Game developers are constantly searching for new ways to attract users to their apps. With the rise of various social media channels over the last few years, influencers have emerged as a valuable source of impressions and engagement.
If you're struggling to increase installs or enhance brand exposure for your mobile game or app while your paid campaigns are limited to Google Ads, this article will introduce you to alternative possibilities you may not have considered.
Keep reading to learn the basics of community influencers and how game developers can effectively collaborate with them.
Summary of this article:
- Influencers: Professionals or Amateurs?
- Micro vs. Macro Influencers
- What can influencers do for your Mobile Game?
- Brand Awareness vs. Performance
- Building partnerships with Influencers
- Starting your Influencer Campaign
Influencers: Professionals or Amateurs?
When game developers hear the term "influencer," they often picture a trendy millennial posing for selfies at a scenic location, decked out in high-end cosmetics, designer outfits, and the latest smartphone, all while farming views and likes on social media.
However, this stereotype is far from reality. Most influencers are not celebrities—at least not in the traditional "Hollywood" sense. Often, they lack formal marketing expertise.
Influencers typically begin their journey by creating a channel as enthusiastic fans of a brand, showcasing their extensive product knowledge, or actively participating in a community. Through these efforts, they gain recognition and evolve into powerful advocates for the brands and products they love.
Some influencers are even game developers themselves, building their following by sharing their passions and establishing genuine connections.
We often overlook that many influencers have lucrative full-time careers in their respective industries. With the rise of cryptocurrencies, for instance, some niche influencers have amassed small but highly profitable followings of around 1,000 dedicated fans.
Micro vs. Macro Influencers
Influencers can be categorized based on the size of their audience: Nano, Micro, Macro, and Mega influencers.
Mega influencers
Mega influencers are global celebrities and public figures with over one million followers. Their influence extends beyond social media platforms like YouTube or TikTok. However, their massive audience makes them challenging and expensive to work with, especially for indie developers and mid-size studios.
Macro Influencers
Macro influencers have between 100,000 to 1 million followers. They are an excellent choice if you have a larger budget and want to target a specific niche or geographic area. Unlike mega influencers, macro influencers typically build their followings from scratch, fostering stronger connections with their audience, who trust their opinions.
Micro-influencers
Micro influencers have fewer than 100,000 followers. Although their audiences are smaller, they are more loyal and engaged. Partnering with micro influencers is often more affordable, making it an ideal option for startups in the gaming industry. Collaborating with multiple micro influencers allows you to reach several niches and maximize your campaign’s value.
What can influencers do for your Mobile Game?
The primary strength of influencers lies in their ability to drive engagement. Collaborating with influencers can help establish organic relationships with their followers. Here are some strategies:
Some strategies to follow come from:
- replying to comments,
- participating in discussions,
- or sharing user-generated content.
When an influencer starts a conversation about your brand or product, it feels less like an advertisement and more like a recommendation from a trusted friend.
This dynamic fosters authentic engagement, leading people to download your app based on the influencer’s endorsement. As a bonus, your app might climb the charts due to the influx of organic installs generated by the campaign.
Furthermore, a significant advantage for mobile apps and games is that when an influencer promotes your game, it often leads to increased app installations, propelling your app higher in the top charts.
Similar to a burst campaign, this strategy leverages the momentum of new paid installs to drive additional organic installs. However, to achieve this level of impact, it’s essential to collaborate with an influencer who has the appropriate reach or to implement a well-coordinated campaign involving multiple smaller influencers.
Brand Awareness vs. Performance
People are more likely to take action when they feel a connection with someone they trust. When trusted influencers or celebrities engage with your app, their audience is more inclined to try it or at least explore it in the app stores.
This is why influencers are often credited with driving high-quality traffic to your App Store page and social media channels.
Even if users don’t immediately download your app based on an influencer’s recommendation, they will still become aware of your brand. The next time they encounter your app—whether through paid ads or organic reach—they will be more likely to give it a try.
Additionally, by channeling an influencer’s audience to your page, you can build retargeting campaigns to engage users who might have been otherwise out of reach.
When influencers align with your app's niche and core target audience, collaborating with them can make it significantly easier to create performance-driven campaigns that convert their followers into active players of your app or game.
Building partnerships with Influencers
The simplest way to begin collaborating with an influencer is by agreeing on a set price for each sponsored publication.
However, as a game developer with a robust analytics system integrated into your game, you have various options to negotiate more advantageous deals.
Consider compensating influencers based on performance goals and objectives. Just as you track installs or in-app events in your performance campaigns, you can set up milestones and track each attributed user brought in by the influencer.
Since influencers are essentially promoting your app on their channels, you can incentivize them with bonuses tied to their performance.
Building on this, you could create a series of badges or mentions on your brand’s social media profiles or website. For instance, you might add a “collaborators” page on your landing site to showcase these partnerships.
If the influencer genuinely enjoys your app or game, you can offer additional perks like free premium services, in-game currency, or exclusive skins for them to display.
For those willing to go the extra mile, you could even integrate the influencer directly into your app. For example, create a non-player character (NPC) or a custom skin inspired by their likeness or logo.
Ultimately, the extent of this collaboration will depend on your creative flexibility and the influencer’s willingness to take on a more public role within your app, game, or brand.
Monitor and adjust as needed
Once you’ve finalized a deal with an influencer, resist the urge to immediately launch the campaign.
First, ensure that your analytics system is correctly configured to track the performance of all the influencers you’re collaborating with.
Whether your agreement is a straightforward "price per publication" deal or a more intricate one tied to specific goals, tracking influencer performance is critical.
Monitoring these results will also help you gain deeper insights into the quality of users influenced by the campaign. Key questions to consider include:
- Are they spending on in-app purchases (IAPs)?
- Are they engaging with in-app ads (IAAs)?
- Are they dropping out (churning) before or after the tutorial?
- Are they being properly tracked by your CRM, so you can create effective retargeting campaigns later?
Given the investment in this campaign, it’s essential to make it count. A robust analytics system will help you identify influencers who may not be meeting their targets, enabling you to renegotiate or optimize current and future deals as needed.
Start your Influencer Campaign!
Over the past year, the mobile app and gaming ecosystem has undergone significant changes. While app downloads continue to flourish, marketing professionals must adapt to the evolving ad-tech landscape. Game developers, in particular, face challenges in understanding how users interact with their apps.
In this dynamic environment, influencer marketing stands out as an excellent and reliable method for acquiring users who might otherwise be difficult to reach.
With the concepts and strategies outlined in this post, you should now feel prepared to start collaborating with the right influencers. They can be a powerful asset in expanding your audience and implementing tailored monetization strategies.
Begin by identifying influencers who align with your mobile apps, craft a solid strategy around their strengths, and unlock new opportunities to connect with broader audiences.
