Playing video games is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world, with a huge variety of different ways to play on offer. From the many different consoles in the marketplace to Gaming PCs - there is a lot of choice, but it’s handheld devices that have proven the most popular recently. While a lot of games are played offline, and this segment has improved in recent years, it’s online gaming that has really come on leaps and bounds over the last decade or so. From MMORPG’s to Tournaments and live competitions, an ever increasing number of people are opting to play games in the online world; and social media has been, and continues to be, integral to this sharp growth..
The majority of gamers are active on social media in some way, shape or form. In fact it is a near certainty that almost every gamer is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube or Snapchat. It has actually become normal for people to be members of at least several social media sites. Furthermore, it is not unusual for everyone to visit these sites on a daily basis, with some being active several times a day. Taking all this into account, it’s easy to see how social media can be one of the best ways to reach people and keep them informed and up to date. Gaming companies have long-realised that social media sites are very effective as a medium to distribute details on new promotions, bonuses, games releases and interesting facts; which not only keep their audiences in the know, but also help attract new players.
Social media is also a great way of getting feedback. Companies who embrace social networks often find it very easy to gain invaluable insight and opinion from their members about literally anything, from new releases to game features, or even the product range in general. This feedback can then be used to enhance products and services, and in so doing, improve the overall online gaming experience. This wealth of information is beneficial for very competitive markets, like the online gambling industry. It is quite common for established online gambling sites with unique products, like mFortune casino, to have presence on social media platforms, as they realise how essential this is to the success of their business; in terms of player acquisition, retention and feedback on custom games. These companies can target their audience, reach them quickly, collect feedback; and even resolve queries or problems players may have.
What’s also becoming more and more popular is players actually gaming on social media. This has been around for quite a while with the likes of Farmville, but now we’re seeing the rise of things such as social casinos. People spend a lot of time on social media as it is, and being able to game on there too means that more and more ordinary folk are being slowly introduced to some form of gaming. As a result, there has been a positive trend in new audiences taking up games and interacting with their friends, and this lends to them having a higher propensity for making the cross-over to online casino and mobile games.
It is for all these reasons that gaming companies have not only increased their presence on social media by having their own branded page, but they have increased their advertising budget for these sites as well. It is quite common for marketers to now do targeted marketing and ads on the likes of Facebook and Twitter, thus reaching the right audience at the right time.
It is clear to see how important social media really is to the online gaming industry. As time goes on, it’s expected that this trend will continue, as both parties evolve and search for new ways of interacting and engaging with their audiences.
