Game Vendors Link Exchange

[kjm]

I would like to invite anyone who has games to sell to partake in a Link Exchange programme.

The idea being that you post in this thread, a Url to an image of your game ( .jpg , not too large ), hosted on your website, along with a url to a download link to the software ( if applicable ) and also the url to your home / index page on your website.

Any person wishing to partake in link exchanges can then create a section on their own website to include any of the links posted in this thread.

Any visitors to your website can then browse the exchange link section at their leisure, viewing an image of the software for sale and clicking on the relevent links if desired.


This could be a great way to increase traffic to your website.

Would also be nice to make this thread a sticky.



I'll start the ball rolling by adding my game Auto Cross Racing.

Image url
http://www.kjmsoftware.co.uk/auto_cross_racing/game_pic.png

Game webpage
http://www.kjmsoftware.co.uk/auto_cross_racing/auto_cross_racing.htm


Home Page
http://www.kjmsoftware.co.uk/


I'm sure a link exchange programme could be beneficial to alot of vendors.

Thankyou

KJM :)

[kickedgames]

Grab a google AdSense ID and submit your game's URL to be kicked !

Place Kick It button on your webpage, to see the kick count and to allow it to be kicked.

Check out http://kickedgames.com - I just launched the site 2 weeks ago!

- KickedGames.com

[mrobert]

I am considering to add a link section to http://www.gamemints.com

If anyone is interested in a link exchange, please let me know.

[kjm]

Really doesnt look like theres much interest in a link exchange system.

I think the affiliate system is prefered nowadays.

Which is a pity, as link exchanges can be of great mutual benefit.

KJM

[lennard]

KJM, are you selling many of your demo's? Game looks interesting but wasn't going to pay to play - would be interested in knowing if you are having success with that model.

[kjm]

Hi lennard.

In my experience, a free demo didn't and doesn't increase sales at all for me.

It Just wastes my bandwidth.

I found that genuine users who really wanted to play the game, would pay. It's not a large amount of money £10 - $20 for the full game.

Anyone unsure could pay £1 - $2 to try the demo.

Even at such a low price for the demo, very few people actually buy it. They tend to go straight for the full version.

As a games player myself, i often download game demo's just for something new to play, with no intention of buying the full game. This has been my experince with visitors to my site with the vast majority simply wanting to play the demo.

So, i decided, well, if you want to play my game, then pay for it.

It's interesting to see that you wern't prepaired to pay even £1 or $2 to try the demo. Which basically proves my point.

So i've come to the conclusion that some visitors to my site don't actually have the ability to pay, via pay pal or credit card, although i will make arrangements for cash if asked, and some visitors are too apathetic to fill out the purchase form. Even though the demo is very very cheap to buy. Obviously the demo price isn't a factor there.

Hope that helps.

KJM

[ChrisP]

Interesting. The notion that not having a demo doesn't affect sales is an unusual one; most of us are doing some kind of try-before-you-buy thing under the assumption that people won't buy if they can't try beforehand. But of course, the retail world doesn't bother with demos much; they're more of an afterthought in that market. I'm a bit skeptical of the premise, but I'd be interested to see if your experience translates for other people.

You have to remember of course that people are not ten times as willing to buy a $2 product as a $20 product; there's a mental cost associated with "making a payment", especially online. If I'm going to bother to pay for something at all, the extra $18 is not as hard to shell out for as the initial $2.

[Adrian Cummings]

Check out http://kickedgames.com - I just launched the site 2 weeks ago!

- KickedGames.com
Good stuff - just joined and posted there.

Cheers,

[lennard]

It's interesting to see that you wern't prepaired to pay even £1 or $2 to try the demo. Which basically proves my point.
KJM


Nope... I'm a cheapskate! The reason I typically play demo's is to see if I want to affiliate with a title. Thanks for the extra info. although real world #'s would be interesting. This sort of thing does preclude you from places like download.com and doing any portal or affiliate marketing.

[kjm]

Well of course, i'm only speaking from my own personal experience. Can't speak for anyone else. The traditional approach of releasing a demo of the game, doesn't bring in any more sales for me.



Nope... I'm a cheapskate! The reason I typically play demo's is to see if I want to affiliate with a title. Thanks for the extra info. although real world #'s would be interesting. This sort of thing does preclude you from places like download.com and doing any portal or affiliate marketing.

I initialy released a demo version of the game. And had that submitted to many shareware sites. The game is still listed and they all link to a download zip on my site. Pad file is regularly scanned too.

The zip's contents has changed from a runable demo version of the game, to a webpage advert for the game. Including screenshots, video link , game description and various links on how to purchase the game.

So, in effect, my game is listed on shareware sites which brings in traffic. They do link to a download. It's just not the demo. But an advert.

One area where i think a demo might be of use, is where the demo might be shared between people and picked up by various other sites wishing to sell it, promote it or review ect. I have had some offers from magazines for instance who wished to review the game after playing the demo.

But alas, my initial premise stills holds true. Even that extra publicity did little to help sales. It just brought in more traffic, which resulted in more downloads and bandwidth usage. My conversion rate still remained the same.

And still does to this day.

KJM

[kjm]

You have to remember of course that people are not ten times as willing to buy a $2 product as a $20 product; there's a mental cost associated with "making a payment", especially online. If I'm going to bother to pay for something at all, the extra $18 is not as hard to shell out for as the initial $2.

Yes, i agree with you.

So, it's the hassle of digging out your credit card, typing in your details, waiting for the transaction to clear, waiting for the e-mail and then finaly downloading thats off putting.

This is the case for most visitors to my website. Those visitors have no intention of buying the game and i seriously doubt that playing a demo would change their minds.

I do this as well. Taking advantage of those developers who offer a demo for download. Gives me something new to play even though i have no intention, even before visiting the site of purchasing the full version. With that mindset, it's hardly suprising that the demo has very little influence in changing my mind to purchase the full version.

The small percentage of users who really are interested in playing and buying my game, arrive at my site with that mindset and intention and usualy tend to opt straight for the full version and don't bother with the demo. And i'm assuming thats because the full version is of a low enough price.

My pay for demo system, simply weeds out the vast majority of users who want and only want to play the demo.

Saves me bandwidth.

KJM

[lennard]

I have a bandwidth allowance that grows faster than I can use it.

I'm not going to adopt your model although I do have my own hardcore rules about refunds (not unless there is a bug or a darn good reason) because I do agree that there is a mindset of something for nothing. And I can't develop software for nothing.

OTOH there is the thing of developing a game that is so stinking addictive that people who didn't think they were going to be buyers - or more likely didn't think about the issue at all and were just surfin' about - will become them as they miss the game after the demo gives out. Would definitely read an article in game producer if you ever release your stats as you are doing something that's interesting.

[kjm]

OTOH there is the thing of developing a game that is so stinking addictive that people who didn't think they were going to be buyers - or more likely didn't think about the issue at all and were just surfin' about - will become them as they miss the game after the demo gives out.


Well, in my experience, thats very rarely the case. Where the demo influences the player enough for them to want to go through all the hassle that a purchase involves.

A player may have great fun just playing the demo and thoroughly enjoy it and play it to death, but the full version may not offer enough incentive for the player to consider buying.

My Auto Cross Racing demo for instance, just had 1 track, with the full version offering 9 more tracks and the ability to upgrade your cars. A common model which other racing games follow too.

The added features that the full version offers, is not incentive enough for the average player who enjoys the demo, to purchase the full version.

And i think thats a common problem with all games that use the trial demo model. How much of the game do you give away and how do you limit it enough to pusuade players to buy.


Well, whatever business model you adopt, i hope it's successful for you.

All the best.

KJM

[JGOware]

KJM - Your entire debate on this issue is solved when you simply limit the demo to 1 hour like most games now days. Then you get the best of both worlds, interested users download your game, if they really want it they order it, otherwise if they're just surfing, they only get an hour demo.

Bandwidth is cheap and shouldn't even be an issue anymore.

[U-Brothers]

What effect has the link exchage (mentioned in this topic) on number of visitors, please?
I am curious and if it is good - would like to try..

[HarryBalls]

Relevant incoming links to your site are one of the factors search engines use to determine your site and page rank. For more google factors check out this link:

http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/internet/google-ranking-factors.htm

It's impossible to say that x number of incoming links will generate a certain number of visitors.