Gaming and Streaming: The “new” strategy for digital advertising?
Marketing in the Gaming and Streaming Industry
In the world of digital marketing and social media, a product needs more than just entertaining videos and trendy slogans to resonate with consumers. Marketers aim to stream and broadcast the user experience in real time to create a sense of intimacy and originality, so they are beginning to implement live streaming in their next digital marketing strategy.
Many companies are using this tool on social platforms to engage and to get closer to their targets measuring their products’ or services’ potential media impact. Investment in live streaming has increased by 28%. (Martech)
Live Video is transforming the way brands interact with viewers. This strategy attracts viewers immediately and authentically, which would not be possible with other social media formats.
91 million subscribers will use live streaming by 2024.
“If you don’t live stream your show, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity that your competitors are going to pick up on.”
Digital Manager, Carolina Herrera.
In the past, gamers were seen as schoolyard outcasts, work-shy dreamers and lonely people who had a hard time inserting themselves into the real world. But now the old cliché is dead. Everyone enjoys gaming, from older women to athletes, children to accountants. In addition, now anyone can broadcast themselves playing games online in front of live viewers.
This practice became popular on the US-based website Twitch in the mid-2010s and has spread to other services such as YouTube, Facebook, and China-based websites Huya Live, DouYu, and Bilibili. By 2014, Twitch Stream had more traffic than HBO Go and HBO’s online streaming service.
Professional streamers often combine high-level games with entertaining commentary to earn money through sponsorships, subscriptions, advertising revenue and donations.
“Gaming Influencers Aren’t Just Playing Around”
According to a 2021 survey, 227 million Americans played video games, a significant increase because of the pandemic.
Tech Jury estimates the gaming industry will be worth $ 257 billion by 2025. For years, the gaming industry has been a mysterious challenge many marketers haven’t mastered.
Social influencers can earn thousands of dollars from a single post, those with a large audience can earn over $ 250,000. It is especially true for YouTube and Twitch game influencers. And many of the industry’s most influential people started out as the average teenage gamer, dawning despite their parents’ protests.
Games lead the category with the most downloads and are the most popular app category. It has become mainstream, but many marketers still find it challenging to connect with buyers. But it’s not as problematic as you might think.
For example, the international restaurant chain Chipotle has successfully launched a game promoting sustainability initiatives. Before that, there were the so-called “advergames” (video games created for advertising).
10 ways of using games as a digital marketing technique
1. Go mobile
Mobile games account for 51% of the total revenue of the global gaming industry. (Go Globe)
It’s a familiar concept that mobile ads are a distraction to games. However, research shows gamers pay more attention to advertising than others. US gamers aged 18–35 play mobile games for 48 minutes daily. (Variety)
2. Women Are On the Rise
Today, 45% of gamers are women and girls (Statistica). In fact, the most enthusiastic mobile phone gamers are middle-aged women. While many male gamers are attracted to fighting games and car racing, companies that serve the interests of women may find partnerships with a broader audience through gaming or gaming platforms.
3. Video Content is King
Gamers love to spend hours watching game videos and most gamers spend more time watching others play games on YouTube, Twitch, and other platforms. But they’re not just looking at someone. They want to see gaming influencers in action. Players can follow top influencers for hints or discover new games.
The undisputed game player PewDiePie has 110 million followers that continue to pay close attention to his videos despite some unfortunate racial slurs that cost him a partnership with Disney.
4. Brand awareness
When you create awareness for a good cause in your marketing campaign, your brand will quickly gain an excellent reputation that will attract people. It is the cheat sheet you need to build trust with your prospects.
One great example was when Social Point Games wanted to promote their game Monster Legends. So, they decided to partner with the famous YouTuber Markiplier. He has a long history of using his influence for good with multiple Livestream campaigns that collect thousands for the causes he likes, including Save the Children. It turned out to be a wise move for the Social Point Games. Many people were keen to watch his review of Monster Legends when Markiplier announced that he would donate $ 10,000 to the Miracle Foundation charity.
5. Data Collecting is a thing
With marketing through games running exclusively via online servers, the platform can collect information about users. If the game collects all player analytics, the company may use that information for other marketing strategies or business purposes.
6. Avoid AdBlocker Software
Increased use of AdBlocker software has created billions of dollars lost in revenue from traditional banner and video advertising. Gamification does not come at the expense of this, as HTML games do not support traditional advertising. It gives marketing games a greater chance than banner or video ads.
7. Unconscious Branding
Most users unknowingly embrace strategically placed branding because they don’t associate their games with branding.
An excellent example is the Wheat Thins case study: Users are given 9 seconds of play and collect falling chips before the Wheat Thins product page is displayed. It happens every time you play the game. Players try to beat their high scores, while Wheat Thins aims to get users to understand the company’s products.
This marketing process can affect buyer behaviour. The next time consumers buy a brand-related product in a marketing campaign, they are more likely to buy the brand being advertised for brand recall.
8. It is more affordable than you think
Marketers believe that creating games is expensive and time-consuming. That may have been the case when smartphone technology first became widespread, but it’s getting cheaper and cheaper these days.
9. Community-based
Consumers today want to do business with brands they know and trust. Human-centric design elements in gamification campaigns, such as offering the option to share on social media, create opportunities for the best form of advertising.
10. Pay attention to Inclusivity
Fortnite, for example, is a global phenomenon because it broke the mold. Besides, they are available on all platforms, they change the formula and rather than creating a bunch of testosterone-filled action hero stereotypes, Fortnite chooses to develop diverse and relevant characters. As a result, women today love games and are inspired by many powerful female game influencers, including SSSniperWolf with 9 million followers and iHasCupquake, who has won over 2 billion video views.
Where Does Livestreaming Stand in the Digital Marketing Wars?
Implementing live streaming in your digital marketing strategy is more favourable than you might think.
- 47% of viewers are live streaming more than a year ago.
- Live streaming topped 1.1 billion hours in 2019.
- 80% of audiences would rather watch a live video from a brand than read a blog
- 59% of executives would rather watch a video than reading text.
- 82% prefer live video from a brand to social posts.
- Enjoyment of video increased sales intent by 97% and brand association by 139%.
- Video on a landing page can increase conversion by 80% or more.
- After watching a video, 64% of users are more likely to buy a product online
- Video in an email leads to 200–300% increase in click-through rate.
- 39% of executives call a vendor after viewing a video.
- 73% of B2B businesses using live video report positive results in their ROI
There’s always a video to spread the word !
Livestreaming is about creating a connection between your prospects and your product. And we, as social beings, are deeply driven by adventure, achievement and victory. All of this can be achieved within the safety and convenience of mini games. In short, games and streaming allow people to have fun, and fun is marketable!
Sources:
3. https://aithority.com/guest-authors/4-best-video-game-marketing-strategies/
4. https://bloomidea.com/en/blog/5-advantages-of-using-games-as-a-marketing-technique
5. https://www.gamify.com/gamification-blog/15-reasons-to-use-games-in-your-marketing-strategy
6. https://www.liftingroup.com/en/live-streaming-on-marketing-strategies
7. https://livestream.com/blog/live-video-strategy-marketing-statistics
8. https://ecamm.com/blog/why-a-live-streaming-strategy-is-a-must-have-for-marketing/
