Delivered at Casual Connect USA 2018. Developers of kids games usually can’t afford to work with high-profile social media influencers. The economics of the kids category force marketers and community managers to be creative. While building a global community around its Animal Jam games, WildWorks discovered it’s just as fruitful (and more fun) to cultivate new social media luminaries themselves. Learn how they did it, what the effect has been, and how you can maximize your user acquisition ROI.

1. Kids, Social Media & Influencers: How
to Nurture Your Own Celebrities
Clark Stacey
CEO, WildWorks
@clarkstacey

2. ©2018 WILDWORKS
WHO WE ARE
ounded 2003
10 Full-time Employees
alt Lake City, Philippines

3. ©2018 WILDWORKS
Dilemma of marketing games for kids
Margins in the segment too slim for paid UA
No targeting/attribution except via dedicated channels
Charting in app stores may have little effect
Parent influencers only reach younger kids

4. ©2018 WILDWORKS

5. ©2018 WILDWORKS

6. ©2018 WILDWORKS
ANIMAL JAM IS…
Massive social network & online game launched 2010
Safe, fun, and
educational online
playground
Learn about
science & the
natural world
while having fun
Kids create their
own animals and
dens, chat with
friends, adopt pets,
and team up for
adventures
#1 online
community for
kids!

7. ©2018 WILDWORKS
Demographics
• 85MM registered users
• 500K DAU
• 5MM+ monthly uniques
• COPPA/GDPR compliant
• #1 grossing iOS app for Kids 9-11
Played in 100+ countries and 5 languages, Animal Jam is a global IP

8. ©2018 WILDWORKS
In the beginning…
2011 2012 2013…14…15
??

9. ©2018 WILDWORKS
In the beginning…
2011 2012 2013…14…15
??

10. ©2018 WILDWORKS
RISKS…
• They’re kids (duh)

11. ©2018 WILDWORKS
RISKS…
• They’re kids (duh)
• Scandals!

12. ©2018 WILDWORKS
+ =

13. ©2018 WILDWORKS
RISKS…
• They’re kids (duh)
• Scandals!
• Drama!

14. ©2018 WILDWORKS
RISKS…
• They’re kids (duh)
• Scandals!
• Drama!
• Boredom

15. ©2018 WILDWORKS
Problem: kids choose bad passwords, share with friends

16. ©2018 WILDWORKS
Problem: kids choose bad passwords, share with friends

17. ©2018 WILDWORKS
JAMBASSADORS
Age Revenue History Subscribers
14-21 $3,000-$20,000/mo 2-7 years 100-350k

18. ©2018 WILDWORKS
JAMBASSADORS

19. ©2018 WILDWORKS
DO…
• Recognize influencers in the game
• Provide a backchannel to Community & Dev
• Provide exclusive assets, info, demos
• Leverage their ability to communicate with player base
• Maintain “official” social media voice
• Help influencers deal with channel roadblocks

20. ©2018 WILDWORKS
DON’T…
• Astroturf
• Undermine influencers’ authenticity
• Directly promote or link in game
• Bend community rules for them
• Freak out over copyright
• Expect them to be 100% positive

21. ©2018 WILDWORKS
RISKS…
• They’re kids
• Reach out to parents first
• Scandals
• Get to know their channels first
• Help them feel ownership
• Drama
• Don’t engage
• Demonstrate best practices
• Boredom
• If you haven't astroturfed, no worries
• Accept churn
• Celebrate their successes

22. We flew our top 8 YouTubers to VidCon in 2016 and 2017
RESULTS

23. Fan engagement was huge both in-person and online

24. Live contests, fan meet-and-greets, on-camera interviews with Jambassadors and parents
Showcase AJ community’s passion for the game, get new YouTubers to make AJ videos

25. 14 VidCon videos posted by Jambassadors during event
2M+ views and counting
100% increase in new subs to AJ YouTube channel in month of event
40% increase in concurrent players during livestreams
Over 1M items sold in-game during event

26. ©2018 WILDWORKS
RESULTS
• We can talk to players in the community’s voice
• Priceless engagement with kids and direct feedback
• New players discover Animal Jam through Jambassadors
• Licensing partners have unique promotional channel
• We get to know some really cool kids & learn from them