Obviously the big priority of this project is to create the game to be used in the commercial, but once the game is set up and ready I need still to create the commercial for the game, using what I have made. Now it's no lie that I myself have never actually seen an app game commercial, therefore that means there is research to be done.As with my research page on addiction, my style will be to find three or four sources and make use of the information to answer the topic of the post. As usual none of the information from the sources is my own information. Credit goes to the people who created the sources. I'm only using the information for research purposes.
So without further ado, shall we get started?
Source 1 - Traditional Media Advertising -
Chron - 10 Ways to Advertise a Product
Let's start at the top before getting into any specifics and look at some ways of advertising general products. I found this article on a site called Chron, written by a woman called Melanie J. Martin. It looks at traditional ways to advertise that don't use newer styles of media that have been introduced more recently. Whether or not they work for advertising app games is another matter. Some could work some couldn't. The bold writing is information from the source, whilst the normal writing underneath is notation that I've put with it.
"Successful advertising techniques often use new media forms to promote a product. However, traditional advertising forms still work, too." - Melanie J. Martin
Press Release
If your product features a notable innovation, or has an unusual feature, write a press release. Alternatively, stage an event to release your new product and write a news release about the event.
- Considering the nature of my work this one probably isn't plausible. Console games companies have the E3 Conference and PAX to showcase upcoming titles, whilst app developers have the ADC and GDC to showcase their apps. Maybe at a later point I could use press release, if I decided to make it commercial and with sufficient finance that I currently don't have, but not for this coursework.
TV Ad
Develop a creative TV ad and run it at a time when your target audience will most likely be watching. Film your own ad, purchase a pre-made ad and record a voiceover or enlist the help of a commercial production company. Just make sure it’s entertaining and looks professional.
- This is an option. However from personal experience it wouldn't be the best option for maximising awareness of it. Teenagers and upwards are my target market, and commonly the only TV that demographic watches is evening TV, where video game adverts show up next to never on the main channels. There are better ways to advertise games where more of my target demographic are likely to look.
Radio Ad
Advertise on your local radio station, or a larger station if your budget allows. Make sure your voice captures attention and presents the type of character you want people to associate with your business. Otherwise, enlist the help of a friend or professional.
- I can't imagine doing this one. Whenever I listen to the radio, it's passively; I don't actively go and listen to it. I myself have never heard any adds over the radio. I just don't think it's the place for it. Besides when has a game ever been vocally advertised and done well as a result. I can't think of any times.
Print Ad
Magazines let you easily target a particular audience – just pick the trade or consumer publication they read most. You’ll tend to reach a more affluent audience with magazines, too. Newspapers and regional magazines let you reach the audience in your area. Consider a full-page ad for maximum impact, choosing a design that entertains or makes people pause to think.
- Now this one is feasible. I've read game and technology magazines in the past and know what sort of content they contain. You could easily create and put in an app game advertisement and get it seen by the right kind of people. The only issue there is that people need to pay to get a magazine, and even then there's no guarantee they'll see the advert. In short people are paying money, that won't come to you, to potentially see an advert that is easily missable. Not a very effective strategy.
Interpersonal Networking
Always carry business cards and brochures for your product and be prepared to pitch your product to any receptive audience. Attend social events and talk about what you offer, giving a card and brochure to each person you talk with.
- Definitely not. Not only is it time consuming but it's also not very efficient and comes off as unprofessional. Handing out business cards or brochures is only effective if a customer is showing interest in something you're selling. It often comes off as desperate which people don't like, because it makes them feel like they're doing you a favour. It's the same reason why door to door sales people generally don't do well. People just don't like it when people try to waste their time with dropping products on them that they don't need or want.
Online Networking
Connect with other professionals who serve a similar customer base but aren’t competing with you. Agree to post their link on your website if they post yours on their site. Connect with friends and acquaintances on social networks after developing a page for your business or a professional profile. Send notices about sales, your new product and responses to it.
- I think this is a healthy idea. I means helping out each other and developing connections that can be helpful in the future. Media integration, when done correctly is often the start of large businesses growing. It's not however something I could do in this coursework. Unless you count getting assistance from other people in my class, which is likely something I'll end up doing.
Online Ads
Use online ad placement services such as Google AdSense, which target customers searching for a similar topic. Place ads on informational websites, such as online magazines, that feature topics related to your business.
- This one I think is probably the most common way of advertising app games outside of the app store itself. Whenever I trawl through game or anime wikis, all I ever see along the sides are adverts for games, be them app games, online computer games, or upcoming console games. Even if I don't buy them, I'm certainly aware of them. The other nice thing about it is that you don't need to pay to view a webpage, and you're not actively looking for it. I find that you often remember something that you passively pick up on better than something you pick up on directly, which is why I think it works so effectively.
Online Content
Develop easy-to-read content for your website, incorporating commonly searched for terms in your writing. Join site submission networks like Digg, where you submit links to your content. Submit quality links to other sites so you’ll get higher ratings, too. Consider writing a blog or e-newsletter, doing a podcast or producing instructive YouTube videos.
- Well... That's certainly helpful. It didn't twig in my mind that this blog is a form of advertising for my game. So I have already used a method of advertising to showcase the game. Seems I'm further ahead than I thought. Also I can understand youtube. It's become a staple way of advertising, though only a couple of adverts are actually effective enough to make people watch them before their video. I actually ended up getting into World of Warcraft through watching the trailer for Mists of Pandaria before a Youtube video, so they do work, sometimes...
Direct Mail
Start a direct-mailing campaign by sending letters to clients or potential customers. Consider sending coupons or highlighting the product feature that your target audience will find most important.
- Again not a good idea for my product, for the same reasons as Interpersonal Networking; it's inefficient and also not very reliable. Commonly people don't pay any notice to flyers through the letterbox, and most email of that sort, people class as junk or spam.
Events
Attending local, regional and even national events will help you connect with many potential customers. Conduct demonstrations on how to use the product or perform a related task and talk with as many attendees as possible.
- Good idea for the product, but again, not very feasible within my own current situation. If it was commercial then yes perhaps, but not for school coursework.
Source 2 - New Media Advertising -
We talked about new media advertising briefly in the first source and now we're getting into detail as to what it actually is.
"New media advertising is rich with prospects. There have never been more ways to tell people about a good product or company."
First of all a definition is in order. I site called wiseGeek had a short information page detailing what new media advertising is:
"New media advertising is rich with prospects. There have never been more ways to tell people about a good product or company."
First of all a definition is in order. I site called wiseGeek had a short information page detailing what new media advertising is:
"New media advertising employs new technology to reach customers, specifically on the Internet. New media is interactive and Internet driven. It consists of websites, blogs, vlogs, visual and audio newscasts, RSS news feeds, and social networking. These choices are available to anyone with an Internet connection, and are a way to gain a global audience."
The article also reinforces the point that was made in the previous source, about traditional media advertising being overtaken my new media advertising:
"While print, radio and television ads still exist, traditional advertising's influence has decreased, forcing the marketing industry to consider new media avenues. Consumers are increasingly on the Internet to communicate, receive news, and purchase products."
- So new media advertising refers to advertising that relies on computers and the internet to reach it's audience. It's also fairly clearly that it's becoming the new best way to advertise products, though it does overlap somewhat with traditional media. All of the online traditional media; Ads, Content, and Networking seemingly tie in with new media.
The article also talked about the impact it's having on businesses. Social media is talked about as playing a key part. What is social media? The article also explains that as well:
"Social media, a huge component of new media, consists of channels set up to form online communities. Users can communicate and spread information widely and instantly, known as viral marketing. Strategically placed ads on these sites get people talking and messaging. Potential customers visit other buyers' blogs or forum discussions. They read buyer comments and write their own user ratings. This people-driven movement is giving consumers power of voice and choice."
- So social media is allowing advertising to fall into the hands of the public. It makes sense. The internet is a free resource, available for anyone to use and put things up on. Beforehand word of mouth advertising was limited the people that you met in the real world, which isn't a large amount when looking at a broader picture. Social media it seems has taken a traditional form of advertising and improved it exponentially by connecting a customer up with the entire world. Communication it seems is one of the most effective and efficient ways to advertise, and if you get it right you can sit back and watch as the public advertises your product for you.
I doubt I'm the first to come to this conclusion, and through further reading It seems that businesses have indeed picked up on this and used it to improve their marketing strategies:
"Online newscasts, podcasts, and video logs give advertisers a chance to show customers exactly what they are getting. Many businesses are hiring staff to blog about positive product features and run forums to receive valuable feedback."
- Which I also tried to do with the questionnaire during my research into audiences, to no avail. That's nothing uncommon. Many professional businesses have trouble receiving feedback, although they have the problem for other reasons too it seems.
"The business challenge for advertisers is getting people to a site in the first place. One new media advertising obstacle is the vast amount of available information, leading to overwhelming competition. Another problem is keeping abreast of ever-changing technology and trends. After realizing new media advertising is standard, companies must understand trends to keep their strategies fresh."
- And I have enough trouble getting views on this blog, let alone trying to compete with others. It's no easy feat it seems, in this day and age, to utilize new media and social media effectively enough to become majorly successful, although as it says at the start - it's rich with prospects, and if you utilize new media and social media in the right way you can soon reap the rewards of it.
Source 3 - Ways to Promote an App
Entrepreneur - 25 Creative Ways to Promote your App For Free
My observations may not currently be very informed, but commonly the main way a company chooses to advertise a console game online is through preview trailers. I see them all of the time whilst I'm browsing online, waiting for videos and whatnot. The bugging thing however is that despite all of this advertising, which clearly seems to work, I don't ever see similar adverts that showcase app games. I've only ever seen one, and that was for the massively successful Angry Birds.
I factor this mainly to the low pricing of the games. Maybe the general profit for app games isn't high enough for the developers to spend their advertising budget on a preview commercial. Therefore some research is needed to decide how exactly to advertise it effectively.
"It does not make sense to pay advertising dollars to get customers because the cost of a customer acquisition is never lower than the price of the app." - Rahul Varshneya - Business Building Advisor and Co-founder of Arkenea LLC
Cue the third and final source, which I found on a site called Entrepreneur, written by a contributor called Rahul Varshneya, which had a substantial 25 different ways to promote an app without spending any money; perfect for someone like me, who currently has no money to contribute to it.
All of the points are very brief and range between methods that use both Traditional Media and New Media
1. Build a microsite. This one or two-pager showcases your app to the web audience. Take cues from Snapchat and Path.
2. Build a teaser website. Do this a month or two before your launch to collect email addresses of people who would like to know when the app launches.
3. Start a blog. Attach it to your microsite. Write interesting content that will draw people to your website.
- This part we're good on, I hope. Though actual creation may require a more professional blog, if I should choose to make it commercial.
4. Share your content. Use your Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn profiles to promote the app several times in a week.
5. Create a product video. Make it creative, funny, thought-provoking or personal. Tell the story, but in a way people can identify with.
- Now this one seems to be what we're getting at. A trailer is after all what is required from me in the brief for this project, and this could be the ideal way to fulfil that criteria whilst keeping to convention.
6. Get press, tons of it. "Press is the best way to kick start your startup, and the best way to get it is to manually reach out to journalists."- Neil Patel - Entrepreneur
7. Pitch to app review websites. Sites like 148apps, AppStoreApps and AppAdvice can generate a lot of buzz for your app if they mention it.
8. Contact bloggers who would care. Identify bloggers who write on niches that relate to your app. For instance, a children's app can be pitched to bloggers who write for mothers.
- There is my entire class, all of whom are doing a blog themselves, although only a few are doing the same brief as me. Even so, it's still something that could help out.
9. Apply for awards. Look into awards such as the Kiip Build Fund or The Mobileys. If you win, you also get a ton of press, not to mention winner's booty.
10. Start a podcast. Publish it on iTunes or your own website. Draw content from the niche your app caters to most.
11. Always be collecting emails. Gather potential customer emails through Facebook, Twitter or your website. An email list of people who have opted in is a powerful marketing tool.
12. Create a six-second how-to series. Make the most of Vine with videos potential customers will find useful.
- This is also an option for a video, although it might be rather short.
13. Use Dubbler. Promote your blog posts or content having to do with your app's niche on Dubbler -- a 60-second audio social network.
14. Post on Pinterest. Use blog images, infographics and visual content from your app to create content on your Pinterest board. You can even use happy customer photos or hold contests.
15. Manually recruit customers. The creator behind Canvsly reaches out to local art schools, libraries and pediatricians to get more customers. Know your audience and find them.
16. Run a contest. For example, you can encourage people to tweet and share content on their social networks promoting your app. A random person every week can win a promo code to download your app for free if it is a paid one.
- This one's interesting. Given my current standing; a high school student, it might might be possible to take advantage of this method in the future.
17. Create a Facebook group. Form a group for people with common interests related to your app's niche so they can meet and socialize regularly. If your app caters to hikers, for example, create a hiking group.
18. Get speaking opportunities. Research events that touch on the topic your app addresses and make an appearance. Start small and get recognized as an authority in the space.
19. Take advantage of voicemail. Include a creative mention of your app in your phone's voicemail recording.
20. Be obsessive about resolving negative reviews. Remember: A happy customer is a brand ambassador for your app.
- Always a healthy approach. Taking on board why your project had bad reviews and trying to rectify it is great for ironing out any kinks in the work before it becomes too late.
21. Make good use of App Store Optimization. You can find it at the app store.
- I will make note of this one. It may come in useful in the future.
22. Contact admins of related Facebook pages. Look for pages with 100k+ likes and reach out to their admins. Make sure these pages have something to do with the focus of your app. Then give them a compelling reason to mention it.
23. Optimize your email signature. Provide a catchy one-liner about your app along with the link to download it in your email signature.
- You know a good one just popped into my head whilst I was reading. I think I'm onto something to add onto the promotion already.
24. Consider offering a promotional price. If your app is a pay-to-download one, consider a promotional pricing of $0.99 during the launch time. This price point encourages impulse purchases.
25. Integrate social media within the app. This will make it obvious to users to share with others. Path app allows users to share photographs on social networks and Draw Something makes sure you rope in a friend or more.
And with that we have our question answered. The source information has provided more than 30 possible ways of advertising the game. We also learnt, through researching this topic, about Traditional Media Advertising and New Media Advertising, as well as it's biggest component Social Media.
I'm pretty pleased with this. There's plenty now to go on as I continue with this. I can refer back to the info here when I produce my work and also tie it in with doing the ancillary tasks, when I get to them as well.
We're getting close now. A few more bits of research and I'll be ready to create a pitch detailing what my game idea will be. Until then
thanks for reading and stay updated.
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