Hi there! You’re reading the blog of Bidapp mediation platform. Here, we don't judge anyone; on the contrary, we warmly support self-made mobile app developers. Want to know how to increase your game downloads for free? Then this article is for you. We’ve researched a lot of material from other authors, watched dozens of YouTube videos, and followed discussions in various communities. We've gathered the most effective marketing methods for mobile games and will briefly talk about each of them. At the end of the article, we share the best links to communities and channels for mobile developers. Use the quick navigation through the sections below, or read everything in order.
- How do you make a game trailer and other content?
- How to promote into app store?
- How to promote the game on social media?
- Useful links, authors, communities (constantly updated)
Creating a Unique Game Trailer
A trailer is the first thing potential players will see. According to Xsolla, a quality trailer can increase conversions by 40%.
Creating a good trailer takes time and effort, but it’s one of the most effective ways to draw attention to your game. Regardless of how casual your game might be at launch in the app store, it's essential to ensure that the presentation and content are top-notch. This includes uploading previews, creating short promotional videos, and sharing your game cases within developer communities. Spend adequate time finding your game’s unique identity and tell its story dynamically.
Additionally, think about creating diverse content based on your game, such as generating a comic using AI. This comic could further explore the character or the overall setting in which your game takes place, providing more depth and engaging your audience in new ways.
Here are some tips from trailer producer Derek Lieu on structuring the perfect trailer:
- Define the game genre (5%): Briefly indicate what genre your game belongs to. This helps viewers immediately understand what to expect.
- What makes this game different from others (40%): Show unique features and mechanics that make your game stand out from the competition. This can include graphics, gameplay mechanics, or setting.
- Why it's interesting and what challenges players will face (40%): Explain why your game deserves attention. Describe the key challenges and tasks that players will have to solve.
- Game objective and duration (14%): Indicate the goal for the player and how long it will take to achieve it. Include demonstrations of various skills, upgrades, and character equipment options.
- Game title and how to find it (1%): End the trailer with the project logo, a call to action (e.g., "Add to Wishlist"), and logos of supported platforms
App Store Optimization (ASO): A Strategic Approach to Mobile Game Promotion
App Store Optimization (ASO) is often considered the secret weapon in a mobile game developer's marketing arsenal. While many developers focus heavily on social media and influencer marketing, ASO remains a cornerstone for achieving organic growth and visibility within app stores. Here’s a deep dive into ASO and why it’s essential for promoting your mobile game effectively.
Keywords are the backbone of ASO. Proper keyword research and implementation can dramatically increase your app's visibility. However, it’s not just about stuffing keywords into your app’s title and description. It’s about finding the right balance and context.
- Keyword Research: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, App Annie, and Sensor Tower to identify popular and relevant keywords. These tools provide insights into what potential users are searching for, which helps you select the most effective keywords for your app.
- Title and Description Optimization: The app title is the most crucial element for ASO. It should include the most relevant keywords in a concise manner. The description should also be optimized but written naturally to ensure it appeals to users and algorithms alike.
- Localized Keywords: If you’re targeting multiple regions, localizing your keywords for different languages and cultures can significantly boost your app’s reach and relevance.
ASO is not a one-time task but an ongoing process. The app store algorithms and user behavior continually evolve, making it essential to stay updated with the latest trends and best practices. You can significantly enhance your mobile game’s visibility, drive more organic installs, If you learn how to work intelligently with key descriptions and words. There are no clear requirements and guarantees when you are working on text optimization in an app store. All in all, it will be enough to watch a couple of videos to understand the actual techniques of promoting mobile apps and games with ASO in 2024.
Using Social Media
So, how do you promote your app or mobile game on social media? First, understand that quality content on social media will always find its audience. Platforms are keen to promote creators, so the question is more about what to post. What techniques will help my content reach a wider audience? This is the right approach.
We want to emphasize that simply posting screenshots of your interface or forcing out creative descriptions of minor updates is not the best strategy. Instead, recognize that on social media, we tend to react more to stories, respond to popular and global events, and experience shared contexts — each through our own prism of interests and preferences.
Social media is inherently a casual space, especially with the trend towards authenticity. People value creativity over seriousness and direct marketing tools. However, it's always important to:
- Ensure your target audience is present where you publish: Choose your social network wisely and set up your profile with easy navigation to your desired actions.
- Engage with other people's posts in the community: Participate in discussions and use platform tools actively so that your recommendation feed aligns with what your target audience should see.
- Learn from other developers' experiences: Engage in broader conversations beyond just X and TikTok. Participate in online forums and groups dedicated to mobile games, such as Reddit and Discord. These platforms allow you to interact with other developers and players, share achievements, and get useful advice.
- Interact with influencers: Influencers can significantly increase the visibility of your game and attract a new audience. Find influencers whose audience matches your target audience and offer them cooperation. Influencers can create reviews, streams, or short videos demonstrating key moments of the game.
By combining the theme of participating in gaming communities with social media promotion, we can streamline our strategy and make it more effective.
Useful Resources and Communities
Developers can use the following valuable resources and communities to promote their game. Save this article in your bookmarks to return to the list when needed, as it will be updated! You'll find unpopular opinions, author techniques, and practical advice at these links. Do you want to get a regular squeeze of the most discussed things from the world of mobile development? Sign up for our email newsletter
- Pocket Gamer: The go-to site for all things mobile gaming, from industry news to game reviews and developer interviews.
- TouchArcade: A vibrant community focused on mobile games, offering news, reviews, and forums for discussion.
- Gamasutra: A leading site for game developers, providing articles, blogs, and news about game development.
- Unity Connect: A community for Unity developers to network, share projects, and collaborate.
- GameDev.net: A comprehensive resource for game developers, featuring forums, blogs, and tutorials.
- IndieDB: A community for indie game developers to share their projects and get feedback.
- Android Developers Blog: Official blog from Google, offering the latest news and updates for Android developers.
- iOS Dev Weekly: A weekly newsletter with the best iOS development links, tutorials, and articles.
- AdMob Blog: Tips and insights on mobile app monetization from Google’s AdMob team.
- Chartboost Blog: Marketing and monetization strategies for mobile game developers.
- GameAnalytics Blog: Analytics insights and tips for mobile game developers to understand and improve their games.
- Reddit /r/gamedev: A subreddit for game developers to share experiences, get advice, and discuss industry topics.
- Reddit /r/AndroidGaming: A community for discussing and discovering Android games.
- Reddit /r/iOSgaming: A subreddit focused on iOS gaming, including news, discussions, and game recommendations.
- Indie Game Developers Facebook Group: A Facebook group for indie game developers to network and share their projects.
- App Annie Blog: Insights and analytics for app market trends and data.
- Stack Overflow: A must-use site for any developer, providing answers and community support for coding issues.
- Mobile Dev Memo: A blog focusing on mobile advertising and app monetization strategies.
- Appsflyer Blog: Mobile marketing insights and attribution analytics.
- InMobi Blog: Mobile advertising strategies and industry news.
- Mobile Marketing Magazine: News and insights on mobile marketing.
- Android Central Forums: A community for discussing all things Android.
- Touchdown Community: A community hub for mobile game developers to share tips and collaborate.
- Game Jolt: A platform for indie game developers to share and discuss their projects.
- SlideDB: A directory for mobile game developers to showcase their games and connect with other developers.
- App Developer Magazine: A magazine with articles and insights on app development.
- Business of Apps: Analysis and insights on the business side of app development.
YouTube Channels
Several YouTube channels publish video reviews and announcements of new mobile games:
- HyperHub
- Homa Academy
- GDC (Game Developers Conference)
- Splattercatgaming
- ClemmyGames
- Retromation
- New Games Daily
Conclusion
So, we’ve discussed the most important and effective ways to start promoting your app. Undoubtedly, this is just a small part of the possible promotion techniques, but our goal was not to make you a marketing guru in 10 minutes. The useful links to various media and communities should become your starting point, where you can find ways to make yourself known. We wish you good luck and are always here if you want to use Bidapp technology to increase your ad revenue in your app.