If you were launching a new game, how would you promote it?

[D24Gamer]

If you were launching a new game, had your website set up etc., how would you promote the game?
Is spending money on advertising a must these days, or does social media negate that aspect of promotion?
How long does it generally take for a game/product to get noticed or catch on? This is a brand new product, and an independent game.

Thanks

 

[gamerprinter]

I find Facebook/Google Plus the way to go, and there is no "advertising" cost with that. However, you'd want to build up the excitement over a couple months before release of a new product. I've dabbled with banner ads on sites like ENWorld, which I found rather ineffective - not saying it doesn't work, but it didn't work for me and it costs money. While you do need a website, I actually have more conversation with fans through FB/G+ than any website I've built for game products. You need a website, but it isn't necessarily the best advertising platform either. I do make announcements here at ENWorld and other appropriate places and seem to gain interest using that. So its part of my advertising process.

I had a very successful Kickstarter I ran last year, that I entirely base on both the KS community and G+ as the primary platforms to get the word out. I guess it depends on what your project is, who is your targetted audience, how much build up time you have before release and how much money you're willing to spend. I'd rather not spend any money, rather spending my personal time and effort which is all that FB/G+ requires.

As an aside, I did some contract print bids for Gygax magazine prior to the start of my Kickstarter and they gave me a full page ad in issue #2, that would have cost $3K if I'd paid for the ad. While I did get some inquiries through that ad, I don't think it was as effective at advertising as G+ - and $3K vs. free is no contest.

 

[D24Gamer]

Thanks! How did you go about connecting with people on Facebook? Did you have a core group to start with? I haven't tried G+, I'll start working with that as well. How long did it take you before you felt that "the word was getting out." I have a Facebook, but it's hard to get people to post on it, don't really
get that. Suggestions?

 

[gamerprinter]

Well I found G+ superior to FB, but then my FB page is primarily targetted to publishers, editors, illustrators - industry people rather than general fans. Had I spent the time to build up a general fanbase FB page, I'd probably have gotten better results. Regarding G+, I had an account that I never used, so had no G+ friends to start. Since my publications are RPG map related, first thing I did was join as many RPG and RPG map related G+ sites and began posting cool maps, short map tutorials and got quite a few G+ fans to "+" my posts, and I "friended" every single one. I did that for about a month, then I started my own focused G+ community related directly to my project and began inviting people. Within 2 months I had 450 members to my G+ community, and that was when my Kickstarter was initiated. I ran the KS for 30 days and ended with $10K more than my highest stretch goal - so a very successful KS campaign. I still post updates to my G+ community and membership has since doubled. Once my products are finally released, I expect to get as many sales from non-KS fans, as I did in the original KS. So I am solidly behind using G+ for all future product marketing.

Truth is, when I started the concept of publishing RPG map products, I never considered Kickstarter, it was my G+ fans that talked me into it and they were the primary force driving contributors to that. That should say something.

 

[Morrus]

The downside to that is that Google owns your community, not you, and can do what it likes with it. But short term, social networks can get a decent 'member' total because is only involves clicking a button - that's something forums like this fall behind on. The software will catch up eventually.

 

[gamerprinter]

The downside to that is that Google owns your community, not you, and can do what it likes with it. But short term, social networks can get a decent 'member' total because is only involves clicking a button - that's something forums like this fall behind on. The software will catch up eventually.

I don't disagree, but I wasn't an established publisher like you, obviously for EN Publishing, ENWorld is the best place for you to advertise. I've purchased some EN Publishing products from threads posted here, so I know it works as an advertising platform, but you, Morrus, are an extremely well established company so is why this site is the best place to advertise for you.

If I ever get even somewhat better established, I'd probably rely on my own website rather than G+, but for a brand new publisher I find G+ very effective.

As an aside, I am primarily an artistic cartographer, rather than game designer (although I am that too, and have published my own Pathfinder setting). I seem to be getting a lot of publishers wanting me to design maps for their games and they are finding me through G+ as well. In fact, I am leaving for Los Angelos, tomorrow to spend 11 days at Activision video game company, where I'll be getting setup to produce maps for the tactical guide book for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - by far the biggest, most well paid and main stream publisher that I ever got involved with - and I blame G+ for getting me that gig!

 

[D24Gamer]

All this is really good info. Appreciate it. How would be the best way for me to announce my game on here? Press release, etc. Forgive my simplistic questions, but I'm totally new here

 

[gamerprinter]

All this is really good info. Appreciate it. How would be the best way for me to announce my game on here? Press release, etc. Forgive my simplistic questions, but I'm totally new here

I think Morrus, would be the best to answer that question (he is EN Publishing/ENWorld). Since your game sounds independant and not a D&D/PF derived product, the General RPG forum is probably the place to post (Morrus can verify that) - but only make a single thread and keep your marketing conversation to that thread only (so as not to abuse this site). But, yes, a press release is what you need - I think there's a way you can get Morrus to put it on the front page News as a press release announcement (but I don't remember the necessary procedure for that).

Oh, and D24Gamer, welcome to ENWorld!

 

[D24Gamer]

Thanks for the welcome and help, much appreciated
Really enjoying the site.

 

[Umbran]

I am not sure social media is necessarily a good way to go if you aren't already established. The problem is that these media (Facebook, especially) makes no guarantees that anyone is actually going to *see* your post. If you don't have a whole audience ready to be clicking "like", your promotions may not show up in anyone else's streams.

So, yes, it is cheap. But your effectiveness may not be so hot.