Interactive, young, social. Gaming marketing is the real future of the entire sector, due to its ability to blend new technologies and new languages, to address a new type of audience. And thanks above all to its results. The gaming market is expected to reach an incredible $435 billion by 2028. This means that the industry is set to earn almost half a trillion dollars.
Among the most influential factors in this growth stand out innovative and targeted marketing techniques. One of the key strategies implemented by industry companies was to invest in the user experience, creating products that could make it superior, unique, and working on the smallest details of the game activity (not only gameplay, but also navigation, interface, loading, information).
Revitalizing online casinos: AI and social media in gaming industry
“Another key element in which the online casino industry across Europe has particularly invested, – explains Silvia Urso of Giochidislots, one of Italy’s reference blogs in the online gambling sector -, is that of quality, accessible and fast customer service, capable of effectively solving users’ problems and guaranteeing proximity and presence at all times (also thanks to the use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning). At the same time, it was essential to establish a strong presence on social media, with a focus on streaming and live content. This was essential to stay in touch with users, offer up-to-date information and interact in real time, thus improving engagement and brand perception”.
“The combination of these two aspects – efficient customer service and a solid digital presence – has enabled online casinos to provide a comprehensive and high-quality service, strengthening their position in the European market,” adds the Giochislots analyst.
Influencers at the forefront: a novel marketing approach in the iGaming industry
The online gaming audience, in fact, is aged between 14 and 39, an audience that is mainly interested in interactive gaming sessions, tutorials, and videos in which they show the secrets and mechanisms of new videogames. This explains the success of social networks such as Twitch or the growth of YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming,
Twitch streams are typically extensive, often running up to 10 hours, and in rare instances, even extending as long as 31 days. The interactive nature of these streams sustains the show’s momentum, and more importantly, fosters a connection between content creators and their audience. Viewers find engaging with their preferred streamers a stimulating experience.
On the other hand, Facebook Gaming imposes a 12-hour limit on streams. When users hit this threshold, the stream automatically ends. The duration of gaming streams varies widely, anywhere from a minute to roughly eight hours, depending on the game. While Facebook Gaming users can view audience comments, meaningful interaction usually doesn’t occur until the game concludes.
“And the characters at the centre of these videos are the other big news in the gambling-related marketing landscape: the influencers. In fact, the latest market data speak of a 76% appreciation of the public for this type of sponsorship, with social gaming becoming the perfect medium to unite companies and people, community and products. Mechanisms, these, that from the gaming world can also be exploited and implemented in other sectors of our economy, in order to truly address a new audience. That of the Millennials, a young, hyper-connected, interactive and social audience. Keywords that become the core of success for any marketing campaign”, Urso concludes.
