The promotion of an indie game is not that straightforward. More than 10,000 games are published annually. Therefore, you have to stand out in the crowd, and creativity, tenacity, and a thoughtfully planned approach are required to bring attention to your game. However, if done appropriately, you can build excitement and attract players for attention to your game. Here are some of the best ways to promote an indie game.
Build an Online Presence
One of the first things you will do to market your indie game is establish an online presence. This is where you build a site specific to your game. This is where you will be able to post updates, upload video trailers, and share a free demo version. That would make it your portal for managing everything inside the promotion of your game.
Promote Your Game with Streamers & Influencers
Several influencers and streamers influence the gaming community. Therefore, you should reach out to influencers whose focus is gaming content, especially indie games. If you want a wider reach, stream your game on platforms like Twitch or YouTube.
Let some influencers in first and give them your game ahead of time for free, provided that your game resonates with their audience. You will get more players than anything traditional advertising may bring.
Use Crowdfunding Platforms
Kickstarter might be able to raise funds to fund your game, but it is also a marketing medium. Moreover, they give you a chance to show your game to potential donors and gamers interested in indie games.
The campaign should include a fantastic story, visualizations, and rewards for backers that contribute towards the achievement of funds. Bestsellers like Undertale and Shovel Knight rose from independent games funded by crowdfunding. This is an extremely strong promotional tool and support tool.
Interact with Gaming Communities
Online communities are the places that proved to be good means of letting everyone know of your indie game. Share any releases and updates regarding your game using the appropriate subreddits, online forums of gamers, and private servers on Discord. Do not appear too promotional when posting.
Tap into the Press and Gaming Sites
Generally, the most underestimated influence is usually press coverage, something indie game developers ignore mainly. You should be in contact with websites that talk about games, blogs, and even a few game journalists who only report about indies. Pitch the game to talk about what makes it special, from the story to the mechanics that are different.
The smaller independent game sites have a much more likely audience but never count out the big pubs. A review or feature on a major gaming website can make your game stick out there.
Share Free Demos and Betas
Probably one of the most promising ways of advertising your game is by offering free demos or beta versions. Now, players get a chance to try the game before buying the full version. Players appreciate knowing what they are putting their money into, and if they like it, they will probably purchase the full version. The game will also be improved due to feedback from the beta testers before its release.
Another thing you should also consider in marketing your indie game is a platform that raises the level of reputation for indie game developers. Using gaming options at FB9999 will raise the level of exposure for your game and enable more gamers to be attracted to it, thus amplifying your promotional efforts.
Game Jams and Competitions
Game jams surely play as a means of spreading your game to the indie gaming community. They challenge the developers to create games within an allocated time frame. Hence, they may provoke further attention from other developers in addition to the players.
Conclusion
Careful planning is essential, as are constant interactions with the community to maintain efforts to boost one’s indie game. Still, building an online presence, tapping into influencers, and experimenting with every method is sure to give others something memorable about your game.