The social element is necessary for mobile gaming to be able to spread the word effectively.
According to the results of a recently conducted survey, the leading mobile marketing method to spread the word about smartphone games is word of mouth and that gamers often actively take part in this behavior.
In fact, the study showed that word of mouth is the leading method of discovering new game apps.
As much as companies and developers may spend on mobile marketing to make sure that the world will hear about their latest game apps, a study from Applifier has shown that old fashioned word of mouth is still the top method used for new discoveries. Fortunately, those social discussions often occur over smartphones and tablets, helping marketers to maintain their opportunity.
The key is for mobile marketing to encourage the social sharing of the favorite games and apps being used.
Among the 1,800 respondents to the Applifier survey, the top method of sharing news about the mobile gaming apps that were most enjoyed was word of mouth. In fact, the top three mobile marketing options were all linked to word of mouth in some way.
Of the leading three responses regarding mobile marketing for game apps, 43 percent said that they read the reviews that were left by other users. Another 36 percent said that they heard about new mobile games through friends or family members, including direct discussions, social media, and other forms of communication. Moreover, 25 percent of the respondents said that they actually watched a friend or family member play the game when they saw it for the first time.
Aside from word of mouth, video is also proving to be exceptionally popular and successful in mobile marketing for games on smartphones and tablets. Nearly three quarters (70 percent) of the respondents said that they had viewed an online video about mobile games within the preceding week. Furthermore, 45 percent said that after they viewed the video, they were more inclined to download it immediately afterward. Twenty percent of gamers are considered to be “sharers”, who download many games, play often and for long periods of time, who pay for their games, and who like to share the achievements that they have made, such as tips, scores, and screenshots.
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.
