I am no marketingexpert whatsoever, just have some interest in the subject. Over time I'll be looking up information and add whatever seems relevant. Please feel free to join the conversation with whatever ideas/information/corrections you have got.
The goal of this thread is: to write a marketingplan for OpenRA. A plan that describes in a concrete fashion how we can reach a bigger audience and convert their interest in more users in the most efficient way.
In the other thread I wrote this:
The scope of this marketingplan is mainly about 1-3, I think. We want to let a larger crowd know about OpenRA, and we want them to give it a try and preferably make them stick. And that's about where the scope ends. Because that's where the quality of the product is decisive. The quality of OpenRA is excellent, but I do think more could be done to make new players stick (mentioned: tutorials, badges/ratings, tournaments, etc) or advocate the game (invite-bonus?). I think it's good to mention such ideas but it feels like they are a step further in the proces.Some levels of attaching a user to OpenRA:
1) A person has to learn that OpenRA exists
2) A person has to download the game
3) A person has to try the game
4) The player comes back more often
5) The player tells others about OpenRA/Invites others
SWOT analysis wikipedia
Strengths:
- It's free
- It's constantly developed (gets better)
- Dedicated community
- Many supported platforms
- Attractive to Modders
- New Mods to be released: TS & Crystallized Doom
- Nostalgia in a fresh modern jacket
- ...
Weaknesses:
- Free (when people pay for something they're more inclined to make their investment worth it)
- 2D games are a thing of the past (?), people want 3D nowadays
- ...
Targetaudiences
Statistics/charts from 2013 ModDB (81+% men, aged between 15 and 34, Europe/US)
Which groups are most likely interested in OpenRA?
- Gamers (RTS)
- Casual gamers to some extent
- People who have played C&C back in the days
- Modders
Demography:
- Men (and women) aged 10 - 40 (?)
Geography:
Currently we mostly see Europe and US based players. I see no reason why the other continents wouldn't enjoy OpenRA. Perhaps have (content in) more languages? (Chinese, Russian, Arab, Spanish)
Marketanalysis
I've been googling a bit, but I find it hard to find very relevant information. Who is good at finding relevant information?
How is the market?
OpenRA is a free realtime strategy webgame. Needless to say there is ALOT of competition. Some freemium games, but also complete good games.
Top 100 countries by game revenues - a possible indicator which markets are most interested in (online) gaming.
How is the competition?
- ...
Reaching our Targetaudiences
First we'll have to establish which targetaudience(s) have most potential to join OpenRA. Then we'll connect channels to them and what message.
Targetaudience: Real Time Strategy Gamers
Channel:
- gameportals for free games, the strategy section
- relevant lists (Top X games)
Message:
Targetaudience: Casual gamers to some extent
Channel:
- Facebookgroups
Message: Check this awesome game, watch this tutorial and play a quick game online or vs AI
Targetaudience: People who have played C&C back in the days
Channel:
Message: C&C is back, but better!
Targetaudience: Modders
Channel:
Message: OpenRA has a nice modding community and modding is easy & tons of fun!
Targetaudience: Countries with alot of online gamers, but few on OpenRA (China, Japan, Brasil, Russia, India, South Korea)
Channel:
Message:
What are possible channels to reach them?
- Post on relevant Facebookgroups (gamergroups and such)
- Keep our Facebookpage up to date
- Reaching the top of frequently viewed lists (e.g. Indie Top 100 ModDB, any other lists?)
- Youtube: casts (although... do they reach new audience? Or mostly existing audience?)
- Youtube ads.
- Youtube: ask youtubers with many followers to play OpenRA
- Reddit ads for Reddit.com/r/openra
- Have OpenRA mentioned at online game portals in the Strategy section (example)
- Person to person marketing: Invite-others function. (some kind of bonus for inviting people, a badge? or User of the month?)
- E-mail Newsletter with news, casts, etc and share-button
- Get OpenRA on Steam
What is the best message, based upon their demands and our strengths?
- SoScared's excellent promotional video explains a whole lot of what OpenRA is
- Young gamers don't have alot of money, communicate that it's FREE
- OpenRA is nostalgia, but enhanced: balanced, more modern UI, promotion, etc
Timing
It's best to combine any marketingactions with something special (new release, etc).
Marketingfunds
In general I think we can do alot for free. But once we've established which channels are good to use we could consider to use some funds for ads. This is something for later though.
Tools to make people stick
These are ideas to introduce people to OpenRA & to keep them here. These are all seperate projects (imo) that require their own thread for further details.
- Login for users (make their username 'valuable' by building up their profile)
Achievements, (tournament)badges, ratings, winpercentages
- Tutorials to explain game fundamentals
- Missions that teach game fundamentals
- Tournaments (for noobs)
- Encyclopedia of units, structures and such
- The casts done by our casters (HQ content)
- Newsitems ingame/in client - written in C&C style
- Add videosequences from the old games
- Ladder
- Download replays ingame/in client
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That's it for now. Just a start to get things going. Feel free to comment on whatever.