Press Release - worth doing?

[Grey Alien]

Hi, so then, is a press release worth doing via one of the various companies that sends your press release off to lots of contacts for >$100?

I can write a press release myself no problems but I don't have the contacts. What I'm looking at is that to pay for a press release I'd need to make around 8 direct sales - easy you think, or is it? It depends who the press release goes to - if it's mainstream game sites and you are selling casual games then it's not so cool. Also I bet the press contacts are inundated this time of year with tons of games they don't care about. This may sound negative but I'm being the devil's advocate - I want to know that it's worth spending $150 or not...If it was $60, I'd do it right now.

I'm going to use a shareware submission services as they don't cost much and I've seen the result of that traffic before, so I think that's worth doing.

So, does anyone have any experience of this and can you offer any insights. Thanks! :-)

[Tertsi]

Yes it is worth much more than that. Even for a casual game while much less so. Without a properly submitted press release, Battles of Norghan would probably have only sold 10 - 20% of what it has now.

I've been working on getting press contacts for a month or so and I'm now finalizing it by getting to know the right contacts for each game genre and getting the last gaming magazine contacts.

Right now in my list there are dozens of press contacts who would seriously review a casual game press release but it is still probably less than 1/5 of the contacts.

While I gathered the list mainly to be able to send many free press releases to updated and correct contacts, I'm going to, hopefully within a couple of weeks start to offer press release service with a money back guarantee and an indie/casual game friendly price (currently designed to be less than that $60 you mentioned for one time releases). There'll be one time press release and life-time access to send press releases options. The list is currently the second biggest and most up to date game press submission list I know about. Featuring mainly top exposure contacts judging from search engine positions and site traffic.

[Grey Alien]

Sounds great, shame it won't be ready on Monday ;-)

[JoKa]

It's hard to track how many sales were made as a result of a PR. But if you have a nice game to offer, it's good idea to send one out.

A few numbers from my small international site:
- max visits per month until May 2006 have been 5400
Of course, I had already submitted my games to dozens of PAD-sites. Then, in the last week of May my PR was sent out by vgsmart.

- max visits per month since June 2006: 17000
- min visits since June were at least 8500
- average monthly visits since June over 11000

So I think a PR for about 100$ is worth the money

[Tertsi]

If you submit in December, you'll probably receive way less mainstream gaming site exposure unless your game has top graphics and is AAA-like but I guess sites that are more about casual games will be just as happy to take it before the holidays. Good luck!

[Nexic]

Press releases are always worth it. Don't think just do it.

[Grey Alien]

JoKa: Great stats thanks.

Thanks for your feedback everyone, seems like you all think it's a good idea although realise that Christmas may not be the best time. I just know of at least two sites that I'm pretty sure the sales never paid for the press release...and the games weren't bad, they made it onto the portals.

[theshadowfan]

It's totally worth doing. How else would you plan on doing the initial advertising of your game?

[Grey Alien]

How else would you plan on doing the initial advertising of your game?

Good point. I've emailed everyone I know who's a friend/relative and asked them to pass on the email. I'm doing a Shareware PAD submission thing. Download.com is in progress. I'm going to be in the local paper. I've given my son, and Aikido club members some flyers, and I've posted about it in two forums (yes, full of programmers, but actually people seem to like and buy my games). Also of course it's on all the portals but that doesn't advertise my own site. I am thinking of setting up an affiliates scheme too. Just wondering if this is enough. Well no that's no true, just wondering if the press release will pay for itself - maybe that's negative thinking and should be banished?!