Hi everyone. I have a question about my games. I made 2 games. Their installs are AWFUL... Caves 14(current)/35(total) ---> 4 days Dont touch white 4(current)/7(total) ---> 2 days I dont understand why these statics are so bad. Do I have to promote these games, or should I wait..?
Promotion. Advertising. Marketing. Facebook. Twitter. Game Blogs. Magazines. Publishers (such as Buildbox, Ketchapp etc) and Apple featured. All of these and more or a combination at the very least are needed to get eyeballs and installs. As the saying goes... Build it and they will NOT come. Unless gamers know it exists you will never be found.
Here we go again: https://www.buildbox.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-succeed-in-the-appstore.729/ You can make the best game in the world, but as AndyG said: if people do not know about it, you will not succeed! First, you will need a very high quality game (don't know if yours are, I don't have an Android device). I highly recommend to do a severe beta testing to assure you really have a great game. And then, but only then, you have to promote the hell out of it. I'm not the most experienced game developer, but I did my homework. This is what I'm going to do with my game when it's 100% polished: 1. Send it to several top publishers (i.e. Ketchapp). If accepted my job is done and I can lean back. 2. If not accepted, I will design a marketing strategy on social platforms. Mostly Facebook and Youtube. 3. I will make a really great trailer which I include in the promo material and of course the Apple and Google stores. 4. I will make a homepage for the game or use my business homepage for the same use. 5. I will send a mail to at least 200 bloggers, video-bloggers and Online magazines. I'll give them early access to the game. 6. I will publish it first at the Apple Store and try to convince Apple to get a feature. Most of the arguments are already developed at point 2. 7. I will publish it at the Google Store 1 week later. If it does not get noticed, then something was done wrong. But sadly, there is only 1 chance. Still, leave it in the appstore and learn. With some luck it gets discovered later like Flappy Bird did several month after launch. And that's about it. Also, do not launch at Christmas time if you do not know what you are doing. Tens of thousands of apps/games are released at this time and if it is difficult to be noticed during the year, at this time it's almost impossible.
Yea as @Christoph said. And also Google Play is much harder than apple. At least with apple your app gets a spot in its category in new free apps. If the icon and screenshots are good it will get downloads. With google play you get nothing. And also take note: keywords take three to four days before they take affect in the store. and up to a week or two before they show up in similar apps. Thats if your ASO is good. Wait a couple of weeks and if nothing has improved then if you believe your game is worth it then advertise. Just remember in google play if your app is not noticed by the editorial team and does not get a feature. then its hard work. Also the google play store works exactly the same as google search. your ASO needs to be perfect for people to discover your app. Description needs to be done well. For google Play And Keywords need to be done well for Apple Appstore. Making the game is pretty much the easy part of an app business, Getting discovered and downloads, is the hard part. More time and effort is required promoting and spamming your game than making it. anyways good luck with them.
Thanks for all these opinions and advices. I know it is bad to wait, I know nothing wont happen without doing something. I realised that Google Play was easy about 2-3 years ago... Now I will reg domain for my "Dont touch white" game.
@playsgames6666: I didn't mention the ASO part because I read somewhere else that it doesn't matter anymore. I mean, of course you put the best describing keywords but this is now such a crowded place it is impossible to generate good keywords that do not compete with the other games out there. You can take a look at all games recently published. Buildbox games and others. The keywords are all the same + 3 or 4 that are unique for the gameplay, the character or the publisher. That's about it. They do not work if your game is not successful, but if it is, then they are working. Said in other words: a good ASO is necessary if you have a quality game that has success. People start to search for it and then the keywords are key. Of course, if your game got media attention or social platform hype then the keywords are also important for the same reason. People can find it in the appstore as fast as possible. Also, please have a look at this other thread I made: https://www.buildbox.com/forum/index.php?threads/1292/ I'm trying to create a network which is community based to succeed without a publisher.
Totally understand your point on keywords, though for a game that is named Caves. It is important, as you say the market is crowded, there are thousands of games with the word cave, caves. And with Google Play ASO still matters, especially when your creating games that are similar to games that are already in the market. (Don't touch White, A copy of Zoidtrip,) (Caves A copy of a thousand cave games,) Both these games look the same as the others, so will never get featured, As good as the games are, and they good i have played them. A publisher won't touch them as they have been done before. And the post about the network is a pretty good idea, interested to see where this goes. But i also have the same conception as Jamie. Anyway, personally i think if you are really wanting to succeed then you need to be creative with your games and design. Making copies of games with same designs, will get you a little way, But something new and unique, and looks different will get you further.
I have a lot of unique game ideas. Really unique. I am waiting for bb2.0 .. I know Caves or others copy. But @Christoph said, I think ASO is not important. Because there is tons of games with no desc or 2-3 sentence written. It is important to make a unmade game...
Now worries, you asked i gave my two cents worth. just one thing though. Little tip- When i search your game Don't touch white, i scrolled through 300 results then gave up, did not find your game. Game title is your one main keyword. There is over 100,000 games that have the words don't, touch, white, Maybe game names need to be thought out more, Im not an expert,
