't enough. You need to go and make a FaceBook, Twitter, and Youtube page at the minimum. Make a trailer for your game, make a good description and press release, and start searching online for where to send it out too. Make sure you have good art and your game has a nice icon. The first thing people see when looking at games is the icon for it. If it is a crappy icon, do you think there are going to want to click any further? You are also going to need some good screenshots, as that is the second thing they will see if they click on your game. The small stuff counts, don't forget that. I hope this has helped in some way.

Cheers,
Max

Worth bumping; well put, Max, I say! :-)

maxbeaumont

@gyroscrope

Glad you liked it

gyroscope

Press releases for games are probably a waste of time unless you're a big studio.

I don't agree with that at all. More than likely a press release won't give you a tenth extra exposure of what you are expecting but still it's worth it to get into the search engines at least; you never know what doors it could open/extra sales it could make...

If a poor/bad game is made, then I'd agree; no matter how much money is thrown at marketing it, nothing will come of it (big studio or not...)

JustMe74

Press releases by indie developers are ignored by news sites (unless it's a well known indie developer) and there are better ways to get into Google.

gyroscope

Hi @JustMe74

If you really believe that, I guess you won't be sending any press releases out then... I can't agree with that either so "we'll beg to differ" as the saying goes.

What are these better ways "to get into Google", for interest?

JustMe74

If you really believe that, I guess you won't be sending any press releases out then... I can't agree with that either so "we'll beg to differ" as the saying goes.

What are these better ways "to get into Google", for interest?

You're right -- I have no plans to spend money on press releases right now. Of course, my games are children-focused, which is kind of a niche market. Sending a general press release would be even more of a waste for me then it would for someone making games for a wider market.

From your own thread on the press release, you stated:

As for the main press release company that I spent the £100 with, and they sent it to over 800 places: no obvious pickup or feedback yet.... hopefully "yet".... but I won't hold my breath on that one, no need to get stressed about it! If something happens, (review, extra sales, etc) great; if not, shrug and try again/try more/move on. Don't get fixated by it! (Pertinent advice supplied by Dr Gyroscope...

So you spent about $157 and have no tangible return other than if you Google your game, you find the press release? For less than that, you could have had the Daily App Show create a promo video for you and promote it which would have given you much better Google exposure than a press release (AND a cool video). The day after mine went live, for example, I had over 300 sales, and then several hundred a day for about a week after -- direct cause and effect. That's just one example of what you could do with ~ $150 -- I could list about 10 more things that would be more effective than a press release.

I'm not trying to be critical, I'm just saying that of all the marketing things you could do, a press release is probably the LEAST important. Sure, it could help (and it won't hurt) but if you're working with a limited budget, it's about the very last thing you should be worrying about.

Unless you're a big company, no one at a review site cares about your press release. However, a manual submission of your app is a lot more likely to get someone's attention, IMHO.

gyroscope

Firstly, apologies to @jogyuseok for this (temporary) diversion of your thread.

You're right -- I have no plans to spend money on press releases right now.
From your own thread on the press release, you stated:

As for the main press release company that I spent the £100 with, and they sent it to over 800 places: no obvious pickup or feedback yet.... hopefully "yet".... but I won't hold my breath on that one, no need to get stressed about it! If something happens, (review, extra sales, etc) great; if not, shrug and try again/try more/move on. Don't get fixated by it! (Pertinent advice supplied by Dr Gyroscope...

So you spent about $157 and have no tangible return other than if you Google your game, you find the press release? For less than that, you could have had the Daily App Show create a promo video for you and promote it which would have given you much better Google exposure than a press release (AND a cool video). The day after mine went live, for example, I had over 300 sales -- direct cause and effect. That's just one example of what you could do with ~ $150 -- I could list about 10 more things that would be more effective than a press release.

I'm not trying to be critical, I'm just saying that of all the marketing things you could do, a press release is probably the LEAST important. Sure, it could help (and it won't hurt) but if you're working with a limited budget, it's about the very last thing you should be worrying about.

Unless you're a big company, no one at a review site cares about your press release. However, a manual submission of your app is a lot more likely to get someone's attention, IMHO.

You've no reason to read the complete thread about my first press release if you're not interested, of course. But if you had, you'll find that it's not a game that this first press release is about, but an album of music. And you'll also read that I wrote the post to massage my own ego and see my name in lights on Google... nah, not really!

Seriously, I just want to sell apps, my music and other creative stuff I do; thought I'd write a press release and, despite it being for music, not an app, thought my experiences/results with it would be useful and helpful to you guys.

Daily App Show sounds good, thanks @JustMe74, I'll check it out. I'll always make my own promos for my apps, but still good to know. Congrats on selling 300, it sounds like it works as a one-off thing; I think that is a great addition to your marketing of your game but is just that, an addition, to press releases and any other stuff/activities that'll get your product and/or company exposure..

The 800+ places my PR was sent to was only on Friday; there's still time for 2% to pickup on it; that'll be 16 places; don't know how many pairs of eyes will see it; I also wrote that picking a PR company that's efficient to your needs is difficult so being new to this, I didn't realise this particular PR companies send-outs was so unfocused... perhaps I'll look further afield next time; I'll certainly be sending them feedback in a couple of weeks.

Also in a couple of weeks I'll see what tiny dent I've made in getting the attention of the album to people. Same if it was an app... these things don't happen overnight.

"However, a manual submission of your app is a lot more likely to get someone's attention, IMHO."

OK, I understand where you're coming from there; at least you're trying the review sites...still, app news sites will more likely pickup on a PR, if your game can start to create a buzz.... (still disagreeing, see... ;-) )

A lot of it is down to being in the right place, at the right time, with a bagful of luck, and a good product.... then you/me/all might strike lucky....

Best of luck with all of your game-making ventures anyhow; I'm still more than likely going to use PRs as part of my marketing strategy.... you can read my thread for updates, if you're interested....

http://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/45712/my-first-ever-press-release-and-then-lessons-learnt#latest

If I eventually fail with press releases for my future apps and other products - however "fail" is defined - I'll be the first to say that you was right on that point, and I was wrong!

JustMe74

Firstly, apologies to @jogyuseok for this (temporary) diversion of your thread.

It's not diverting his thread at all. He asked for help marketing his game, and as someone who has sold over a thousand copies of my first game, I was offering my opinion that press releases are probably not the first thing you should be thinking about when you have a limited marketing budget (like, I suspect, most of us do).

I have seen many people on this forum assume they can just make a game, issue a press release, and sit back and rake in the money. That's simply not true, unless you're incredibly lucky. There are a lot of marketing tactics that you can use (many of which are low or no cost) that can have a direct, immediate impact on sales.

Sorry that (apparently) rubbed you the wrong way!

gyroscope

Firstly, apologies to @jogyuseok for this (temporary) diversion of your thread.

It's not diverting his thread at all. He asked for help marketing his game, and as someone who has sold over a thousand copies of my first game, I was offering my opinion that press releases are probably not the first thing you should be thinking about when you have a limited marketing budget (like, I suspect, most of us do).

OK, it's a relevant diversion, fair enough! :-)

I never said that press releases are the be-all-and-end-all of marketing your app, and of course, if someone is on a limited budget, then sure, don't send out a press release...that doesn't mean that when one is sent out it definitely won't be of any benefit, and automatically be a waste of money....

Sorry that (apparently) rubbed you the wrong way!

No apology necessary, @JustMe74, and no way has anything you wrote rubbed me up the wrong way. If you knew me, you'd know I love a good discussion, even friendly argument (especially if there's a couple of pints of real ale involved... ;-) I like to get to the truth of things, etc. Believe me, it takes an almighty lot of effort to upset me...

Actually, for the record, one thing that really gets my goat is mind-games (which I'm not suggesting you've been doing, no worries!) and I rise to the bait of those big-time and too easily...

Disagreeing with people, or if other people aren't agreeing with me, neither is a worry, just part of the interest of conversation!

PS I personally haven't started on the press release route to "rake in money" (but I agree, some people think that's all it's about with game/app making, making money, full-stop, - and all it takes is just one press release to their name in lights, or whatever); it's to hopefully help with sales in a modest way, help promote my company, have a knock-on effect with future prs, get reviews, get news shown, etc., etc....