Why Social Media Matters in Gaming?

Today’s audiences are hyper social - giving us, publishers & brands so many opportunities to engage with fans on another level! Consumers today demand more brand-to-consumer engagement through creative content, and very importantly they demand a mission from brands that is a clear change from the era of “talking at them” to “talking with them.”. Consumers want to feel like they are part of product decisions and like all of us they want to feel valued so building engaged communities from brand accounts that are excited to hear your every move is the way forward!

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The gooey middle take-away from this piece is that it is imperative for game publishers and brands to curate their own communities on social media and become a de facto and kick-ass centre of these communities. After all, many consumers have now spent a decade (or more!) hanging out on social media platforms - to address them on their home ground is too juicy of an opportunity to ignore.

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The method is simple - by positioning a brand as a member and leader of its own community, the brand is able to contribute and participate in conversations. Consumers are networked with each other and the brand through community management, allowing you to put a finger on the pulse of your audience's sentiment, wants and feelings towards your product and other consumers. You gotta blend in though! Speak in the same tone, laugh at the same memes & be quick on your feet to develop content your audience loves!

Social media is fast; not Usain Bolt 100 meters fast, more like Sonic the Hedgehog just remembered he left his oven on fast. But for example, on Twitter, opportunities exist to entertain consumers and connect with them instantly - increasing brand awareness and loyalty which are considerably huge factors when it comes down to purchasing decisions. The big bonus here is: All this is done without extra spend! You can get there through daily & constant active community nurturing rather than having to run ads at all times!

Here’s the best part - your online communities are waiting for you!! In 2020 alone, there were more than 2 billion Tweets just about gaming and with 65% of the Twitter audience being gamers, it’s a no-brainer for gaming brands to not kick ass here.

While a no-brainer, there is significant pre-meditation necessary to ensure that your product’s presence on social media stands out from the crowd, and in the best ways. An ideal place to start is with the development of a well thought out tone of voice, bespoke for your brand with your audience in mind. You don’t want to appear to be out of touch or non-endemic to consumers!

Engaging with your audience makes all the difference & when you come to hitting your sales jabs your audience will be ready as you’ve done an amazing job to build a trust relationship that your audience will eat up the products or games you share with them. Social Media is all about engagement first, selling should come last! No-one is more anti ads than gamers, bear this in mind when it comes to your product strategy on social media.

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50% of mobile gamers find new games on social media and the majority is doing little to no research before purchasing a game! This means it’s crucial for you to win over gamers in the discovery phase! This can include paid social ads, which can be the icing on the cake and can have a real impact on your campaign. However, sponsored ads can quickly become confusing & be a waste of money if not executed properly alongside an organic strategy for your social media presence. Seek advice from an agency like Disobey to get the most for your buck! Clever "free marketing" with the right content on the right platforms is also key!

Gaming is a $137.9 billion industry! So let's get you your share! Creating compelling social media content is invaluable for any brand, no matter the size! Whether you are organising an influencer campaign, promoting a game, or you’re a full-fledged brand looking to become involved with esports and gaming, social media will be crucial to your success. At Disobey we’re gamers that live & breathe social media, and know exactly what buttons to push to get your audience excited!

Social media shouldn’t be a hard sale. Get to know your users, players & community, entertain them, laugh at the same jokes with them & simply engage with them. That's the secret sauce!

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