How do web game ads achieve conversions?

Web games, which have always given people the impression of being "cheap, rough and simple", have been able to survive between traditional PC games and popular mobile games , with monthly revenues ranging from tens to hundreds of millions, and they can even constantly invite first-line celebrities to promote their games at the cost of their own image. Do people really watch their ads?

Web game ads, which have become the spiritual pollution of the Internet, have always been the pioneers for game manufacturers to make money. Their bizarre style and shoddy texture are often complained by netizens, but from the perspective of advertising conversion efficiency, web game ads are undoubtedly successful. Even if thousands of netizens try their best to block this kind of online moss, it will not affect the large number of players who continue to contribute krypton gold. From the perspective of advertising positioning and production, the author tries to uncover the secret of web game ads making money silently.

1. Determine the target group

What’s strange is that no one around us seems to be playing this kind of web game, and everyone thinks that no one would play this kind of brainless game, but the facts are shocking. Take the well-known online game Legend of Mir (yes, the one promoted by Lam Chi Chung) as an example. Its production company 37 Interactive Entertainment achieved a net profit of 1.21 billion in the first three quarters of 2017. As early as 2015, the web game had set an industry legend of a total turnover of over 300 million in 80 days. Today, the number of server groups is close to 1,000, ranking top 5 on the web game list ( data source : 9k9k statistics). On one hand, there are the cold eyes of netizens, and on the other hand, the game is booming, which makes people wonder: Who is watching this advertisement and who is playing this game?

The target group for advertising is also the target group for games. Before confirming the target group, you must first understand the input-output ratio of the advertising and its conversion mechanism. For example, few people would go to the supermarket specifically to buy popcorn and cola as a snack, and supermarkets rarely see this combination together in advertisements. However, this combination has become the most popular pairing when watching movies in the cinema , successfully arousing consumers' desire to buy. There seem to be overwhelming web game ads on the Internet . How do they gain the attention of audiences and convert trial play to paid play? Here are some things to consider before you filter your current group:

1. What are the main features of this game and why do players choose this game?
2. Player User Profile
3. In what scenarios will players come into contact with this game?
4. Expressions that players are happy to accept

Through these points of thinking, we have preliminarily clarified the purpose of advertising. The following examples will analyze how web game advertising uses scenarios to impress users and make them willing to pay.

2. Choose the right publicity strategy

Celebrity endorsements

Whether it is a large and powerful manufacturer or a little-known small company, from first-line stars to eighteen-line Internet celebrities , they can always pick out a suitable game spokesperson. Using traffic to support traffic has long been the most familiar strategy in the gaming industry. As long as the price can be afforded, first-line celebrities with endorsement fees starting at millions will be happy to join. Similar to the rules of the film industry, even for the worst movies with the lowest ratings, there are audiences who are willing to contribute to the box office for their idols.

But does the star’s temperament match the positioning of the game product? Do celebrities have the appeal to guide fans to convert? Relying solely on popular celebrities to attract fans is probably not the best approach for web game manufacturers. Faced with rising endorsement fees, some unconventional sponsors have targeted some low-cost out-of-date celebrities or new internet celebrities, and have embarked on a distinctive endorsement path. This requires the target group analysis mentioned earlier. Let’s take Lam Chi Chung, an old friend of web game advertising, as an example to analyze how this fat man, who was severely criticized by netizens, was gradually pushed to the altar of marketing along with the advertisements he promoted.

• Product Features : "Legendary Overlord" focuses on nostalgia, hoping to attract true fans through the authentic "legendary" experience. The quality is not outstanding, and it emphasizes the importance of equipment and level, which echoes the jungle law of the survival of the fittest in reality. It encourages players to form groups for PK and gives players a passionate experience.
• User profile : Mainly grassroots people rooted in the bottom of society, mainly young people, with low level of knowledge and culture, frustrated in real society, and pursuing the excitement and sense of conquest in the virtual world. They usually lack self-control and have low incomes but are willing to invest energy and time in games. They have a strong desire to consume. Users will naturally leave as they get older, but there will be new users to fill their gaps.
• Advertising scenarios : Various post bars , forums, news portals and other places where there are platforms for discussion and message sharing, but there are fewer advertisements in professional game portals. The information discussion forum does not pursue rational discussion, but mainly stirs up controversy and verbal battles. The more brainless the users gathered, the more effective the communication effect.
• Image endorsement : Our best actor, Lam Chi Chung, has a poor figure and appearance. The film and television roles he has participated in are mostly small characters. His career is also tepid. After a long time since his debut, he still has an image of a frustrated character, which completely fits the nature of a grassroots person in the city.

From the game's target group positioning to the essence of the game's operation: it is simple and crude, without too much connotation, and you can quickly become stronger by charging money and gain a sense of accomplishment and pleasure. When the target group sees such a promotional advertisement that fits their target image in their gathering place, they instantly resonate with their identity.

Brainwash copywriting

"Whoever hits my brother, I will chop him with the Dragon Slaying Sword!" This simple and crude slogan is enough to activate the boiling blood of these idiot young people that has nowhere to go. The slogan of "Legendary Overlord" is also simple and crude, and the way of communication is also very simple: constant repetition. Although the advertisements of Melatonin and Hengyuanxiang have always been criticized, few people question the effectiveness of their repeated brainwashing propaganda. The advertising slogans of web games are concise, clear and catchy, which are in line with the simple and crude gaming thinking of the game's target group (grassroots people). The brainwashing advertising copy of this type of web game can stimulate users' different levels of needs with just a few numbers, accurately hitting their pain points of needing to gain recognition, achieve achievements, and make friends.

Hello everyone, I’m Gu Tianle, my name is Zha Zhahui, I’m here to introduce you to a brand new version of the game that you haven’t played before. You only need to experience it for a few minutes, and you will love this game like me.

I believe you will read it out loud involuntarily when you see this. This piece of poor Cantonese-style Mandarin advertising slogan has conquered many mainstream video websites, and the number of views a day can reach more than 20 million times. Its flagship web game Tanwan Blue Moon has firmly ranked first in the web game rankings . In addition to benefiting from the participation of several "movie emperor" level stars, it is also due to the "excellent" advertising effect. The simple copywriting logic and the simple game mode fit each other well, without the need for users to think deeply. The user impression is repeatedly deepened in long-term and continuous publicity, and the "brainless" nature of the copywriting is used to induce users to dispute, ridicule, spoof or engage in secondary creation, and spread with the help of users.

3. Complete the conversion silently

Contrary to the general public's dislike for shoddy web game ads, web game revenue data has been soaring, and web games with revenues of tens of millions are no longer on the list. Take Tanwan, a good friend of major portal advertising investment, as an example. Tanwan, a company that has many "Actor"-level spokespersons, had a monthly revenue of over 70 million on its web game platform at the end of 2016. Among them, the monthly revenue of the single game "Tanwan Blue Moon" exceeded 65 million, ranking first among the joint operation platforms. Whether you watch it or not, web game ads are there, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither sad nor happy.

100,000 users saw the ad, 10,000 users might click on it, 1,000 users registered an account; 100 users experienced the game; 10 users persisted in playing; and finally only 1 user paid.

Although everyone may be annoyed by this kind of stupid advertising, in fact, this kind of advertising is not made for you and me. Even if they are excluded from the target audience, this type of advertisement has become an eyesore on the Internet. As non-target groups, we usually just laugh it off or close it when we see it, but it will cause annoyance and dissatisfaction over time.

"National Husband" Wang Sicong also criticized these web game advertisements for being too "low". For a time, the attention on the Legend of Mir game and the reputation of Lam Chi Chung were pushed to the hot topics. It was Wang Sicong, who represented the rich second generation, who opened fire on Weibo, which invisibly aroused the opposition emotions of grassroots civilian players. While everyone was fighting, it saved a lot of marketing costs for the game, and at the same time strengthened the centripetal force of the target group towards the game. This spokesperson, who was notorious amidst the criticism from netizens, not only did not hinder the Legend of Mir 2's profitability, but on the contrary helped it to increase the number of servers opened and its turnover revenue exceeded 1 billion. In the end, no matter who wins or loses this debate, the web game manufacturers will definitely have the last laugh.

But even if these shoddy web game ads are removed, there will be other types of ads to fill the gap. Therefore, how to improve the quality of advertisements and games should be something that web game manufacturers need to think about, especially since the Internet dividend of "stupid people with a lot of money" is disappearing. How many good days are there left for making a fortune by disgusting users? After all, players are constantly being taught: your time is very valuable .

The author of this article @kenfai compiled and published by (Qinggua Media). Please indicate the author information and source when reprinting!

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