I am due to release an online adventure RPG in beta format in 6 months time. Currently the URL is just a splash page with a description and "alert me when ready" email box. I want to know when is a good time to start marketing the game. I have been advised not to start before the game is ready as you are loosing potential customers. Im thinkng before the game is ready perhaps incorporating a weekly update on the homepage with fresh descriptions of game updates and then start a small campaign to build a hype? Feedback would be appreciated
Congrats on the soon to opening of your new game. My suggestion would be to hold out on the promotional details, til its LIVE, and ready for public. Something ive had a little success in, is have a small group of free players, play there for about 2 weeks. let it be friends, and volunteers from a gaming forum. Give them all the premium items you feel useful. These players will give you feedback on what needs fixed, errors, or suggestions. Then when you feel confident on your game being ready, start advertising, by then, your Beta Testers will also be telling their friends about your game, and posting referral links in their forums. After all word of mouth is the best advertisement ever! Again, best of luck with your new game, and i wish you the best in success
Thank you for your advice and i will take it on board. And no it is not a crappy Mafia game. It is a MMORPG where you have custom avatars that move around a virtual world. If you want the URL please pm me
I always see these kinds of websites up with little blogs explaining what is happening on the technical side of building the game, and what they can expect to see. This could be done via newsletter format, as well. If you stick it on the website though, you are giving yourself a head start on the keyword work you might be doing later. Better yet, just do both.
I agree that this method will help with SEO early on. I will speak to the programmers and see what they think.