Mobile games are spreading through word of mouth

Effective marketing for mobile games could be deceptively simple

When it comes to raising awareness of mobile games, word of mouth appears to be the best option there is, according to a new study from Applifier. The market research firm has been investigating the forces behind the growth of mobile games and the marketing efforts that go into raising awareness for such games. Advertising is as important in the mobile gaming space as it is in any other sector of business, but mobile games are not typically associated with large marketing budgets that are common with console or PC games, yet they continue to manage to capture the attention of consumers.

Word of mouth proves to be a good way to promote mobile games

According to the study, the majority of mobile games are promoted through word of mouth. This has long been an effective marketing strategy as consumers that love certain products typically enjoy advertising these products to their friends and families. Word of mouth is also exceptionally affordable as consumers are generally willing to handle all of the marketing by simply praising a particular product. Word of mouth has been very effective in promoting mobile games as 36% of consumers reported that they heard of the games they play from someone else.

Consumers show interest in online video promotions

While word of mouth has proven to be a powerful way to raise awareness about mobile games, Applifier notes that 43% of consumers prefer reading reviews from other consumers rather than listening to what other people have to say about a particular game. Approximately 70% of consumers prefer to watch online videos concerning particular mobile games rather than read reviews. Roughly 45% of these consumers claimed that they purchased a mobile game after watching a video about that particular game.

Ravenous hunger for mobile games help speed growth

Applifier notes that the average consumer downloads as many as five mobile games every month. These games are played for an average of 3 hours every week, after which they are replaced by a new assortment of mobile games. The relatively short lifecycle of these games is part of the reason that the mobile gaming space has seen such rapid growth, as consumers are constantly on the lookout for new games to play and have shown themselves to be willing to purchase games that catch their interest.