If you’re six months out from the launch of your game and still have the “if I build it, they will come” mentality, it’s time to wake up! Unless you’re known in the market (i.e., your company has already released a successful game, you’re an industry god, etc.), attracting an audience is going to take some serious work. So don’t wait until the cat’s out of the bag, start early and be proactive. There’s nothing worse than launching your game and hearing crickets. Here are three easy steps to help build an audience before your game’s launch.

1. Launch a Development Blog

Content is king. It’s true, and it’s not just people who think so, it’s Google. The more content you write: pages, blog posts, etc., that include your company’s name, game’s name, type of game, etc., the more Google will index those pages and rank you higher in searches for those words. This in turn makes it easier for people to find your game. (I’ll go into this more in a separate blog post, but keep it in mind for now).

Beyond Google, people love content! Think back to when Blizzard announced Diablo II. Weren’t you dying to find out everything you could: scouring the web for any little tid bit? That’s how all people are about things they’re excited for. Now, if your company and game are new, this won’t be the initial reaction, however, a development blog is a place to start the conversation, i.e., direct people to get them interested. From there, the blog provides plenty of articles to learn more and become engaged. And from there, it provides information that can easily be shared via social media, and so on, and so on. See where I’m going with this?

Here are two excellent examples of development blogs:

• Southend Interactive’s Ilomilo
• Sauropod Studio’s Castle Story

2. Spread the Word

Building an audience is like planning a wedding: no one will come if you don’t invite them. Even if you have the greatest, most accessible content in the world, don’t assume that people will find it. Be proactive: know your audience, research what forums they contribute to and what blogs and publications they read. Then, get involved. Become a member of those forums, blogs and publications. Join in on discussions, post comments on articles, friend members on Facebook, follow writers on Twitter, etc. Let them get to know you first as a credible contributor so you can promote your game without seeming like a spambot.

3. Post a Teaser Video

Everybody loves a good teaser video. In fact it’s the way a lot of indie developers get discovered…if done right. There are many ways to make an effective teaser video, but I prefer two styles which I call “Intrigue” and “Developer.”

The Intrigue approach turns teaser videos into a piece of art: captivating viewers with beautiful imagery and music. However, it also barely shows any gameplay and often leaves people craving more. This is exactly what Techland did with Dead Island (see below):

The Developer approach is just what it sounds like: a teaser made by a developer. This type of teaser typically is narrated by a developer taking the audience on a tour of his/her game in its development environment, or during gameplay. It is somewhat technical, has that “behind the scenes” kind of feel and the human element. This is what Sauropod Studio did with Castle Story (see below):