The barrage of key requests for Kingdom Two Crowns has been incredible, thank you everyone. In light of this, I wanted to offer some guidance on asking for a key, especially if we don't know each other.
If you work for or run your own website, if you create on YouTube, if you stream on Twitch, if you are an influencer on social media, or if you work for a magazine/radio/TV show, this thread is for you.
I'm going to be really transparent here by the way, if you read this thread and take it personal... well, please don't take it personal. You're not the only one, I promise.
First off, websites.
If you work for a website, there are a few things PR folks look for. Mostly, they're looking for reach. But also, they're looking for consistency in your coverage.
If you work for a website, there are a few things PR folks look for. Mostly, they're looking for reach. But also, they're looking for consistency in your coverage.
If your site has a carousel that says LATEST NEWS and your latest news is from a few months ago, you're not getting a code.
If you boast you do lots of reviews but there isn't a few up from the last month, you're not getting code.
If you boast you do lots of reviews but there isn't a few up from the last month, you're not getting code.
If you send an email from a gmail address and not the domain of the site itself, you're probably not getting a code. Depends on how much digging a PR person has to do (and if they deem it worth it, see previous tweet).
If your website has wix, wordpress, blogspot, or something like that in the URL, you're definitely not getting a code. But I do hope you continue becoming serious and eventually make the jump to a proper domain.
That's about it for websites. Next...
That's about it for websites. Next...
YouTube. There are a lot of creators out there big and small, here are some guidelines. Starting with one very important bit...
Please please please pleeeeeease list your email on your channel. This helps so, so much. I can't stress this enough.
Please please please pleeeeeease list your email on your channel. This helps so, so much. I can't stress this enough.
If you don't want to list your email address, I get it. There are workarounds for a PR person to verify you. Example, list your Twitter on your YouTube channel and then DM a PR person from that Twitter account. Easy for us to 2 and 2 together there.
If you have a channel with 100,000 subscribers but you haven't put out a video in a few months, you're not getting a code.
If you have 0 subscribers but promise this is going to be the one game that kicks off your channel, you're definitely not getting a code.
If you have 0 subscribers but promise this is going to be the one game that kicks off your channel, you're definitely not getting a code.
If you don't list your contact info anywhere, you're not getting a code unless there's some way to verify you.
That's the long and short of it for YouTube. Next...
That's the long and short of it for YouTube. Next...
Twitch and Mixer. Similar to YouTube, I cannot stress enough to please have your email address somewhere on your channel page. Anywhere.
Unlike YouTube, where there is an email button with a captcha, Twitch and Mixer rely on streamers putting their email in bio. PLEASE DO.
Unlike YouTube, where there is an email button with a captcha, Twitch and Mixer rely on streamers putting their email in bio. PLEASE DO.
If you don't want to put your email address in your bio (I get that, really), then put your Twitter in there and DM the PR person or tweet at them. We can figure that out pretty quickly.
If you aren't a partnered streamer and have a really inconsistent schedule, you're not getting a code.
If you are a partnered streamer but haven't streamed in a few months, you're not getting a code.
If you turn off your broadcast history, you're definitely not getting a code.
If you are a partnered streamer but haven't streamed in a few months, you're not getting a code.
If you turn off your broadcast history, you're definitely not getting a code.
Next we have influencers on other platforms like Instagram. Like creators and streamers, there needs to be some sort of email contact to see. Or you can DM a person through your platform.
With Instagram, if you do gaming or nerd related stuff and have a sizable following then you're good to go. Otherwise, probably not unless you have a ton of followers.
Facebook groups... ehhhh. Same for Steam groups...
Facebook groups... ehhhh. Same for Steam groups...
If you say that you're an influencer on Twitter, that's an instant no. No one is a Twitter influencer unless you're an influencer on another platform.
If you use Twitter to try and prove you have a big reach and all I see is you tweeting giveaways, definitely not getting a code.
If you use Twitter to try and prove you have a big reach and all I see is you tweeting giveaways, definitely not getting a code.
And finally, magazines, radio stations, and TV stations. Some of you are the hardest to vet because your mediums are owned by parent companies and you send requests from those parent company email addresses.
Sometimes it's obvious and easy to figure out. Most times it's not.
But more often than not, folks from magazines, radio stations, TV shows, and newspapers just assume you know who they are. I'm telling you, I don't know most times who you are.
But more often than not, folks from magazines, radio stations, TV shows, and newspapers just assume you know who they are. I'm telling you, I don't know most times who you are.
If you're from a small newspaper in rural Texas, I don't know who you are.
If you're a magazine from the Baltics, I don't know who you are.
If you're a radio station in Latin America, I don't know who you are.
If you're a syndicated TV show in Australia, I don't know who are.
If you're a magazine from the Baltics, I don't know who you are.
If you're a radio station in Latin America, I don't know who you are.
If you're a syndicated TV show in Australia, I don't know who are.
If you work for a newspaper, magazine, TV show, or radio station, please give me a little bit of context! And if your email address doesn't match your newspaper/magazine/TV show/radio station, please point me in the right direction.
I THINK I'M DONE HERE.
Thank you for listening, hope some of it was helpful, and please don't take personal offense to this. I've fielded requests for quite a long time, I promise you that you're not the only person this relates to.
Thank you for listening, hope some of it was helpful, and please don't take personal offense to this. I've fielded requests for quite a long time, I promise you that you're not the only person this relates to.
Most importantly, please be polite! I want to hand you a code, I really do. Please give me a great reason.
Have a great weekend, folks!
Have a great weekend, folks!
Freelancers, if at all possible, cc an editor at the outlet you’ll be writing for. I know this is not always possible because you may be shopping an article at the moment of the request. In that case, have a portfolio online somewhere to point to.
Oh this is the question of questions for up and coming creators. And the answer to this varies so wildly among companies. This could be a whole other thread on its own (which I won't do today) but I'll be really concise and speak to personal experience.
There is no simple answer here. What I think is a good range is completely different than what another company or individual looks for.
A cursory glance at a channel takes into consideration the sub count and view count per video over the last week.
A cursory glance at a channel takes into consideration the sub count and view count per video over the last week.
It's not fair to look at just the most recent video, views don't rack up in just 24 hours so I prefer to look at the last week to get a better idea.
For smaller YouTube channels, the types of games played matters a lot. If you're playing those .io games and nothing else, then asking for a code for one of our games, it's a quick no. Not the same audience.
Same if you only play Fortnite. Or WoW. Or anything not related to the game you're asking for.
Here is the realest part though, and I'm not singling anyone out here or the person who asked this question (who I don't know btw but this engagement makes me want to find out more about them so congrats!)...
I've been burned by enough small YouTubers now that I don't hold them priority.
Years ago, I would send keys out to all YouTubers regardless of size so long as they put out consistent content. I don't do that much anymore.
Years ago, I would send keys out to all YouTubers regardless of size so long as they put out consistent content. I don't do that much anymore.
Holding an individual small YouTuber accountable for the past actions of others doesn't seem fair. But also, many of the large YouTubers I've worked with weren't asking for keys when they were small either.
If your channel plays niche games, follow the devs of the games you play and the games you want to play. Engage with them. I can't stress how important it is for a small channel to build a relationship. When your numbers can't speak on their own, your relationship will help.
I'll stop here before going way down the rabbit hole. Hope some of this helps.
