Marketing Advice That Matters
We all know that the game industry is not as it used to be! We are no longer in a time when a developer had an idea, developed a game, and brought it to the market to try to sell it. Today, game marketing and game development must work together to mutual benefit. No matter what, and for better or for worse, these two things are a couple. Game marketing does benefit the game developers, as well as the other way round.
In the early days, perhaps about thirty years ago, this beneficial link was not as obvious. Games were cool, but advertising was not. Just buy the game and play it on your console, and don’t worry about the ads; those were for television. Maybe you bought the game because you saw an ad for it, but for the most part, once you had the game, you had the game. That still exists; people do buy games and play them at will, but that is not the largest part of the industry anymore. Not when compared to game marketing.
Most games are not bought outright by the consumer. Sometimes, the player downloads the game for free and watches an ad to move forward in the game. A player is often willing to watch an ad to get a little extra help, or for a hint. That’s not the largest part of the industry, either. Not when you compare it to game marketing.
Games generate their revenue differently, and so the game developer must be aware of the audience opinion of the game before they even begin. Game marketing is a big benefit here in helping the developer understand how the players will be interacting. Consumers enjoy video games as a spectator sport as much as playing for themselves.
Game developers must know marketing
The good news is that there is a big market for new games and the people—that is the marketers, players, and fans—are always on a constant search for the next great innovative gaming idea. That could be a new marketing strategy, or a new game idea, so developers and marketers need to be together. Game marketing is essential to development for that reason.
Game marketing can tell the game developer what will sell and what is already selling. Maybe the competition has that market cornered. The developer should know these details before moving too far forward, before the game is too close to finished to implement any changes. One way in which game marketing benefits is by showing the developer what needs developing, according to what will sell.
After all, the game marketing pros already know the statistics. They know whether or not there will be audience interest. A game developer may love the game that they are working on, and they may be convinced that selling begins after completion, but it doesn’t. Marketing can provide insight into the age, the demographics, and even player preferences, and this should inform the developer. The marketer knows whether or not the game will be a success before its even ready for launch.
Game marketing makes the game better
When game marketing and a game development work together, there is magic. Games, as we said, are rarely sold any more. They are picked up, shared, talked about by influencers, and the way the consumer spends on the game is not the way it was thirty years ago, and an exceptionally creative marketing campaign matters now more than ever.
Finally, they just can’t work apart from each other. A great game marketing campaign will provide a game with dollars and visibility for as long as the game lasts, but marketers need to have an idea about what the game is about. They need fuel to write a great campaign, to write catch lines, titles, or to tell stories on social media. They need excitement to get those creative juices flowing. Game developers need that, too. They need new ideas, and a steady audience flow to bring in those new ideas and let them flow. All in all, this is a partnership that will bring about new ideas, new creations to appeal to a wider audience.
Don’t forget about that audience! It is the audience that both the game marketing experts and game developers are working for. As a game developer, don’t get too caught up in development. Use a game marketing company to help you bring your game to the world.
Hiring the right SEO expert is crucial for the success of your online business venture in today’s competitive scenario. According to surveys, more than 70% of website traffic is in the form of organic searches for online products and services. This emphasizes the significance of brand recognition and online presence, which can seldom be achieved by a business enterprise without the assistance of an SEO expert. Some of the most important steps to take before choosing a Houston SEO expert are as follows.
Good traits
Before you choose to hire the first SEO expert that you come across, check if he has some of the good traits that most of the experts in the field possess. For example- they must ask the right questions about your business, your expectations with SEO, and the problems faced by the company. A professional must be able to explain SEO in non-technical language so that it is easy for you to understand. They must also be able to explain the SEO process, which will be utilized for your specific business to achieve the desired goals. It is essential for an SEO expert to know what works for a specific company and what does not as this knowledge comes naturally with years of experience in the SEO industry.
An in-depth knowledge
When it comes to choosing an SEO expert in Houston, make sure to ascertain that the professional is well versed with the marketing techniques, which includes precise content strategies. The key to a successful SEO depends largely on the content, which is exactly the reason you need a professional for the task. The website content must be clear, concise, readable, and informative as millions of online buyers search for information pertaining to products before buying them online. Reliable and informative content builds a strong online presence. The SEO expert that you hire must possess in-depth knowledge about digital marketing strategies to help boost your business website.
Record of accomplishment
Reputed SEO experts take pride in their work and often display it to their customers without any qualms. You can check the list of their former clients to ensure that you are working with the right business partner to reach your goals. The majority of online businesses collaborate with the best SEO partners for long time results. If possible, check out with these businesses before you choose to work with a specific SEO expert. Ask several questions and ensure that you have a good communication rapport with your SEO professional before you choose to work with them. The last thing that you would want would be wasting your time and money by hiring the wrong person to boost your online business venture.
Digital Marketing is a broad term that encompasses all marketing channels and methods you can use to promote your products and services on the Internet. Unlike western countries, Internet channels and services are highly regulated in China by the government and it is not easy for businesses to connect with Chinese consumers. Therefore, many businesses prefer partnering with a reputed digital advertising agency China to overcome the difficulties and get the trust of Chinese consumers. And that’s not all. Below are many other reasons why you cannot ignore them.
Diversified Initiatives
Digital Marketing is Omni-channel and you need to target the right marketing channels to reach Chinese consumers. You need to have a customer strategy that would help you identify your target audience and determine how to craft a marketing message to each target customer group.
You need to also select the right marketing channels to send your marketing messages to and create useful content for each channel. A right digital marketing agency will shoulder all responsibilities mentioned above while you focus on core business activities. The digital marketing agency would use their skills and experience to ensure your marketing strategy helps you achieve your business goals.
But that’s not all. There are many other reasons why many businesses partner with a digital advertising agency China.
Provides Better ROI
One of the biggest mistakes foreign brands entering China market make is they grossly underestimate the budget required for effective marketing strategy. Incorrect budget allocation, insufficient funding leads to poor traction.
Without the right information, companies struggle to know how to allocate marketing budgets to different marketing channels in China and what type of results to expect. Digital marketing agencies in China have a good knowledge and understanding of the cost of marketing of different channels.
These marketing agencies also know which marketing channels to target based on your target audience. They would utilize the marketing budget in the best way possible and get you a better return on investment.
Wide Range of Marketing Services Under One Umbrella
As mentioned earlier, digital marketing encompasses multiple channels and you cannot achieve success by targeting one channel. You need to focus on search engine optimization, paid search engine marketing, blogs, vlogs, social media marketing, and many more things.
Digital marketing agencies have specialized teams for SEO, SEM, Social Media Marketing, and writing which have the required skills needed for success. This comes across as a great convenience as you don’t have to work with different experts. The marketing teams at digital marketing agencies work in sync and their synced and concentrated efforts increase chances of success.
A Better Understanding of Chinese Trends and Market
The digital landscape in China is unique and there is no guarantee your tried and tested strategies in the Western market would work in China. Chinese consumers don’t want to simply purchase online, they also want their shopping experience to include social media.
Many Chinese consumers shop from their mobiles and social media platforms like WeChat play an important role in their purchases. Digital marketing agencies with years of experience have a better understanding of Chinese trends and market and can prepare a marketing strategy to build your brand in China.
They Have Good Relationships with KOLs
Chinese consumers trust and seek the judgment of experts regarding content published online. The KOLs (key opinion leaders) are the way to go if you want your content to have high visibility.
Reputed digital marketing agencies in China maintain good working relationships with KOLs. Hence, these agencies can work effectively with these social media icons to strengthen brand visibility.
A Better Understanding of the Chinese Language and Culture
Baidu, the major search engine in China does not have an English version. So, you need to have a good understanding of the Chinese language and culture to create a website. A good digital marketing agency China would have Chinese language experts who can create content that will connect you to Chinese consumers instantly.
These are the few reasons why digital marketing agencies are flourishing and why you need to partner with them. Do you’ve any questions? Please feel free to leave your comments below, we’d love hearing from you.
WeChat is not just a social media platform in China, but an everyday necessity for over billion Chinese users. They use it to connect with family, friends, and acquaintances, and also for conducting business, making purchases, paying bills, and getting information. Most WeChat users check their accounts several times a day. That means that if you advertise your products and services on WeChat, you will be able to get them before a maximum number of people and potentially earn an excellent ROI.
Many foreign companies, however, stumble on the twin obstacles of language and culture. Very few have the fluency or the cultural understanding that is necessary for effective marketing on the local and national level. And there have been instances of companies making a faux pas that end up amusing or offending people and hurting their brands. To avoid this, you should consider hiring a WeChat marketing agency and working with them to promote your business on the social media platform.
Here’s why you need to work with a WeChat marketing agency:
You will need their assistance with account registration
Before you can open an account on WeChat and start using the platform for your business promotion, it is mandatory to make an official registration. The Chinese government requires this of all foreign companies that want to operate in the country and use its social media. You can sign up for a WeChat public account either as a foreign company or through a Chinese WeChat marketing agency.
If you choose the second option, the WeChat marketing agency will collect the necessary documents and fees from you and handle the complete registration on your behalf. You will then be able to enjoy all the advantages that are available to businesses with registration in China. These are not available to companies that the Chinese government has not officially sanctioned.
You will be able, for example, to use all the WeChat features and connect with users in China if you have registered on the platform through a WeChat marketing agency. However, if you registered as a foreign company, your outreach will be limited to WeChat users who live outside China. While that has its uses, it wouldn’t help you too much with your goal of making your brand known far and wide within the massive Chinese consumer market.
You will need their help to develop a better understanding of the Chinese market
To successfully market your products and services in China, you need to have a good understanding of the local conditions. Your marketing experience in other parts of the world may not necessarily be as useful here. Along with requiring fluency in the language and an understanding of the culture, you will need to be up-to-date on the consumer behavior and social trends that are unique to China. Without this knowledge, you will stand little chance of making it business-wise in the country. That’s why you need to hire a WeChat marketing agency to help plan a China-specific marketing strategy.
You will need their input for achieving maximum audience outreach
After setting up a WeChat account, the next step is to connect with your target audience and make them aware of your products and services. If you don’t have the language skill and cultural understanding to handle this aspect, it is best to work with a WeChat marketing agency. They will not only research the target audience on your behalf, but they will also help you to chalk out a social media strategy that will garner you more followers. Additionally, they will engage with the audience and answer their questions and concerns about your brand.
You will need them to draw up a mobile-friendly marketing strategy
A large percentage of Chinese users access WeChat via their mobile devices. To reach and engage these people, you need to have a mobile-friendly strategy in place. The WeChat marketing agency you hire will assist you in creating and optimizing mobile-friendly content that will increase your follower count and the web traffic to your account and site. With heightened online visibility, you are likely to see a marked improvement in your business. A WeChat marketing agency is, thus, a necessity for business success in China.
Baidu is the foremost search engine in China, and it is a must that companies that wish to earn the right market share in China must opt for Baidu advertising. You will have to consider one practical point; the bulk of the Chinese population believes the credibility of Baidu and hence the ad materials promoted through Baidu are likely to have a much more popular response than the other ways of advertising. There are various formalities that companies will have to watch out while advertising through Baidu. Hence, it is only sensible to get in touch with an SEO agency that is thorough with these formalities and who has hands-on experience in performing such tasks. Such leading agencies will be able to guide you properly as regards the subject of advertising on Baidu in English.
Advertising on Baidu in English – How to?
• Baidu is the popular search engine in China, and as Chinese people are ardently in love with the local language Mandarin, companies that plan to enter the Chinese market will have to build a Chinese website. The website should be in the local language, and remember, the language you use must be simple to the core so that the contents remain comprehensible to all population segments.
• After the website creation, companies will have to furnish all the business particulars such as the certificates of registration & tax clearance, the screenshot of the website, etc., to the Baidu. Once you give these and all other related documental proofs as wanted by the Baidu, they will conduct the verification process.
• If the Baidu team finds that your documents are perfect and in sync with their requirements, they will ask you to deposit a fixed amount, which is par for the course of Baidu registration. You will also have to pay the annual service fee.
Some of the main advertisement programs that Baidu offers are PPC Advertising, Baidu TV, Baidu Brand Zone, and Pay-for-Placement (P4P). All of these will be effective, as Baidu will reach a vast section of the Chinese population. That said, it is only prudent to hire a well-established SEO company to have effective advertising on Baidu in English.
• PPC Advertising allows companies to put their ads on the SERP, and this is a great opening for the advertisers. Baidu is the most accepted search engine, and the advertisement will travel across a broad spectrum of people. This reach will assure you grand traffic and consequently, the sales revenue.
• Baidu Pay-for-Placement (P4P) will give the advertisers the option to choose the ad positioning; they can bid for the same. However, here Baidu will take into account the quality score of the bidder and the price linked to the keyword.
• Baidu Brand Zone is another viable option, and going in with this option gives the advertiser the possibility of controlling the search engine results to a great deal. The advertiser can go for the above fold option, which will be visible to the searcher at one glance.
• Baidu TV is a unique advertisement option that Baidu offers to its union members, by which the advertiser can place the ad material on selected websites and preferred pages. Many companies prefer this option.
Hire an Experience Company
When you entrust the task of advertising on Baidu in English to a well established and experienced SEO firm, then you are sure to get the resultant dividends. Such an agency will have the desired requisites and the professional skills that will make the Baidu advertising winning. You can easily find the leading SEO companies that have experience search engine marketing in China. However, you must be prudent while picking the agency; you must choose the best from the list. The main thing that one will have to take into consideration is the experience of the firm; of course, you can find out this from the client list provided by the companies on the website. If there are sufficient numbers of clients, then you can deem the SEO agency as an experienced one. By hiring such a company, you can certainly make your company website come on the initial spots in the search engine result page (SERP).
Search Engine Marketing in China
As far as the online marketing methods that prevail in China are concerned, Google is not the leading search engine. Consequently, marketers attach less significance in making the site in sync with the functional nature of this global giant. As Baidu is the most vital search engine, it is highly significant that the web portal must be optimized precisely to the requirements of Baidu. That said, marketers can employ different methods for making the site visible in front of prospective customers. Baidu pay-per-click is one such method, which will place the company’s products or services in front of the searchers. Baidu is one of the principal search engines in China and holds nearly 80% of the market share, and this practically means that Baidu has a final word regarding the success of online marketing in China.
PPC (Pay-per-Click)
PPC (Pay-per-Click) is a typical online marketing method wherein companies can post advertisements on search engine promoted links, and whenever a person clicks, the company will have to pay the already agreed amount to the publisher of the advertisement material; this can be the search engine, a website owner, etc. This method is one best practical ways to make the general public aware of the functions and products of the company and to attract new traffic to the related website.
Why Should You Invest in Baidu PPC?
Baidu is the top search engine in China, and the bulk of the search engine activities are tuned accordingly. In brief, Baidu means marketing authenticity in China. This authority search engine enjoys great acceptance in China and is widely held as a reliable search engine. Accordingly, the bulk of the population goes as per the advice of Baidu. Baidu PPC is just a part of the various tasks that are required to make online marketing in China successful. If the company becomes successful in Baidu marketing, then that means there will be an overall boost in sales.
The PPC ad that you place along with the Baidu search engine results will travel all across the country, and this will make your brand visible to millions of people. As your ad material will pop up in the SERP among the targeted audience, there will be so many people who want to buy your products. Those people who happen to see the ad will pass around the message within their friends’ circles and family members. As a result, Baidu PPC becomes a great practical tool to boost brand awareness, website traffic, and consequently, sales revenue.
However, which should be the target customer segment wherein the PPC ad must be posted is a vital point, as far as the winning nature of the search engine marketing is concerned. Appropriate research is necessary for assessing the requirements of the customers and for identifying the exactly needed customer segment. Here, the expert advice and guidance of an experienced SEO company becomes inevitable. As regards China, the leading search engine is Baidu, and hence, opting for Baidu PPC is the best bet to make the search engine marketing in China thriving. However, it is practically advisable to hire an established SEO agency for carrying out related tasks.
Hire an Expert SEO Company
Search engine optimization is a bit tough task; companies will have to devote a good deal of time to sort out the varied entailed tasks by the book. Small and medium-sized companies will find it very difficult to cope with these diverse tasks in the same way as the larger companies do. Such companies will have to spend a lot of time, effort, and of course, money for the same if they are setting up a separate department. There will be a need to hire a separate staff. The best way for small companies is to outsource the task of SEO to a dependable agency. The company must be familiar with the varied tasks that are par for the course of search engine marketing in China.
The sphere of marketing is ever-expanding, and nowadays, there are marketing opportunities in places you would never think to look at. One such place is in esports, which is rapidly increasing in popularity. Esports agency marketing is a veritable landmine for the hard-to-reach demographic of males between the ages of twenty-one to thirty-five who are difficult to reach via traditional marketing methods.
What are Esports?
Esports are essentially virtual sports – although, they are not necessarily video games about sports. Esports typically take the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions between professional players, in a team or individually. Since around 2010, esports has become a significant player in the video game industry, and many game developers now actively design and fund esports tournaments and other events. As with any popular medium, esports has opened the door for marketing and advertisements, and many professional esports players have even acquired sponsorships. With lots of money moving around the esports arena, it is crucial for esports players to have their interests defended, and to have someone fight for them – this is where esports agencies come in.
Why are Esports Agencies So Important?
Esports agencies provide expertise and guidance. Like agencies for professional athletes, an esports agency works to help their clients to the utmost of their ability and to look after their client’s well-being. Esports agencies represent their clients to ensure they get the best deals and contracts. Esports players who sign up with esports agencies receive the following benefits:
1. Knowledge of marketing.
Any agency that represents a client must market their player. Often, esports agencies supply both roles as a negotiator and a marketer. Professional esports players may not be experienced with matters like marketing, advertisements, or potential sponsorship opportunities, which is why signing up with an esports agency is crucial to the financial success of a professional esports player.
2. Understanding contracts.
Esports agencies ensure that any contract their client signs is exactly what their client desires, with no hidden loopholes or tricky language. Contracts are often heavily worded with legalese language that can be difficult to parse through and understand, which is where your agency comes in. Esports agencies have lots of experience and knowledge when it comes to contracts, so professional esports players can rest easy knowing that their interests are being well looked after.
3. Established connections and reputation.
Networking and connections are vital to most professional fields, and esports are no exception. Esports agencies already have connections in the field and can properly represent their client. Having connections allows esports agencies to more easily negotiate deals with organizations or teams, and the esports player will benefit immensely. In addition to having connections, it is also important to have an established reputation in the esports world. No professional esports player will want to sign up with a fledgling agency, or with an agency that no one has heard about. Being an established esports agency gives you credibility, and esports players will flock to established agencies that have also demonstrated reliability and professionalism.
Esports agencies play an important role in an esports player’s success, and they also provide numerous benefits and advantages for these players. They are in the player’s corner, and they will do everything in their power to help their client succeed.
