GDC 2017 Session Preview: Marketing, Steam, Vikings and a Sword

GDC 2017 Session Preview: Marketing, Steam, Vikings and a Sword

February 05, 2017 2 Comments

At GDC 2017, I’m giving a lecture titled “Vikings! How We Tapped a Non-Game Community to Build Support for Our Release on Steam (and Gave Away a Sword).” The lecture is about marketing, Steam and Vikings…or technically, “Viking enthusiasts.” More specifically, it’s about how Steam’s rapid growth over the past five years has transformed it into one of the most competitive platforms independent developers can publish their games to, and how because of this, indies must look beyond Steam as their primary marketing tool and consider audiences outside of the “traditional Steam gamer.”

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Press Meeting Reminders: A Quick Tip for Avoiding No-Shows at Events

Press Meeting Reminders: A Quick Tip for Avoiding No-Shows at Events

June 13, 2016 4 Comments

Those of you exhibiting at E3 this week have probably spent the past months working your butts off to secure press meetings. Having been through this process many times for my clients, I know how much work booking each meeting takes. Because of this, I also know how frustrating it is when a meeting doesn’t show. The unfortunate truth is that no-shows are inevitable at big events, however, sending simple email reminders can decrease their chances.

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A Call for Responsible Steam User Reviews in 2016

A Call for Responsible Steam User Reviews in 2016

January 06, 2016 36 Comments

As a fan of indie games, I find the lack of thought in many negative Steam user reviews disturbing. As a marketing consultant who has helped numerous indies launch their titles on Steam and seen the impact these reviews have on sales, I find this apathy appalling. Perhaps it’s the desire to be the “class clown,” or a love of shock value that motivates Steam users to leave negative reviews like “It sucks,” “Waste of time and money” or “Your mother is an alcoholic.” But as someone who is well versed in the effect of these reviews, I have to chalk it up to ignorance so I continue believing people are inherently good.

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How to Get Press Coverage at an Event [SLIDES WITH VIDEO TO FOLLOW]

How to Get Press Coverage at an Event [SLIDES WITH VIDEO TO FOLLOW]

December 15, 2015 1 Comment

At the end of October, I was invited back to Konsoll, Norway’s largest game developer’s conference, to speak on the topic of “how to get press coverage at an event.” Whenever we are in, coming out of or entering trade show season (which seems to be all the time), this topic comes up frequently in my work with developers. Questions ranging from “How long before an event should I start press outreach?” to “Does what I wear really matter?” and beyond are commonplace. In my presentation, my goal was to not only answer these questions, but provide developers with a comprehensive guide to event planning that increases their chances of securing interviews at an event, as well as coverage during and after.

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Buyer Persona Template and Filled In Example [FREE PSD TEMPLATE]

Buyer Persona Template and Filled In Example [FREE PSD TEMPLATE]

October 19, 2015 6 Comments

In the past, I have written about buyer personas and the role they play in building high-ROI products, but I’ve never provided a buyer persona template. There are of course hundreds of good templates available online, however, the template below is the one that I use. I developed this buyer persona template by piecing together parts from templates that I liked, as well as adding parts that I needed to make it games specific. The result is what I use to present the research I conduct to my clients.

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How Indie-Only Shared Office Space Makes More Than Financial Sense

How Indie-Only Shared Office Space Makes More Than Financial Sense

October 01, 2015 1 Comment

In June I was invited to present at the Bergen Game Collective, a shared office space for independent video game development studios in Bergen, Norway. Being from the Boston area, a U.S. start-up mecca, I’m no stranger to both the concept and practice of shared office space and the critical role it can play in helping cash-poor start-ups get off the ground. However, I have never experienced one quite like the Bergen Game Collective, i.e., a shared office space housing only indie game studios. This concept fascinated me, and so after my presentation, I spoke with one of the Collective’s tenants—Peter Meldahl, CEO of Rain Games (makers of Teslagrad)—to get a better understanding of the benefits and challenges of a shared indie work space, as well as how it works logistically. Below is what I learned.

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I Co-Founded an Indie Game Publisher!

I Co-Founded an Indie Game Publisher!

September 17, 2015 9 Comments

As you have all probably noticed, I’ve been fairly quiet for the past couple of months. And by quiet I mean, I haven’t blogged, I haven’t Tweeted/posted to Facebook and I’ve been late in responding to your emails. Geez, I’ve even neglected to post pics of my pug, Wyatt. As a marketing professional who preaches regular blogging and social media engagement, I’m pretty ashamed. But, I promise my silence has been for a good (and exciting) reason: I co-founded an indie game publisher called Snow Cannon Games!

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How to Increase Click Through Rate on Your Display Ads

How to Increase Click Through Rate on Your Display Ads

July 21, 2015 4 Comments

If your read my last post, learning how to increase click through rate for your banner ads is something that may be of interest. With the industry average CTR hovering around 0.1%, display advertising can be a serious waste of money. But, don’t fret! Here are five ways to help your display ads achieve above average CTRs and drive traffic.

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Does Display Advertising Generate Game Sales [FREE CALCULATOR]

Does Display Advertising Generate Game Sales [FREE CALCULATOR]

May 12, 2015 4 Comments

I’m often asked if display advertising generates game sales. In my experience, it almost always does, but rarely in a cost effective way. Display advertising is expensive and notorious for poor conversion rates. Plastering your game across sites like IGN may look rad, but if you calculate your campaign’s cost per acquisition (i.e., the price you pay per customer acquired, acheived by dividing your advertising spend by the number of people who purchase your game), its “radness” fades fast. Many indies have told me their CPAs were over $100 when their games were just $9.99. That’s basically giving someone $90 to buy your game!

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5 GDC Play Booths that Nailed It at GDC 2015

5 GDC Play Booths that Nailed It at GDC 2015

April 01, 2015 1 Comment

Whether you’re exhibiting at GDC Play or the Main Expo, a well-designed booth is a major contributor to your ROI, a.k.a., the level of exposure you achieve for your game. A booth that does it’s job not only attracts attendees and the press, it leaves a lasting impression. People who interact with well-designed booths learn more about your game on their own, as well as share what they learn with others. Below are five booths I felt did this well at GDC Play.

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