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Here are 20 ways to run a game marketing campaign without a marketing budget 💸
Keep scrolling 🧵👇
Keep scrolling 🧵👇
Here is the link to the article which makes it easier to read and has more info, but if you want to keep reading on Twitter, you can always keep scrolling
piratepr.com/treasure-trove…
piratepr.com/treasure-trove…
Marketing is often seen as a huge investment that’s out of reach for small #Gamedev, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Even if you have no marketing budget, there are plenty of things you could do to get more eyes on your #IndieGame!
🧵👇
Even if you have no marketing budget, there are plenty of things you could do to get more eyes on your #IndieGame!
🧵👇
1. Create a Press Kit
Press & content creators need to be able to find important assets for your game and use the correct logo, header image or screenshots that you’ve hand-picked to give your game the best possible first impression.
Need a template? 👇
piratepr.com/treasure-trove…
Press & content creators need to be able to find important assets for your game and use the correct logo, header image or screenshots that you’ve hand-picked to give your game the best possible first impression.
Need a template? 👇
piratepr.com/treasure-trove…
2. Create a website
A website is still useful to have, especially if your game is launching on multiple platforms and you want to have links to every storefront.
People are much more likely to Google search your title than they are to look for it in the store.
A website is still useful to have, especially if your game is launching on multiple platforms and you want to have links to every storefront.
People are much more likely to Google search your title than they are to look for it in the store.
3. Sign up for an @IndieDB page
IndieDB ranks pretty high on Google searches, so whatever images you upload there are sure to pop up in Google Image Search results. You can even build your Press Kit there if you really wanted to.
IndieDB ranks pretty high on Google searches, so whatever images you upload there are sure to pop up in Google Image Search results. You can even build your Press Kit there if you really wanted to.
4. Make sure your @YouTube & @Twitch (@igdb) categories are up-to-date.
Having a game category of your own makes it easier for creators to tag you, for gamers to find other videos of your title and for you to track who’s going live with it and when.
piratepr.com/treasure-trove…
Having a game category of your own makes it easier for creators to tag you, for gamers to find other videos of your title and for you to track who’s going live with it and when.
piratepr.com/treasure-trove…
5. Optimize your store pages for maximum conversion.
After convincing people to click on your game page, you'll need to persuade them into a wishlist or buy action through good copywriting, key art, trailers and screenshots. Show them your best bits!
(image credit: @richtaur)
After convincing people to click on your game page, you'll need to persuade them into a wishlist or buy action through good copywriting, key art, trailers and screenshots. Show them your best bits!
(image credit: @richtaur)
6. Invest in great artwork
Perhaps one of the most important tools that will get people to click on your game in a list, is having the best possible capsule art. Look at how the Trifox key art evolved over the years to optimize the click-through.
Perhaps one of the most important tools that will get people to click on your game in a list, is having the best possible capsule art. Look at how the Trifox key art evolved over the years to optimize the click-through.
7. Make a kick-ass trailer
After people have clicked on your thumbnail and find themselves on your page, they are likely to click your trailer to get a feel for how what the game looks like in action. You only get one shot at a first impression, so you need to get this right!
After people have clicked on your thumbnail and find themselves on your page, they are likely to click your trailer to get a feel for how what the game looks like in action. You only get one shot at a first impression, so you need to get this right!
8. Create regular content for social media
Be your own best content creator.
Don’t be afraid to engage with press, gamers, or other developers. More activity = more eyes on your own channel. Experiment with different channels like Twitter, TikTok, Reddit...
Be your own best content creator.
Don’t be afraid to engage with press, gamers, or other developers. More activity = more eyes on your own channel. Experiment with different channels like Twitter, TikTok, Reddit...
9. Create a demo
Launching a demo is a great way to boost your Steam wishlists. It’s a means to be discovered in the “FREE” category, people can test the game before making a purchase, and it may even result in people making content for it before it’s released
Launching a demo is a great way to boost your Steam wishlists. It’s a means to be discovered in the “FREE” category, people can test the game before making a purchase, and it may even result in people making content for it before it’s released
9B. Bonus: Even when your game has already launched, it’s still a great way to drive traffic to your game.
Look at the results of @COWCATGames after they launched their PlayStation demo:
Look at the results of @COWCATGames after they launched their PlayStation demo:
https://twitter.com/COWCATGames/status/1651527105002328064
10. Ask for input & feedback
Sometimes it pays off to ask people for their opinion. It’s human nature to want to weigh in on a decision and to contribute to a decision.
Consider asking your community for their input
Sometimes it pays off to ask people for their opinion. It’s human nature to want to weigh in on a decision and to contribute to a decision.
Consider asking your community for their input
10B - feedback
Remember that demo we told you to build?
Ask people to join your Discord and to share their feedback on your demo or Alpha/Beta test there. Listening to them now can be the difference between a good or a bad review down the line.
Remember that demo we told you to build?
Ask people to join your Discord and to share their feedback on your demo or Alpha/Beta test there. Listening to them now can be the difference between a good or a bad review down the line.
11. Go to events, network!
Watch how people play your game. Most people will not give negative feedback to your face, but you can often learn a lot from watching them play.
Befriend press, creators, gamers and fellow creators alike!
Watch how people play your game. Most people will not give negative feedback to your face, but you can often learn a lot from watching them play.
Befriend press, creators, gamers and fellow creators alike!
12. Submit your game for award shows and showcases
There are dozens of (free) award shows where you can submit your game, often before it’s even finished.
You’ll get feedback from professional juries and maybe even get a “nominee” or “winner” badge to add to your Steam page.
There are dozens of (free) award shows where you can submit your game, often before it’s even finished.
You’ll get feedback from professional juries and maybe even get a “nominee” or “winner” badge to add to your Steam page.
13. Build a community
Set up a Discord server.
Your social media following is already a sort of community in itself, but you’ll need a place where you can openly chat with people and ask them for feedback or rally them behind your current CTA.
Set up a Discord server.
Your social media following is already a sort of community in itself, but you’ll need a place where you can openly chat with people and ask them for feedback or rally them behind your current CTA.
14. Organise a (closed) beta
Need to bring in new people? They’re going to need an incentive!
An effective method to achieve this could be a beta where people get access to the (full) game ahead of time.
Need to bring in new people? They’re going to need an incentive!
An effective method to achieve this could be a beta where people get access to the (full) game ahead of time.
15. Organise a giveaway on social media
Grow and reward your community at the same time through giveaways. This can be a creative challenge, a speedrunning or high-score event or a simple "follow & RT" for a chance to get a code.
Grow and reward your community at the same time through giveaways. This can be a creative challenge, a speedrunning or high-score event or a simple "follow & RT" for a chance to get a code.
16. Engage with existing gaming communities
It can be tough starting from zero, so a good first step is to join existing gaming communities.
Be mindful of not entering them with a self-promotion mindset. Become an active member first and keep your own links to a minimum.
It can be tough starting from zero, so a good first step is to join existing gaming communities.
Be mindful of not entering them with a self-promotion mindset. Become an active member first and keep your own links to a minimum.
17. Write a Press Release
Try to put yourself in the shoes of the journalist/content creator that’ll receive the press release. What is worth writing about? Lead with that information!
Here is a recent example for one of ours:
press.piratepr.com/dungeon-alchem…
Try to put yourself in the shoes of the journalist/content creator that’ll receive the press release. What is worth writing about? Lead with that information!
Here is a recent example for one of ours:
press.piratepr.com/dungeon-alchem…
18. Distribute the press release
Send it out to your own list of contacts (that you've hopefully built over the years) as well as existing platforms likes Games Press and @press_engine.
Send it out to your own list of contacts (that you've hopefully built over the years) as well as existing platforms likes Games Press and @press_engine.
19. Distribute review keys
If you’re a new name in the industry and don’t have a track record yet, the truth is that your press release probably won’t have a large impact on itself.
Offer journalists & creators a code to your game as an incentive to write about it.
If you’re a new name in the industry and don’t have a track record yet, the truth is that your press release probably won’t have a large impact on itself.
Offer journalists & creators a code to your game as an incentive to write about it.
19B. Where to distribute them?
Ideally, again, you'll have your own list of interested Press & Creators already and if not: rely on a PR agency.
or consider sites like @LURKITcom, @Keymailer and @press_engine and offer your keys there.
Ideally, again, you'll have your own list of interested Press & Creators already and if not: rely on a PR agency.
or consider sites like @LURKITcom, @Keymailer and @press_engine and offer your keys there.
20. Keep up the momentum
When the press starts creating coverage, keep up the momentum by sharing the coverage.
Are YouTubers and Twitch streamers playing your game? Great!
Create short clips that capture their enthusiasm for your game and share it on social media
When the press starts creating coverage, keep up the momentum by sharing the coverage.
Are YouTubers and Twitch streamers playing your game? Great!
Create short clips that capture their enthusiasm for your game and share it on social media
If you liked this thread and made it all the way to the bottom: please consider sharing it and help out your fellow #Gamedev 🥰
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