Since 2012, Valve Indie has allowed developers of various directions to send games to the Steam platform via Greenlight. Greenlight is a community-driven voting system where submitted games are added to the shop as soon as you have received enough positive feedback. Greenlight plays an increasingly important role in creating processes of 3D configurators.
Ultimately, the process is streamlined and accessible, but it puts developers under pressure to manage a strong social presence to get enough attention for their submitted games. Although games on Greenlight can stay on indefinitely, the most popular submitted games are preferred for occasional surfing, which maintains a downward spiral for older applicants.
However, Steam Greenlight will be discontinued this spring.
The replacement, Steam Direct, is Valve`s answer to the Greenlight system`s challenge. Developers will soon be able to submit games directly to Steam, with a fee per game submitted and a refund system to be decided. This new system is designed to make Steam a better and more inviting platform for teams that can`t afford a publisher and can`t take care of full-time marketing and public relations.
While the developers may have to finance their efforts a little more than the greenlight fees, this new system should ultimately open the floodgates for new digital content. By taking a proactive stance, you can of course prepare for upcoming behavioral and marketing changes across the Steam community.
Steam is now an app store.
Start treating Steam like any other app store: create a thumbnail image that is appealing and memorable, and use high contrast, but not at the expense of clarity or aesthetics. Make sure your game is properly categorized and use relevant keywords in the page description. Steam pages can be powerful results from Google searches, so make sure your copy is powerful and effective. Add a video of the current gameplay to your Steam page, but make sure the first image in the gallery is the most captiving and attractive representation of your game – it`s the most important visual element of the page.
With an average attention span in social media of about eight seconds, many visitors don`t wait to watch a video, even if it starts automatically. Follow the first gallery picture with one that arouses curiosity and make sure that a suitable picture is put online. If it doesn`t highlight a USP, it shouldn`t be in the spotlight.
Track your competition.
Track your competition regularly and rate your product. Steam gives developers control over temporary discounts, so if it looks like your less expensive competition is gaining traction, experiment with discounts to see if they are affecting current trends. There are some time limits to applying discounts, so plan with the next few months in mind.
Define unique KPIs for each rebate based on the current market context. Remember that getting views on the side of your game should always be a top priority. A total of 37% of Steam games have never been played before, so reinforce the fact that whether your audience wants to play your game immediately or not, the current price is a fantastic, time limited offer.
Steam Direct is not just any App Store.
Don`t surprised if your page views and conversion rates drop noticeably. In particular, with the early access system, competition will increase significantly after the introduction of Steam Direct. Do not confuse Steam over-saturation with App Store over-saturation because the low share of free-to-play Steam games compared to mobile platforms has an insignificant impact on the market. It is simply a different market with different platforms.
Be visible online.
Build a web presence as soon as possible, even before your game is released. There are many fast and free options for developers with a small budget (Reddit, Facebook, Tumblr), so there is no excuse to keep the progress for yourself. Not only do you get a better insight into the audience`s reactionsm but you also let an audience grow that is most likely to convert when the game is released.
Encourage your fans to write Steam reviews on a regular basis, as good reviews will bring you to the top, leading to more page views, greater conversion rates and a higher likelihood of being included in editorial content online, which further differentiates you from the competition.
As a brief summary, here are the steps for a smooth transition from Greenlight to Steam Direct. Follow them for all existing titles and start promotion early for upcoming releases, especially after spring 2017.
- Clear, aesthetically pleasing and high-contrast thumbnails.
- Check that the game categories are correct.
- Read your oage proofreading and operate SEO.
- Add a gameplay video followed by at least three unique screenshots to your site gallery.
- Track their competition and listen to newcomers.
- Offer discounts to influence audience behaviour.
- Create social media sites to share content and gain insight into audience opinions.
- Encourage fans to write positive Steam reviews.
Thank you for reading.
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