Optimizing Marketing Channels for Small Game Publishers

With limited marketing budgets, small game publishers must strategically allocate their resources to maximize their return on advertising investment. The release window is crucial, particularly for games on Steam, where the algorithm can quickly overshadow new titles if they don't gain immediate traction. A recent Steam bug that prevented users from receiving notifications about the release of Planet Centauri, despite over 130,000 wishlists, highlights the challenges indie developers face. The bug resulted in only 581 players purchasing the game in its first five days, underscoring the importance of effective marketing during the launch period. So, what marketing channels can small publishers leverage to get their games noticed in those critical first few days? Marla FitzSimmons, head of marketing at Fellow Traveller, emphasizes the importance of building a community around games to maximize return on investment. The team focuses on community-driven social platforms like TikTok and Reddit for paid ad spend, as these platforms allow for direct engagement with players and facilitate conversations about the game. However, paid advertising is no guarantee of success. The developer of Flocking Hell detailed how low conversion rates and platform fees can erode return on investment, making paid spend a risky bet for small publishers. To mitigate this, FitzSimmons recommends splitting the marketing budget between awareness channels and more authoritative sources to improve conversion rates. A multi-channel approach, where players are first introduced to the game on awareness channels and then see it mentioned by trusted sources, can be particularly effective. Hunter Bond, director of horror games publisher DreadXP, agrees but notes that social platforms' constantly changing algorithms can hinder paid advertising strategies. Mike Rose, founder of No More Robots, shared his experience of spending $50,000 on paid advertising for the launch of Little Rocket Lab, not to drive direct sales but to raise awareness. The campaign was successful, with the game receiving significant attention during its launch window. Bond's approach at DreadXP involves committing to paid ad spend when it complements an organic marketing campaign. He also emphasizes the value of meeting gamers and press face-to-face at events like PAX, believing that word of mouth is the most effective marketing strategy. In contrast, Rose advocates for participating in community-organized digital events, citing the success of Little Rocket Lab's appearance at Wholesome Snack, which garnered 8,000 wishlists. Partnering with video content creators is another strategy, offering the dual benefits of connecting with streamers whose audience size aligns with the publisher's budget and hitting the sweet spot between awareness and community-focused marketing. According to Yrs Truly's Gaming Content Creator report, 65.9% of creators offer different rates for indie projects, presenting an opportunity for smaller publishers to maximize their return on investment. FitzSimmons notes that the best results come when a streamer genuinely enjoys the game and their community is a natural fit, allowing for effective discovery of the game through trusted voices. While such partnerships often require payment, Rose has come to accept this as a necessary cost, including influencer fees in his game budgets. Bond cautions that sponsored streams and influencers are challenging to evaluate from a data-driven perspective, making it difficult to predict outcomes or directly attribute results to the investment. Ultimately, while paid advertising across various platforms is possible for small publishers, it is no guarantee of success. It works best when used in conjunction with an organic focus on community, creating interest through personal approaches, and elevating the game's visibility as the release date approaches. As Rose puts it, ads are good for keeping the game in the back of players' minds, and when combined with other marketing efforts, they can pay off at launch.