Mobile games still represent the highest growing niche among apps. The mobile game market worldwide is supposed to touch $46 billion in the present year. In spite of this staggering growth, just 10% of the game apps can actually be called commercially successful as per the growth and ROI they achieved. Naturally, rethinking the strategy and planning for something effective to market mobile games will continue. Based on the experience of the near past, what are the key marketing tips for mobile games we can consider in 2018? Let us have a look.

1) Localization will be key

To make your game connect its audience in different parts of the world your game needs to speak the language of your audience in different local markets. There are many markets that are far from dominated by any single language, and often these markets offer the bigger untapped potential for new game apps. While localising the game language is crucial, there are other considerations as well.

Localisation should also be offered through a selection of payment methods. The selection of payment methods should be made available as per the penetration of such methods in respective markets. For instance, markets having lower credit card penetration should be given other methods of payment for the game players. In some markets, third-party payment solution or third party publishing rights may be good solutions while in others they may not.

2) Consider the latest In-app purchase (IAPs) trends

Throughout 2017 In-app purchase has dominated the mobile app marketing space, and it has been the most effective and revenue earning strategy. In-app purchases have earned $37 billion in app revenue in 2017 alone. In spite of the fact that just 5% of game players actually end up spending money through IAPs, this monetisation avenue is credited for 2000% more profit compared to other avenues.

In the months to come, In-app purchase (IAP) will be more specific in targeting game players with new tools and tweaks like limited period events, behavioral incentives and dynamic pricing. We can also expect more games to adopt several different types of virtual currency for payment. Specially targeted offers for some game playing audience will also be a key trend.

3) Consider these social media hacks

Social media will continue to feature more prominently in the mobile game marketing. There will be a few effective social media hacks and effective strategies that will dominate mobile game marketing in 2018 and beyond.

When planning marketing for your new game apps on social media, you need to prioritise social platforms based on the type of user your game app will be entitled for. There are plenty of social platforms, but the app that can work on Facebook may not work well on Pinterest. It obviously depends on the audience.

When it comes to marketing your game on Facebook, you need to build up excitement for the game for several months prior to your launch and based on the reaction of your launch should launch the game app to generate maximum buzz.

Pinterest can be a great medium if you can register various screenshots and app related images in an appealing manner to the visual database of the platform. Pinterest works great if you have a separate website for the app to draw and engage traffic.

Reddit, on the other hand, can be a good platform to track information and spot marketing opportunities of your game app. Lastly, make use of social analytics to track and monitor your game playing audience and activities.

4) Paid games

You may have discarded paid apps already as a monetisation strategy, but in the last year only there have been several highest grossing paid mobile games. In fact, there has been $ 29 billion revenue from the paid apps alone. Yes, we know that nearly 98% of paid apps in Play Store are free apps, but to your surprise, many of these apps are now coming with a mix of strategies by offering paid sister apps. Often value additions like new graphic contents with these paid sister apps can actually boost engagement from the audience.

5) Game ads rewarding players

Mobile game players are more habituated with promotional contents compared to other app users. With the traction and engagement for in-app ads to garner any substantial revenue often a game needs a huge audience or players to earn a substantial value. This is why game ads need to be thought in a completely new light. Rewarding game players for watching game ads have come up with a really effective strategy. Around 80% of game players prefer watching video ads for game rewards.

6) In-game sponsorship

Sponsored contents within mobile games continued to remain another popular aspect of many mobile games in the recent years. It started way back in 2015 when Angry Birds players were allowed to kill the awful pigs by Honey Nut Cheerios as long as for 2 whole weeks and thus promoting another game app. Soon, several other games followed this trend which incorporated elements of other game apps in the gaming actions for the purpose of sponsorship. It works great specially for developers who have multiple game apps with a few successful ones across the board. In the present year, we can see mobile game developers to reduce dependence on the in-app purchase by embracing these rewarded and sponsored ads.

7) Merchandising game products

Merchandising your game-related products to the game players is still effective for too many mobile games. But it needs at least a certain level of commercial success for the game app. Only when your game has a widespread following and enjoys a niche branding, you can come up with the marketing of in-game characters shaped into real life products like t-shirts, stuffed toys, game-inspired cars, and even notebooks or coffee mugs.

In conclusion

All these strategies and avenues seem to have one thing in common, and it is more about connecting audience more specifically and in a targeted manner. In 2018, we can expect these strategies evolve further.