2023 saw plenty of new advancements in the world of marketing, but nothing will compare to the advances that we’re still awaiting. From AI adaptations to user-generated marketing concepts, marketing has grown in leaps and bounds from the time when physical marketing was your only option. Boundaries are getting pushed even further and marketing professionals need to stay ahead of the curve to get their brand out there. Although many brands are exceeding all expectations, one advantage that online and mobile gaming companies have is that they are already technologically focused, so it’s easier for them to adopt new methodologies. This industry is ripe with opportunities for innovative marketing strategies, and we’re going to take a look at how you can capture your brand’s audience in new and exciting ways.
We’ve found four strategies that will be huge for this year, helping you ensure your brand stays on top. Let’s go!
1. AI in your marketing strategy
Yes, we know — Artificial Intelligence may not be new, but it’s a huge trailblazer in the marketing universe for this year. It not only heightens and elevates your customer relations management campaigns, but also makes the user experience a whole lot more personal. By using AI in the mobile app industry, you can foster a deeply rooted relationship with your consumers and gain data and behavior knowledge, which can then be turned into individualized product recommendations.
AI is everywhere! You may have seen chatbots being utilized in many businesses’ operations when flicking through games, websites, and products, but did you know that AI has been used by game creators for years?
So much so that DOTA 2 has a purpose-built learning area on their gameplay stage where you can log in, click play, and train with bots that are AI-generated. Along with that, OpenAI actually competed against real-life players in The International 2018 (and beat them) so game developers are utilizing AI advances to the best of their abilities. Fast forward to 2024, and advancements are happening so fast these days. For example, just look back to when the video game Dota 2 was first launched in 2013; you’d have never guessed that by 2023-2024 you’d be hopping onto sites like https://thunderpick.io/esports/dota-2 to place bets on a virtual realm, or logging in to play with non-existent players — but here we are! Now that may be revolutionary, but it’s rivaled by the way AI advancements are killing it in the mobile game world through marketing. It’s growing bigger and getting better — so you must start putting it into your marketing strategies to prevent falling behind.
Overall, we know you’re not looking to level up your product through AI, but you’re trying to improve your marketing calendar — and artificial intelligence is the way to go. Marketers can create hyper-personalized campaigns that align with gamers on a deeper level — which creates engagement as a whole and boosts your brand. Optimize your plan, utilize robotics, and see your strategy reach new heights. Trust us, it’s a must for 2024!
2. Virtual influencers/brand ambassadors
You have to have been living under a rock if you haven’t used some form of influencer in your business’s marketing strategy yet, and this method is growing tenfold this year. The rise of virtual influencers is relatively new, but it presents a great opportunity for brands to reach their gaming customers in a unique and advanced manner.
We predict that there will be a huge range of companies, like the creators of DOTA 2, using virtual influencers to promote their games, merchandise, and events that take place — which are all focused on harnessing a specific crowd. The most popular virtual influencer, Lu do Magalu, has already amassed over 29 million followers on social media and has appeared on the cover of Vogue — so watch this space!
3. User-generated content (UGC)
UGC is already huge for 2024, but we see it growing even bigger by the end of Q4 — and that’s all down to it converting into paid acquisition campaigns. Businesses are having to adapt new types of UGC into their marketing strategies, as it enables them to scale and reach new audiences with new types of content.
There are now platforms that manage influencer orders in regards to UGC, so unlike before, when a brand would have to scour the web for an influencer that aligned with the brand, you can now place orders and get exactly what you want. The influencer management platforms allow your performance campaigns to grow, and they add a layer of trust for your customers when purchasing your online/mobile games. There is now social proof in your marketing plan, along with physical assets to use on social and content strategies — it’s a win-win.
Whether you’re hosting in-game contests, showing player-generated videos or skits, or championing YouTubers using your product, it’s a vital part of a strategy for this year and it allows peer-to-peer connection like never before.
4. Gamification in marketing
Though it may be obvious, gamification for gaming brands is paramount to their success. It involves using elements of a game’s design and mechanics in a non-game context like a marketing strategy. It allows for customer interactions with your brand or product, keeping them engaged — which is something physical marketing could never do. For example, quizzes, games, and challenges offer an incentive for customers to get involved on the platform in exchange for recognition of the brand or even… a reward! This high level of marketing taps into the consumer’s innate need for competition, achievement, and reward.
In turn, this will create brand awareness and excitement around your product, and enhance engagement — which is very important in the marketing world. We’re already well into 2024, and the tools that are constantly being adapted are getting more powerful by the day. We can’t wait to see the strategies in play by the end of the year!