Category: Game industry

A well-optimized app store page can enhance the visibility of an App both on Google and Apple stores. Done properly, you will stop having questions, such as where do I release my app game? Because good App Search Optimization can lead to better positioning and more downloads in iOS and Google Play. Also, a good positioned mobile game can even end up on various lists, which is an additional boost to the App. For this reason, working with app store elements, such as game title, description, icon, screenshots, keywords, and an app promo video, is worth your time. And the best part is that ASO does not cost a cent.

Here are some recommendations for your mobile game marketing:

Game Title

According to statistics and our experience, the title should be two or three words long.
A game title must create an association with the game. It may be a descriptive title with the use of keywords or reflect the theme, genre, story or course of a game.
Create a competitor analysis and look at how they named Apps.
A title must be unique. If you completed the previous point, double-check that the name is free.
Don’t use a name that is too common for a game, as you may have issues with being found by a user.
Avoid such symbols as +, $, &, it will complicate the process of being found.
Double-check the terms of the App Store so that your game is not removed due to inappropriate word choice.
If the game is for international use, then we recommend sticking to English titles. If not, then localize your title according to the language of the particular region that you are interested in.

Game Icon

Create a competitor analysis and look at game icons. Do they have something in common? Do they have specific design features? If yes, it is better to think in that direction. As game icon indeed depends on the game genre itself. For example, a strategy game icon mainly showcases a sideways portrait of a game mascot or a character.
If you don’t have a mascot or character, a good strategy is to use objects related to the game (e.g., slots, weapons, cars, dice).
Choose one icon style (cartoonish, anime, realistic, pixel/retro, etc.) and stick to it.
In 2022 most popular colours are: blue, grey, and brown.

Description

What your game is about? What are the main features, characters, updates? Don’t forget to tell that in the description.
Use relevant keywords to improve the mobile game rank.
Add to the description some essential features of the app that users are looking for.

Keywords

Add keywords that describe your mobile game, genre, functionalities, and features.
Do keyword research beforehand and see which ones your competitors are using.
Have at least 50 to 100 potential ASO keywords.

App Promo Video

Never Mislead Players.
Be consistent with the visual picture and make sure that it fits the style of the game.
Make the introduction, the first part of the video, engaging to grab user attention.
Since the app promo video goal is to convert users, don’t forget to include a call to action at the end.
Use subtitles and captions, so that the user watching who is watching in a mute mood would understand.

Screenshots

Be consistent with the visual picture and make sure that it fits the style of the game, game icon, and app promo video.
Illustrate main mobile game features, so that the user would understand in a few slides what he/she will download.
Again, don’t mislead a user.

This marketing guide is a resource for beginners to start a path in App Store Optimization. A well-performed job will help you create app visibility and reach KPIs sooner. But, as the Google Play & App Store are updated rapidly, we recommend staying on track with our articles. Soon we will share further steps that you need to do to stay on top of the competition.

24 March 2022

The Game Industry in Africa

Apart from a decent number of countries across the African continent, there is no detailed deep dive into the regional game industry. Of course, some local firms publish their perspectives about this topic with insightful information and analytics, but still, the truth is, not many organizations provide accurate data. Games Industry Africa (GIA) is a rare exception; it serves the role of the primary source of analyses and reports. Therefore, let’s take a look at the recent findings of the GIA about the state of the game industry in Africa today.

The Game Numbers

From Zimbabwe to Algeria, Africa, for a long time, was on the edge of technological breakthroughs. But still, currently, only Kenya and South Africa have 5G capabilities. And for the first time, the continent is transitioning into a crucial player in the mobile games industry as the youth population that pursues online connectivity is on the rise in Africa. In one of the reports, the number of Sub-Saharan mobile gamers has doubled in the last five years and is considered the fastest-growing globally for users who pay for games. For instance, the Sub-Saharan region includes 46 countries like Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and others below the Saharan desert. And likely, these changes will impact sustainable growth in Africa. For example, a 10% growth in mobile usage will lead to a 0.6 – 2.8% increase in economic development, and the creation of 80 new jobs will be available for every thousand new Users.

Let’s have a closer look at five major countries in the region, like Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa:

South Africa has the highest intensity of gamers. Among 59m people, 24m spend their free time on games that, are 40% of the countries population. Consequently, Ghana is followed by 27%, Nigeria 23%, Kenya 22%, and Ethiopia 13%.
In annual gaming revenue, the lead has South Africa gain $290m, followed by Nigeria $185M, Ghana $42m, then Kenya $38m, and Ethiopia $35m.

Therefore, it’s better not to withdraw from the account of the African countries and to include it in the App Marketing Strategy. Also, we recommend using the help of mobile advertising publishers to save time and money.

Trends in the African Games Industry

Game funding on the rise: The industry faced funding opportunities from private and public organizations during the year. The trend is rising as more and more funding is launching, giving aspiring developers a chance to build an App. If you are one of them and have already created an app, the next step is to publish it correctly.
Startup boom: Due to funding, the capital faces an increase in the number of registered firms within the gaming space. While that may not significantly impact the number of developers in the industry now, most likely, shortly, the number will only rise.
More Pan-African projects: The game creation is relatively new in the continent, and many face financial and logistical concerns. Therefore, we can expect to see more cross-national collaboration between studios working together to launch a mobile game.

To sum up, the African region is one of the few in the world where the youth population is rising. By forecasts, Africa will have the most significant number of young people by 2050. Those aged between 0 and 24 years will witness an increase of around 50 percent. Moreover, the African game market will witness solid growth as well. It is expected that there will be more than 11 million users only in South Africa. And it is critical when it comes to gaming. Consequently, new mobile app organizations will open up the gaming market, bringing countries millions of dollars a year and new job opportunities.

18 February 2022