Social gaming has become an online phenomenon with the runaway success of FarmVille and other social games such as Zoo World. Online gaming has become the second most popular activity among web surfers, according to a recent research and it is no surprise that marketers are looking at capitalizing on this booming hobby.

1. Making Social Gaming a Marketing Success
Social gaming has become an online phenomenon with the runaway success of FarmVille and
other social games such as Zoo World. Online gaming has become the second most popular
activity among web surfers, according to a recent research and it is no surprise that marketers
are looking at capitalizing on this booming hobby. There are a large amount spent on
advertising on social networking games by brands, and early findings indicate that this is money
well spent by marketers. The study found that a surprisingly high 24 percent of users who
played casual games clicked on an ad in a social game and made an online purchase. Typically a
few percentages of the total users convert into paying ones, a factor which depends hugely on
the game design and target audience.
The Facebook platform has a captive audience presence that makes it an appealing attractive
marketplace to launch such games. One of the things that social gaming allows marketers to
create is an experience around the brand which is inherently more memorable than simply
showing an advert. To actually interact and involve the brand with an experience is almost the
ultimate when it comes to marketing. Social analytic companies measure the marketing success
of these games access on a regular basis. Here’s how social gaming can be made a marketing
success
Choose the right game as there has to be a level of synergy between the game and the
brand itself.
Identify your target audience as it is important not to waste time and money talking to
the wrong people at the wrong time.
Make sure that the campaign is interactive. The key is to make users return to play. With
a good campaign there could be interaction with the brand through creative placement.
Being social, the brand will know what the consumers think and also act on feedback.
Ensure the user has a reward with value. There needs to be value to the player so that it
becomes meaningful to the player.
Encourage viral promotion and get the existing players to invite their friends to play.
Social network provides a great infrastructure for advertising and the game to go viral.
Simplicity is vital. Always ensure to keep it simple and straightforward to reach a larger
audience.
Social gaming market represents enormous opportunity for marketers. There is going to be
more marketers muscling into the social gaming space through brand marketing tactics such as

2. display ads, video ads, custom games, in-game enhancements, product placements and
sponsorships, in the games to come.
Know more on Engagement metrics, social media analytics