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Creating a Steam page and uploading a compelling game description isn't enough to create a buzz around your game. You also need an engaging game trailer. In fact, a trailer is one of the most pivotal parts of your marketing efforts!
Why? Because it acts as a visual teaser of what's to come in your game, generating interest among players and increasing your wishlists. Here are some steps on how to create an engaging indie game trailer.
Jump straight into the action
The first few seconds of your trailer are the most crucial. They'll determine whether the audience will stick around to watch the entire trailer or not, so you need to hook the viewers right away. Have intense action moments in your game? Lead with it! Let the players know what makes your game so unique and why they should play it.
Keep things short
People have short attention spans, which means they’re likely not going to watch game trailers that span several minutes. The sweet spot is 60 - 90 seconds when it comes to giving enough information without dragging it on for so long that the viewers lose interest. This means that the entirety of your trailer should be chock-full of useful information. Don’t waste precious seconds highlighting your studio logo or on intro shots.
Show off the pivotal mechanics of your game
Ideally, you should already have conducted some much-needed market research to understand your target audience and their preferences. It’s time to make use of that info here! Keep in mind that the trailer should appeal to the target audience’s preferences. You are making the game for them, after all.
Make sure that your trailer highlights the pivotal mechanics of your game. Add cinematographic effects to jazz up the gameplay and keep the viewers engaged. At the same time, you shouldn’t give away all of your secrets. Save some for the players to find out when they actually play.
A well-rounded trailer should answer these questions:
1) What’s the genre of the game?
2) What’s the main theme/ story of the game?
3) How does the player interact with the game’s universe?
Don’t forget the music!
Music helps bring the whole thing together. You can use a variety of sounds to influence the experience and emotions of the viewers. Add in background sounds for action scenes, use suspenseful music to add an air of mystery, or eerie ones to have the audience clutching the edges of their seats. Let the sound climb up to a crescendo when there’s a pivotal scene happening.
End the trailer on a cliffhanger
Remember we talked about how good trailers don’t reveal all their secrets at once? The same goes for the climax, too. You need to leave them wanting more. Does your game have an epic “reveal” moment? Cut the trailer off right before it! This will increase viewers’ anticipation, giving them more incentive to tune in to your game.
Pro tip: You’re likely your own target audience, so think about what kind of game trailer will hold your attention. Then, go and make it!