Mobile Game Influencer Marketing: Best Practices & Tips

Here’s a truly fascinating fact. Game publishers see an average return of $6.50 for each dollar they spend on mobile game influencer marketing. If handled skillfully, collaborating with mobile game influencers to promote a mobile game can lead to remarkable results.

In the words of Seth Godin, ‘People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories, and magic.’ Now that thumbs up have almost replaced handshakes, this idea makes perfect sense. And it’s no secret that influencer marketing is a powerful user acquisition strategy.

Today, we’ll be delving deeper into mobile game influencer marketing — the art of boosting your game’s popularity by teaming up with digital trendsetters and go-getters who hold the attention of your potential game players. Previously, we already told you how to buy a profitable app. Now, we will share tips on how you can easily tap into top mobile gaming influencers to transform your mobile game marketing strategy into highly profitable results.

Upon finishing reading this article, you will:

• know exactly what mobile game influencer marketing is and how it works;
• explore 10 main reasons why mobile game influencer marketing is effective;
• learn all there is to know about the best timing for your promotional campaigns;
• figure out where exactly to find mobile gaming influencers for your specific niche;
• study expert tips and practices for collaborating with mobile game influencers to your utmost advantage;
• find out about common mobile game influencer marketing mistakes and learn how to avoid them;
• explore a real-life example of a successful mobile game influencer promotion.

What Is Mobile Game Influencer Marketing?

Mobile game influencer marketing is the process of collaboration between mobile game devs or publishers and thought leaders in their niche for the purpose of spreading the word about their product. Throughout this collaboration, influencers make the most of their online presence on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube to promote mobile gaming apps to their followers. Keeping abreast of mobile game industry trends enables influencers to create more impactful content, generating higher engagement and fostering stronger connections with their audiences.

That said, an influencer is anyone with the power to impact their audience’s real-life actions and decisions. Below, you’ll find two major types of influencers:

• social media influencers: they are people with a large fanbase within any of the popular social media platforms;
• thought leader influencers: they are people who have earned recognition and respect within their specific field of expertise. They may also have a lot of social media followers.

Additionally, influencers are also classified depending on how many followers they have:

• nano influencers: they have from 1,000 to 10,000 followers;
• micro-influencers: they have from 10,000 to 100,000 followers;
• mid-tier influencers: they have from 100,000 to 500,000 followers;
• macro influencers: their audience ranges from 500,000 to 1M followers;
• mega influencers (or celebs): they boast over 1 million followers.

Bear in mind that not only people can be influencers. Sometimes they are social media accounts or online publications that hold widespread recognition, trust, and a devoted following. TouchArcade, an online platform that features the latest mobile game reviews and industry insights, is a notable example in this context. Its passionate community of gamers deeply trust the platform’s recommendations and reviews.

How Mobile Game Influencer Marketing Works

Think of influencer promotion as a form of word-of-mouth marketing on the digital scene. Imagine hearing about a cool mobile puzzler from a friend. You trust your friend’s taste, so you install and try that puzzle game without hesitation. And you love it! Mobile game influencer marketing is a similar concept. It’s like getting a worthy mobile game recommendation from a friend you’ve known your whole life.

All influencers have one thing in common: their audience listens to their opinion, trusts them wholeheartedly, and follows their recommendations. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how mobile game influencer promotion works:

1. Influencer identification
   You start by finding the right influencers whose audience will also be potentially interested in your mobile game. If done right, this first step will guarantee you success in this type of mobile game promotion.
2. Building a collab
   Upon finding that highly relevant influencer, you propose a collaboration to them. Once communication gets going, you negotiate specific terms, general campaign concept, compensation, and other nuances.
3. Campaign planning
   As your collaboration evolves, you start planning the influencer marketing campaign. This usually suggests setting specific campaign goals, content generation, and posting schedules.
4. Content generation
   At this point, influencers you’ve partnered with begin creating engaging content around your mobile game. Depending on the person’s style and posting pattern, it may take various forms, such as reviews, tutorials, live streams, fascinating gameplay vids, and the like.
5. Seamless promotion
   At this stage, your partner influencers seamlessly integrate your mobile game into their typical content. This emphasizes your game’s major perks, features, and reasons why people should give it a try as soon as possible.
6. Evaluating feedback
   Upon revealing the details about your game to their audience, the influencer you’re partnering with actively responds to comments and provides valuable insights about the game. This contributes to a sense of trust within their community.

As your campaign nears its completion, don’t forget to analyze such key performance indicators (KPIs) as downloads, installs, engagement, and conversion rates. Based on this analysis, you can modify your future influencer marketing endeavors for better results. Make the most of the Asolytis tools as you assess your or your competitors’ gaming app performance. It will help you easily figure out your best course of action and success strategy.

To improve your app’s visibility, check app’s perfomance in Asolytics app Dashboard

10 Reasons Why Mobile Game Influencer Marketing Is Important

Mobile game influencer promotion has emerged as a vital component of any savvy mobile game marketing strategy, bringing to the table a treasure trove of benefits that can significantly boost your game’s success. Here are 10 compelling reasons why mobile game influencer marketing should be a cornerstone of your promotional efforts:

1. It helps you reach your target audience
   Influencers often have well-defined niches. It allows you to precisely target the audience that will most likely enjoy your mobile gaming application.
2. It builds trust and credibility
   Audiences trust influencers they follow. Thus, when your partner influencers recommend your mobile gaming app to their followers, it automatically lends credibility and authenticity to your brand.
3. It increases visibility
   Influencers’ large followings can exponentially increase the visibility of your game in a way-too -crowded app marketplace.

4. It drives downloads and installs
   Influencers can almost effortlessly motivate their followers to download and install your game. This, in its turn, will have a direct and measurable impact on your user acquisition potential.
5. It boosts engagement
   Engaging content from influencers can foster a sense of community around your mobile game. As a result, you’ll get players who’ll most likely stay active and engaged long-term.
6. It showcases gameplay
   Your partner influencers can provide in-depth gameplay insights to their audience throughout the campaign. This will give potential players a taste of what to expect and increase overall excitement.
7. It attracts lots of attention to your game
   Partnering with reliable influencers can create a buzz around your game’s launch or updates. Naturally, it will drive more players to explore it.
8. It’s fairly budget-friendly
   Influencer marketing often offers better return on investment (ROI) compared to traditional advertising channels, especially for indie developers with limited budgets.
9. It gives you real-time feedback
   Mobile game influencer promotion comes with valuable player feedback. As a result, it will help you significantly improve your game based on honest and unbiased user opinions.
10. You get long-term brand ambassadors
    Successful influencer partnerships can lead to long-term brand advocates who continue promoting your game even after the initial campaign. Such a win-win for everyone!

To shed some more light on the importance of mobile game influencer promotion, let’s take a closer look at data sourced from a recent benchmarking report. In accordance with the report, the influencer marketing industry is set to reach over $21 billion in 2023 (compared to $16.4 billion in 2022). And this number has been growing steadily throughout the last five years, while budgets for influencer marketing are continuing to increase.

While there are also reports about people becoming slightly fed up with influencer marketing, as of today, the trend is obvious: if properly done, mobile game influencer marketing is guaranteed to skyrocket your gaming app to stardom.

The Whens of a Solid Campaign: Timing Is Everything

Timing is a critical factor when planning your mobile game influencer marketing campaigns. Choosing the perfect moment can significantly impact the campaign’s effectiveness. Here’s a breakdown of when it’s best to launch your influencer marketing campaign:

• Pre-Launch. Stir up excitement for your game’s official release by securing pre-registrations through your influencer partner. Creating prolonged excitement ahead of the game’s release is immensely valuable. To generate engaging content, the influencer should have early access to your game. This will help provide the juicy details about the game mechanics and the thrill it brings even before the roll-out.
• Game Launch. Launching your campaign around the release of a new game is a no-brainer. Influencers can generate excitement and anticipation, driving downloads and installs from day one.
• Major Updates. When you introduce significant updates or expansions to your mobile game, partnering with influencers can rekindle player interest and attract both new and returning players.
• Seasonal Events. Align your campaign with seasonal events, holidays, or special occasions relevant to your game’s theme. This can enhance the campaign’s relevance and appeal.
• Anniversaries. Celebrate your game’s milestones, such as its anniversary, by collaborating with influencers to commemorate achievements and engage the player community.
• Promotions and Discounts. Use influencers to promote limited-time offers, discounts, or promotions to create a sense of urgency and drive sales.
• Cross-Promotions. Partner with influencers from related niches or games to tap into their audiences during relevant moments.
• Community Challenges. Influencers can facilitate and promote in-game challenges or events that foster community engagement.
• User-Generated Content Contests. Encourage players to create content related to your game and have influencers promote these contests, increasing user engagement.
• Game Awards. Consider launching a campaign around industry awards or nominations to boost your game’s visibility and credibility.
• Trending Topics. Monitor social trends and hot topics to align your campaign with subjects that resonate with your mobile app target audience.

With all that said, the perfect timing for mobile game influencer marketing campaigns depends on your gaming app’s unique context and objectives. By strategizing around these key moments, you can maximize the impact of your influencer partnerships and ensure a resultative campaign.

Mobile Gaming Influencers: Where to Find ‘Em?

Finding the right influencers for your mobile game marketing campaigns requires careful consideration and strategic sourcing. Don’t narrow your search down to just mobile gaming Twitch influencers. Make the most of this guide from our experts to reap maximum perks from here-there-and-everywhere mobile game influencer marketing:

• Social Media Platforms. Popular platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter are treasure troves of potential gaming influencers. Use relevant hashtags and keywords to identify candidates.
• Influencer Marketing Platforms. Utilize specialized influencer marketing platforms like AspireIQ, Influencity, or Upfluence. These tools help you discover influencers, assess their performance, and manage collaborations efficiently.
• Gaming Forums and Communities. Online gaming forums, subreddits, and Discord communities are hotspots for avid gamers and potential influencers. Engage with these communities to spot rising stars.
• Gaming Events and Conventions. Attend industry events like E3, PAX, or Gamescom to meet influencers in person and establish meaningful connections.
• YouTube and Twitch Gaming Channels. Explore gaming-specific channels on YouTube and Twitch to identify content creators whose style is similar to your game’s audience.
• Review Websites and Blogs. Identify gaming review websites and blogs with dedicated fan bases. Collaborating with their authors can offer valuable exposure.
• Social Media Management Tools. Use social media management tools like Hootsuite or Buffer to monitor conversations and mentions related to your game. This can lead you straight to potential influencer partners.
• Influencer Agencies. Consider partnering with influencer marketing agencies that specialize in gaming. They have an existing network of influencers and can match you with suitable candidates.
• Player Communities. Engage with your game’s existing player base and identify passionate fans who may have the potential to become micro-influencers.
• Competitor Analysis. Study your competitors via Asolytics and identify influencers who have promoted similar games. They may be open to collaboration with your game as well.

To build ASO strategy, start with Competitors analysis in Asolytics

6 Steps to Create a Successful Mobile Game Influencer Marketing Campaign

These 6 vital steps will help you design an effective influencer marketing campaign. Follow them to catapult your mobile gaming app to the forefront of the gaming community:

1. Determine your goals and target audience
   As with any promotional campaign, setting clear objectives is paramount. Ask yourself these vital questions: What do I want to achieve? Is it user acquisition? Do I want to enhance game awareness, too? Bolster user engagement, perhaps? If you don’t want to shoot in the dark, know your target audience inside out. Know their gender, location, passions, pain points, habits, financial and educational background etc.
2. Pick the right influencer to promote your mobile game
   According to fairly recent reports, over 60% of marketers find it challenging to discover the right influencer for their promotional campaigns. If you want to cope with this task, look for influencers in the mobile gaming niche. The perfect influencer for you is an experienced gamer who knows the ropes when it comes to playing mobile games. And, what’s even more important, you most likely share a similar target audience.
3. Decide on your budget and set up a payment system
   To make the collaboration successful, define a budget well in advance. That way, you will prevent any misunderstandings as your partnership progresses.
   
   To give you an idea of how much you’ll have to invest, the standard nano-to-mid-tier influencer Instagram rate varies from $10 to $5,000 per post. A lot of micro influencers occasionally agree to promote brands for free. This is a wonderful opportunity for indie developers and small game studios with limited budgets. Just get in touch with a micro-influencer of your choice and propose partnership. Offer them a clear payment model, preferably on a payment-according-to-results basis.
4. Allow influencers room for creative expression
   Avoid controlling every single aspect of your collaboration with the influencer. Yes, setting up clear goals and expectations is crucial, as well as giving the influencer some basic guidance. However, dictating everything from the concept to the creatives is counterproductive.
   
   Let’s be real, authenticity and credibility are key when influencers promote products. Users can easily spot when brands try to micromanage an influencer’s message and image.
   
   This highlights the importance of not being overly controlling. Empower influencers to make the best out of their storytelling skills and creativity to present your game in its finest light. After all, they have a deeper understanding of their audience than you do. Genuine approach will shine through in the results, earning true appreciation from their followers.
5. Focus on gaining high-value users
   The charm of influencer campaigns lies in their ability to simplify the process of gaining high-value users for you. Elevating this goal to a top priority is crucial. There are various meanings behind the notion of high-value users.
   
   In the majority of cases, it refers to users who install your game and play it on a regular basis. In other words, those are users who retain well. In addition to this, high-value users are engaged in the gameplay on a daily basis, with lengthy sessions and ongoing playtime. Naturally, these users are easily monetizable.
   
   As a rule, the mobile gaming influencer fanbase consists of high-value users. They are regular committed gamers who approach mobile gaming seriously and tend to spend money playing. This type of user is the perfect target audience for your influencer campaigns.
6. Track and analyze your mobile game influencer campaign results
   Last but not least, invariably monitor and analyze the results of your campaign. With properly established goals and metrics that help you measure your KPIs, figuring out what worked and what didn’t will be a cakewalk. For example, always evaluate how many installs you received after the campaign. Assess the ‘value’ of users you attracted. Will they play your mobile game regularly or will they forget about it right after the installation? Has there been a significant increase in app-purchases or ad revenue? You should have specific answers to all these questions.
   
   If you don’t see any real results, chances are your campaign failed. Pinpoint your mistakes and start from scratch. Meanwhile, we’ll cover some mobile game influencer marketing missteps and ways to avoid them. Keep staying tuned.

To track and analyze your mobile game, use Analyze App Asolytics tools

Mobile Game Influencer Marketing: Mistakes to Avoid

Let’s cover some don’ts of promoting your mobile gaming app via influencer marketing:

• Don’t rely on follower quantity when choosing an influencer.
• Don’t rely on guesswork either. Instead, invest in thoroughly researching your audience.
• Don’t make laying your hands on the money your priority. Instead, maintain laser-like focus on boosting your game’s visibility.
• Don’t be a control freak. Let influencers work their magic.
• Don’t set unachievable benchmarks. Acquiring millions of users solely through influencer collaborations is exceptionally uncommon.
• Don’t break the bank for an influencer just because of their celebrity status.
• Don’t concentrate all efforts in one area. Instead, utilize paid advertising alongside influencer campaigns to amplify your reach.
• Don’t hesitate to switch things around. If a collaboration isn’t working out, it’s okay to make the necessary changes and move on.

Now that you’ve explored these don’ts, you can easily fix your approach and transform missteps into the best mobile game influencer marketing practices on your way to maximized results.

Choosing the Right Mobile Gaming Influencer: Bonus Tips

• Choose among micro-influencers: they don’t have tons of followers, but they have a higher engagement rate compared to their macro-counterparts.
• Always analyze the target audience of the influencer who has caught your eye. Ask them to provide screenshots of their social media analytics page as evidence.
• Make sure the influencer you’re planning to partner with creates top-level, valuable content and posts it regularly.
• Evaluate their social media engagement and make sure their like-to-follower ratio is good.
• Analyze their relationships and conversations with their followers based on such parameters as depth, value, trust, and frequency.
• Evaluate the influencer’s storytelling and content generation skills. This will answer your question as to whether or not they can truly stimulate people to play your game.
• Assess whether the mobile gaming Twitch influencers’ style and ways resonate with the concept of your brand. Make sure you’re on the same page with them in the context of values.
• Find out whether the influencer you’d like to collaborate with has worked with other publishers before or not. If they have, make sure those are not your competitors.
• You should be 100% certain that the influencer of your choice has solid authority on the mobile gaming scene.
• Establish polite and respectful communication with the influencer of your preference. According to Crowdtrap, over 50% influencers claim that they will only collaborate with companies that act respectfully.

An Example of a Successful Collaboration

The release of Brawl Stars in 2018 took everyone by surprise with its meteoric rise in popularity. Prior to the launch, Supercell, the game’s developer, came up with an inventive influencer campaign strategy. They partnered with 10 prominent YouTube mobile influencers and gamers, all of whom streamed videos of themselves engaging with the game.

That way, the developers aimed to encourage early registrations even before the game’s official launch. The outcome was nothing short of remarkable: a staggering 5 million registrations followed the release of the first video.

What made this strategy so effective? It didn’t revolve around the world’s most renowned influencers. Instead, the dev team concentrated on their niche and enlisted influencers who were already engaged players of their previous games. Targeted and niche-focused. That’s what we call smart mobile game influencer marketing.

To Wrap Up

Successful mobile game influencer marketing is a sophisticated combination of strategy, authenticity, flexibility, and human connections. As Andrew Steinthal astutely puts it, ‘Numbers are hollow. It’s all about community and involvement.’ This sentiment epitomizes the essence of effective influencer campaigns in the mobile gaming landscape.

Throughout this article, we’ve provided some of the best practices and invaluable tips that possess the power to transform your marketing campaign into an immersive journey for both creators and players. We’ve emphasized the importance of keeping it real, fostering creative freedom, and embracing a genuine understanding of high-value users. We’ve cautioned against unrealistic expectations, overspending, and rigidity in strategy.

In the long run, analyzing all stages of your strategies is paramount. However, the most potent influencer campaigns aren’t just about metrics or downloads. They’re about forging connections, building communities, and inviting players to become active participants in a shared adventure. Mobile game influencer marketing, when executed with finesse and guided by these best practices, becomes a solid foundation for engagement, loyalty, and lasting success.

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