A Guide to Paid vs Organic Influencer Campaigns
Working with content creators can sometimes feel like an endgame boss fight! Nevermind trying to figure out where to start. Do you go organic and build authentic relationships, or a paid campaign for instant results? Maybe even a mix of both?
Let’s break it down and help you figure out what works best for you and your game.
What’s the Difference?
Organic campaigns are all about genuine growth and real connections. It’s reaching out to creators who’d actually enjoy playing your game.
Paid campaigns are a fast track guaranteed way to get eyes on your game. You’re paying for creators to spotlight your game, whether that’s through streams, videos or social media posts.
How to Decide Which Approach is Best for You
Your choice should depend on your goals, timing, and budget.
Organic campaigns
Good for: Building trust, creating lasting relationships with content creators who have engaged communities.
Strengths: Feels genuine, leaves a positive impression on both the creator and their audience.
Things to keep in mind: Can take time to see results and requires more energy, effort and time to nurture relationships.
Paid campaigns
Good for: Quickly reaching new audiences
Strengths: Immediate visibility, clear metrics, and a bigger reach. The bigger the budget the more exposure for your game.
Things to keep in mind: It’s less personal and might not lead to ongoing engagement.
Dos and Don’ts
Do this:
Think about your goals! Are you aiming for wishlists? Driving sales after launch? Showing off your demo? Highlighting story and mechanics? Know what you want before diving into an influencer campaign.
Check out creators and their audiences. Find out if they vibe with your target players and have good engagement, rather than empty follower numbers. A smaller creator with an engaged community could be your MVP.
Be wary of fake accounts! Unfortunately, scammers are out there. Take time to check out creator profiles for genuine followers and interactions, and use social media to verify email addresses.
Look for creators on a variety of platforms, as this could help tap into wider audiences. TikTok thrives on short, snappy clips, YouTube offers space for gameplay first impressions, highlights or reviews, and Twitch tends to have creators with extremely engaged communities.
Be clear on what you are offering creators, is this a paid campaign? Are you giving early access keys, PR packs? Be upfront about what you need.
Don’t do that:
Rush into anything, especially with an organic approach, establishing genuine relationships with content creators will take time to build.
Ignore red flags! A creator’s reputation matters. If they’ve been involved in controversy, it could backfire on you and your game.
Be overly strict with creators, give them creative freedom to make content their way. Their audience trusts them for a reason, so let their creativity shine. Organic, user generated content is key.
Forget to follow up, maintaining a good relationship after the campaign shows appreciation and can lead to some fantastic future collabs!
Thinking About Your Budget
Budgets are not really all that exciting and can be a frustrating part of creating an indie title, but it’s important!
Set a clear budget: It keeps you from overspending and lets you figure out how to balance organic and paid approaches for the biggest impact.
Creator fees: Organic campaigns often involve perks like early access keys or fun PR packs, while paid campaigns mean budgeting for creator fees based on their time and reach.
Tools
SullyGnome/TwitchTracker – Great for analysing Twitch data and finding creators who align with your game’s audience.
UTM/Tracking Links – Track where your traffic’s coming from and see what’s working.
Google Forms – Perfect for collecting creator information, like where they’re active and how to reach them.
Final Thoughts
Communicate clearly – let creators know what you’re looking for, but leave room for their own creativity.
Time your campaigns with key milestones - plan them around big moments, demo drops, wishlist pushes, launch day, etc.
Track and learn – review what worked and what didn’t for future campaigns.
Whether you go organic, paid, or a bit of both, think about what suits your game and your goals best. Organic builds trust and relationships, while paid gets you noticed fast. Most devs mix the two to get the best of both worlds. Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works for you!
Remember: whatever strategy you choose, keep it authentic!
And hey, if this still feels like a lot, we’ve got your back at Mooncat Games! Our team can do all the purr-suasive legwork for you to help make your campaign a hit. 🐾 Reach out today to get started on your influencer campaigns!
