Why Do You Need To Know About Cross Promotion Mobile Games Methods?
If you read our blog for some time, you have probably noticed that we focus on the game development and creative aspects of this profession. However, the BandurArt team aims to discuss all the aspects related to the process of game development including monetization. You will be surprised that this aspect can be all about the creative approach as well. For example, the cross promotion mobile games methods can help you get more players who will discover and enjoy playing your gaming titles. So, let’s talk money. The money you may get from the cross-promotion of mobile games.
What is the Cross Promotion Mobile Strategy?
Cross-promotion is a common advertisement strategy that involves to addition of ads into one game to promote another game.
Two basic methods make this strategy effective for advertising mobile games:
1) In Your Portfolio
Promote your games to users who are already engaged with your other titles.
2) Collaborate With Other Developers
Partner with other game developers to mutually promote each other’s games.
Even though both methods have their benefits, people commonly prefer the latter for being simpler to handle.
To implement these strategies you can choose such 2 methods:
- Native Placements are the ads that blend in with your game’s design, such as on the home screen. They’re free and you have complete control over them;
- Mobile Ad Monetization is another way to promote your games through interstitial ads, banners, and rewarded video ads. You will need to buy your own ad space using ad networks. This method costs money but can result in more engagement;
Now let’s take a closer look at these methods and benefits delivered by the cross promotion mobile games strategy.
Key Advantages of Cross Promotion Mobile Games Methods
- Cost-Effectiveness. This strategy is a low-cost alternative to traditional user acquisition;
- Boost Retention and Engagement. Keep your players deeply involved within the app environment by suggesting new games for them to enjoy;
- Make More Money from Your Portfolio. A tiny rise in retention can greatly enhance total income;
- Assist New Games to Expand. Boost first-time downloads and interaction by introducing new game choices to engage the audience better;
- User-Level Targeting. Even though there are limits due to privacy rules, you can still keep track of users within your collection and aim at them properly;
Who Can Benefit from Cross Promotion Mobile Games Methods?
Mobile games’ cross-promotion refers to suggesting other game titles you possess so that players are motivated to remain within your game network. A good strategy could boost brand loyalty, user participation, and earnings. At the same time, it offers useful observations for refining ways of making money from the game as well as gaining users – making sure you attract correct “high-value” users.
People usually think cross-promotion is only for hyper-casual games. It’s correct that gamers of hyper-casual games typically shift from one game to another, so it becomes very important to maintain them inside your portfolio. But promoting each other’s games works well for all types of genres, particularly if you possess many games and a big base of players.
Cross-promotion mobile users can expect such benefits:
- Targeting capabilities using first-party data;
- The ability to scale newly launched games more effectively;
- Retaining high-quality users within your portfolio;
Check the Reddit thread about the experience of using cross promotion in mobile games.
Types of Cross Promotion Mobile Games Methods
Mobile gaming is a very competitive field. There are so many games fighting for attention in app stores that it can be hard to stand out. To try and get an advantage, a lot of mobile game companies use different types of cross-promotion strategies. Cross-promotion means promoting one game inside another game, making a beneficial connection between the titles.
Using Video Banners
Within the world of mobile gaming, cross-promotion usually includes highlighting other games made by the same creator. For example, you can use big video banners. When a player begins a level in one of their games, they see an advertisement video for another game from an identical developer. These videos illustrate the special characteristics and actions in gameplay, encouraging players to download and test the fresh game.
Special Skins or Rewards
A different strategy of cross-promotion is to give special skins or rewards. For instance, you can offer a unique avatar skin if you download and play one more game by the same developer. This method doesn’t just motivate players to experiment with different games from the same creator, it also builds an incentive cycle that maintains user interest across all the mobile gaming company’s offerings.
Blended In-Game Advertising
Also, you can incorporate advertisements directly into the gameplay setting. They use in-game billboards to advertise their other games, making ads a natural part of the gaming experience. This manner strengthens brand recognition and motivates players to try more games from the same developer’s collection.
Do’s and Dont’s of Cross Promotion in Mobile Games
Do:
- Promote Your Largest and/or Best Games. Concentrate on cross-promoting the games that have a daily active user count (DAU) of around 10,000 to 20,000 for improved outcomes;
- The Churn Monitor. Find out when players are going to quit your game and show them cross-promotion ads at this important time;
Don’t:
- Target Non-Relevant Audiences. Match the cross-promoted games with similar audiences for better conversion rates;
- Cross-Promotion for High-Value Players. Prevent shifting of loyal, paying users with high LTVs to other games;
How to Implement Cross Promotion Mobile Games Methods?
The following steps will help you to start your strategy of collaborating with mobile gaming companies for cross-promotion.
Leverage Ad Monetization Platforms
If you use an ad monetization platform, you can change ads for external games to ads promoting other games from your collection. This assists in handling cross-promotion campaigns and enhancing the LTV of your game. Running cross-promotions via ad networks and paying per install (CPI) may still provide access to excellent users and allow campaign optimization.
Use Native Placements
Make ads that will appear on the home screen of a different game. This choice gives control over things like creatives, but it might need to make an internal system and analytics approach to get the best results. Utilizing native placements together with ad monetization can be very effective.
Segmenting Player Behavior
Target frequent buyers of the current game, as they are probably spending money on other games too. Do not aim at users who are new or already heavy spenders in this particular game. Look for those who have monetized at some point but not engaged recently or those who have churned recently.
Timing and Creative Strategy
Display advertisements in the correct moments, like after finishing a level or during an organic pause in the game. Utilize ad creatives that players recognize from both games. Give motivations such as virtual money for installing it and employ notifications within the app to catch their attention.
Monitor User Churn
Watch out for user churn, particularly during cross-promotion. Find why users leave and alter tactics to reduce the loss of users and maintain retention across the portfolio.
Keep in mind that you need to create high-end assets to make your cross promotion for mobile games effective. That is when you can use the top-notch game design services of the BandurArt team – we deliver any artwork and advertising banners of any kind.
Using Native Placements for the Cross Promotion Mobile Games Strategy
Native placements are like making ads for certain games which then appear on the home screens of other games. While native placements give control over creatives and content, they can have less interaction and restricted optimization.
To use the native placements your team needs to build an inside system that can advertise your games in other apps. This process might be complicated and need many resources. It is crucial to make an analytic approach for swiftly enhancing the results.
This is how you can implement the method of native placements in a mobile game:
- Make a plan to find the correct segments for aiming your games. The behavior of players is usually steady in all games, so it is very important to aim at those who often buy things. Good audience division will help with the success of cross-promotion;
- Focus on players who have made purchases, but also look into their spending behavior. For example, target users who have monetized but have not continued to make purchases and are no longer active in your game. These users could be perfect for cross-promotion because they will probably pay later on but might not continue to monetize in their current game;
- For audience segmentation, it’s good to divide users by game features. Also, avoid putting players into groups based on types of games that are too similar and separate non-spenders from spenders. Besides this, do not aim at new users to not disturb their first experience;
- Keep an eye on user churn and why they leave, particularly when you cross-promote games in your portfolio. Make sure the timing of cross-promotion matches with when players are most active or engaged in their game progress;
For more interest and engagement in the cross promotion mobile games campaigns, think about offering rewards, using notifications within the app, creating static buttons, and sending focused emails. These methods can help to spur players into looking at your other games and installing them.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the mobile game cross promotion strategy in 2024?
The strategy of mobile game cross-promotion is when developers use the user base from one game to promote their other titles. This can occur in two core ways: promoting games within your portfolio or advertising your games to those users who are already engaged with some of your other titles.
- How does cross-promotion benefit developers?
Cross-promotion is a way that developers can grow their user base without spending more money. Using the existing users from other games, they can increase how many people see their game, get more downloads and help the game be kept by users for a longer time.
- Does cross-promotion work effectively for mobile games?
Now, it is known that cross-promotion can work for mobile games. This method may enhance the standing of a brand, make more people recognize it, and possibly boost sales. Also, promoting with fitting titles could assist in aiming at the correct audience for optimal results.
- Is cross-promotion free?
Usually, the mobile game cross-promotion strategy means working together with other brands to advertise their products and they do the same for you. It’s not common to pay for advertising in cross-promotion. Both sides benefit from this type of promotion because it helps them get more exposure without spending much money on ads, which can be an effective way of increasing customers and sales.
- How can developers advertise their mobile games for free?
For promoting mobile games without spending money, developers can use different methods. They may take advantage of social media like Facebook or Twitter, contact influencers or Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), and make changes in the listing on the app store to improve visibility and interest. In addition, they can create interesting content such as blogs and videos, as well as send their games to many app stores.
- Is it possible to earn $ 100 a day from ads in mobile games?
Certainly, participating in platforms such as MyPoints can allow users to earn $ 100 a day from ads in mobile games. In this method, players gather points by playing games and later convert them into gift cards or cash through PayPal. Just remember – focusing only on monetization instead of creativity can trigger negative feedback from the audience.
- Is it worth following the channel of Mobile Ad Eaters?
Mobile Ad Eaters is a well-known YouTube show that criticizes and ranks video ads for mobile games and apps. A group of experienced professionals hosts it. The series has been ongoing since August 2020, consistently releasing new episodes. The hosts in each episode of the podcast evaluate and place various mobile ads into different categories, highlighting those that are most successful and creative. They share very valuable insights about mobile game cross promotion strategies.
Conclusion
The increasing strictness of privacy restrictions makes alternative advertising methods such as cross promotion mobile games techniques even more useful. This is a lasting trend, providing a way to economically expand your game collection and maintain player involvement.
Promoting your mobile game through cross-promotion is not just a trick, but it is a clever tactic for smart game developers. You can initiate it and see how your audience and revenue grow!
