9 Expert Tips For Creating Amazing Board Game Content

It’s fantastic to see such a wide variety of board game content out there. But as a humble content creator myself, it’s not always easy to produce new and useful material.
Sometimes a bit of advice or a nudge of encouragement can make all the difference. So very selfishly, I’ve imposed upon some of my favourite board game content creators and asked them to share a top tip each.
1) Find Your Niche — Travis Hill @travisdhill

Find your niche. When we began Low Player Count, there was only one podcast talking about solo games. We wanted to expand upon that considerably.
Now three years later? There are loads of us! Do we feel threatened? No, because we feel we carved out a niche that wasn’t being discussed and made it accessible to all. What’s something new and different you bring to the table?
2) Thoroughly Research Your Materials — Giles @BSoMT_2018

Play the game…many, many times and only when it’s in your blood, write about just how that game really made you feel as you played it…or you could ramble on at great length as I do!
3) Take More Pictures! — Ross @moregamespls

Taking pictures of your board games is a great way to share your love of the hobby. If you’re mainly just looking to capture gameplay moments you can easily sneak these photos into your game time, WITHOUT annoying your friends.
If you are looking to take your photography to the next level, consider taking photos after you’ve finished playing or in your own time.
Here are some general tips!
1) Think about what is visually interesting about the game, is it the board, the art, the miniatures? Focus on that.
2) Remember, Instagram photos are reasonably small so consider getting in CLOSE.
3) LIGHTING is so important. Lighting helps show colours and detail. Switch on a lamp, sit near a window, or use a proper light. It makes a big difference.
4) Experiment and have fun, like any photography you learn by doing and there is no set way to photograph games as they’re all different!
4) Be useful — Glenn Flaherty Boardgames & Bourbon

Be useful. When you look at the medium you prefer, what was lacking in that medium that made you want to step into the fold and try it yourself?
Whatever that is, focus on that and keep refining it. Don’t aim for the perfect take; it doesn’t exist. Start doing it and get the ball rolling. You’ll get better with time and find new ways to have your voice evolve and grow unique. but most importantly, always have your eye on the prize and stay relevant by being useful.
5) Getting to Grips With Games You Review — Matt @Ragingkileak

The balance between playing a lot of games briefly to enable lots of content and going deep on fewer, better articles is a tough one to strike.
Operate within your means — be honest with yourself — don’t overstretch. Never compromise on quality just to increase quantity. Consumers who like your work will make sure your hard work pays off.
6) Structure is Important — Liz Davidson @beyondsolitaire

I have been blogging at my website, Beyond Solitaire, for about two and a half years now. But it took a long time for my site to get consistent traffic — and my own consistency had a lot to do with that.
Once I decided who I really was (a full-on game reviewer) and started posting on a very regular schedule, things got a lot better. I also worked on my review format to make it as useful as possible for potential readers. If you make yourself useful, your readers/viewers will notice and appreciate it — and you’ll feel prouder of the work you do.
7) Getting Enough Plays To Review — Ruel @RuelGaviola

My general rule-of-thumb for getting enough experience of a game is three plays. Sometimes I’ll play more to confirm/verify how a rule works or to get a better feel for the game’s world or my own experience.
I may also set up certain game situations (first few turns, mid-game, end game, etc.) to play in order to gain a better understanding the different parts of the game.
8) Get The Word Out — Ella @ellalovesbg

Post on every form of social media about your content. There are certain media that lend itself to better communication. Twitter and Facebook for blogs and videos. Instagram for photos. And remember, just be yourself. People embrace sincerity!
9) Invest (wisely) in your content — Joseph Comings @AoBoardgaming

Invest in your content. A lot of people will tell you to use all the free stuff. Free website hosting. Free logo design. Free ______. And yes — there are a lot of free resources out there. But I’m a firm believer that you will take your content a lot more seriously if you make at least a small investment.
Example. I did not start on a free platform. I bought my domain. I purchased a self hosted Wordpress theme. And I buy hosting from Bluehost. In all — starting annual expenses were a couple hundred dollars.
But — because I had these recurring expenses — I took my content more seriously. I didn’t let designing my website fall to the back burner. When stuff gets in the way and I’m kept from updating my site for a few weeks, I come back! Because I’m paying for this.
If you enjoyed this article check out my other posts. You can also follow me @BoardGameMinimalist on Twitter.
