As a game developer, getting your game in front of as many people as you can is one of the most crucial components of marketing your game. And public relations is a necessity in marketing. You might think that you can leave everything to a publisher. However, third-party developers often need to invest more in marketing if they want to achieve long-term growth for their games since publishers focus more on immediate ROI and usually have a list of other "more important" games to prioritize.
Determine Your Target Audience
It's critical to identify your target market before contacting journalists. You may use this to decide which journalists are most suitable for your endeavor. For instance, if your game is an intense first-person shooter, you should concentrate on journalists that cover that subgenre. Conversely, if your game is a lighthearted puzzle game, you should want to reach journalists who write about lighthearted games.
Outlets for Gaming Journalism
It's time to start looking for game journalism sites after you've identified your target audience. You may target various venues, such as websites, publications, and YouTube channels. IGN, GameSpot, and Polygon are a few of the most well-known gaming websites. But remember that hundreds of smaller websites are craving content, and your chances with those sites are much higher. Reaching out to influencers and gaming journalists who can help promote your game is one of the most excellent methods to achieve this. But how can you even begin to compile a list of press contacts? We'll go through the measures you may take to compile a thorough list of contacts who can aid in spreading the word about your game in this post. In addition, by conducting a quick search for "video game magazines," you may also obtain a list of gaming publications. The most well-known YouTube channels are PewDiePie, Markiplier, and Jacksepticeye.
Investigate Certain Journalists
It's time to look at specific journalists once you've compiled a list of game journalism publications. Start by checking out their LinkedIn page or personal website. This will offer you a sense of their education, work history, and areas of specialization. Additionally, you may uncover their social media profiles and email addresses, which will help you contact them later. Twitter is also a good source of freelance journalists. If you can't reach them through contact or direct message, try mentioning them in your tweets to initiate discussions.
Create a Spreadsheet
The moment has come to arrange the journalists on your list in a spreadsheet. This will make it simpler for you to track who you've reached out to, what to do next, and how your outreach fared. Make sure it is accurate and up to date so you can traverse and utilize the data efficiently.
Get in Touch with Reporters
When your spreadsheet is organized, you may begin contacting journalists. Your email should be brief and to the point. It should include a quick overview of your game, explain why you believe it would be a good match for their platform, and ask them to assess your performance, speak with you, etc.) To increase the chances of them opening your email and reading it, try to make it personalized as much as possible and ensure that the subject line is captivating. A link to your game's website or Steam page is also an excellent idea so that others may learn more about it.
Keep in Touch and Follow Up
Following up with journalists once you've contacted them and maintaining contact is crucial. By doing this, you can establish a rapport with them and increase the likelihood that they'll be interested in covering your next matches. If they have yet to receive your original email or if they have any questions or concerns, you may quickly follow up by email to check if they have any. They can get updates about your game or an invitation to try a sample. Though it may seem complicated, creating a video game press contact list from scratch may be a valuable tool for marketing your game and putting it in front of more people. You may compile a thorough list of contacts who can assist you in promoting your game and reaching your target audience by following the above methods. Always remember to treat journalists with professionalism and courtesy. Don't get disheartened if you don't hear back from everyone; they are busy folks with plenty of games to cover. You'll ultimately acquire the visibility you want if you keep reaching out and growing your list.
In conclusion, developing a list of contacts for the video game press is crucial to every independent game developer's marketing plan. You may reach a larger audience and obtain the exposure you want for success by studying journalists and compiling an exhaustive list.
