The Dos and Don’ts of Marketing in Esports and Gaming

Esports and gaming – these are the areas known as the new gold mine for marketers. The world of games is constantly expanding, just like the universe. A decade ago things were really simple. According to statista.com, in 2010 there were only 276 games released on Steam. Last year, in 2020, this number was significantly higher, with exactly  10,263 games released on Steam. The total number of available titles on this platform is even higher with around 54,000 games (steampowered.com).

This leads to one conclusion – esports and gaming cannot be underestimated by marketers. If your brand wants to be successful in the non-endemic gamers world, it has to follow a set of rules. Find out what to do (and what you should avoid) to make your brand level up in esports and gaming.

Esports and Gaming – Play by the Rules to Hit the Jackpot

Gamers appreciate honesty and fairness. They are loyal to their esports teams and consider their relationship with them as personal. It’s just like with fans of any traditional sport. The difference is that all you need is a computer, access to the Internet and skills to become a player and a member of this group. There are almost no physical restrictions to being a pro gamer. 

Basically, gamers are a huge community, so if your brand wants to reach the specific target audiences within it, it needs to present the same values and execute a tailored strategy. So here’s a set of „dos and don’ts” to help your brand hit the jackpot in the esports industry.

Esports and Gaming Marketing Strategy – The “Dos” That Help You Play Your Cards Well

First and foremost, establish a partnership with an established gaming influencer. As in any other environment, “celebrities” have a wide audience and can get you an advantage. What’s crucial – the gaming influencer fans are incredibly loyal to their streamers. Additionally this creates an opportunity to get your brand exposed to a massive load of consumers and can lead to thousands of unique interactions with your brand. What a great way to build your brand awareness!

Next, plan a long-term working relationship – otherwise, you will drop the ball. Consider this as a similar case to a subscription-based product. Gamers feel a personal connection to the title they like. This translates to the fact that they will consume the content related to their favourite game (as long as that content is valuable to them, and they find it entertaining). One-shot actions are mostly a waste of time, energy and your budget. So spend your resources wisely and plan a long-lasting campaign.

Remember to:

• Choose an influencer with an audience that resonates with your brand niche;
• Personalize the message, as generic content will result in failure of communication;
• Let the influencer show your brand in a creative way – gamers don’t accept pushy and unnatural advertising;
• Choose a platform for your campaign – there’s more on the market than Twitch. You can spread the word about your brand in multiple channels with inStreamly.

Influencer Marketing and Esports Audience – Avoid These, or It’s a Losing Game

How to make an unsuccessful campaign? The best way to waste your resources is to use the gamer stereotypes. To be precise – this means common stereotypes, not the meticulously described personas (know more in our article: Types of gamers – Understand casual and hardcore gamers as marketing target groups). Moreover, esports and gaming are very similar to traditional „analogue” sports. So think of foot hall and football. There are two teams, there is a ball, but these are two different disciplines of sport. 

There are thousands of different games, available on various platforms. The same game looks and works in a non-identical way on PC and on mobile, thus, it brings a completely altered experience to the user. You can not expect that your brand communication will be successful for two different target groups. Therefore, consider carefully your audience before making a move. At inStreamly, the gaming world is our bread and butter. Use our knowledge and tools to make your brand level up!

Marketing to Gamers – Don’t Play Hardball

Gamers value transparency and honesty. They reject pushy advertising. If your brand communication does not resonate with these values, your communication is out of play. Avoid generic or aggressive messages or your game is lost at the start. As in any other community – your brand needs to set a compatible tone of voice with the audience.

Remember NOT to:

• Fall into common stereotypes;
• Take one-shot actions;
• Create generic and unclear messages;
• Use an aggressive tone of voice;
• Generalize members of the gaming community.

Esports Market Size – A Field to Make a Grandstand Play in Marketing

Esports was once a niche, but that has changed. Currently, esports & gaming are the main form of entertainment, globally. With mobile video games, computer and only games, and even esports events, this market is an El Dorado. Market revenue in 2021 is valued at over 1,084,110,000 USD (according to statista.com and businessinsider.com). Therefore, esports is basically a full industry and still not fully explored by marketers.

Thanks to accessibility given by the Internet, the fans can not only get direct access to their idols but also interact with them in real-time. In conclusion, esports & gaming are now digital ecosystems, and we mean – rich ecosystems. According to businessinsider.com, most of the revenue in esports is gained from sponsorships and esports advertising – that’s a stunning amount of 69% of total ROI. Your brand can have its share in this market.

Just connect with inStreamly. Not only do we have the tools of the trade, but also we know how to do it right.