Gamers are some of the savviest internet dwellers and social media is a huge part of their online gaming experience. Social media is used for game research, inspiration, troubleshooting, and connecting with like-minded gamers. The way that game designers and game developers connect with gamers through social media game marketing is a delicate balance. Social media isn’t about outright selling, gamers will see right through it and avoid it. To engage with gamers on social media you need a video game marketing strategy designed to build a relationship with them through your social media game content.
There are a few key online channels game developers and game designers should focus on for any video game marketing strategies.
Best Social Media Channels to Reach Gamers Through Video Game Marketing Campaigns
There are many online social outlets gamers use often that are an ideal place for marketing games by engaging with and learning about your target gaming audience.
YouTube
This video-based channel is arguably one of the most impactful social media channels for video game marketing. Not only is YouTube owned by Google but it is also a key piece of the Google Search algorithm giving your YouTube videos the chance to rank for key terms in your game marketing strategy. Savvy game marketers know that those featured snippet spots are prime real estate for game troubleshooting questions, new game content, game trailers, and more.
YouTube videos are a great way to engage with gamers in many ways:
- Showing off game trailers and exclusive content
- Sharing news about game updates and new DLCs
- Offering game tips, tutorials, and guides to gamers
- Partnering up with YouTube influencers to create new YouTube gaming content
- Giving gamers a behind-the-scenes look at the game studio and the development of the game
These are just a few YouTube game marketing examples you can use to reach gamers. Another small but essential YouTube game marketing tip: don’t forget to organize your YouTube channel. Creating appropriate playlists for each game or kind of video to help gamers navigate through your gaming channel easily. The YouTube video description, title, picture thumbnail, and video tags are also an important part of game marketing SEO and should be carefully crafted for each gaming video you post.
Twitter acts as a brief news update bulletin social channel that is a go-to place for many gamers. One of the main game marketing uses for Twitter is to give gamers any kind of updates that are time-sensitive and could impact them if they’re gaming right now.
Some examples of the type of gaming information you should share on Twitter:
- Servers being taken down for maintenance
- A new game update
- A delay in an expected update
- Acknowledging a game-breaking bug
- New DLC content
- Special in-game events
This gaming update has to be brief because of the nature of Twitter’s word count cap. Also, keep in mind that Twitter is often used by consumers to reach out to brands to resolve problems, so it is very important that you respond to as many of these disgruntled gamers as possible.
The bustling online community of Reddit is a go-to hub for gamers. Gamers use Reddit for all sorts of things and there are a lot of ways to connect with them on this channel.
How to engage with gamers on Reddit:
- Sharing detailed information about new game updates or patches
- Answering game-related questions
- Asking for feedback about a game and suggestions for game changes
- Researching how gamers are playing your game
- Gathering user-generated gaming content to use in blog posts or social media posts
It’s very important that however you engage on Reddit that you strictly follow the rules of the particular gaming subreddit you’re posting on. If the subreddit is for your game, get involved with the moderators and work with them to share content on the subreddit.
Steam
You might not think of it as a traditional social media marketing platform but Steam is an important part of any gamers’ social network. Sharing any game news or updates on Steam is crucial for game designers and developers, especially with the new layout that’s in beta, so take advantage of that chance to get front-and-center of your gamers.
How to connect with gamers on Steam:
- Sharing game news and updates
- Posting detailed patch notes
- Adding game guides
- Uploading exclusive Steam Workshop gaming content
- Getting involved in Steam Discussions
Getting involved with game marketing on Steam is one of the best ways to improve conversions so make sure you put in the time and effort needed to connect with your gaming audience.
Discord
It’s become a more common game marketing tactic for game developers, game designers, and game marketers to create Discord channels to chat with gamers playing their games. Since Discord is a live chat community, it can seem overwhelming to manage but gamers don’t expect you to respond to everything they post within seconds of posting. A lot of times, these gaming communities become more focused on gamers connecting with other gamers and you’re just providing the outlet for them to do that. It’s a great social gaming channel for chatting with people in-game and discussing ideas and questions.
Gamepedia and Fandom Wikis
A game without a Wiki is like a sports game without announcers. Wikis on Gamepedia and Fandom are one of the most visited online sites for gamers who are diving deep into a game. They’re the source for gaming information to help them get acclimated and to help them understand certain game mechanics or plan ahead. Getting involved with helping to fill out these gaming Wikis as much as possible helps gamers enjoy your games more. It can also help to create a streamlined look and feel for your game brand by providing imagery and content so it doesn’t end up being a lot of blurry screenshots. Game marketers might feel that the return from putting in the effort to flesh out a game’s Wiki might not be as clear as it is on other social channels but it’s a game marketing strategy that matters more than you know.
The visual social media marketing platform of Instagram is another hotspot for gamers. There are lots of different ways game developers, game designers, and game marketers can use Instagram to engage with gamers.
Ways to reach gamers on Instagram:
- Share candid behind-the-scenes pictures and videos of your studio and team
- Show off any great user-generated imagery for your game
- Give gamers a look at some in-progress character development
- Connect with gamer influencers on Instagram to create content with them
- Share any new updates, game trailers, or cool footage of the game
- Post about your experience at game conventions and game award events
Instagram marketing is all about catching the eye, so make sure that whatever you’re posting is something that will make people stop and look. Use good lighting and high-quality equipment if possible to make sure your shots look professional.
A large number of people are on Facebook, enough to fill a continent or two, so chances are your gamers are also on Facebook.
The kinds of things to share with gamers on Facebook:
- Any kind of game news or updates
- Key announcements gamers should know
- Any planned new content or DLCs
- Upcoming in-game events
- User-generated content from fans of the game
Facebook is also a great social channel to experiment with paid social media ads if you have the budget. You’re able to hone in on niche audiences to make you’re targeting the exact kind of gamers you’re looking for.
As long as you avoid trying to sell gamers on your game using social media and focus on how you can connect with gamers on social media, you’re going to see a lot of success in your game marketing efforts.
