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Identify Your Game’s Target Audience

When it comes to marketing your board game, it’s essential to understand your target customers and the types of players who may be interested in your game. This knowledge will help you create marketing strategies that cater to the specific needs and preferences of each customer type, increasing the chances of success.

A target audience for a board game or card game is the specific group of people that the game is intended for. This can be based on various factors such as age, interests, hobbies, preferences, and playing styles. 

However, after working with dozens of game creators and publishers we believe that there are 5 main types of Board Game and Card Game players

 

The Five Types of Game Players

  1. Heavy Board Gamers: These customers are typically experienced players who enjoy playing board games that are highly strategic and require a lot of time to play. They tend to prefer games that have complex rules, intricate gameplay mechanics, and a high level of player interaction. Examples of games that appeal to heavy board gamers include Twilight Imperium, Terra Mystica, and Through the Ages.
  2. Light Board Gamers: These customers are typically more casual players who enjoy playing board games that are easier to learn and play. They tend to prefer games that are quick to set up and can be played between an hour and two. Examples of games that appeal to light board gamers include Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, and Settlers of Catan.
  3. Families with Kids: These customers are typically parents who want to spend quality time with their children while playing games that are fun and easy to understand. They tend to prefer games that are age-appropriate, have simple rules, and can be played in a relatively short amount of time. Examples of games that appeal to families with kids include Codename, Sushi Go,and Dixit. (some families will also like Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders, Candy land, and Hi Ho! Cherry-O.)
  4. Adults who want to party: These customers are typically young adults who enjoy playing games that are social and fun to play with friends while drinking or hanging out. They tend to prefer games that involve humour, partying, and don’t require a lot of strategy or deep thinking. Examples of games that appeal to adults who want to party include Cards Against Humanity, What Do You Meme?, and Joking Hazard.
  5. Educational Gamers: These customers are typically teachers or parents who want to use games as a tool to teach others or the young generation about a topic. They tend to prefer games that help with skill-building, critical thinking, and overall education. Examples of games that appeal to educational gamers include Monopoly, Chess, and Scrabble

These 5 types of customers are an overview, you can probably dive deeper and find some more nuances, but from our experience, we feel like these are the 5 main types.

Final Thoughts

It’s possible for a game to target multiple audiences at the same time, and it can even be effective in expanding the potential market for the game. For example, a game that is both fun and educational can appeal to families as well as teachers, and a game that is easy to learn and quick to play can appeal to both casual gamers and hardcore gamers who want a fast-paced experience.

However, we generally recommended focusing the marketing efforts on one primary audience at a time to avoid diluting the message and confusing potential customers. By honing in on one specific target audience, the marketing can be tailored to speak directly to their needs and interests, making it more likely to resonate and drive conversions. Once that audience has been successfully engaged, the marketing can then pivot to another target audience if desired

 

 

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