Hi All,

I'd like to talk about advertising your iPhone game.

I've read so many posts such as "27 ways to advertise your game" and "Make your game sell by doing this" but they always tend to be generalised ideas rather than specific tasks you need to do to advertise your game.

I haven't released my game yet but I'd like to share my ideas on how I'm going to advertise and see if anyone has some better/different ones.



1) Forum posts

I'm currently posting on as many forums related to my game as possible and making sure I include the correct keywords in the title:

<Company Name - Game Name - Platform>

I'm also making sure my signature contains links to my website and various social networking sites.

This has definately increased my ranking on google but it also requires upkeep.

I like to make sure I reply to posts and update screenshots/links when updates happen.

To do this on the ever increasing posts I use a program called CheckNGet which checks all my posts every hour or so to see if the page has changed by a certain amount (x lines or y words etc) so I know which posts to answer.

Here's the website, I haven't bought it yet but I think i will: http://activeurls.com/


2) Submitting to Indie Game, Game News, Game Reviewers and Game Press, Related topics (our game is a monster truck game so we send information to Monster truck websites)

I've started sending information to reviewers and game news websites which essentially does the same thing as forum posts but obviously to a broader market (people who don't use forums).


3) IRC

I'm not sure it's ehtical but I plan to log into various IRC channels and spread the word when my game is released (not flooding, just a short little spam message in targeted gaming/mobile gaming channels).


4) Social Networking (Facebook)

I'm adding everyone I know or think I know on my facebook page and sending out regular updates on the progress of my game.

I'm even adding the people that I grew up with that completely hate me, I believe they will probably be more interested to see "what that dick head from school is doing" than the person who has no idea who I am. Could result in a sale...


5) Tutorial Videos

I'm trying to create tutorial videos about specific processes or areas of my game that I think warrants a tutorial. This might help generate some interest in the company's brand which could lead to sales based on people being familiar with the brand.


6) Real life Promoting

This isn't a definate but I'd like to try printing out a wearable poster and walk down the busiest mall in my city with scantily clad women (ok ok, they'll probably be my sisters but people wont know that!). Would try to convince passerbys to download the game onto their iphone then and there.


7) Holding a release party

The obvious one, supply free booze and have your family and friends come over to download your game on release night so that you can climb up the rankings quicker.


8) Local News

Send in an article to your local newspaper. Releasing a fully fledged game when coming from a small town can sometimes be good news if things are slow for them.

9) YouTube Reviewers & Television

Film an interview of yourself and provide promotional material to every tv show that might have even the smallest chance of being interested, obviously send out information to as many youtube reviewers as you possibly can.



Soo... that's my current strategy... anyone got some ideas?

[Edited by - daveodonoghue on January 4, 2011 5:32:52 PM]

Quote:1&3) Forum posts and IRC are a BAD idea. You specifically said "I'm not sure it's ehtical ... just a short little spam message". Doing it on IRC is a quick and easy way to get your site under a DDoS. Forums tend to delete your posts, ban/suspend your accounts, or in some cases encourage counter-attacks if that is their culture. Not only are the spams very inconsiderate and possibly illegal, it is a great way to get yourself shut down by hackers.

Yeah, IRC does seem pretty bad but you may be able to find certain channels that allow the behaviour.

But forum posts are a winner in my eyes

You have to make sure you follow the rules of the forum and check out other people’s posts to make sure yours isn't over the top.

Most development forums have a showcase or announcement topic and a lot of gaming forums have a similar topic that allows discussion of indie games.

I've had some good feedback from forums and you usually get the truth because of the whole anonymity thing.

Quote:9) That sounds like your earlier #4 and #6.

I'm trying to list specific things rather than general ideas.

Quote:Being an old-fashioned kind of person, I would recommend the more traditional marketing techniques. Direct targeted marketing to those who are interested. That means press releases to the press, asking for reviews by reviewers (which often includes payment for their time), offering discussion (not spam bombs) on appropriate discussion board, and paying for product placement in genre-appropriate locations.

Ok, I've changed the topic title to include "for next to nothing". Obviously spending some money on advertising is a good thing but it'd be good to try all low cost options before spending your advertising budget.