Making a Google Play game a successful one!

Hello to everyone!

I recently made a new game and published it on Google Play. My goal is to make this game a successful one, to have a lot of downloads and happy users. However, this is not an easy task!

According to some statistics, 500 new games are published on Google Play every day! So, there is a sea of other good and bad games out there. I am swimming in that sea, and I need to learn how to fly!

Today, my game has less than 10 downloads. This the hard part now. I have no experience on marketing, no popular youtube channel nor a website with a lot of visitors, no budget for marketing..

When you are making the game, it is kind of "easy". It is an enjoyable process as you watch your game grow and gets better from day to day. Even the learning is the fun part. Now, I am facing a new mistic and scary marketing world out there which does not look so pretty, and I know nothing about it xD

The purpose of this topic is to share my experience with all of you on this road trip of mine. I will write here everything I learned along the way, every marketing idea I had, and what steps will I decide to make in order to show my game to the world. Hopefully, this will help other developers that are like me, to avoid the mistakes I did, and see what was the right moves.

If you have already have some experience on this topic, please share it with us.

Wish me luck!

Here is (epic music in the background... xD) my game:

play.google.com/store/apps/details

Hey Orlic,

I know exactly what you mean, marketing my game is something I'm really not looking forward to!

This is what I've learned so far following Indie devs on Youtube/blogs etc:

It helps to have a Twitter/Fbook/Insta page to share Dev progress/news before actual final release of your game.

Some people have done well running a Kickstarter campaign giving early access/rewards etc.

A well produced promo/trailer that instantly catches the eye also helps, plus you should have one already linked from youtube to your Googleplay game page.

Hope that helps.

Good luck!

mathie Thank you for your advice. You are right, that should be a way to start. I also found a few links for review exchange websites:

smoothreviews.com

appreviewdesk.com

It works in a way that you review someone else's app, and you earn points. Then, other people review your apps, and each review costs you one point. It may be a good way to start, to get some initial downloads.

I will change the name of my game to "Medieval vs Aliens". This name is unique on the store for now and I hope it that my game will appear first in the search when someone types it's name.

— thank you for the tips! I made a Face page, and will promote it once I have my video ready.

Kickstarter campaign sounds interested, I will research it and let you know what I learned.

I also learned that if some of the bloggers or youtube channel owners publish a post or a video about your app, it can be a very useful.

I also have an idea to offer my exported HTML5 game with Google Play button (link) on it to some websites with games, and perhaps they will publish it. For example, if you type "Key & Shield" on Google search, the popular game made with C2, you will get a list with a lot of website which published it. I can than offer them to publish my game as well, if they want to.

Wish me luck!