- Top 5 mistakes of mobile games in influencer marketing
- Published 26/06/2023
- 5 min Read
- Written by Julia Shandrokha
Table of contents
Why has influencer marketing carved such a pivotal place in the dynamic landscape of mobile gaming? Influencers, with their personal connections to a vast and highly engaged audience, have proved to be potent allies in the gaming industry’s quest for user acquisition and retention.
However, the power of influencer marketing can be a double-edged sword. When harnessed effectively, it can generate significant brand awareness, boost downloads, and foster a thriving gaming community. Conversely, certain common mistakes brands make with influencer marketing can impede its success, leading to missed opportunities and, in some cases, detrimental impacts.
Drawing on our comprehensive understanding of the industry’s best practices and potential pitfalls, this article written by the Famesters influencer marketing agency experts aims to shed light on the top five mistakes made in mobile game influencer marketing. It will provide valuable insights for game developers looking to leverage influencers in their marketing campaigns, helping them navigate around these errors to achieve the best possible outcomes.
By understanding and avoiding these common missteps, you can unlock the true potential of influencer marketing, turning impressions into downloads and installs, and transforming casual players into loyal gaming community members. Buckle up as we delve into the exciting world of marketing in mobile gaming, and learn how to sidestep the pitfalls while aiming for the high score. Here are the top five mistakes of mobile games in influencer marketing.
#1: NEGLECTING TRANSPARENCY AND FAILING TO ESTABLISH CLEAR GOALS
Being upfront with your marketing goals is vital when working with influencers. Influencers build their audiences over time, with immense dedication and commitment, and they value transparency when entering partnerships. Providing clear goals helps them understand the objectives of your marketing campaign and align their content accordingly.
When game developers aren’t transparent about their intentions and expectations, the influencers risk alienating their followers, which could lead to a decrease in their subscriber count, or even tarnish their reputation. Thus, being opaque about your goals can not only harm your relationship with the influencer but can also lead to undesirable results for your marketing campaign.
Moreover, a lack of clear objectives can also cause confusion and inefficiency, making it difficult to track the progress and success of your campaign. Hence, one should always establish and communicate their goals right from the onset of the campaign to ensure a smooth and successful collaboration with the influencer.
Read more on the topic:
#2: RESTRICTING INFLUENCERS’ CREATIVE FREEDOM
One of the gravest errors that game developers can make is to restrict the creative freedom of influencers. Remember, influencers have garnered their followers due to their unique content style and storytelling techniques. Their followers appreciate and engage with their personal touch, which is why it’s critical to maintain it even during promotional activities.
Rather than dictating every aspect of the promotional content, developers should strive to strike a balance between providing clear guidance and allowing creative freedom. When influencers have the space to incorporate your game into their content organically, it is more likely to resonate with their audience and prompt them to take the desired actions, like downloading and installing your game.
However, this doesn’t mean that influencers should be given complete control without any direction. The key lies in finding the right influencer who aligns with your brand’s vision and style, and then trusting them to deliver your message effectively to their audience.
#3: SELECTING INFLUENCERS WITH MISMATCHING AUDIENCES
Gaming companies often make the mistake of choosing influencers based on their popularity, rather than considering whether their audience of their mobile games. A significant aspect of a successful influencer marketing campaign is understanding who your audience is, which involves creating a clear picture of your “ideal players” — their hobbies, interests, and routines.
The use of ‘user personas’ can be particularly beneficial in comprehending who your game is for. Once you’ve identified your key audiences, the next important step is to evaluate your potential influencer on a few critical parameters such as:
- The size, quality, and engagement of their follower base.
- The primary platform (YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, etc.) they use to communicate with their followers.
- Their content’s resonance with your target demographic.
It is essential to acknowledge that influencer marketing isn’t merely about large numbers. The goal is to find an influencer who genuinely aligns with your brand and can appeal to your target demographic, ensuring a higher return on your marketing investment.
#4: NOT CHECKING THE INFLUENCER’S ENGAGEMENT METRICS THOROUGHLY
It’s a common misconception that an influencer’s follower count or subscriber base is the most important statistic when considering a partnership. However, relying solely on these numbers can lead to costly mistakes. A far more telling metric is the level of engagement the influencer generates amongst their audience.
When scouting for potential influencers, dig deeper into their engagement metrics. Take into account factors such as:
- The average number of views per publication.
- The ratio of likes, comments, and shares compared to views.
- The rate at which impressions of individual publications increase over time.
- Audience reaction to the influencer’s previous sponsored content.
Taking the time to assess these metrics will provide a much more accurate picture of how influential the content creator is and how receptive their audience might be to your game. After all, a highly engaged audience is more likely to heed an influencer’s recommendations and try out your mobile game.
You can use comprehensive marketing platforms like BuzzGuru to get all the valuable information and check whether the influencer you are about to choose is really worth working with. Like this:
Among other data, BuzzGuru also shows what games the influencer has already mentioned — this will help you do competitor analysis and see if the influencer has performed well for games like yours with similar target audiences:
#5: FAILING TO TRACK AND MONITOR CAMPAIGNS
While it may seem like a tedious task, the importance of effectively tracking and monitoring your influencer marketing campaigns cannot be overstated. This is a critical step that game developers often overlook, potentially resulting in missed opportunities to optimize their strategy and maximize ROI.
Investing in a robust tracking system allows you to monitor the performance of your campaigns in real-time across all channels. But what exactly should you be monitoring? Here are some examples:
- User behavior. By understanding what newly acquired users are doing in your mobile game, you can optimize the campaign, resolve any user issues promptly, and enhance features that users find most valuable.
- Message effectiveness. You can identify which messages, tones, or styles resonate most with your audience, allowing you to tweak your approach for better engagement.
- Influencer performance. Keep track of whether the influencers are meeting the goals you’ve set. This will be useful for future negotiations and for deciding whether to continue collaborations.
Remember, the goal of tracking isn’t just to collect data; it’s to gain insights that will help you improve your overall strategy. When properly implemented, this can significantly improve the efficiency and success of your campaigns.
Read more on the topic:
WRAPPING UP
Influencer marketing holds immense potential for mobile game developers seeking to broaden their reach and increase their user base. But like any marketing strategy, it’s not without its pitfalls. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can harness the full power of influencer marketing and realize significant growth in your game’s user engagement and downloads.
Avoid the mistakes of mobile games in influencer marketing and remember to:
- define clear goals;
- respect the creative freedom of your chosen influencers;
- meticulously select influencers whose audience matches yours;
- deeply analyze your influencers’ engagement metrics;
- consistently track and monitor your campaigns.
By doing these, you set your campaign on a path to success, translating into tangible results for your mobile game.
In the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing, remaining adaptable, and continuously learning is key. Always be on the lookout for new opportunities and ways to optimize your strategies. In the end, a well-executed influencer marketing campaign can be a game-changer for your mobile game’s success. Contact the Famesters influencer marketing agency to get a successful influencer marketing campaign planned and executed for you by the experts with 6+ years of experience!
TAGS :
