| How to build a successful gaming/game-related | | | | of eager users for a price. It does cost money to |
| community | | | | use this option, but it is EXTREMELY effective! |
| It is best to begin by determining your niche | | | | You may also consider using advertisers to make |
| market so that you can direct your appeal | | | | money for yourself, as a publisher! Commission |
| towards a specific group of users. There is so | | | | Junction, Clikita, and many more suit this role and |
| much competition, in the forum-based community | | | | will help you increase sale dramatically if you fully |
| industry, that you may be unable to compete | | | | utilize SEO (search engine optimization). Some |
| with 'general' game-related forums. | | | | other networks to consider are: Text-link-ads, |
| What markets are available? | | | | adbrite, and Google AdSense! Also, the new |
| The niche markets that are available, within the | | | | Yahoo Publisher Network and MSN Publisher |
| game industry, are countless. You could create a | | | | Networks are a high-end alternative that, once |
| forum using PHPbb based forums or invisionfree | | | | your community gains enough traffic, can gain |
| based on: MMORPG games, specific game | | | | you tons of money. |
| releases (i.e. WoW "world of warcraft", City of | | | | Final Notes |
| Heroes, Etc...), free online games, or even new | | | | Remember, whatever you do, NEVER stop |
| and independent games that you or some friends | | | | posting in your community! Once the leader stops |
| are developing! That is what game developer | | | | posting, members begin losing interest and then it |
| Tempest Games: thetempestproject.ipbfree.com/ | | | | becomes extremely difficult to bring the |
| did for their community, and now they average a | | | | community back on its feet. Always remember |
| minimum of 5 new members per month. That | | | | that if you do not post consistently, your |
| may sound small, but it adds up. Already, they | | | | members (and perhaps future customers) may |
| have over 100 members in their community alone. | | | | not feel safe with your service, and may not |
| Another Idea | | | | enjoy their time. This leads to a chain of events. |
| If your community begins to die down, and you | | | | One members stops posting, the next few follow |
| cannot find the problem, simply restart your | | | | suit, etc... The chain continues until there are 1 or |
| community by deleting all threads posts etc... this | | | | 2 remaining active members. It is a MUST to |
| will encourage new users to join as they will see it | | | | continue posting. If their is any tip I would give to |
| as a fresh start with newer posts. All of these | | | | a community manager, it would be for them, as a |
| posts can be done by you and this would still be | | | | leader, to be and to remain as active as possible. |
| just as effective of a strategy. | | | | If you MUST leave, post a message notifying |
| | | | your members that you will not be available for a |
| Other Strategies | | | | little while. Also, if you can, specify the time and |
| A final and last resort strategy, would be to | | | | date at which you may return. This keeps your |
| advertise like mad in any and all places you can. | | | | members/communities in your trust and keeps |
| Commission Junction is a great option to use as a | | | | them interested in coming back for more. |
| reliable advertiser. Give them your information, a | | | | Hope that this article has helped you, and good |
| banner, etc and they will send your ad to millions | | | | luck with your Gaming Community! |