recommendations for marketing

aitorv21aitorv21 Member Posts: 71
in Working with GS (Mac)
Hi,

I make a game free (with iAP) and other by 0,99$, the next month I'll go to buy the gamesalad pro. I have questions, by example, what type of marketing I should do of my apps? (youtube, facebook page, facebook ads, twitter...) more? where? In what pages I can promote my apps free or low cost? What is the best way for marketing of apps?

Thanks in advance!!

Comments

  • imGuaimGua Member Posts: 1,089
    edited October 2013
    I'm trying to find an answer for that question for two years, no luck so far. Only conclusion I've made is that in order for the marketing to work, you've need to spend as much time on marketing as you've spend making your game. As for the methods that require less time, still trying to figure it out.

    Shadows Peak is an atmospheric psychological horror that explores the dark side of a player.

  • aitorv21aitorv21 Member Posts: 71
    @imGua what is your games? Everything was so catastrophic about sales due to lack of the marketing?
  • jigglybeanjigglybean Member Posts: 1,584
    edited October 2013
    The problem some folk make is that they create a facebook or twitter page and EXPECT the likes to just flow in - well they simply dont.

    I posted this thread http://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/60265/facebook-promotion-some-useful-tips#latest with some facebook tips. Of course, a 'Like' does not guarantee a sale.

    When pitching your game to the media, you need to give them a 'story' or background that they can tell into a reason to give your game coverage. Simply sending them emails with a PR release attached will get you know where. They get hundreds.

    Stand out, get to know those who write for the gaming press, network and remember ALWAYS to give them a promo code if you expect them to review it.

    Like Balls? Then click here! We've 100 coming soon

  • imGuaimGua Member Posts: 1,089
    I'm about to release my "big" project. All the time I was making it, which is almost 3 years. I was reading about marketing, analyzing postmortems and every available information on that matter. Also I had some experience on marketing a game I was working on my day job and I it wasn't the only iOS game I was working.

    My conclusions is: There is no silver bullet. I see only 3 option for success.

    1. Spend as much time at marketing as on development. Do everything you can, but mostly try to build relationships with important people, like reviewers. It requires a lot of time, luck and something else. I mean, not every guy can find a girlfriend, cause this requires not only x amount of work/time. What I mean, is that putting a lot of time in building relationships with someone don't guarantee I success, but I still believe that if you'll put such amount of time in marketing, you'll see a result.

    Requires: (good or better app + a lot of time on marketing)


    2. Hire someone to do marketing. It cost a lot of money but I do see why. The value of good marketing people, is that they not only know where to write, but they already have those valuable connections and relationships that was build for moths or years. I believe most valuable marketing people will not market every game, cause their value to reviewers is that they serve as a filter for crap and mediocre games. That's why reviewers open mails that come from a good marketer, and if marketer will start to send mediocre apps for review, they will lose value for reviewer and reviewer will just start to ignore their mails.

    Requires: (good or better app + a lot money)


    3. Just aim for Apple/Google Store feature spot. Which basically mean, make an awesome game. I do advice to spend some minimum time marketing it, like making threads on toucharcade, using prmac, etc. I believe, site and trailer is required even if you don't want spend time on marketing. If you're making a crApp, then you can ignore site and trailer. But making money from crApps, is another topic, which I didn't researched, that well.

    Requires: (excellent or awesome app + a bit of time for marketing)

    I do want to remind, that this is only my opinion. And I'm yet to release my first game with a chance to success, that can test some of those methods. Also a want to point out, that I'm basically talking about premium apps. Their is probably a better strategies if you're making Free + iAP or Free + Ads.

    Shadows Peak is an atmospheric psychological horror that explores the dark side of a player.

  • aitorv21aitorv21 Member Posts: 71
    @imGua good luck with you big project!!!!!!!!! Me too are make a big game with iAP (the game is free). After I make small games, 6 hours to day for big game and 4 hours for small games for earn money while make the great game. Im sorry, but what is crApps?

    Where you go to promote your apps?

    @jigglybean I am Spanish but I want to focus on international media. What do you recommend? Thanks by you tips, I mean a Facebook Ads, the user click in the ads and go to download the app.
  • imGuaimGua Member Posts: 1,089
    edited October 2013
    @imGua, thx! CrApps are a crappy or bad apps, usually made in under a month. I'm not ready to talk in detail about my marketing plan, but I can say it is not number 3. Successful apps rarely follow plan number 3. Not so much because people lack the faith that they can make an awesome app. It's because, when they feel that they actually made a great app, they became more inclined to spend decent amount of money or time on marketing. Usually money.

    If you still interested in a game I'm working on, here's the link http://sectorzerogame.com

    Shadows Peak is an atmospheric psychological horror that explores the dark side of a player.

  • jigglybeanjigglybean Member Posts: 1,584
    This link gives tips on how to make a press kit http://dopresskit.com/ when sending out to media. You dont need to charge a company to make them, do them yourself and have a press section in your website to download assets like screenshots etc.

    I also managed to dig up this link - the editor of Pocket gamer, a leading mobile site gives tips http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/201192/Video_Getting_your_indie_game_noticed_by_the_press.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+GamasutraNews+(Gamasutra+News) and worth watching

    Like Balls? Then click here! We've 100 coming soon

  • imGuaimGua Member Posts: 1,089
    edited October 2013
    This link gives tips on how to make a press kit http://dopresskit.com/ when sending out to media. You dont need to charge a company to make them, do them yourself and have a press section in your website to download assets like screenshots etc.

    I also managed to dig up this link - the editor of Pocket gamer, a leading mobile site gives tips http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/201192/Video_Getting_your_indie_game_noticed_by_the_press.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+GamasutraNews+(Gamasutra+News) and worth watching
    @aitorv21, just don't expect that making a presskit will get your game some attention. :)

    I would also recommend watching this video it is awesome indeed. And if you want some more videos about marketing. Here you go.















    Shadows Peak is an atmospheric psychological horror that explores the dark side of a player.

  • imGuaimGua Member Posts: 1,089
    New one.

    Shadows Peak is an atmospheric psychological horror that explores the dark side of a player.

  • MadCursorMadCursor Member Posts: 15
    Think about advertising in all possible ways :) It may and should help
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