How to Get Press Coverage at an Event by Exhibiting Like a Boss

© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
HOW TO GET PRESS COVERAGE AT AN EVENT
By Exhibiting Like a Boss

© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
EMMY
JONASSEN
Founder, Indie Game Girl
CMO, Snow Cannon Games
@IndieGameGirl
www.indiegamegirl.com
Hi, I’m Emmy!
I help indie game developers
build adoring fanbases with
free marketing instruction.

Becoming a successful
indie game developer is hard.

Trying to get press at an
event as an indie is also hard.

© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
It’s hard because
fierce competition creates
a discoverability issue.

NORDIC GAME STUDIOS
0
50
100
150
200
250
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Sweden Finland Denmark Norway
- SOURCE: EEDAR
126%
increase from
2009

U.S. GAME RELEASES
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
7th Gen Consoles Handheld 8th Gen Console Steam
- SOURCE: EEDAR (2011-YTD data) & Snow Cannon Games (2015 extrapolated data)
93%
increase from
2011

Discoverability is also
an issue at major events.

EXHIBITING DEVELOPERS AT PAX EAST
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
2011 2015
- SOURCE: PAX East
236%
increase from
2011

Discoverability is even an issue
at shows/booths designed to help.

EXHIBITING DEVELOPERS AT INDIE MEGABOOTH
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
2012 2015
- SOURCE: Indie MEGABOOTH (at PAX East)
375%
Increase from
2012

© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com© Indie Game Girl | Build Adoring Fanbases with Marketing | www.indiegamegirl.com
Be faster and
look better than
your competition.

4 Steps to Secure Press at an Event:
☐ Create engaging press assets.
☐ Secure interviews ahead of time.
☐ Dazzle press with a killer interview experience.
☐ Follow up to see coverage through.

#1 - VIDEO
Best Practices:
1.  90 seconds or less
2.  Attention-grabbing intro
3.  Show key strengths
4.  In-game footage
5.  Reviews (if possible)
6.  End with next steps
- Kingdom, Noio, Licorice & Raw Fury Games

#2 - SCREENSHOTS
Best Practices:
1.  High resolution
2.  Excellent composition/
well lit
3.  Engaging scene
4.  Show key strengths
5.  Have 10 screens
- Shadow Puppeteer, Sarepta studio & Snow Cannon Games

#3 - PRESS RELEASE
Best Practices:
1.  Grabbing headline/first
sentence that summarizes
theme/important info
2.  Communicate event
details in last paragraph
3.  Include your company and
contact info
4.  Include links to view/
download assets
- Shadow Puppeteer, Sarepta Studio & Snow Cannon Games
The Strange, but Beautiful World of Shadow
Puppeteer Casts Its Light on Wii U™ 
BERGEN, Norway, September 17, 2015—
Publisher, Snow Cannon Games, and
developer, Sarepta studio, today announced
that their award-winning, local co-op
adventure, Shadow Puppeteer is coming to
Wii U in late 2015/Early 2016.
…
Shadow Puppeteer will be one of the 15
Nindies showcased at EGX in Birmingham,
United Kingdom, Sept. 24-27 in the
Nintendo booth. To schedule a private demo
of Shadow Puppeteer at EGX with its
developer, Sarepta studio, please contact
emmy [at] snowcannongames [dot] com.

#4 - PRESS KIT
Best Practices:
1.  Use Presskit() template
by Vlambeer
2.  Include:
•  Short/full game descriptions
w/ feature list
•  Videos (teaser, trailer, etc.)
•  Screenshots
•  Logos (company & game)
•  Awards
•  Selected articles
•  Company/team description
•  Contact info
- Prune, Polyculture

#5 – GAME PAGE/SITE
Best Practices:
1.  Descriptive headline
2.  Strong CTA button(s)
3.  Video (e.g., teaser, etc.)
4.  Captivating screenshots
5.  Awards/reviews/quotes
6.  Full description/features
7.  Contact and press kit
buttons or links
8.  Social sharing buttons- Prune, Polyculture

#6 – SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES
Best Practices:
1.  Descriptive about text
2.  Representative and
readable profile pic,
even when small
3.  Cover photo that
communicates key
strengths and has a call
to action
4.  Page activity
5.  Have a presence on
Facebook & Twitter
- Starwhal, Team Breakfall

þ Create engaging press assets.
☐ Secure interviews ahead of time.

BUILD A TARGET PUBLICATION LIST
1.  Don’t wait for the list you
get from the event (add
these contacts later)
2.  Research publications
you want to/should be
featured in and list them
in a spreadsheet (don’t’
forget smaller pubs,
YouTubers and
Streamers)

FIND CONTACT INFO
1.  Search for press contact
info on each pub’s site;
look for press based out
of the same location as/
near your event
2.  Record contact info in
your spreadsheet

ç
WRITE AN AWESOME PITCH EMAIL
1.  Keep it short
2.  Make what you’re asking
for clear in the subject
line/1st paragraph
3.  Offer something unique/
compelling in return
4.  Customize each email
5.  Copy and paste press
release and links to view/
download assets below

START OUTREACH EARLY
1.  For major shows, start
press outreach three
months in advance
2.  For smaller shows,
outreach can start one
month before
“For PAX Prime, we started lining up interviews
months before, but didn’t finalize many until a
few weeks before, or in some cases, while we
were at the show.”
PRO TIP
Lee Petty
Art Director, Double Fine

SEND REMINDERS
1.  Send reminders to
press the day before
their meetings
2.  Use a clear subject line
with your game’s name
3.  Keep it short and stick
to important details
4.  Provide contact info in
case of cancellation

þ Secure interviews ahead of time.

STAGE YOUR BOOTH
1.  Set up your booth to
simulate the
environment you would
play your game in (pay
attention to sound)
- Armed and Gelatinous, Three Flip Studios

PRESENT YOUR GAME LIKE A PROFESSIONAL
1.  Dress to be on camera
(i.e., use your uniform
as a marketing
opportunity)
2.  Speak loudly,
confidently and look
journalists’ in the eye
3.  Answer questions
consistently in every
interview
- Through the Woods, Antagonist

USE A TALKING POINTS DOCUMENT
1.  Write answers to a list
of press FAQs (add
other questions you feel
may come up)
2.  Give this document to
your team to memorize
and keep with them at
the event

LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION
1.  Give press a physical
takeaway to help
remember you
2.  Make sure your
takeaway directs press
to your press assets
3.  Takeaways should be
easy to carry
- Brink, Bethesda

DON’T GIVE UP ON NO-SHOWS
1.  Allow press a 15-min
grace period, then send
an email reminder
2.  In your email, suggest
another time to meet
and be accommodating
3.  If a journalist can’t
reschedule during the
event, suggest a Skype
interview afterward

þ Secure interviews ahead of time.
þ Dazzle press with a killer interview experience.

SEND THANK YOU NOTES & CONNECT…ASAP
1.  Send all press who you
met with thank you
emails the day after
your meeting
2.  Include links to view/
download your press
assets
3.  Connect with press you
meet over social media
and LinkedIn

SEND MORE THANK YOUS AFTER COVERAGE
1.  As soon as a journalist
posts his/her piece
about your game, send
another thank you email
2.  Provide press with next
steps by noting big
upcoming news for your
game and when you’ll
be in touch with more
info (e.g., launch date,
review copies, etc.)
AGAIN!!!

KEEP IN TOUCH
1.  Maintain relationships
with press because you
never know when you’ll
need them again
2.  Check in regularly with
a quick hello via Twitter,
Facebook or email; or
comment on a contact’s
recent article

Thank you.

Questions?

How to Get Press Coverage at an Event by Exhibiting Like a Boss

Recomendados

Recomendados

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Semelhante a How to Get Press Coverage at an Event by Exhibiting Like a Boss

Semelhante a How to Get Press Coverage at an Event by Exhibiting Like a Boss (20)

Último

Último (20)

How to Get Press Coverage at an Event by Exhibiting Like a Boss