Think gamers are too niche of an audience for your business to pursue? Guess again. These days, virtually every household has a gamer, and most have more than one. Whether we are talking about die-hard gamers streaming their exploits on Twitch or the businesswoman who relaxes with Candy Crush on her smartphone, gaming permeates our common culture. Working with the right influencer outreach agency can help you take advantage of these unexploited outlets.
Influencer marketing connects gamers and brands
The first thing to understand about influencer marketing and gaming is that the two are inextricably linked — influencer marketing is pervasive in the gaming industry. Brands hire top e-sports stars to pitch their products and video game makers use real-world athletes to pitch their games.
This means that gamers, as an audience, are conditioned to respond to influencer marketing in a way that general audiences are not. Gamers are also a massive market; by 2020, there are projected to be 213 million mobile gamers alone. The demographics of this audience aren’t necessarily what you might envision. More than half of mobile gamers are women, one-third are older than 45 and most have significant disposable income.
Sounds like an ideal mix for brands and marketers, right? The next step, however, is critical: Finding the right partners to maximize a brand’s reach and influence.
Identifying the right influencers
Influencers come in many forms in the gaming industry. They include professional e-sports players, amateur game streamers with massive followings on YouTube, Twitch, game developers, and other content creators.
Because becoming a gaming influencer can be a very “bottom up,” democratized process (barriers to entry for building an audience are very low), those who wield the most influence in the gaming sphere may be little known among the larger public. This shouldn’t dissuade you from working with someone, however.
Gaming audiences also tend to be rabid in their support for their favorite players, developers and streamers — the most popular of whom generate millions of dollars from donations and advertising revenue.
When working with influencers, it’s also important to allow them the creative latitude to highlight or pitch your product in their preferred fashion. They understand their audiences better than any outsider ever could, and it’s important that any pitch or placement be done in an authentic and organic manner.
Finding the right influencer, however, may require working with an influencer outreach agency.
Need help getting started?
If you’re unfamiliar with the conventions of gaming culture — or influencer marketing — it’s a smart idea to partner with someone with a firm grasp on both. A top Florida marketing agency like BIGEYE can play a critical role in helping you find the right gaming influencers and kick-starting a new, highly effective targeted campaign.
By working with the right influencer outreach agency, you can be certain that your influencer marketing initiatives are thoughtfully conceived, well executed and designed to deliver an excellent return on your investment. Reach out today to begin organizing the proper influencer strategy for your brand.
