Advertising budget

[Dayo]

The reason why most games fail (like my 1st attempt at the mercenary) is cos they don't spend money on advertising. With this in mind I have saved up about $500 for advertisement. Now I just need a little advice on how to spend it and where, After I have finished the 5 main updates (3 down 2 to go) I will start the advertising.

Questions

Will 500 be enough

How long would 500 last

How many users would 500 get

What are good advertising sites

[SilvaTungDevil]

In all honesty I would look for double that before launch. For launch I hit it hardest as that is when you want new players.

It depends how many and where you want your adverts. You can spend that $500 in an hour or less or you can make it last a week or more.

[a_bertrand]

You should count about 50 cents per registrations... and that should be a quiet good result already. Now from those registrations how many will remain after the first few impressions of the game is another story. So with 500$ you can count 1000 registrations... which may end up between 100-300 true players (depending if your advert find the right target and how good your game is).

Also, advert is not the only reason why game fails... as you could advert without spending money. Now if you take the quick way to get players payed advert is certainly a good solution but as you see 500$ will not bring you that many players.

[Dayo]

So how would be the best way to get users as well as advertising

[a_bertrand]

Payed advertisement: Advert experiences and feeback

Alternative ways: http://engine.nowhere-else.org/article_3.html

[Cronus]

Also a good referral system could make a huge difference.

Spend time making a referral system that is rewarding to the players.

1 crystal per signup and 50 crystals when they hit level 10 isnt gonna do it.

[Dayo]

the referal system im making will defo be worth the users time ;)

[rulerofzu]

Careful on the referal system make it too worth their while and they just get players to sign up so they get the reward when they know they have no intention of playing.

Its a very very fine line.

Your budget for most top banner advertisers is going to be swallowed up in a few hrs if not quicker.

[Cronus]

Careful on the referal system make it too worth their while and they just get players to sign up so they get the reward when they know they have no intention of playing.

Right, it needs to be in depth and reward them for referring GOOD players.

[Aderik]

A quick thought to the referal system.

Some games have achievements for certain milestones. (ie, you reach lvl x you get a point or you completed such and such a mission you get a point, spend it wisely)

Would tying the referal reward system the milestone/achievement system that be effective for that? So lets say if player a invites player b, and player b reaches lvl 10 they get '50 crystals' then at lvl 50 they get '500 crystals' then at 100 '1500 crystals' etc and so forth.

I considered that/bonus to donator days/maybe a unique item only obtained through a referal's achievement.

*was hoping his 400$ for advertising would be enough, can see that he'll need to save a few more paychecks*