Repetition: More Important Than Ever Before

Have you ever seen a flurry of information about a new game, then it completely drops off your radar before you’ve made a decision to buy it?

On yesterday’s livestream, I mentioned how I’m slower to act on new games than in the past. I’ll hear about a new game–usually through a flurry of reviews or crowdfunding notifications–and unless it instantly sweeps me off my feet, I’ll wait for a bit to see if my initial intrigue grows into a desire to buy it.

But all too often, after the initial flurry, I stop hearing anything about the game. The information is too frontloaded, with content creators racing to have their review available on the first day (as is their right), game publishers pulling back on Instagram posts/advertising, and the game dropping off the BoardGameGeek hotness list.

While some of these factors are out of a publisher’s control, we do have agency over some of them. I’ve discussed this topic in detail before–the topic of repetition itself is worth repeating–and today I’ll focus on a few approaches fresh on my mind.

1. Send out review copies in waves: Content creators are inundated with games to feature, and I completely understand them wanting to highlight the new hotness. They’re serving their audience, not publishers (even though we have the utmost appreciation for them). In that way, publishers have little control over when content creators post their reviews and other content–other than the initial start date, it’s entirely up to the content creator when they post. However, publishers do have control over when they send review copies. My approach is to dispatch review copies in waves, starting with advance copies, then more at the same time as initial order fulfillment, then more afterwards (and continuing forever). Also, publishers have control over when they share review content–you aren’t limited to the first day the content goes live.
   1. Sidebar to content creators (as one myself): I absolutely understand the excitement of discussing a brand-new game. In addition to that, your excitement and opinions are just as valid if your video, article, or podcast isn’t posted until a few days, weeks, months, or even years after the game’s announcement/launch/release. Your audience subscribes because of the quality of your content, not because you’re the first to get a new game. Also, it’s okay to post about a game more than once if it holds your attention–I really appreciate when my favorite content creators do this for any game (Stonemaier or otherwise), as it gives me a chance to delve deeper with you. That’s something I’ve done on my YouTube channel through the top 10 lists, and I’m hoping to do it for more games I’ve gotten to the table multiple times.
2. Advertise on social media: Before, during, and after a product launch, I’m seeing increasing value in advertising on social media. OOT Games (Mythwind) and IV Studios (Moonrakers) are masters at this. And yes, sometimes ads are the unwanted kind of repetitive. But the best ads continually intrigue, engage, and inform. We’re doing more of this with the help of Andrew Cook–you may have seen some ads for Apiary that are steered by him.
3. Entice active followers: As a consumer, I’m mostly indirect in how I follow games. I scroll through my RSS, YouTube, and Instagram feeds every day, following thousands of creators, but the number of specific projects or publishers I subscribe to (notably newsletters) is much lower. Yet that’s the best way for me to get repeated updates about games. This is a great reminder to me as a publisher that enticing active followers–particularly those who follow a specific game or our monthly newsletter–is incredibly important. Plus, we want to make it easy to follow along. It’s for that reason that we now embed game-specific subscription forms into our website instead of requiring an extra click (see Apiary’s game page). Also, starting with Expeditions and continuing with Apiary, I now send multiple updates–not just a single reminder–to followers leading up to key moments (like Apiary’s webstore launch on October 4).
   1. Sidebar to Kickstarter creators and Kickstarter itself: Gamefound makes it super easy for someone to get updates for a campaign without backing it, which gives the creator a chance to turn potential backers into actual backers. Kickstarter’s “remind me” button, however, only gives you a notification at the end of the project, meaning that the only people who get project updates in their inbox are backers themselves. I think Kickstarter could greatly benefit by updating “remind me” so that people who click it can have the choice to subscribe to project updates. In the meantime, this places an increased importance on $1 pledge levels.
4. Cultivate your own content platform(s): Above I talk about content creators, who are busy and independent. However, you do have control over your own content, whether it’s a YouTube channel, blog, podcast, or social media account. It takes time to create this content–especially sustained over many years–but I think it’s worth the effort. For example, I primarily post about games designed and published by others on my YouTube channel and Instagram feed, but whenever we have a new game, I shine the spotlight on that game. Recently I posted “my favorite mechanism” and “games we recommend” videos for Apiary, and I have upcoming “how to teach” and “tales from production” videos about it too.
5. Highlight the actual release just as much as the original crowdfunding launch: I don’t fully understand this phenomenon, but I continue to see it all the time: Creators put an immense amount of time, effort, and expense into their game’s crowdfunding campaign, but when they finally deliver to backers (and have a retail release), the game is completely absent from reviewers and social media. Yet that’s a great time to highlight the game! I think the key here is to find ways to encourage your early adopters to get the game to the table, because they more they do that, the more photos they’re going to post on social media–it’s great organic marketing. I’m in this phase for Expeditions, which has its US retail release on Friday, September 29 (it released elsewhere in the world last Friday)!
   1. Sidebar about pledge managers: In the age of pledge managers closing many months after the end of the campaign, I think it’s clever for publishers to highlight a game when the pledge manager is about to close. Awaken Realms does a great job of this.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on repetition. What types of repetition are effective for you? Have you recently backed, preordered, or ordered a game due to repeated reminders that it exists and is awesome?

Also, just for fun, here are the active projects I’m currently backing: Creature Caravan, Kavango, Millenia, and Diatoms. Preorders are also open for Last Light and the Ark Nova expansion, both of which I’m excited to receive.

Also read:

• The Impact of Repetition
• Release with a Boom, Not a Whimper
• 10 Daily Actions to Build Your Crowd

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