If there is any that we all love to play in our leisure time is the evergreen Card Games. These games have not changed since decades, and many of us still enjoy them with family and friends. In recent times, card games are available everywhere, including mobile apps. Many app owners are developing such games regularly, but they face issues while promoting card games.
We understand that market is highly competitive, but this doesn’t mean that you should struggle to promote the games.
In this read, when there are millions of card games, it initially looks difficult to find a place for your app, but we will show how to promote your card game apps correctly and how to get them higher on the rankings.
Let’s check out the business model of some popular card games, as it will give a clearer picture of how they manage to achieve success in a relatively short time. On Google Play Store and Apple App Store, you will notice that most of the card game apps are free to play, but there are some offerings in-app purchases.
On the one hand, people can download the game app without paying a penny, and on the other hand, some games are without ads and include various remarkable features. Usually, this is the case with arcade games, but card games have enough power to keep users engaged for hours.
Of course, there are some known games for which people don’t mind paying a set price. The point here is to set your goals right from the beginning.
You need to determine whether you need more players or just those that don’t mind paid apps? The answer mainly depends on the game and the effectiveness of your gaming application and the app store.
Similarly, keep in mind that iOs users prefer paid purchases as compared to the users with Android phones and apps.
How To Promote Card Games
It is a fact that card games are always fun, and we all love them. Most people prefer real card games, and they can play them anywhere at any time, but time has changed now. In these times, mobile apps are on their boom, and there are several card games apps that you can download and enjoy anywhere and with thousands of new users.
Things become crucial at this point for all app developers and marketers. They need to ensure that users can easily find their product. And to do this, you should know how to promote card games. If you don’t, let’s see how!
Classic
If you think thoroughly, the best card game of all time will be Solitaire; remember the game that used to come with WINDOWS 95/98? Yes, we are talking about that. Solitaire continues to rules the heart in this modern era, and the top-rated game for both Apple and Android is Solitaire.
People often get sentimental while playing this classic card game, and there is a whole decade dedicated to this game before this mobile era.
Now we are not saying that you should copy and present exactly the same game to the users. If you can revive this classic and recreate the same atmosphere, it will be a big plus for you and your entire promotional strategy.
If you want to know how this classic card game should look, we will advise you to take a sneak peek at the official mobile game launched by Microsoft, which will show you exactly what we are trying to show you.
Ace
You can spread the word about your gaming application in three different ways. The first way is to ensure that your game is catchy, lure the people on its own, and encourage them to talk about it. Sure, this is the most effective and general rule.
But what to do when you are not alone and have so many competitors with many similar apps?
In this case, this general rule becomes a must. Many people will advise you to make your game unique and different from the others, and we really mean it.
If you have tough competition to deal with, try to add extra features which engage and entertain your users in the right way. The best example is Deck Heroes: Legacy, the most cherished CCG (Collectible Card Games). Play the game, and you will get the point.
Players
Now that you know how an amazing card game looks, you need to ensure that people like and discuss your creation. At this stage, we will advise you to build a community around your gaming app. This socialization is essential regardless of your app type and its content.
Do you remember that famous Reigns borrowed the idea for the game mechanics through Tinder? “Swipe left or right” was a dating app feature, but now it is also a part of a card game.
At the same time, you should ask users to give their feedback about the game. Similarly, allow them to share their artwork and request them to invite their family members and friends to the game. You can also take benefit from user-generated content.
When it comes to building a community, Clash Royale inspires all game developers and app owners. Even though the game is in the Strategy category, it provides cards based on Clash of Clans, and for many years, it was among the top-grossing apps.
Now It’s Your Turn!
So, now you have an amazing game with an app, and your users can share their thoughts and give their opinion about the same. But there are some tasks that you need to fulfill at this stage and to achieve the desired results. We have often seen that app owners are the best marketers of their apps and other products.
Here we will recommend you to connect with other users and discuss your creation with them. You can easily find related forums and websites that can assist you in the storytelling of your app.
One such example is Quora. Obviously, you need to follow the rules, but the place is ideal for letting users know about your new gaming app.
Try to answer the user queries. For example, when someone asks, “What are some excellent card games apps on Google Play Store?” Answer that query and include your game’s link in the answer.
Tips for Promoting Card Games in 2021
However, the way to success is not that easy – it’s a roller coaster ride with many ups and downs. But what’s essential is to equip yourself with the right knowledge and push forward.
To help you to get started, we have compiled some practical tips for marketing and promoting card games apps so that you can make the right decisions and meet your goals.
Understand Your Users and Targets
Many games and app developers think that only teens and boomers play card games.
And this is the first mistake that most app owners make. Actually, there are a lot of teens and children who love to play games, but you will be surprised to know the actual demographics of card games.
Classic card games such as solitaire and poker are played by almost all users, regardless of their age and sex. You can also play these classic games on your mobile phones rather than playing the game using physical cards. Some other card games that are quite popular are card-collecting type games such as Yu-Gi-Oh, and these games are very popular among children and young adults.
In addition to the user’s age and gender, you need to understand the user’s behavior and interests. Try to know what your target audience needs in the game and what are their preferences are.
Similarly, as an app owner, you should know what card players are looking for in a mobile card game, their prominent gaming habits, which ads users respond to, and other similar questions. In general, most card game players just play these games to pass their boring time, and that’s why they are classified into the category of casual gamers. Furthermore, such users like to play straightforward games that are simple to navigate and understand.
By determining the interests and behaviors of your target market, you can easily improve your app and gain more users in a short time.
ASO and Organic User Base:
Paid user acquisition promotional campaigns are one of the most effective ways to acquire more consumers. Now the question is, Can you acquire users organically through the app stores?
Yes, you can, but you will need an effective and nurturing app store optimization strategy to build an organic user base.
Here’s how to do it.
Appropriate Keyword Research
To break down the things, keyword optimization is SEO for the app store. To increase your visibility in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, you have to optimize the keywords and titles of your card game.
If you’re looking to build a following for your new card game, it’s important that the keywords you use are relevant and must rank higher in-app stores and search engines. You also need to consider how competitive these terms are, whether they have enough monthly searches, and the competition you have to deal with during the process.
The best way to find the right keywords for your business is through app intelligence tools. They give you access to top keywords and keyword suggestions that you can use for research purposes while also making it possible for you to spy on your competitors and see which ones bring them the most traffic.
For example, popular keywords for card games in the USA are solitaire, mind, strategy, puzzle, casino, brain, spider, free. All of these are perfect for card games.
Localization
It is no secret that localization can be a total game-changer for app store optimization. The Google Play and Apple App Store both give preference to localized games because they improve user experience. Localization also allows you to reach a global audience, so you should not overlook this feature.
It is important to optimize the game page, not just for localization but also to include keywords in descriptions and icon images. Other factors include preview videos and app titles that should be optimized as well.
As per MobileAction, localizing mobile app results in a 130% increase in downloads and up to 25% increase in revenue.
Lastly, remember that Apple App Store covers almost 155 countries, and you can localize your app in 40 different languages. For Google Play, you can localize the app for 77 different countries. However, we don’t mean that you should localize the app for all languages. Instead, pick the one as per your prospects and target market.
App Store Promo Videos
A promotional video is a perfect way to showcase your game and encourage users to download it. The promo will contain all the necessary information, like a good description, and include fun screenshots that depict gameplay.
A video for an app store promo is similar to a short ad. However, promos are typically longer and contain more information about the game on display.
In the last step in promoting your card game app, we will advise you to explain how the game is played to the users. You can highlight what makes your particular version stand out from others – a multiplayer feature or leaderboards are some good examples and high selling points of card game apps.
Final Thoughts
It’s vital for you to make your card game visible to people on the app store and in the search engines. Provide them something attracting and engaging that they can use in their free time. But you should also think about how to make them come back again to the game and how to convince them to pay for your card game app. This is not an easy thing to do.
If you manage to develop an app that keeps users engaged right from the start, things will become much easier for you. Lastly, spread the word about your card gaming app and make others talk about your creation to achieve the desired goals and success.