-modified.png)
One of the best ways to generate buzz for your indie game and boost your visibility is by getting some press coverage. Not only will it give you a leg-up in your marketing and bulk up your Steam wishlists, it will also help you reach an as-yet-untargeted audience.
Here's a 5-step guide on how you can get press coverage for your indie game!
1. Conduct market research about your niche
While you can (and should) make the kind of game you want to play, if you want to be successful, it’s also equally important to conduct market research to ensure that your game will be in a high-demand genre. That’s the only way you’ll be able to attract a lot of players. Moreover, most media outlets will provide press coverage for your indie game only if it’s in a high-demand niche.
2. Prepare a killer trailer
To get journalists interested in writing about your game, you need to give them something concrete that lets them know what your game is all about. And the best way to do this is through a trailer. That way, they will get a solid impression of your gameplay mechanics, music, and graphics. And so will the readers once the press release goes live. And, who knows? Your trailer may get picked up by some gaming influencers and get a free feature on their channels.
Pro Tip: For a bigger boost, schedule a press release for every major milestone in your game development process. For example, after the release of your trailer, after the launch of a demo version, and when you have a date set for your game launch.
3. Come up with a great hook for journalists
You need to sell your game to the journalists right from the headline. Why? Because they probably receive several such requests each day, and it’s not feasible to publish each and every one. So, they need to pick and choose. To make sure that your request gets picked, you need to pique their interest with a great hook.
Think about how your game differs from that of others and turn it into a catchy headline. Does it have a feature that everyone’s been clamoring for in games? Have you done something unique with the gameplay mechanics? Draw attention to it and use words that get people excited about your game.
4. Write the press release
Now that you have the trailer and headline, it’s time to actually write out the press release. Make sure to include all the necessary details, including any numbers that show off the buzz around your game (such as number of wishlists so far, views on your trailers, or newsletter sign-ups).
Prepare a press kit along with the press release. This should include all the details that journalists would need about your game to give you some press coverage.
5. Reach out to journalists
Once everything is ready, make a list of journalists who publish news about indie games and collect their contact information on a spreadsheet. Consider statistics like readership rate and reach of the media outlets. Start reaching out to them via email with your request for press coverage. If you don’t receive a response, don’t hesitate to follow up once or twice.