Making a Successful Kickstarter

What is Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform where users can start campaigns to raise funds for various projects and business endeavors. In the past decade, Kickstarter has allowed a multitude of indie studios to fund the development of their games.

But simply having a cool game concept and starting a campaign won't guarentee success on the platform.

Do Your Research Before You Start a Campaign

Research successful campaigns and Research failed campaigns.

• Compare presentation, selling points, funding goal, call to actions, incentives, support tiers, stretch goals, etc.
• Investigate your game’s marketing potential.
• Use your findings to formulate a potentially successful campaign.

Marketing Tips to Improve Success of Campaign

The stronger the presentation of your Campaign, the more likely it will succeed.

• Advertise to your Community. The initial support from them will encourage other people that stumble upon the campaign to contribute.
• Be focused, clear, concise, and marketable.
• Market using strong copy, images, and trailers.
• Put in the time and the hussle. Leverage your network. Post about your campaign on social media.
• Sell that you will be successful. Instill confidence of execution and that the game will ship.
• Incentivize by offering meaningful support tiers and stretch goals.

Use the results of your campaign to Test the Market. It will indicate what the demand is for your game.

Ask For the Right Amount of Funding

Ask for a reasonable amount of money for your Funding Goal. Strike a balance between the minimum amount needed to start development and the amount needed to fully fund development.

• If you ask for too much, people may feel that the goal is outrageous. They will be less likely to support the campaign, and it will be more difficult to reach your goal to secure funds.
• If you ask too little, the secured funds may not be enough to actually support development.

Incentivize Backers to Support the Campaign

• Put backers names in the credits
• Offer early / discounted pricing to backers. Offer extra game keys
• Offer goods such as art, soundtracks, and merchandise. (Deluxe / Collectors additions)
• Have stretch goals to include additional content as more funding is raised past the initial campaign goal. (Characters, levels, bosses, game modes, story, etc.)
• Include the backers in the creative process for new game content. (Add them in as a character, easter egg, let them make and item, etc.)

Sources:

Stonemaier Games Kickstarter Info
Renee Gittens - Executive Director of IGDA