Why Marketing to Gamers is Tricky: Three Pain Points You Need to Know
The gaming industry continues to grow rapidly, and with it comes a massive market for brands to tap into. According to Newzoo, the global games market is estimated to reach $189.3 billion in 2021. This presents a significant opportunity for brands to reach a massive audience of engaged gamers. However, marketing to gamers does have its challenges, and there are several pain points that brands often face.
If you or your company are considering tapping this thriving market, here are three of the most common pain points brand encounter when marketing to gamers to keep in mind.
Gaming Culture & Authenticity
Many gamers share genuine passion for gaming, and when a brand enters the space prepared or not, they respond accordingly.
One of the most significant pain points that brands face when marketing to gamers is authenticity. Gamers are a discerning audience and can quickly spot inauthenticity. They are loyal to their favourite games, consoles, companies and creators, and they expect brands to have a deep understanding of the gaming culture. Brands that try to enter the gaming space without any real understanding of gaming culture or are perceived as trying to exploit the gaming audience will likely not be successful.
This doesn’t mean brands need to pivot their business model to just understanding gaming, but research is key. Brands can invest time into researching gaming trends and titles or creators and platforms. These insights, paired with a brand’s internal insights, can help highlight ways a brand can insert itself in gaming culture in ways that make sense, like a meal prep service sponsoring a Twitch cooking streamer or a uniform company collaborating with an e-sports team for branded apparel.
Competition
More and more companies are seeing the marketing opportunities in gaming. Brands like Pepsi, McDonalds, and more have taken advantage through in-game ads and branded games.
Another pain point that brands face when marketing to gamers is competition. The gaming industry is incredibly competitive, with many established brands already vying for the attention of gamers. Additionally, with advancements in ad tech, companies are advertising to gamers in new and exciting ways.
To be successful in this space, brands must differentiate themselves from the competition. This means developing a unique value proposition and highlighting what makes their brand or game stand out. It also means investing in the marketing channels most likely to reach the target audience. Brands that can effectively differentiate themselves from the competition will be more successful in their marketing efforts.
Finding the Right Platforms
While “the big three” social platforms are still relevant to gamers (mostly), there are other platforms brands should consider adding to the marketing mix, as well as how they engage and interact with gamers on existing channels.
The final pain point we want to highlight today is finding the right platform to reach a gaming audience. The gaming community is spread out, with gamers on various consoles, PCs, mobile devices, streaming platforms and more. Additionally, there are gaming-specific social platforms like Twitch and Facebook gaming, as well as strong communities of gamers on other social channels like Twitter, Instagram and more. With so many places to engage with gamers, it can be challenging for brands to identify where to focus their marketing efforts.
To overcome this pain point, brands must use data to understand where their target audience spends their time. Look at internal sales and demographic data and compare it with available information for platforms like Twitch or Twitter, as well as gamer demographic data for a specific country. Any overlaps in target demographics or interest indicate there is an existing audience that may be interested in your brand.
They should analyze the gaming platforms gamers use the most and tailor their marketing strategies accordingly. Additionally, brands should stay up-to-date with new gaming platforms and technologies, ensuring they are always reaching gamers where they are.
In conclusion, marketing to gamers presents significant opportunities for brands, but it also comes with unique challenges. Brands must be authentic, differentiate themselves from the competition, and finding the right platforms to be successful. By doing so, brands can connect with gamers and tap into the massive market that gaming represents.
