9 Game Marketing Tactics to Attract and Retain Players

In today’s gaming landscape, simply having an engaging and addictive game isn’t enough to attract players. Sure, they might love it once they download the app, but how do you grab their attention in the first place? And once you’ve hooked them, how do you keep them coming back? Any successful product is only as good as how it’s marketed. Game marketing tactics are all about boosting visibility, raising brand awareness, and sparking interest.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the most essential game marketing tactics every developer should have in their locker. From social media to app store optimization, we’ll cover key strategies you can implement to make your game stand out from the crowd.

The best practices for game marketing

Here are some important principles for planning a game marketing campaign:

• Identify your target audience: Define who the game is for by understanding pain points, interests, and gaming habits.
• Conduct competitor analysis: Research similar games and identify messaging gaps to make yours stand out.
• Stay up to date with gaming trends: Keep your game relevant by adapting to emerging trends.
• Build a community: Engage players on platforms like Reddit and Discord to gather feedback.
• Optimize for app stores: Improve visibility by refining your game title, keywords, and description.
• Use organic and paid marketing: Reach a wider audience effectively with a mix of channels. 
• Create powerful visuals: Design engaging creatives and use A/B testing to maximize their impact.
• Analyze game and campaign performance: Set KPIs like CPI, ARPU, retention rate, and LTV to track success and profitability.

Once you know the fundamentals, decide which marketing tactics you need to promote your game.

Game marketing tactics: Organic user acquisition

There are many ways to build a loyal player base without having to pay for a single ad. Here are some key organic user acquisition tactics to take note of. 

1. Community building (social media and online communities)

Building a community and buzz are the most important first steps in marketing your game. 

Social media is a goldmine for promoting games. In fact, 64% of marketers believe word-of-mouth is the most effective form of marketing. So developers should leverage this digital realm to connect directly with their target audience. 

Generate excitement and brand awareness on social media platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch. This can be achieved through a variety of content, including:

• Contests
• Polls
• Live streams
• Basic posts
• Videos
• Interactive content.

Note: Different kinds of content work on specific platforms.

To increase audience reach, consider sharing teasers, release dates, trailers, and target trending hashtags. Then you can leverage each platform’s in-built analytics to inform future marketing efforts.

Consider engaging with your target audience on forum-based platforms like Discord and Reddit. Through Q&A sessions, gamers can provide early feedback during development. Directly acknowledging player input is bound to make them feel more valued.

2. User-generated content (UGC)

A growingly popular game marketing strategy – using user-generated content (UGC) is fantastic for engaging with new and current players. Gamers appreciate when developers share player videos, fan art, reviews, and player achievements. It makes them feel special and valued as a fan and will attract new players. Developers often incentivize UGC, offering access to events and merchandise. 

In fact, according to Statista, more than three in 10 adults who played video games were aware of platforms that allowed users to generate their own virtual content for games. For example, Roblox lets content creators monetize their gaming experiences.

3. App store optimization (ASO) and Search engine optimization (SEO)

ASO is the optimization of game metadata to boost rankings and visibility in app stores (e.g. Apple’s App Store and Android’s Google Play). ASO involves optimizing game titles, keywords, and descriptions. Designing attractive app icons and screenshots is also a key component of ASO.

Then there’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization). More synonymous with general digital marketing, SEO is conducted via websites and blog posts to rank higher on search engines. More organic traffic, lead generation, and engagement are some of the benefits of SEO.

4. Cross-promotions and partnerships

Collaborating with other developers to cross-promote games can be as effective a game marketing strategy as any.

Sometimes, it’s better to help each other reach the same target audience, rather than flat-out compete with one another. Effective cross-promotions can include crossover discounts and collaborative in-game events.

Other organic acquisition tactics to consider:

• Website creation: Build a central online presence where gamers can learn about your game. Include feature guides, links to social media, pricing, trailers, and more.
• Engagement marketing: Live streaming, gameplay teasers, and demos engage casual gamers by showcasing your game.
• Events and conventions: Gaming events are a great way to gain exposure and expand your network.
• Referral programs: Players recommend a game to their social circle for incentives, like in-game rewards and currency.

Game marketing tactics: Paid user acquisition

Yes, organic acquisition methods bring buzz to a game. But paid methods bring in a wider audience and speed up growth. 

5. Influencer marketing

Influencers can help you bridge the gap between your game and your target audience. Influencers have huge followings. This “cache” can completely sway a customer on which product they choose to go with. 

Influencers can expose your game to all kinds of customers, depending on their niche. Through reviews, gameplay videos, and endorsements, they apply a human touch to your brand, resonating more with potential leads.

Famous gaming influencers include Swedish YouTuber PewDiePie, who is famous for his vlogs. Metal Gear Solid player SSSniperWolf is also a prolific gaming commentator.

6. Digital ads (social media, mobile, and websites)

Paid ads are a marketing strategy that’s been tried and tested for many years now. In the gaming world, the more channels you’re able to run paid ads through, the wider the audience you can reach. Here are some noteworthy examples:

• Advertising on relevant websites: A surefire way to reach a gaming audience. With data-driven tactics, you can customize ads to roll out at peak times, maximizing marketing impact.
• Social media ads: Use platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok to reach different audiences based on interests, demographics, and user behavior.
• Ads in other popular games and apps: An effective way to reach your target demographics. Relevant networks to promote in-app ads include AdMob, UnityAds, and Chartboost.

Through these channels, you can create innovative ad formats like video trailers and interactive ads. These improve brand visibility and capture the public’s imagination.

Additional paid acquisition tactics to consider:

• Omni-channel marketing: Reaching gamers across multiple platforms, including PC, consoles, mobile, streaming, social, and more.
• Search engine marketing (SEM): Unlike SEO, SEM leverages paid advertising to boost traffic. Use Google Ads to target keywords. This helps position your game in search results for users looking for similar games.

Game marketing tactics: Retention

Once you bring your new players on board, the real work kicks in. You need to find ways to keep them around. The following player retention methods are a good place to start. 

7. Regular content updates

Ensuring your game’s content stays fresh and up-to-date is an ideal way to keep players coming back for more. Examples of game content updates include:

• In-game events: Time-sensitive activities are usually linked to real-world events (e.g. Christmas, Halloween). In-game events give players a new kind of experience, boosting engagement levels.
• Rewards and challenges: An effective way to give players a sense of achievement, renewing interest and excitement.

New characters, levels, and features remind players that the game is constantly changing and worth returning for.

8. Email campaigns and push notifications

In-app marketing comes in many forms. To maintain loyalty, consider providing players with valuable content through targeted email campaigns. This can include the latest news, recent updates, bitesize game tutorials, and more.

With push notification opt-in rates at 81% for Android and 51% for iOS (according to Business of Apps), it’s clear that this is also an effective channel for sharing content. By using push notifications, you can send important messages straight to a player’s device. 

Note: Too many emails and push notifications can have the opposite effect, causing user fatigue and alienation.

9. Loyalty programs and rewarded ads 

You can promote long-term engagement by rewarding players for consistent play. Loyalty programs can often include daily log-in rewards, badges, special items, and events. 

Sure, ads can be intrusive and annoying, especially on apps. But when players are rewarded for watching an in-game ad, it becomes a valuable, gamified experience. Players appreciate these ads because they enhance gameplay without needing to purchase anything. 

Time to put your game marketing tactics into action

By implementing the tactics above, you’ll be better prepared to attract players and keep them coming back too. 

Focus on ASO, influencer marketing, content, acquisition, and retention techniques when planning your marketing strategy.

Also, keep up to date on the latest marketing trends to understand what tactics are currently in, which social media platforms gamers use the most, and what makes them tick.