In a recent panel, CreatorIQ sat down with representatives from Adweek, Twitch, Loaded, and Xsolla, to discuss trends & best practices for monetizing influential gaming communities and leveraging influencer marketing for games. Here are 5 big takeaways from the virtual panel, and if you would like to view the full discussion, the video is available at the bottom of the page.
Panel Recording: Monetizing Influential Gaming Communities
We’ve included some key takeaways on influencer marketing for games:
1. Mobile gaming is exploding
Since the pandemic began, Twitch has seen 200% growth of mobile gaming content - a big reason for this massive growth is that the barrier to entry is much lower. While a gaming PC can cost upwards of $7K, you can start mobile gaming with a smartphone costing just a couple hundred bucks. Additionally, we are seeing PC titles like Fortnite be adapted for mobile, which also attracts hardcore gamers to mobile platforms.
2. The lines between mobile and desktop are becoming blurred
While the mobile community wasn’t traditionally seen as “true gamers”, popular titles going cross-platform have opened the door to casual play and legitimized the sector. Developers are even starting to think about cross-platform experiences. This is an opportunity that opens up the idea of genres and allows people to explore beyond that "Candy Crush Experience". Now, anyone can be a gamer or a video gamer influencer, even though most people don't even see themselves as part of that target “gamer” market.
3. Influencer marketing gaming is unique
It’s important to remember that at the heart of the mobile gaming ecosystem is a ‘community first’ mentality. This includes a certain sense of camaraderie or togetherness, and that’s something that can’t just be learned overnight. That’s why gaming influencers have so much influence over their audiences, and are such a good springboard for marketers – they have already earned the respect of the community and can use that clout to direct buying decisions.
4. Tips for tracking ROI and conversions
When it comes to measuring gaming influencer marketing, it’s important to look beyond vanity metrics like reach and engagement, and track metrics around real business outcomes. This can include link tracking for discount codes, as well as downloads, brand uplift, and more. But to truly streamline measurement, it’s important to have enterprise solutions that can uncover these sorts of insights. It’s also important to remember that gaming and platforms like Twitch provide lean-in experiences, so engagement is much more meaningful for the video game influencer.
5. What’s in store for the future of mobile gaming influencer marketing?
From a technology standpoint, we’re going to see better quality streaming and lower latency. We’re also going to see more video game influencers break through the clutter and make a name for themselves, especially with the ongoing privacy regulations and Apple’s upcoming IDFA "opt-in" changes. Video game influencers are going to become increasingly important to gaming influencer marketing, as they know who their audiences are, and can provide first-party data to brands through channel authentication.
For more information on how CreatorIQ can help optimize and streamline your influencer marketing efforts in the gaming industry, request a demo today.
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