FAQ: Marketing & PR
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If you're working on a casual game, should you aim to get reviews from the Top game reviewing sites? Possibly not. See this quote from Kathy Vrabeck, President of EA Casual:
“[Casual gamers] are not swayed by a low score on IGN or a low score out of one of these gaming sites. [...] It’s a little bit amusing, in that it’s people reviewing games against measures that are important to core gamers yet are not important to casual gamers.”
One of the things you should keep in mind when you're making casual games is that your players won't read or care for reviews on gaming websites. Don't bother getting a review of your casual game on a core gamer website. That may include sites like TouchArcade and FingerGaming - although if you can get the exposure why not?
For example when you can spend your time to target your audience more directly. If you're making a game about gardening (read: not farming!) then try to get reviews and mentions on gardening websites. Try to find as many as you can, write to them directly and ask them for a mention. Spend your Promo Codes on these websites instead of game review sites!
Similarly, if you do a kid's game, don't even bother with the gaming websites at all. Instead target the "mommy blogs". Let google be your best friend for a couple days - yes, days! If you can convince the mothers that your game is worth checking out for their kids - and of course absolutely kid-safe - then you can be sure they'll talk about it. That's what mothers do.
Know your audience, and know how to talk to them. Spend your time wisely where you can make the biggest impact. Go where the customer is! Even PR companies say so.
+1 to Ray’s comment. I’m curious on what the impact of press releases are. I suppose if a media outlet comes across the release and writes an article about your game it’s worth it…
Haven’t seen this comment yet. Actually I don’t think Press Releases are very helpful unless you do all the other things as well. A Press Release with nothing to show for will get you close to nothing. With a press release kit maybe someone might pick it up.
I guess in most cases it’s preferable to do your own Marketing first, Youtube videos, website, and what not. Only if your App or whatever you are promoting already looks promising with all marketing aspects covered well might a Press Release give you some traction. By itself they won’t do squat.