Roblox and Minecraft are two spectacular sandbox games. Both occupy a segment of the video game industry that is targeted at young kids aged 7 to 12. Both loved by millions of gamers all over the world. Quite similar to each other, they often get compared to each other by gamers. Both games combine education with fun. What does that leave me as player? Something truly unique and interesting. Whether in terms of Art, UGC (User-Generated Content) or gameplay, the list of similarities run long. Both of these games go head to head against each other. For good reasons.
Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at the rivalry between these two titles. I will compare all of the different aspects of both of these games and let you decide which game is better.
Now, without any further ado, let’s get started!
Minecraft Sandbox Video Game concept vs Roblox
Minecraft
Minecraft Sandbox Game concept vs Roblox
Minecraft is currently the best-selling game in the entire world. Make that over 200 million copies sold as of 2020. Developed by Mojang, Minecraft gets about 126 million active users every month.
Set in a blocky world, Minecraft is a very quirky game. You can literally create anything in this game or go out on adventures with your friends. This game is perfect for single-player or multi-player gamers.
Art-Style of Minecraft: Blocky Cartoonish World with Immersive Realism
Like I said above, Minecraft is set in a blocky world. One in which the art-style is quite unique and interesting. Everything has a cartoonish-touch in this game. Yet it still manages to remain realistic and immersive. From gorgeous castles to a pixelated piece of art. You can basically create anything in this game.
Gameplay:
Minecraft Sandbox Game Concept
Minecraft’s Gameplay: Awesome Survival or the Sandbox of Your Creation
The gameplay of Minecraft is extremely diverse. You can do whatever you want. This game can take you on an awesome survival adventure. Or it can be the sandbox of your own creation.
When you jump into survival mode, you will have to survive in the harsh world of Minecraft by gathering resources and finding food and shelter. Enemies appear at night. You must defeat them in order to survive.
In creative mode, you are given infinite resources and the ability to fly. You can basically create anything in this game, even a working computer. There are tons of materials in the game which replicate real-life properties.
The online gameplay of this game is something completely different!
When you interact with other players, you get a whole new list of game-modes which have been created by the community. There is a lot of UGC in this game which is just waiting to get explored. You can also interact with other players online and make some new friends. Or you can just invite your real-life friends. And play for a long game of Minecraft.
Monetization: Minecraft Marketplace but NO Shortcuts
Want to make money using Minecraft? Then you might be in for a long ride. Making video games and money from Minecraft is not very easy as compared to Roblox. Though, there is the Minecraft marketplace where the users can sell their content to earn some bucks.
It might be a little tough to start making money through this game. But it is still totally possible.
Roblox
Unlike Minecraft, Roblox is a completely free game. One which can be enjoyed by anyone quickly and easily. Roblox currently has 115 million active monthly users. What separates Roblox from Minecraft you ask? Roblox is more than just a game. Roblox is a simplified game-development platform which is extremely fun and engaging. A very creative and fun game, Roblox can get ANYONE hooked.
Since Roblox is free, its creators generate revenue thanks to in-game microtransactions. By using good old-fashioned market research and consumer insights, a young creator can find the market appetite for his or her game content.
Roblox’s Art Style: Cartoonish but Much More than Blocks
The art-style of this game is pretty cartoonish, but it doesn’t follow a blocky theme like Minecraft. The world of this game looks quite beautiful, and it is filled to the brim with mysteries that are waiting to get explored.
Gameplay: UGC is the backbone of Roblox!
Roblox Gameplay Concept
Roblox is more than just a game. It’s a gaming platform where you can basically enjoy any genre of games. The games on Roblox were created by gamers for gamers. The possibilities are endless. You can play the Roblox version of Call of Duty. Or should you so choose, enjoy a Roblox Minecraft.
UGC is the backbone of Roblox!
Roblox is not a single-player game. Instead it can only be enjoyed together with the community. You can just play with your friends. Or you can play with other people online. There are about 40 million games currently available on the platform, which have been created using the Roblox developer tools.
Do YOU want to try out different games and socialize with tons of people online? Then Roblox is the game for you.
Monetization: Roblox Can Help Anyone Generate an Income for Themselves!
Monetization is a major factor which might make you want to try out Roblox instead of Minecraft.
Like I said before, in Roblox, the games are designed BY users. You can create your own game on the platform and generate revenue from it. The games themselves are free. However, the user can earn money through microtransactions. Robux is the virtual currency of Roblox, usable by gamers to purchase different items. Whenever a gamer uses Robux to buy an in-game item, Roblox keeps a small cut and gives you the rest. A HUGE selling-points for Roblox.
Conclusion: Minecraft for Single-Player or Social Fun. Roblox to Make New Friends or to Try Your Hand at Coding & Content Monetization
Minecraft and Roblox are both breathtaking games. Both worth checking out. The ONE that you end up spending most of your time playing depends on your own preference.
Just looking to have a fun single-player adventure? Or simply trying to have some fun with your friends, then Minecraft is what you should be playing.
Looking to make new friends online? Then definitely give Roblox a go. Want to try your hand at coding or even earning revenue from your creation? Then Roblox is the game for you. Not only is Roblox more educational than Minecraft, Roblox can introduce young gamers to the world of coding or game content monetization.
Both of these titles are extremely fun and filled to the brim with endless possibilities. Personally, I prefer Minecraft as I really love its approach towards creativity.
Tyumen, Russia - January 21, 2020: TikTok and Facebook application on screen Apple iPhone XR
TikTok for Mobile Video Games: 7 Keys to Activating Gen Z
Tyumen, Russia – January 21, 2020: TikTok and Facebook application on screen Apple iPhone XR
So, you have decided to make your mobile video game popular on TikTok. It’s a decision that you just cannot go wrong with. Just take one look at TikTok’s numbers quarter over quarter.
TikTok is unknown territory for most mobile video game developers. Consider the sheer popularity of this social media platform however? Make sure your mobile video game marketing strategies includes TikTok. Period.
The majority of the TikTok population is Generation Z. It is crucial for the mobile video game developers to understand the intricacies of TikTok. Most importantly, how to genuinely capture the attention and activate Generation Z.
This is exactly what we are going to cover in this extensive TikTok guide for mobile video game developers. So, without further ado, let’s dive in. And figure out what it takes to activate Generation Z in 2020.
A blue and red neon sign on a brick wall that reads: GENERATION Z
What is the Generation Z?
Generation Z is often referred to to the generation that was born between 1996 and 2010. In other words, the generation that follows the millennials. Digital natives raised on the internet and social media, Gen Z is a must for any marketer. It is important for the video games industry to understand the characteristics, traits, values, and trends that can help them develop in-depth statistics of Generation Z. About their screen and social media consumption, social behavior, interests, communication style, psychographics, and more.
In the United States, Generation Z is said to be the largest consumer demographic. Finishing college by 2020, they will be entering the workforce starting next year. How can you attract the attention of this generation on TikTok? Well, for that you have to dive deeper into TikTok’s consumer insights to create meaningful marketing strategies. All to activate and influence this soon-to-become largest cohort of consumers.
7 Keys to Successfully Activate Generation Z
Here are some of the best ways for video games developers to come up with a solid TikTok marketing strategy to attract Generation Z. Let’s discuss them in detail.
1. Generation Z’s TikTok Usage Patterns
Why has Tiktok grown so quickly with Generation Z? First because Tiktok was designed to satisfy their constant need for more content. It emphasizes on short-form video content and makes the platform easy to use.
Additionally, Tiktok has successfully fired up Generation Z’s desire for entrepreneurship and becoming an online creator or an influencer. Generation Z experiences little fear or friction before creating content. Content that will help them build an audience of like-minded people.
Generation Z uses social media platforms like Tiktok, YouTube, and Instagram to show the best version of themselves. Contrary to popular belief, this is more related to projecting self-confidence rather than insecurity.
2. Gen Z Vs. Millennials: TikTok Usage Pattern
It is very important to factor in the TikTok usage pattern of millennials and Generation Z. 42% of the 13-16-year-olds use TikTok which shows that the social media platform is gaining momentum among young teens who are very much into mobile video gaming.
Almost 40% of the total TikTok population comprises the Generation Z. Millennials make up the rest of the users. When it comes to content creation, Generation Z is way ahead than millennials. Millennials, on the other hand, are more likely to “consume” content on the platform.
3. Social Causes/Purposes Gen Z Uses TikTok For
social cause activism protester gen z millennial
With so much information going around on the internet, Generation Z is very much into showing their concern about different socio-political issues in and around the country.
What does this mean exactly? They are very much against turning a blind eye to issues. Whether about racial injustice, or inequality or about gender bias and more. And their inclination towards speaking out against injustices can be found across Tiktok.
For example, the #blacklivesmatter had over 6 billion views on TikTok. Instead of creating dancing and lip-sync videos, which is what TikTok is made for, Generation Z uses the opportunity to raise voice against injustice.
This behaviour pattern can be used by mobile video game developers to attract the attention of Generation Z. Creating content in support of social causes and purposes can bring you closer to your target audience.
4. Personal and Relatable Communication Style
Millennials and Generation Z are unforgiving when it comes to being manipulated online. They have been on the Internet and social media platforms for a long time. They clearly know exactly when you are hitting them with fake content.
Authentic relatable true story video sharing Tiktok
Using Tiktok to attract the attention of Generation Z through insincere content and highly aggressive sales copy? Forget it. Not gonna work. Your entire focus should be about making your content and Advertising more personal and relatable.
Google claims that almost 26% of Generation Z expect retailers to provide a personalized buying experience based on the customers shopping patterns and preferences. Needless to say, authentic voice, genuine ratings and reviews for your mobile app or game is key. This is true whether to attract Gen Z’ers on Tiktok, or as part of your mobile game’s overall app store optimization strategy.
Therefore, make sure the content you publish on Tiktok is what your target audience is looking for. Want to create an impressive brand personality in the minds of your target audience? Start by giving them what they want.
5. Creating Snackable Content in Bulk
To succeed on TikTok, you will have to invest in creating short snackable content with a major focus on video. One of the reasons why we recommend you create search content is because the average attention span for Generation Z is reducing drastically.
While the average attention span for the millennial generation stands at 12 seconds, the same for Generation Z is a mere 8 seconds. Well, this is even less than the attention span of a Goldfish. So, what’s the reason behind this plummeting attention span?
The most common reason that also has been well documented for the significant reduction in the attention span of Generation Z is the growth in the number of digital platforms. Generation Z often finds themselves using many digital platforms simultaneously.
How exactly? Generation Z can be found to be using 5 digital platforms simultaneously- at the same time. The shorter attention span is also the reason why Generation Z hates non-skippable ads and pop-ups.
Targeting Generation Z with video ads? We highly recommend using a shorter format. TikTok, therefore, is a great social media platform for you to share your video content.
However, you must invest in creating more and more content for your target audience. Make it easier for them to remember your brand. But, this should not be an excuse to create low-quality content. Your video should be extremely entertaining and high quality at the same time.
6. Taking Privacy Protection Policies Seriously
Generation Z is quite concerned about privacy protection. Almost 88% of the Gen Z population ranks privacy protection at the top of their list when it comes to consuming content on the web.
Less than one-third of Generation Z claims to be comfortable sharing personal information online. But 61% believe they can do it without any concern with brands they trust.
How do you do that? Want to gain the trust of your target audience on TikTo? First, you have to step up. Be 100% transparent when collecting user information from Generation Z. Be wholeheartedly committed to keeping data safe and secure.
7. Ability of Micro-Influencers to Rule Generation
Need a helping hand? Partnering with micro-influencers who are popular in your niche can play a huge role in making your brand successful on TikTok. Influencer marketing has always been a powerful marketing tactic. And the potential size of the population you can attract when done right? Positively HUGE.
There are many popular Gamers on TikTok. Influencers create highly entertaining sometimes niche content for their audience. Generation Z population is very much inclined towards gaming, especially with the eSports revolution. There exists a great, under-utilized opportunity. One for you to create your OWN highly-targeted audience on this social media platform.
Competitive eSports Arena
But why are video platforms so successful? One of the reasons why influencer marketing works on video platforms like TikTok on YouTube is because almost 70% of the teenage population easily relate to online creators than traditional celebrities. Online creators are simply more relatable and trustworthy. Aka One of Us.
Therefore, invest in micro-influencers on TikTok. Invest in them to help them help YOU. Influencer marketing is a relatively expensive marketing technique but it can bring you exceptional results in a short amount of time, when done right.
Final Thoughts
We have shared in-depth information related to the latest TikTok statistics for Generation Z. Always remember to take a more personalized approach in the decision-making process. Video game developers understand what the young generation likes. It is equally important to have a one-on-one discussion with their marketers.
Come up with groundbreaking marketing strategies. Be authentic, be real, personalize communication, and give Generation Z what they want – in short snack-able video format. Respect privacy, and be transparent. When needed, seek help from trusted micro influencers. Help them help YOU.
We hope this piece of content brought great value to you. If it did, feel free to subscribe to our weekly newsletter as we bring all the latest updates from the world of online marketing. Have questions? Put them down in the comments section and we will reply as soon as possible!
Spider-Man: Miles Morales by Insomniac for Playstation 5
5 For 5: 5 Most Anticipated Playstation 5 Games
THAT THE WHOLE VIDEO GAME COMMUNITY IS HYPED UP FOR!
A new frontier pushing the envelope in the video game industry, the PlayStation 5 next-gen console is coming this holiday season. Gamers all over the world are hyped up! A huge PlayStation live event took place recently, which further intensified this hype. The event showed us the physical hardware of this long-awaited console, and it also revealed some amazing upcoming video games. Video game pricing aside, these are the games that keep hardcore gamers like me lie awake in excitement.
The list of upcoming PlayStation 5 video games is filled to the brim with exciting titles. These games are going to show us what the next-gen console will be truly capable of!
Today, I’ll give you guys a list of the most highly anticipated PlayStation 5 games.
Now, without any further ado, let’s jump right into it!
Far Cry 6: The popular Far Cry series is returning with another major installment in 2021
Far Cry 6 anticipated Playstation 5 first person shooter video game
This game is very highly anticipated as gamers all around the world wait desperately. In true Far Cry style. Far Cry 6 is going to be a first-person shooter with an amazing story.
The game is developed by the purveyors of gaming wizardry at Ubisoft. Fans have very high expectations from this installment of the series as it is going to be dramatically different from all the previous entries. The trailer for this game showcased some brilliant graphics, which looked just as good as real life! In this game, the players will be facing off against president Anton Castillo, who controls the entire island of Yara. This man is extremely violent, and we must fight him for the future of this island.
The players will play as Dani Rojas, who can be played as a male or female character. We don’tknow much regarding the gameplay features of this new title, but it will surely give us a more polished and refined experience as compared to the previous games.
Far Cry 6 is going to get released early next year! The exact release date is February 18th, 2021. I am extremely excited to try this new title out, and I’d give it a 4.5/5.
Project Athia: 3rd Person Adventure Video Game by Square Enix – Playstation Exclusive for Limited Time. Late 2020 or 2021.
Project Athia anticipated Playstation 5 video game 3rd Adventure by Square Enix
The teaser trailer for Project Athia which was revealed at the PlayStation 5 live event was quite short, but it was enough to make an impact. Gamers are hyped up to play this third-person adventure game as it looked extremely interesting. This is going to be the next big title by Square Enix, and it will be a PlayStation exclusive for a limited time.
We don’t know much regarding the story of this title as the trailer was very short. However, we do know that the game is going to be set in a magical world, and the protagonist is going to be a female character. This harsh world is going to test the resolve and courage of our beautiful protagonist as she ventures through it.
The graphics of the game looked absolutely stunning in the trailer! We’ll be fighting against some mysterious creatures using our magical abilities.
We don’t have an exact release date for this game. However, it will be releasing late 2020, or maybe in 2021.
I am personally very excited to play this title and enjoy the amazing story. I’d give it a 5/5.
Resident Evil 8: Village is going to be the next major entry in this horror survival series. Coming in 2021.
This new title is going to be just as horrifying as the previous entry as it is also set in the first- person perspective. The game is being developed by the highly acclaimed CAPCOM studio, and it is going to be an absolute blast.
Resident Evil 8 has immensely realistic graphics which are going to show us the true extent of the next-generation consoles. The game is going to follow the story of our boy Ethan as he is again put in a dreadful situation, thanks to Chris Redfield. His whole life gets disrupted, and we must help him survive once again.
This Resident Evil title is going to get released in 2021; however, we don’t really have an exactrelease date right now. This title is going to be great, but I am personally not very excited to play it because I believe that Resident Evil works better in third-person perspective. I’d give this game a 3/5.
Resident Evil Village for Playstation 5 by Capcom
Spider-man: Miles Morales by Insomniac Studios. Promised to be one of the best video games of 2020.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales by Insomniac for Playstation 5
Spider-man: Miles Morales is going to be the new spider-man game this year, and as the name suggests, this title will be solely focusing on the story of Miles Morales. This game is being developed by Insomniac Studios, and it is going to be one of the best video games of 2020.
Of course a huge rocket boost for discoverability and video game marketing. True to Spiderman fans and Marvel comic book fans the world over, the graphics of this game are going be extremely realistic. Yet still retain a comicbook look which all Marvel games are famous for. The story of this game is going to take place after the events of the previous title in the series. Just like Peter, Miles obtains spider-like abilities and fights criminals to protect innocent people.
This sequel is going to get released with the release of the PlayStation 5 console as a launch title. Fans will definitely grab both, the PS5 and this game together. I am personally quite excited to try out this new title, and I’d give it a 4.5/5.
Horizon Forbidden West by Guerrilla Games. Coming in 2021.
Horizon Forbidden West Playstation 5 amazing graphics heart touching story video game
Now, let us talk about the most highly anticipated PlayStation 5 title, Horizon Forbidden West. This game is going to be a sequel for the highly acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn, and it is being developed by Guerrilla Games.
The new game has amazing graphics, and the machine dominated world looks even more stunning. We are going to again play as our girl Aloy, who is going to be as badass as ever thanks to her amazing abilities. The game will feature a beautiful open-world which will be filled to the brim with mysteries. Just like the previous game, we will be enjoying a heart- touching story in third-person perspective. An open-world action RPG like this, certainly play tested and tried via multiple rounds of consumer insights and research, this is one title that you cannot afford to miss.
This game is set to release in 2021, but we don’t really know the exact release date. I am personally extremely hyped to try out this title as the previous game was one of the best titles of 2017. I’d give it a 5/5.
Roblox 3D virtual worlds for kids making video games and video game marketing and making money easy for kids 8 to 13
Platforms for Young People to Start Making Video Games and Monetizing within 30 Days
Traditional video game development and publishing is big business. Expensive big money business.
According to Newzoo, the gaming industry is estimated to be over $152 billion a year, Check out the State of the Video Game Industry and research. Gaming is bigger than music AND movies, combined! And making video games is expensive business. Let us not forget video game marketing and publishing. Especially if you consider the AAA video game development budgets for large game developers like EA Sports, Lucas Arts, and more. Video game development cycles spanning 24 months or more, with 100+ people full-time staff dedicated to a given studio are not unheard of.
Does that mean only the AAA developers and publishers can create fun games that players love? Of course not.
Must you go through years and years of formal game production school and hope for a lucky break? Just to get a chance to create console-quality game content and get PAID? Absolutely not. Not anymore.
Now more than ever before, young game developers and CONTENT creators can make playable games and make money in as little as 30 to 90 days
AND make good money for their creations. As well as make the game discoverability easy and built in!
At the Fortune Brainstorm Tech 2019 Conference, Roblox’s CEO David Baszucki, said it perfectly. Its category summed in 2 words. Human Coexistence.
He seems to be onto something really really big. As of July 2019, Roblox drew over 2 million creators of 3D virtual experiences. And translated into 100 million+ active people – primarily boys and girls aged 8 to 13 – playing Roblox games every single month.
There is currently an Roblox exchange rate of $.0035/R$. You DO have to be a member of Roblox Premium and over 13, as well as have a minimum balance of Robux. But if you ARE, you can cash out your Robux for real money.
Roblox 3D virtual worlds for kids making video games and video game marketing and making money easy for kids 8 to 13
Roblox’s creator community ranged widely. Its 2 million creators spans from young creators getting their start in game design and coding, to teams of ten or twenty people forming studios.
I had the pleasure of meeting Roblox’s CEO David about ten years ago. He is about as smart and genuine as game CEO’s get. Ten years ago, Roblox was the mainstay of boys 7-11. Today it attracts a loyal following over 100 million players – both young boys AND girls. Trust me. If you love having fun, exploring and socializing in Roblox, you MUST check out Roblox Studio.
Manticore Games: Like Youtube did with video creation, Manticore is on a mission. Mission to disrupt creativity and game making. Period.
Manticore Games Core Royale video game making and user generated content engine without coding
Currently in a 100-spots Creator Payouts Pilot Program, Manticore is testing a simple model based on an easy premise. The more people play your game, the more you should get paid.
Yes, but what about the learning curve? Say to create a multiplayer game? 24 months? Nope. 12 months? Nope. 6 months? Not even that. Take a look at the following screenshot. The Core engine lets you create and customize gameplay, social as well as scenery inside of its user interface. You can create multiplayer or single-player games. WITHOUT writing code. Should you like to learn step-by-step game development, check out Manticore’s Core Game Dev Bootcamp.
Manticore CORE Engine multiplayer game development and user content monetization without coding
Manticore’s Core Game Dev Bootcamp is all of four weeks.
Check out the Core Multiverse trailer. These early games are really solid quality. With the proper consumer insights due diligence, Core is capable of remaking even my personal favorite , Duke Nukem.
Age requirements to join the Creator Payout Program? You DO have to be legally considered an adult in your country. IF you get an invite from Manticore. So in the United States, anyone aged 13 to 17 can participate, with parental permission.
PER month, a creator gets paid $3 for every Averaged Daily User. Fairly simple math. What does it mean, for those of us familiar with free-to-play and subscription models?
Manticore’s creator payout model already accounts for 2 key metrics: Scale and Retention.
If you have 1000 players on the 1st of the month, steadily bleed users through Day 3, but manage to retain only 100 players who stick around until the 30th? Well then, you get paid only for the averaged Daily user player count. In this case, in month 1, getting a total of $1432 for the 477 Daily Averaged Users.
If you have 1000 players on the 1st of the month and retain the same 1000 players on the 30th, you are paid for the 1000 Averaged Daily User. Or in the scenario below, in month 2, getting a total of $4425 for the 1475 Daily Averaged Users.
MONTH 1 – January
MONTH 2 – February
1st
2000
2000
2nd
1000
1800
3rd
500
1500
10th
500
1500
31st
500
1500 (28th)
Month-averaged Daily Users
477
1475
Monthly Payout
$1432.26
$4425
Of course, even breakout hits and the big money-makers on Roblox and Manticore Games are not accidental surprises. Solid consumer research, player testing and fun, engaging gameplay are all expected table stakes. But for young people who are looking to get started making video games, built-in mechanics for video game marketing? Definitely check out Roblox and Manticore Games.
ASO: App Store Optimization – Secret Weapon in Mobile Video Game Marketing
Why care, you may be asking? When influencing and marketing to gamers, App Store Optimization or ASO is a key tenet. ASO is key to organic Discoverability in mobile app marketing, video game marketing . To reign supreme in the fiercely competitive application marketplace, it is crucial you refine your approach. Start diving head-first into the advantages of ASO to maximize your chances of succeeding on the app store.
To do that, you will have to first understand the nitty-gritty of App Store Optimization. And that’s exactly what we are going to do here in this post. Let’s cut to the chase and dive right in!
What is App Store Optimization?
App Store Optimization is also known as mobile app SEO. For a video game marketing professional, the entire goal of App Store Optimization is to improve the ranking of mobile applications within app stores like the App Store, Google Play, Windows store, etc. Mobile apps specifically created for iOS, Android, and Windows phones. Not the only key to Discoverability. But critical to organic discoverability that the mobile marketer doesn’t have to PAY for.
What exactly happens when you rank your applications on top of these Online application stores? There are many goals to ASO. ASO increases your brand exposure. ASO also generates more positive app reviews and ratings. Which boost the audience engagement with the app. This in turn creates MORE organic discovery of the app.
Investing in App Store Optimization is a great decision. Given the incessant growth of mobile and Internet technologies, people are going to need mobile solutions in their daily lives. The number of app downloads has only been increasing if you look at the last 10 years. In the last year itself, a total of 204 billion apps were downloaded across the world which is a 6% increase from 2018.
Thus, it makes complete sense to invest your time and resources into App Store Optimization.
Important Factors For App Store Optimization
There are many factors that you will have to consider if you want to perfect your App Store Optimization. Let’s talk about these factors in detail.
Title
The title is what most people use to identify your application in an App Store. Apart from that, it also helps you to improve your rankings because a relevant title (that includes the target keyword) can help you rank at least 10% higher. Make sure the title is unique, descriptive, and keyword-rich.
Let’s compare two possible titles.
VERSION A: ASO: App Store Optimization – Secret Weapon in Mobile Video Game Marketing
VERSION B: ASO in Video Games
Clearly Version A is targeted at a more granular long tail search for keywords like “App Store Optimization” and “Mobile Video Game Marketing.”
Keywords
SensorTower-ASO Keyword Research Apple Search Ads competitive analysis
Keywords are important to your App Store Optimization quest. Just like in SEO. You will need to put your most important keywords while ensuring that you don’t overdo it. Keyword stuffing can get your app penalised by Google. Make sure you do proper keyword research to ensure your product falls in the right list of applications.
I’ve always had great results benchmarking my top competitors. The above shows a simple keyword profile that shows keyword research, including Apple Search Ads. This informs competitive offensive and defensive strategies. Which in turn helps the video game marketing professional find greenfield and under-addressed keyword opportunities.
Description
The app description is pretty much like the content you put on your site’s landing page. If you are successful in making a user click on your app, that description must be able to close the deal for you. This can be done if the description tells the customer what the app does, the problem it solves, how easier it is to use the app, and why the app is worth the price.
Screenshots
You will never go wrong with high-quality screenshots. It is a crucial factor of your app store page change the screenshot adds to its visual appeal. You should definitely use this part of the page’s real estate to your advantage by taking screenshots of the key benefits and most engaging parts of the app.
Darkness Rises App Store Optimization iPad video game marketing screenshots
App Preview Video
Most app stores will allow you to upload 30 second long videos to showcase your app’s features and benefits. The best way you can use the app review video feature is by uploading recordings of in-app experience and showing what the users can expect from the app’s UX.
App Category
Putting the app in the right category will not only help the app store index your app correctly, it will also help the users understand what your app does. The app category should best describe your mobile application. However, if you want it to rank quickly, you must go for a category that is least competitive and put your highly optimized application in it.
App Icon Design
The app icon is one of the most significant parts of your app. It is how your users will recognise you on their phones. So, you must take your time to come up with a great icon design. Most importantly your Icon should be engaging and eye-catching.
App Reviews
Online users are always looking for what other people have to say about your application. It is therefore important that you collect positive app reviews and encourage your existing customers to leave their feedback for the app.
Take a look at the below. This screenshot from AppAnnie, shows the aggregate ratings and reviews, aka Star Ratings for Minecraft, unified across the App Store, Google Play and Microsoft Store. It becomes abundantly clear where the game is loved and highly rated (5-star reviews) vs poorly received (1-star reviews)
AppAnnie Minecraft star ratings and reviews ASO App Store Optimization
App Store Analytics
There are many powerful App Store analytics tools that you can use to design your mobile marketing strategy to perfection. The tools will help you get actionable insights and allow you to make changes that will eventually Boost Your App Store rankings. Some of these App Store analytics tools are Sensor Tower, Appstatics, Appnique, AppAnnie, Appfigures, Applyzer, and more.
See below for a high-level App Store analytics dashboard for Darkness Rises. In one place you can clearly see the top keywords – which directly impact Discoverability – both at the CATEGORICAL level (RPG, MMO, MMORPG) in addition to the COMPETITION targeted by the game (Assasin, Diablo, Skyrim, etc)
Not but not least, in this same single view, you can also get an estimate of the game’s actual download volume and revenue, in one shot.
Darkness Rises Google Play ASO app analytics video game marketing
What is Search Engine Optimization?
Search Engine Optimisation is the process of optimising your online presence to create better user experience and drive more traffic towards your business website.
It can help your website get quality traffic from search engines. Since you want relevant traffic to your website, it is important that you optimise your site with the relevant keywords. Keywords are essentially the terms and phrases your target audience uses when searching for your products online.
Search Engine Optimisation or SEO is the most important part of any digital marketing strategy because it prepares your site for the incoming traffic. Since all your digital marketing efforts are going to revolve around your business website, it is important that you optimise your site to create a solid foundation for your online marketing campaigns.
Factors Responsible for Search Engine Optimization
Let’s discuss the various factors responsible for search engine optimization.
Page Title + H1 Tags
One of the most crucial On-Page SEO factors is the page title. The page title should be optimized by using your primary keyword in it. Website crawlers are always looking for your title tag to determine the content and intent of your page. Let’s say the page is about hiking. The page title appears on the tab where the website is opened while the heading tag is what appears on the page. Let’s say the blog is on xyz.com’s blog. The page title will read something like ‘10 Best Hikes in Colorado | XYZ Blog’. However, the H1 will just have ‘10 Best Hikes in Colorado’.
Page URL
The page URL can be optimized by including your primary keyword in it. You should make sure that you don’t use any special characters in the URL. It should be kept short so that it is easier for both the users and search engines to read and remember the URL.
While a keyphrase ‘battle royale’ shows that a user is looking for battle royale games, a keyphrase ‘battle royale monetization’ clearly shows that the intent of the search is to find the monetization opportunities of battle royale games. The page URL for such a query for the former should be ‘www.xyz.com/games/battleroyales’ while for the latter, it should be something like ‘www.xyz.com/games/battleroyales/monetization’. This is perfectly structured and easy to remember.
Header Tags
The use of sub-heading and header tags is important to give your content a definite structure. This will also give you an ample opportunity to place your primary and secondary keywords inside your content.
Keyword Placements
Keyword placement can be perfected by placing your keywords in the first hundred words of the content. Once you do that keep placing your keywords two to three times every hundred words. The keyword placement should be as natural as possible to ensure a seamless reading experience for your users.
Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions are an essential part of the On-Page SEO checklist because it allows your content to stand out in this search engine. It also is a crucial role in boosting your click-through rate.
It gives online users an idea of what they can expect in the content. It is important to have a meta description that is around 50 to 160 characters long. The meta description should have a natural and active voice and should resist being spammy.
Like for a company putting puppies for adoption, they can use a description like ‘Find an Australian Shepherd rescue or search your local shelters and rescues for an Australian Shepherd puppy or dog for adoption’. The keyword here is clearly ‘Australian Shepherd Puppy’.
User Experience
SEO is a process that helps to boost the user experience of your site. You will first have to make your content extremely easy to understand. Make sure there are no broken links in your content. The font type, size, and color should be optimized to boost readability. Not just that, the buttons on your site and the overall site navigation should be optimized to reduce the bounce rate.
LSI Keywords
LSI latent semantic indexing keywords are essentially the keywords that are semantically related to your primary keyword. Optimizing the content using LSI keywords will definitely help your content boost its quality and get higher ranking on search engines.
Keyword Cannibalization
Keyword cannibalization should be avoided at all times because you don’t want to confuse search engines. If the crawlers find two or more web pages having the same primary keyword, it will make sure neither of the pages are ranked. Each page of your website should have one primary keyword.
Loading Speed
The attention span of online users is reducing significantly. This is an alarming situation for site owners that don’t optimize it for loading speed. If you want your visitors to stay on your site for a long time, you will have to consider speeding up the user experience.
Mobile-First Indexing
All the above On-Page SEO changes will not work if you don’t optimize your website for mobile. Google has been pushing towards creating a mobile-first ecosystem. Therefore, website owners should make sure their site has a responsive design and can adapt to the screen size of any smart device.
Similarities and Differences Between ASO and SEO
There are many differences and similarities between ASO and SEO. The former is even sometimes called SEO for mobile applications. Let’s go through the similarities and dissimilarities between the two.
Objective
The objective of ASO Is to make the application ranking higher for or a certain keyword. The ultimate goal of App Store Optimisation is to increase the number of downloads. Keywords help the applications gain better discovery, which brings high traffic to the applications’ page.
Search Engine Optimisation on the other hand is done to bring more qualified traffic to a certain website by making it optimized for search engine rankings. The better the Optimisation, the better will be its ranking on search engines. Higher the traffic on the site, higher will be the number of leads you get and higher will be the conversion rate.
Search Intent
Search intent is very important when it comes to optimising an application or a website. When it comes to App Store Optimisation, the search queries associated with any application is mostly shorter than that of any brand or its products and services.
people searching for an application mostly enter qualities that are related to specific features of the app. On a search engine, however, people tend to enter longer and more specific search queries in order to get answers for the specific question or get information about a certain product or service.
Ranking Factors
The ranking factors for ASO and SEO are quite different. For App Store Optimisation, developers have to take ASO ranking factors like app title, subtitle, long description, short description, keyword density, keyword field, in-app purchases, publication name, backlinks, crash rate, reviews and ratings, retention and engagement, conversion rate into consideration.
When it comes to Search Engine Optimisation, factors like keyword placement, content quality and relevancy, content structure and length, meta tags, URL, page speed, backlinks, retention rate, click-through rate, bounce rate, and more are responsible to create a highly optimized website.
KPIs
The KPIs of App Store Optimisation and Search Engine Optimisation are different as well. For ASO, the KPIs can be the number of organic downloads and installs, conversion rate, keyword visibility and rankings, average ratings and reviews score.
For Search Engine Optimisation, the key performance indicators can be organic sessions, conversion rate, bounce rate, pages per session, keyword visibility and rankings, average session duration, page load time, and number of backlinks.
Differences Between App Store and Google Play
When we talk about the differences between App Store and Google Play especially in the terms of App Store Optimisation, there are 5 key differences we should always consider. We will take the example of Call of Duty: Mobile to help you better understand the differences.
App Name
The app title is important in both App Store and Google Play. However the main differences in the number of characters allowed in both of them. The former allows for 30 characters while the latter gives 50. If we take Call of Duty: Mobile into consideration, its title takes 21 characters on both the stores.
Subtitle Vs. Short Description
Again, there is a difference in the amount of room for the short description. For App Store, you will get 30 characters and 80 characters on Google Play for the short description. Call of Duty: Mobile has mentioned ‘Battle Royale, PvP, Sniper’ as its short description and the same on App Store.
Long Description
If you are optimizing your application for App Store, you should not worry about the long description as it is not a ranking factor. For Google Play, however, you can optimize your long description with relevant keywords. You should maintain a keyword density of 2-3%. When optimizing for the App Store, you will want to focus on creating an actionable long description while on the Play Store, you can optimize the description to make it more searchable. And that’s exactly what Call of Duty: Mobile has done on their respective pages.
Screenshots
You can upload a total of 10 screenshots on App Store while you can only upload 8 on Google Play. The screenshots are very much visible on the App Store but on Google Play, users will have to open the app listing. Call of Duty: Mobile has uploaded 7 screenshots on both the platforms.
App Previews Vs. Promo Videos
You can add up to 3 preview videos on App Store while you can only add one promo video on Google Play. The videos play a crucial role in Conversion Rate Optimization for your application listing. Call of Duty: Mobile has uploaded one video on both its platforms.
Call of Duty Mobile Google Play Promo Video ASO 30 second spot
Wrapping Up
There you have it. We have shared everything you need to know to optimise your mobile application for the app store. We highly recommend seeking help from ASO experts who can guide you through the process and help your application rank higher. Have questions? Feel free to put them down in the comments section. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter!
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Wondering how to get started with App Store Optimization in 2020? Check out this extensive App Store Optimization guide to take the first step. Read now to know more!
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NBA 2K21: New Gen Console Video Game Marketing Pricing Justified or Gouging
Pre-orders for Take Two Interactive’s NBA 2K21 is here. Kotaku staff writer Ash Parrish‘s NBA 2K21 Will Cost $70 on PS5 and Xbox Series X has opened up Pandora’s box. An age-old debate, the question basically boils down to this. About something seemingly sacred – about video game marketing and pricing.
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Is a $10 price premium justified to get the exact SAME game on next-gen consoles? Or is this a reckless assault on the $60 price tag we’ve all come to accept for AAA games?
If the thread of 170 comments posted in the last 48 hours is any indication, there is no easy answer.
One thing I know for sure. No matter what the publisher marketing and PR team says, there can be no pleasing everyone. Without addressing the right from wrong, or getting into the details of making video games and publishing economics. Allow me to distill the factors, and the types of consumer research and insights, that video game marketing and video game publishers, take into consideration.
Video Game Pricing
Video game marketers have multiple tools for consumer insights and market research at their disposal. To answer questions about “willingness to pay” and “ability to pay” marketers can conduct one or more of:
