What You Need To Know To Get Started With Games
According to MediaWeek (based on an eMarketer report) video-game advertising spending is expected to double over the next five years to $1 billion by 2012. The majority of this growth will occur in casual Web-based games rather than in the more high-profile console game space. These numbers include revenues from both in-game ads (with the big growth coming from casual online games) and advergames (games built around a specific product).
Although ads on console games will also see healthy growth, they are hobbled by several facts - few console games are played using an Internet connection (so no live ads can be used), there is a lack of ad standards and finally, some gamers do not accept in-game ads.
A MediaPost blog post reports on a Dynamic Logic analysis which showed that gaming "can be an attractive advertising vehicle for brands because it allows for higher levels of consumer involvement and engagement." But marketers must understand the landscape and their audiences before they take their first steps. For example, consumer products ads on gaming sites perform much better with 45+ year old women than with younger women.
One thing that marketers who are just starting out in the gaming world need to know is that while ad-supported free games are often targeted towards a mass audience, their ads can still be targeted to reach specific demographic groups. Additionally, they must keep in mind that people are in a different state of mind on gaming sites compared to other types of sites.
So how can marketers insert their assets and trademarks into the gaming environment? As discussed on ClickZ, while games may not be the ideal venue for all marketers, many can benefit by providing value - some sort of relevant advantage (either direct or through their game experience) in return for the ads the gamers need to "endure". The ideal situation is when the benefit provided to the gamers is "intrinsically tied to the (brand) message" and when the ads are seen as coveted content, not just as intrusive messaging.
When it comes to casual gaming, as noted in this MediaPost article, advertising is accepted as it is in real-life and/or as a trade-off for free game play. The article details several questions that need to be addressed by marketers looking to get started with gaming:
Develop a single game or a gaming center with multiple games? The former if you're promoting a single product or event. The latter if you're looking for continuous site traffic and community creation.
What type of game? It depends on your target audience, of course. Do you want to sell to 10-year old girls, 50-year old execs, or 30-year career moms?
Custom advergames or rebranded games? It depends on your budget and timing as the former can cost much more and take much longer to develop, although they are certainly more unique.
- What kind of community elements should you incorporate? As many as you can because it increases visit times by 10-15 minutes. For example, forward to a friend, personalization, high-score boards and prizes.
Posted by Universal Ad
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