When the first social media platforms started to emerge in the early 2000s, few would have predicted the level of influence they would soon have on our daily lives. While websites like MySpace and Friendster gave people the power to engage in a digital space for the first time, social media platforms of today have become a revolutionary force, truly reshaping the way in which we communicate, how we consume information, and even how we interact with the real world away from our screens. One area that the rise of social media has majorly impacted is online game marketing, where digital media platforms have increasingly been used as an effective tool to reach new customers and boost sales. With the online games market revenues expected to reach nearly $30 billion in 2025, these marketing tactics are clearly having an impressive impact. Let’s take a closer look.  

How Have Online Games Traditionally Been Marketed?

The gaming industry has always had strong marketing departments, able to effectively use the tactic of the day to create a buzz around their latest release. Before the advent of social media marketing, game developers would use more conventional methods with overwhelming success. TV commercials were hugely important, with large budgets allocated to ensure exciting ads could be produced that would reach a broad audience of potential new players. Look no further than the string of blockbuster FIFA commercials during the 2010s which saw global superstars like Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney appear in an effort to entice football fans. The physical games store was another important area targeted by marketing teams. Before the era of digital downloads, the high street store provided an ideal location to promote the latest release. In-store displays and promotional materials were commonplace, while trial versions and demos allowed players to try the game out before buying it. As the presence of social media has continued to grow, however, these marketing tactics have dwindled in importance. 

The Emergence Of Social Media As A Marketing Tool

As online environments have become more integral to our societies, the potential of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as incredible marketing tools has been realised by marketing teams in every sector of commerce. From their original purpose as a digital space for connecting with other people, these platforms have evolved significantly. They have become highly commercialised environments, with businesses, brands, and individuals recognising their power to attract huge customer bases through their unique advertising capabilities. 

Famously quick to react, the online gaming sector has been at the forefront of this, quickly adapting and using these platforms to engage directly with players and create a more personal, interactive form of marketing. For example, the online casino arm of the gaming world owes much of its own impressive rise to the power of social media marketing. Casino platforms can attract, engage, and retain players through simple social media messaging, directly offering players promotions instead of them researching casino promo codes themselves. Furthermore, the presence of tailor-made algorithms on many social media platforms has allowed gaming companies to be more targeted with their campaigns, with the scattergun approach of mass marketing now becoming a thing of the past.

Why Is Social Media Marketing So Powerful?

Real-time interaction

First and foremost, one of the distinct advantages of social media marketing over traditional methods is the immediacy with which developers can receive feedback from their customer base. While in the past, it might take months to determine the consensus on a new release, with social media, developers and players can interact with each other in real time, which has proven beneficial for both parties. A notable example is No Man’s Sky, which, upon its release, was derided by fans who proceeded to let developers know via social media. The result was a positive one, with developers heading back to the drawing board and essentially redesigning the game – this time to rave reviews.

Helps to build communities

One of the key reasons behind online gaming’s success in recent years has been the way in which meaningful communities have been able to develop and flourish. Games such as League of Legends and World of Warcraft thrive on their huge player communities, with the social side of the game a strong part of why players continue to play. Developers have harnessed this strong sense of belonging by catering to the social preferences that players demand. Social media plays a big part in this, with developers using platforms to provide regular updates on the latest releases while creating a digital space where like-minded players can engage with each other. Furthermore, many game producers are also now tapping into the large fanbases of gaming streamers who use platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok. By partnering up with these hugely popular influencers, developers can increase the buzz surrounding their games while further solidifying already existing communities. 

The keys to a global audience

Simply, social media has allowed game companies to reach an audience size previously unattainable in the marketing world. Unlike other marketing techniques, which have a limited geographical range, a single post on a media platform has the potential to reach people all over the world. With nearly 40% of the world’s population having an active Facebook account, it is easy to see just how powerful a tool social media can be as online games continue to target new player demographics. Social media marketing looks set to have an increasingly important role. 

As online gaming continues to evolve, so too will the marketing campaigns that define the success of the latest releases. The emergence of so called metaverse environments which look to further blur the lines between social media and online gaming could soon see online platforms have an even stronger presence in our video games. While the exact colour and shape of the games of the future remain to be seen, the use of social media as a marketing tool is all but guaranteed.