Gaming

Affiliate marketing has become an incredibly lucrative sector over time. What makes it so attractive is the fact that affiliate marketers can easily work from home and assign their own hours, effectively becoming their own boss. Before getting started with affiliate marketing, there are a few things people should figure out ahead of time such as which analytics tools to use, and what sector they intend to work in.

For all the gaming enthusiasts out there, the gaming industry is an excellent place to start. While there is a lot of competition in gaming marketing, building an effective strategy can help burgeoning affiliate marketers position themselves in the global market.

Organic Promotion

As audiences become savvier about advertising techniques, affiliate marketers have turned to organic traffic. This means that audiences place their trust in other people’s opinions rather than directly trusting what a company has to say about its products. That is why in recent years, YouTubers, influencers, and blog writers have become sources of authority and authenticity. They create platforms that are usually based around a specific niche, and curate a specific identity that speaks to targeted audiences. This is what makes them so useful to affiliate marketers. Organic promotions appear in many different ways, including user-generated reviews, blog posts, and content creation for social media and video platforms. However, the most popular format for game marketing is video, because it captures gameplay and commentary the most effectively.

Building Trust

Many online gaming companies offer their customers “freebies,” which act as a reward for being loyal customers. This is actually a pretty classic advertising technique, and while it might be old, what makes it so useful is how well it adapts to any marketing situation. That’s because freebies demonstrate reciprocity and make a company shine out against the competition. It creates a bond between company and consumer, building trust.  A common promotion applied in the online gaming industry is free spins, where players receive extra turns for finishing a challenge or becoming a member. It is a way that companies show their appreciation towards their customers. Free spins cultivate customer loyalty, which as time goes on, will become more and more valuable for the company-consumer relationship. Another way the gaming industry employs freebies in its marketing strategy is by allowing certain games to be freely downloaded. Several gaming platforms like Steam offer free downloads on a monthly basis so players can get a taste of what developers have to offer This makes gamers feel more confident and excited about their purchases. At the same time, offering free games gives gaming companies greater exposure to wider audiences, organic promotion from social media, and helpful feedback to use for their bigger projects.

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Focus on the Little Things First

The affiliate marketing sector is growing day by day. A common mistake many beginners make is trying to tackle a large demographic right away, when in truth the best way to start is by honing in tightly in one area. This means one niche, channel, or gaming genre. Doing so helps affiliate marketers keep their eyes on the prize as they learn to master their craft. It’s also recommended to work in the format that suits your proclivities.

Although videos are the most popular gaming marketing format, if someone is an excellent writer, it’s better to focus on writing high-quality content rather than try to compete with others where you’re at a disadvantage. For example, the YouTuber Projared’s signature is creating one-minute long videos where he quickly summarizes whether people should buy a game or not. He effectively promotes his content, answers his audience’s questions, and satisfies their needs. He doesn’t have to be like other YouTubers or blog writers who go deep into analysis, because he has created his own marketing technique.

The Bottom Line

As the affiliate marketing community continues to expand, it’s best to stay focused on a specific section that new marketers are most familiar with. There are loads of opportunities in affiliate marketing where everyone has a place.

Audiences are catching on to advertising tactics and tend to value thorough, well-curated content, over generic and visibly paid-for media. They also enjoy it when companies make the effort to bond with them, especially through free trials and other benefits.

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