Boy Band Builder

Boy Band Builder

GoodGood Games

Project Date: Dec 2020

Project Type: Digital Media Marketing, Copywriting, Brand Equity, Brand Strategy, Product Marketing

Goals

Boy Band Builder is partnering with the Eller College of Management to develop a marketing strategy for the upcoming Boy Band Builder card game Kickstarter campaign through an extensive situational analysis of target audiences, competing Kickstarter campaigns, successful Kickstarter campaigns, and existing promotional strategies and assets. The Team will develop a marketing strategy providing Boy Band Builder the ability to increase crowd-funding and competitively position itself in the card game player segment.

The team will evaluate the three target audiences (Kickstarter Backers, Casual Gamers, and Party Gamers) and determine if one or more audiences can be targeted via additional promotional advertising. The current primary target audience are Kickstarter Backers, the campaign should be focused around this group unless another audience is determined to be stronger.

Scope of Work

Methodologies:

Some of the methods used will be: situation analysis, competitor analysis, social media tools, curated content on social media, SEO tools and website traffic tools.
Key Milestones (including the deliverables of each milestone):

Kickstarter Date Finalized and Pre-Launch Initiation (Mid-September)
Kickstarter Launch (October)
Kickstarter Completion (November)

Phase 1: Preparation and Research

Situation Analysis

Charter

Boy Band Builder does not have a current digital marketing strategy. The company’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts are launched, but minimal content has been released. Sam Geer provided links to all digital content that has been created thus far. In order to perform the audit, the team used these links primarily for review. The Boy Band Builder website is now live, however analytics have yet to be initiated. Since the game is still working toward launch there is not much of a digital footprint at this time. The team’s primary focus is to promote Boy Band Builder via social media and its Kickstarter campaign page leading up to, and throughout, the campaign’s duration.

Digital Media Audit

Summary of Digital Media Audit

Facebook audit: Facebook is currently live with six posts of various images from the game content. There are 3 people who “like” the page and 3 people who “follow” the page with no other post engagement. Our team will work on a content calendar and posting schedule in order to target those who may be interested in the game. There is a possible opportunity for some paid Facebook advertising depending on which target audience we choose to focus marketing efforts on.

Twitter audit: A Twitter account exists and has two followers. The first post was made on September 27, 2020 listing the Kickstarter launch date and linking to the Kickstarter pre-launch page. The team surmises that Twitter will be the platform with the highest opportunity to reach many people and will work to develop a content strategy and timeline to increase outreach and engagement.

Instagram audit: An Instagram account is public but there are currently no followers or posts. Instagram currently has the most activity from Boy Band Builder, which is following 21 people, including members of boy bands, boy bands themselves, and boy band fan pages. The team will develop a content plan and strategy for Instagram posts and use stories and outreach to attract a greater following.

Website audit: The website is vibrant and colorful. The first thing you see on the website is the name of the game, one of the graphics from the game, and a call to action. The call to action of backing the Kickstarter campaign is clear and the eye is directed to it immediately. The website is visually pleasing and complex but has a simple and accessible interface that users of all levels can navigate easily. All buttons that are clickable wiggle as the mouse hovers over them. This is visually intriguing to the user and drives desire to discover what the links go to. The boy band name generator is another feature that sparks interest and creates excitement for the game. The video is not yet on the website and the team would like to see it on there as it will be another informative visual to drive interest to the Kickstarter campaign.

Kickstarter preview audit: The Kickstarter page is not yet public but it is almost complete. In reviewing the preview page, there are some important updates that will need to be made before launch. The page currently has an explanation of the game, rules of the game, and hyperlinks to social media websites. Sam Geer informed us that they do have a game play promotional video that they will be adding to the top of the page. The about me section is very short. The team discovered that the most successful Kickstarter projects emphasize the creator’s story and passion behind the project. The team would like to see this section expanded on and will help to review the content for Sam.

Google Search Results audit: Google search results are minimal at this time as the website and social media have just been created and launched. Searching for “boyband” or “boy band” does not yield any content related to the game. Searching “boy band builder”, however, does generate the game website as the first result. The following results on the first page of google search are all related to the game and some kickstarter analytics. When searching for “boy band game” Boy Band Builder comes up as the 5th result. The game appearing on the first page is promising and shows that it is not extremely difficult to find. As the team works to build more content on other digital platforms the searchability should increase.

Consumer Analysis

Kickstarter backers

Goals

A Kickstarter backer’s primary goal is to invest in projects that align with their personal interests, are innovative, and solve their consumer needs.
A Kickstarter backer’s secondary goals include to promote prosocial behaviors, being a part of a community that invests in a variety of industries’ thought leaders, and innovators.
Backers want to be a part of the creative process, including having access to consistent updates and contact with the campaign creators throughout its duration.

Key Behaviors

Kickstarter updates (both on and off the campaign’s website) are vital to showing backers that the campaign is legitimate.
Backers rely on both direct (person-to-person) and indirect (social media) communication to share Kickstarter campaigns they have backed.
Although exclusive Kickstarter rewards incentivize backers to donate higher dollar amounts, backers tend to initially invest based on project interest, and the creator’s intangible goals and narrative.
Millennials, who make up a considerable portion of Kickstarter backers, prefer shopping for products online and in mobile apps.
Millennial minimalism is driving economic and product changes out of 2020, paradoxically to the expectation that same-day or 1-day shipping is expected when buying products online.

Tabletop Gamers

Goals

The target audience’s primary goal is to have access to a comical tabletop game that is casual enough for parties and public settings, but intricate enough to be enjoyed by dedicated gaming circles.
Although there are digital versions of many tabletop games, the target audience typically seeks games that offer a way to get people together in real life. To mitigate the risks of COVID, the target market may have temporarily adapted this goal to align more-so with the digital market.

Key Behaviors

Tabletop gamers’ primary purchase games from Amazon, local game stores, and Kickstarter.
Of 545 respondents in 2017, 71% stated that they learn about new games through word-of-mouth.
40% of respondents most frequently play tabletop games at home, while roughly ⅓ play at local game stores, and a similar percentage play at a friend’s house.
18% of respondents reported playing games that usually involve at least one stranger.
Of roughly 380 respondents that reported backing a crowdfunded tabletop game, 90% only back on Kickstarter, and 9% back on both Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
Based on reviews and successfully backed projects, the target market reacts strongly to comical Kickstarter campaigns in the tabletop games category.

Tabletop Game Crowdfunding Factors by importance

Clear explanation of gameplay and rules
Well-written Kickstarter campaign (Clear narrative & free of grammatical errors)
Frequent campaign updates and customer service responses
Well-made trailer video
Kickstarter campaign stretch-goals
Kickstarter campaign creator’s previous successful projects
Kickstarter/Indiegogo exclusive backer rewards

Competitor Analysis

Survival of the Memest
Cyanide & Happiness - Joking Hazard
Bots Up
Runes of Zun
Battle of the Boybands
Kickstarter

Key Takeaways

Frequently post, especially on social media.
Consistent across their multiple platforms including Kickstarter, game web pages, and social media
Information about the game is widely accessible across most of their outlets of engagement
Their Kickstarter performance was directly correlative with outreach before and during launch. More well-known intellectual properties like Cyanide & Happiness had met their goals rather quickly, Bots Up (from first-time game designers) had a highly-engaging pre-launch presence and quickly met their goal, and Runes of Zune struggled to meet their target goal initially in spite of being from an established game designer given their meager social presence.

Digital Marketing Opportunities

Gain insights through competitor analysis and research to find marketing strategies/solutions and create a concrete content marketing editorial plan that will increase brand awareness and follower base prior to Kickstarter launch and increase “backers” base post Kickstarter launch
Use keywords and PPC research to see where we should target our audience to increase website traffic, increase follower base, and increase engagement.
Add KickStarter “Back Now” CTAs to BoyBandBuilder.com, social media posts, and the end of Boy Band Builder’s YouTube trailer.

Executive Summary and Recommendations

Through our situational analysis, we have audited Boy Band Builder’s digital presence and conducted research on the brand’s target markets and competitors to set the foundation for a succinct digital marketing strategy. Although Boy Band Builder is in its final stages of content development and has recently launched its digital presence in various forms, there are currently no measures being taken to promote its Kickstarter campaign launch set for 10/14. Fortunately, Boy Band Builder’s brand aligns well with the target audience’s psychographics, demographics, and buyer journeys found in tabletop gamer and Kickstarter’s communities.

In performing a detailed audit of all current digital media, it is clear that the current digital reach of Boy Band Builder is minimal. Profiles exist on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook but there is zero to minimal content on these platforms. The website is launched and created but it is not being shared and utilized to increase awareness about Boy Band Builder. The Kickstarter campaign is set to launch on October 14, 2020 but the content is completed and the prelaunch page is active. Sam and his team have some content that can be shared and our team believes that there is opportunity to curate existing content on social media platforms. The team’s next steps are to develop content plans for social media in anticipation of the launch of the Kickstarter campaign and continuing through the campaign.

Our team will target two primary markets for Boy Band Builder’s digital marketing strategy, Kickstarter backers and tabletop gamers. Whereas tabletop gamers seek games to play and interact with family, friends, and even strangers, Kickstarter backers are primarily focused on participating in a community that fosters innovative creativity, promoting prosocial behaviors, and having direct influence on creators’ campaigns. Our team will largely utilize the psychographic data listed under key behaviors when implementing a digital marketing content plan for Boy Band Builder, however, we will also take into account the consumer constellations that tie back to Millennials, which make up a significant portion of both target audiences.

For the past five years, Kickstarter has been an avenue for tabletop game developers to find funding and success in the market, with the Games category having the highest success rate of 41.6% as of today. But this high success has attracted a large volume of individuals to share their ideas on Kickstarter, currently with 55,251 launched projects, and 619 live projects, the highest in any category. As time passes, it is important to note that the volume of the Game category and Tabletop game subcategory of Kickstarter can make it difficult for new products to be noticed and funded, so the team will need to focus efforts to ensure Boy Band Builder sticks out in the Kickstarter community.

Outside of the inherent volume/noise competition from the platform, the team has identified the following tabletop games as key competitors in the Kickstarter market: Survival of the Memest, Joking Hazard, Bots Up, Runes of Zune, and Battle of the Boybands. These games have similar themes, mechanics, and/or size as Boy Band Builder, and were analyzed on their Kickstarter success, social media outreach/actions, and SEO performance to identify areas of improvement and competition for Boy Band Builder.

Looking at the social media, home, and Kickstarter pages, the team has identified key strategies that each of the competitors used to be successful in crowdfunding. Each of the competitors worked on having a strong social media presence while crowdfunding their games; daily Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter posts seem to allow for improved communication, exposure, and updates from the creators to their fans and followers. Runes of Zune also implemented a strong digital presence for observing and playing the game, using platforms such as Steam and YouTube to extend their reach.

Each competitor also had similar interactions with their customers through Kickstarter, posting constant updates at key milestones, such as stretch goals, updates, and responses to community questions. Genuine communication seemed to be key in forming a strong connection with their customers, and should be a strategy Boy Band Builder uses throughout its campaign. It should also be noted that funding for the games varied depending on their previous outreach; competitors such as Joking Hazard built their fanbase from their webcomic Cyanide and Happiness. Smaller crowdfunding projects, such as Runes of Zune, tended to receive large funding after the project goal was hit, to ensure success and distribution of the project afterwards.

Phase 2: The Campaign

Content Strategy

Having a content strategy and optimizing it across Boy Band Builder’s social media pages were both going to be very important to build awareness of the Kickstarter campaign prior to and during the launch.

Briefly, some of the things Group 4 assisted Sam with for his content strategy were:

Identified what type of posts he should have on his pages via referencing our competitor analysis and the ways his competitors were posting content across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Organized a spreadsheet to offer Sam a content marketing editorial plan with separate sections for his Kickstarter updates, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and email posts. Examples included content for each platform, post templates and timeline adjustments to easily keep track of everything and ensure consistent posts across his social media accounts to maintain engagement.
Offered tips to incorporate in each different post like having each post tie to a specific goal or a call to action that links to the Kickstarter or to the Boy Band Builder Website directly.

Kickstarter Tactics

Previously, we had suggested to Sam that he engage a lot of his early outreach to people within his network directly in that a lot of early supporters would be more supportive of Sam and his product as opposed to supporting exclusively the card game with limited public awareness surrounding the Kickstarter campaign.

Some tactics used for the Kickstarter prior to and during the launch was:

Offering different buying packages for the game, including a six-pack of the game.
Incorporating stretch goals into the Kickstarter campaign (including a giveaway and access to a print-and-play and online demos of the game).
Hosting playthrough demos of the game online through Tabletopia and Tabletop Simulator.

Kickstarter Launch and Results (So Far)

More than 50% of the game backed on launch day.
Raised $3705 of a $4450 goal with 74 backers, and an average purchase of $50.

Campaign Summary

Boy Band Builder’s Kickstarter campaign is active through November 13, 2020. Currently, the campaign is about 80% funded with two weeks left to garner nearly $850 to reach the final goal of $4,450.

Campaign Outline

We have developed a two-sided digital marketing campaign to assist Boy Band Builder in attracting awareness and crowdfunding. The campaign will utilize both Facebook paid advertising and the Google Display Network (GDN) for maximum engagement and conversion opportunities over the Kickstarter campaign’s final weeks.

For both the GDN and Facebook, Sam has provided us with Boy Band Builder’s multimedia assets, access to the necessary managerial accounts and a total budget of $400 to utilize through November 13th. We have calculated the potential return for each platform based on the industry’s average conversion rates and budget allocations between $100-$300 (See Figures 2 and 3).

For the remaining duration of the Kickstarter campaign, we will utilize a Manual CPC strategy for Google Display Ads to maximize our limited marketing budget and bidding capacity.

We will also work to create a Facebook ad campaign composed of 3 targeted Facebook ads during the duration of the Kickstarter campaign. The campaign will work to extend our current reach on Facebook, create new conversions, and boost engagement with Boy Band Builder’s social media.

Due to the low conversion rates illustrated in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, we will direct all consumer traffic toward the Kickstarter campaign page, rather than potentially creating a bottleneck by leading consumers to the website first.

Campaign Goals

While the primary goal of this digital marketing campaign is to attract crowdfunding to the Boy Band Builder Kickstarter, our secondary goal is to build a framework for Sam’s team to transfer focus from Kickstarter to its official website and, potentially, Amazon. Ensuring that Sam has the proper tools and resources to undertake marketing via the GDN and Facebook promotions once the Kickstarter campaign ends is vital to the longevity of the Boy Band Builder card game.

Campaign Tactics - Owned Media

Owned Media
Boy Band Builder’s current owned media assets include:

Boy Band Builder Kickstarter page
Boy Band Builder website
GoodGood Games Youtube channel
GoodGood Games’ Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts

Kickstarter Page

The Boy Band Builder Kickstarter campaign officially launched on October 14, 2020. The page consists of multimedia and text assets designed for ease of use, readability, and brand awareness.

Upon opening the Boy Band Kickstarter page, visitors will first see the the Boy Band Builder trailer, which can be accessed via the link below in the YouTube Channel section. Following the video and campaign statistics, a mixture of textual descriptions and photos illustrating the game’s cards, rulesets, and packaging are placed in such a way that follows the guidelines we researched during the Situational Analysis phase. That is, the Boy Band Builder’s Kickstarter campaign focuses on multimedia assets rather than text content to reduce redundancies and overall bounce rate.

Using Kickstarter’s built-in Google Analytics tracking information, we assisted Sam in setting that up and getting it arranged for monitoring the traffic coming through to the Boy Band Builder’s Kickstarter page. Much of the targeting data is not yet available, because a user threshold has yet to be met for more detailed analytics.

Boy Band Builder Website
The Boy Band Builder website is accessible for both desktop and mobile devices. Visitors will first see the logo and a CTA button asking them to back the Kickstarter. If a user hovers over the CTA button and moves their mouse away without clicking it, the button will shake, adding an additional flair for incentive.

Scrolling down the website will lead users to information about the game, an embedded Boy Band Builder trailer, and the boy band name generator. Following the end of the Kickstarter campaign, we will offer website recommendations like a new CTA that directs users to the Amazon store page, moving the embedded trailer higher on the homepage, and adding additional pages for the ruleset and boy band name generator.

The website currently targets the keywords Boy Band Builder, boy band, and card game. Sam’s team has also connected the Boy Band Builder website with Google Analytics at our request to establish a better understanding of consumers for paid and owned media content strategies. Much of the targeting data is not yet available, because a user threshold has yet to be met for more detailed analytics.

YouTube Channel

Boy Band Builder YouTube Trailer

The Boy Band Builder’s trailer is published under the GoodGood Games company Youtube channel. The video itself features a professional voice actor, editing, and appropriate retro effects from the boy band era.
The video’s description targets the key words Boy Band Builder, Kickstarter, and card game. Our recommendation will be to update the description and keywords following the end of the Boy Band Builder Kickstarter campaign.

Social Media Accounts
Social media plays an essential role in increasing engagement, brand awareness, and conversions for Boy Band Builder. Boy Band Builder’s social channels include Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Prior to and during our involvement in the project, Facebook has been the strongest social channel used for engagement, reach, and bringing traffic to the Kickstarter page. It was clear from the beginning that Boy Band Builder was in need of a stronger social media content strategy since this was non-existent prior to the Kickstarter campaign. we assisted Sam with this by providing a content editorial plan for Boy Band Builders social media channels as well as for the Kickstarter updates. Originally, Our objective was to create a multi-platform campaign, however, the scope of work was adapted to fit the needs of the Kickstarter campaign, which is outlined below in the Revised Content section under From Twitter to Facebook.

Leading up to the launch of the Boy Band Builder Kickstarter campaign, we also advised Sam to utilize his personal social network on Facebook to help drive traffic to Boy Band Builders Kickstarter page, increase brand awareness, and help increase followers and conversions.

Campaign Tactics - Earned Media Disclaimer

Given the nature of the product not yet being available for consumption, there is not a lot of earned media for Boy Band Builder. After the Kickstarter campaign is complete, we’ve compiled a list of retailers, bars/social venues, and influencers for Sam to reach out to both for reviewing purposes and to build awareness of the game.

Campaign Tactics - Paid Media

We have developed the following paid media plan for the remaining duration of Boy Band Builder’s Kickstarter campaign. After the Kickstarter campaign has ended, we will analyze the results of the Google and Facebook ad campaigns to provide recommendations for Boy Band Builder moving forward.

Facebook Revisions

Facebook Revisions
Prior to making content for Facebook, we first audited the Boy Band Builder’s existing content for grammatical errors, CTAs, and asset usage.

On October 2nd, 5th, 7th, 8th, and 14th Sam created a series of posts promoting the Kickstarter campaign. The posts were a mix of direct promotions for the upcoming Kickstarter release, memes, and “feel-good” nostalgia posts. In reviewing the content, we uncovered that, while the posts were fun and engaging, they did not seem to have a purpose. To remedy this, we edited the posts to add links to either the website or the Kickstarter pre-launch page, depending on the post’s content. We felt it was imperative to have a specific call to action on every post to create a succinct flow of content across Boy Band Builder’s Facebook page.

To further improve Facebook posts, ads, and giveaways, the team recommends the following improvements to try and increase engagement and readability, while also decreasing bounce rate and accidental clicks:

Images related to Boy Band Builder and GoodGoodGames should be included with every post. A specific “Call To Action” text should be included on the images that are clear, concise, and call for the audience to do a specific action (ex. “Support us on Kickstarter!”)
Every post should have a link to the Kickstarter for Boy Band Builder. This is the primary goal of the marketing campaigns, and the audience should never be more then one click away.
When creating Ads, the team will be sure to include specific listings for the “Audience” (see below). Information used will be based on analytics from previous Facebook ads and Google Analytics, as well as additional research done by the team.
While ad posts should be targeted, they should also be as accessible as possible. Facebook should be the primary hub for engagement (likes, comments, reactions, etc.), while providing a link to back the Kickstarter campaign.
Posts should include relevant hashtags and links in a clear manner to ensure they do not get lost in the post.

At this point in time, we revised several posts created by Sam to correct the format and view of the posts. The team will continue to revise and advise on future Facebook posts to optimize the viewability and engagement going forward.

Pivoting from Twitter to Google Ads

Originally, the team had agreed to create a multi platform social media campaign between Facebook and Twitter. However, upon assessment of Twitter’s conversion rates and lack of engagement, the team set out to find a more logical approach to paid media. After realizing the potential that Google Display Ads had for Boy Band Builder’s awareness, we presented the current choice for Sam to invest in a two-sided ad campaign between Google and Facebook. Thus, Twitter was removed from the scope of work for the team and replaced with the GDN.

Given the time constraints surrounding the rest of the Kickstarter campaign for Boy Band Builder, Sam requested that we invest our efforts in helping him come up with advertising and budget strategies for both Facebook Ads and Google Ads, whereas he will independently focus on other social platforms.

Apendix 1: Qualtrics Survey

Appendix 1 (Qualtrics Survey)
Survey Overview

The age of Boy Band Builder’s website and lack of consistent visitors has made viewing certain data sets on Google Analytics unavailable due to user count thresholds not being met. To mitigate this discrepancy in user analytics, Group 4 developed a short Qualtrics survey with the hopes of understanding consumer constellations and behaviors within the card gaming community.

The primary goal of Group 4’s Qualtrics survey is to articulate the differences between self-reported hardcore and casual card/tabletop gamers to optimize the Boy Band Builder’s Google Display Ads and Facebook Ads campaigns. The survey questions were designed in such a way that the participants would first be informed about Boy Band Builder, then asked about their interests and habits.

With less than 10 participants so far, the survey results are showing that most consumers in the tabletop market consider themselves casual gamers with a primary affinity for categories under home & garden and lifestyle & hobbies and secondary affinities for beauty & wellness and shopping. While the survey’s primary affinity findings so far may not be surprising, understanding that beauty, wellness, and shopping habits exist as consumer constellations within the industry will help Group 4 align their Google Display Ads with related behaviors.

Following the Kickstarter campaign, the survey results will be used to offer Sam’s team direct recommendations for how to continue marketing Boy Band Builder’s Amazon page and its official website. For example, Figure 4 illustrates the initial questions that Group 4 has developed to better understand whether advertising Boy Band Builder on streaming and video platforms like Twitch and YouTube will be viable in the future.

Survey Challenges

One of the most challenging aspects for Group 4 on collecting survey data has been the dissemination process. The survey is published on social media platforms, Reddit, and forums within the tabletop community, but the response rate remains extremely low. Based on other surveys within the industry, Group 4 has established that the low response rate is likely due to a lack of incentives (such as a giveaway) and overall knowledge of Boy Band Builder. To improve the response rate during the final portion of the project, Group 4 will review the survey and to discuss new ways to disseminate it via an email list or the Boy Band Builder Kickstarter page.

Question 1: Have you heard of or visited the Boy Band Builder card game's Kickstarter page or website?

Answer Options: Yes/No

Question 2: Do you consider yourself a hardcore or casual tabletop gamer?

Answer Options: Hardcore/Casual

Question 3: What type of tabletop card games do you own? (Select all that apply)

Answer Options:

Comedy
Party
Role-playing
Casual (simple rulesets)
Hardcore (complex rulesets)
Other (Please specify)

Question 4: What type of tabletop card games do you play the most? (Select all that apply)

Answer Options:

Comedy
Party
Role-playing
Casual (simple rulesets)
Hardcore (complex rulesets)
Other (Please specify)

Question 5: How do you learn about new tabletop games? (Select all that apply)
Answer Options:

Personal research
Kickstarter.com
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Reddit
Online forums
Other (Please specify)

Question 6: What are your primary interests and hobbies? (Select all that apply)
Answer Options:

Banking & Finance
Beauty & Wellness
Food & Dining
Home & Garden
Lifestyles & Hobbies
Media & Entertainment
News & Politics
Shopping
Sports & Fitness
Technology
Travel
Vehicles & Transportation

Question 7: How often do you watch live streams of tabletop games?
Answer Options:

Not at all
1-4 hours a week
5-9 hours a week
+10 hours a week

Question 8: Which live stream platforms do you use the most? (Select all that apply)
Answer Options:

Twitch
Facebook
Reddit
YouTube
Other (Please specify)

Question 9: How much time do you spend watching videos on YouTube in a week?
Answer Options:

None at all
1-4 hours
5-9 hours
+10 hours

Question 10: What time of day do you spend the most time on the internet or your mobile device?
Answer Options:

12:00am - 6:00am
6:00am - 12:00pm
12:00pm - 6:00pm
6:00pm - 12:00am

Appendix 2 (Google Display Ad Campaign)

The team has developed a Google Display Ad campaign utilizing the following details. Although the GDN reports low conversion rates, its impression counts remain relatively high and will be used primarily for brand awareness.

Campaign Type: Display Ad
Strategy: Manual CPC
Target Site: Kickstarter Page
Average Daily Budget: $7.70
Bid Limit: $0.51
Ad Rotation: Optimized for best performing ads
Ad Schedule: All days & times
Start & End Dates: 11/01/2020 - 11/13/2020

Content Exclusions:

Mature audiences
Content not yet available
Tragedy & conflict
Sensitive social issues

Target Audience Demographics: U.S. & English speaking

Target Audience Affinity:

Technology
Shopping
Media & entertainment
Lifestyles & hobbies
Beauty & wellness

In-market Audiences:

Gifts & occasions
Seasonal shopping

Targeted Keywords:

Tabletop Kickstarter
Kickstarter card game
Kickstarter tabletop games
New card games
Fun card games
Best party card games
Family friendly card games
Funny card games
Boy band games
Best card games to play with friends

Targeted Content:

Card games
Humor
Family oriented games & activities
Fun & trivia
Music & audio
Pop music
Celebrities and entertainment news
Music reference

Appendix 3 (Facebook Ad Campaign)

Facebook Ad #1: Shop Now CTA Ad

Ad Goal: Get more button clicks

Headline: Boy Band Builder: The Card Game

Details:

Looking for a fresh new game to spice up your game night? Get your game night rolling with the all new boy band filled game, Boy Band Builder: The Card Game! Recruit your boys, train them up, and make it to the top of the charts! 2-4 players. Ages 13+.

Check us out on Kickstarter now!

Ad 1 Analytics:
Goal: Promote Your Page
Total Cost: $24.90
Duration: 5 Days (10/5 - 10/10)
Reach: 668
Likes/Post Engagements: 16
Cost Per Page Like/Engagement: $1.56

Facebook Ad #2: Game Night Engagement

Ad Goal: Increase audience for BBC Live Streams/Gameplays

Headline: Boy Band Game Night

Details:

Come join the Good-Good Games in a few rounds of our upcoming game Boy Band Builder on TableTopia at (TIME/DATE)! Talk with us for a chance to win a free copy of the game, as well as share what games you’re playing, thoughts on the BBB, and why 98 Degrees is the best.

Support us on Kickstarter: (LINK)

Live Now! (LINK)

Ad 2 Analytics:
Goal: Post Engagements
Total Cost: $2.48
Duration: Stopped Early 10/21
Reach: 349
Likes/Post Engagements: 0
Cost Per Page Like/Engagement: 0

Facebook Ad #3:

Ad Goal: Website Conversions

Headline: Last Chance to be Part of the Band!

Details:

We are in our last week of our Kickstarter and we are nearly funded! Don’t miss your chance to be one of the original BBB fans and supporters. Check out our Kickstarter Page today and join us before it’s too late!

Ad 3 Analytics:
Goal: Post Engagements
Total Cost: $93.05
Duration: 4 Days (10/25 - 10/29)
Reach: 1411
Likes/Post Engagements: 722
Cost Per Page Like/Engagement: $0.13

Analytics

The analytics data was taken from 3 prior Facebook ads created by Sam to boost outreach and engagement. It should be noted that the ads were unspecified in audience demographics (location, age, interests). Analytics will be used in the team’s future campaigns for better audience targeting.

References

Phase 3: Evaluation and Recommendations

Executive Summary

During Phase 2, Group 4 planned and implemented a social media content plan and paid advertising campaigns through Google and Facebook for Boy Band Builder: The Card Game. While each campaign was conducted with specific objectives and KPIs in mind, the overall goal was to establish brand awareness and increase conversions on the Boy Band Builder Kickstarter page.

On November 13th, Boy Band Builder’s Kickstarter campaign successfully ended with a total pledge of $4,680, roughly $200 over its goal. The next step in Boy Band Builder’s business plan is to print the cards, partner with and sell through a third party storefront, and distribute the cards to Kickstarter backers.

Moving forward, Group 4 has created and distributed categorical recommendations for Sam to integrate into Boy Band Builder’s brand strategy. Group 4’s high level recommendations include consistent Facebook posts via the official Boy Band Builder account and direct communication with potential partners through Facebook messenger and email. Intermediate level recommendations include comprehensive website revisions and paid media approaches through Google and Facebook. Finally, Group 4’s concrete level recommendations for Boy Band Builder include a five month Facebook content plan, Google Ads guide, Google Analytics guide, and Facebook Ads guide.

Taking into account Sam’s available time to manage Boy Band Builder’s social strategy, Group 4 has developed a weekly post calendar for Boy Band Builder’s Facebook, including headlines, captions, and image choices that can be copied directly into Facebook and published with minimal changes. Likewise, many of the posts have been optimized for paid boosting or conversion to Facebook Ads if Sam chooses to do so.

Up until Phase 2, Group 4 had focused on Boy Band Builder’s social and paid media strategies. Now, as Boy Band Builder prepares for its official launch over the next several months, Group 4 has consulted Sam on key improvements for the brand’s website, such as replacing Kickstarter information with partnered retailers’ information, integrating a security certificate into the website’s domain, and improving readability across different resolutions and devices.

Each recommendation listed later in this report was created with the intention of building excitement for Boy Band Builder’s tentative spring release date, nurturing existing customer relationships and establishing new ones, as well as organizing a seamless transition from Kickstarter to online retailers.

Situational Analysis

Boy Band Builder’s Current Digital Strategy

Boy Band Builder did not have a digital marketing strategy at the start of the project. The company’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts are launched, but minimal content has been released. Sam Geer provided links to all digital content that has been created thus far. For the social media audit, the team used these links primarily for review. The team’s primary focus was to promote Boy Band Builder via social media and its Kickstarter campaign page leading up to, and throughout, the campaign’s duration.

Consumer Analysis

Kickstarter Backers Goals

A Kickstarter backer’s primary goal is to invest in projects that align with their personal interests, are innovative, and solve their consumer needs.
A Kickstarter backer’s secondary goals include to promote prosocial behaviors, being a part of a community that invests in a variety of industries’ thought leaders, and innovators.
Backers want to be a part of the creative process, including having access to consistent updates and contact with the campaign creators throughout its duration.

Kickstarter Backers Key Behaviors

Kickstarter updates (both on and off the campaign’s website) are vital to showing backers that the campaign is legitimate.
Backers rely on both direct (person-to-person) and indirect (social media) communication to share Kickstarter campaigns they have backed.
Although exclusive Kickstarter rewards incentivize backers to donate higher dollar amounts, backers tend to initially invest based on project interest, and the creator’s intangible goals and narrative.
Millennials, who make up a considerable portion of Kickstarter backers, prefer shopping for products online and in mobile apps.
Millennial minimalism is driving economic and product changes out of 2020, paradoxically to the expectation that same-day or 1-day shipping is expected when buying products online.

Tabletop Gamers Goals

The target audience’s primary goal is to have access to a comical tabletop game that is casual enough for parties and public settings, but intricate enough to be enjoyed by dedicated gaming circles.
Although there are digital versions of many tabletop games, the target audience typically seeks games that offer a way to get people together in real life. To mitigate the risks of COVID, the target market may have temporarily adapted this goal to align more-so with the digital market.

Tabletop Gamers Goals Key Behaviors

Tabletop gamers’ primary purchase games from Amazon, local game stores, and Kickstarter.
Of 545 respondents in 2017, 71% stated that they learn about new games through word-of-mouth.
40% of respondents most frequently play tabletop games at home, while roughly ⅓ play at local game stores, and a similar percentage play at a friend’s house.
18% of respondents reported playing games that usually involve at least one stranger.
Of roughly 380 respondents that reported backing a crowdfunded tabletop game, 90% only back on Kickstarter, and 9% back on both Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
Based on reviews and successfully backed projects, the target market reacts strongly to comical Kickstarter campaigns in the tabletop games category.

Tabletop Game Crowdfunding Factors by importance

Clear explanation of gameplay and rules
Well-written Kickstarter campaign (Clear narrative & free of grammatical errors)
Frequent campaign updates and customer service responses
Well-made trailer video
Kickstarter campaign stretch-goals
Kickstarter campaign creator’s previous successful projects
Kickstarter/Indiegogo exclusive backer rewards

Digital Marketing Opportunities

Gain insights through competitor analysis and research to find marketing strategies/solutions and create a concrete content marketing editorial plan that will increase brand awareness and follower base prior to Kickstarter launch and increase “backers” base post Kickstarter launch
Use keywords and PPC research to see where we should target our audience to increase website traffic, increase follower base, and increase engagement.
Add KickStarter “Back Now” CTAs to BoyBandBuilder.com, social media posts, and the end of Boy Band Builder’s YouTube trailer.

Social Media Strategy and Revisions

Following the team's situational analysis in Phase 1, Sam was given advice for handling/publishing to Boy Band Builder’s social accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Due to the limited time available to create a marketing campaign that would effectively promote and garner funding for the Boy Band Builder Kickstarter campaign, recommendations were generally high-level and referred to best practices for posting on each platform and auditing existing content.

Before the team began focusing on paid media campaigns for Boy Band Builder’s Kickstarter in Phase 2 of the project, concrete level recommendations were given to Sam regarding direct outreach to prospective partners on Twitter and establishing Boy Band Builder’s Facebook account as the primary channel of the brand’s social strategy.

Google Display Campaign

Objectives & KPI: Create brand awareness and attract 300 new Kickstarter campaign visitors.

Description:

Dates: 11/04 - 11/06 (United States only)
Destination: Boy Band Builder Kickstarter page
Daily budget: $7.70
Bidding Strategy: CPC ($0.51)
Interests & Habits: Shoppers, Media & Entertainment, Beauty & Wellness + 2 more
What they are actively researching or planning: Gifts & Occasions, Seasonal Shopping
Positive Keywords: Kickstarter card game, Kickstarter tabletop games + 8 more
Topics: Music & Audio, Celebrities & Entertainment News, Card Games + 6 more
Exclusions: Mature content, Sensitive social issues, Tragedy and conflict

Performance

Impressions: 23.8k
Clicks: 261
Average CPC: $0.19
Cost: $49.71

Revision

Originally, the Boy Band Builder Google Display Ad was to run from November 1st-13th, ending alongside the Kickstarter campaign. Due to initial issues with Boy Band Builder’s multimedia assets, the ads were not launched until the 4th. With the remaining budget allotted to the Google Ads network, Group 4 consulted Sam and decided to test YouTube’s skippable ads using the game’s official trailer for the duration of the Kickstarter campaign.

YouTube Ads Campaign

Objective & KPI: Get more website traffic and drive conversions to fund the final hundred dollars last week of the campaign.

Ad Used (YouTube Video): A sub-30 second video cut of the same video atop the Kickstarter campaign webpage for the game.

Description:

Total Budget: $50
Start/end date: November 9th through November 13th.
Destination: YouTube and Google Video Partners Network
Bidding Strategy: Maximize Conversions
Selected Keywords: games, card games, board games, party games, boy bands boyband
Selected Topics: Games, Arts & Entertainment
Selected audiences: Media & Entertainment, Seasonal Shoppers, Comics and Animation Fans, Drawing & Animation Software, Lifestyles & Hobbies, Technology

Performance:

Impressions: 4.78K
Clicks: 24
Avg. CPV (Cost Per View): $0.08
Views: 512
View rate: 10.70%
Cost: $42.98

Revision:

Launching the YouTube campaign was more of an afterthought in lieu of the Google Display Ads campaign’s performance, so in the future, prioritizing YouTube Video Ads and setting aside a dedicated budget for reach would have been beneficial for the campaign.

Facebook Ad Campaign

Objective & KPI: Expand communications with current Facebook followers and attract 200 new Kickstarter campaign visitors.

Ad 1: Boost Website Visitors

Description:

Dates: 11/4 - 11/14 (United States Only)
Purpose: To attract new visitors to the BBB Kickstarter page for potential backers
Destination: Boy Band Builder Kickstarter Page
Budget: $10 per day; $99.79 total

Audience Details:

Location: United States
Age: 18-44
Audience Interests: Kickstarter, Dance music, Crowdfunding, Pop music, Board games, Strategy games or Card games

Performance:

Reach: 37,257
Post Engagement: 134
Link Clicks: 125
Post Reactions: 8
Cost per Link Click: $0.80

Ad 2: Post Engagements/Extra Life Event

Description:

Dates: 11/7 - 11/8 (United States Only)
Purpose: To alert new individuals and current followers to BBB’s charity event/playthrough of the game
Destination: Break My Game’s Extra Life Page (charity event stream); Boy Band Builder Kickstarter Page
Budget: $30 per day; $29.89 total

Audience Details:

Location: United States
Ages: 18-40
Audience Interests: Kickstarter, Dance music, Tabletop game, Popular music, Party game, Crowdfunding, Pop music, Board games or Card games

Performance:

Reach: 478
Post Engagements: 193
Post Reactions: 188
Link Clicks: 4
Cost per Engagement: $0.15

Revisions Going Forward

Grammar and formatting edits on Facebook content
Changed 2nd advertisement to boost a post that coincided with a charity event occurring that weekend. Goal was to extend reach to our current target audience into attending the charity stream when Boy Band Builder was spotlighted
Dropped 3rd advertisement due to Kickstarter being funded and instead created a posts announcing the Kickstarter being funded and encouraging followers to support the Kickstarter before the campaign ended. (i.e., how you changed the tactic, if applicable)
Updated images to match the BBB tone/theme, including text for important information and call-to-action to attract viewers

Recommendations: High Level

Facebook
To maintain a branded voice and the interest of new customers between now and spring 2021, when the official Boy Band Builder game will be distributed, Sam will need to consistently post on Boy Band Builder’s Facebook page. Based on Sam’s available time and assets, the team has provided a weekly Facebook posting schedule that utilizes multimedia, captions, related hashtags, and call-to-actions. Sam has access to the outlined posts via a calendar spreadsheet, which simply requires copy-and-pasting over the necessary content to Facebook and publishing one post each week.

Co-branding & Collaboration
In addition to our recommendation for Sam to focus on posting consistently on Facebook, the team has provided a large, but non-comprehensive list of potential co-branding and collaborative opportunities. Most of these opportunities come in the form of gaming-centric bars and cafes, tabletop blogs, and tabletop storefronts for Sam to communicate with on Facebook. Accompanying the list of brands will be a set of keyword ideas for Sam to research in the future when he attempts to add new prospective partners to the list.

Alongside the initial list of potential partners, the team has provided Sam with several prompts that need only to be copy-and-pasted into a direct message. While the prompts focus on opening a door to partnerships and remain professional, each embodies a consistent voice with the rest of the Boy Band Builder’s assets. Likewise, the team has encouraged Sam to separate his personal voice from the Boy Band Builder social assets and maintain a branded voice when communicating with both customers and collaborators.

Recommendations: Intermediate Level

Paid Media
Should Sam wish to reintegrate a paid media strategy into Boy Band Builder’s marketing campaign moving forward, the team recommends that the Google Ad and Facebook Ad networks continue as its primary advertising platforms.

Due to Boy Band Builder’s inventory of multimedia assets and the team’s paid media results in phase 2 of this project, a combination of Google Display ads, skippable YouTube Ads, and Facebook ads should be utilized for maximum impressions and brand awareness in the final month leading up to the game’s initial distribution. Likewise, depending on the digital storefront that Sam decides to partner with, directly promoting Boy Band Builder through the storefront’s paid promotions may be viable. The team will provide Sam with a comprehensive guide for setting up Google and Facebook advertisements, including related keywords, so that switching to a new advertising platform is as painless as possible if that route is taken.

Website
During the Kickstarter campaign, Boy Band Builder’s website was set up with the goal of pointing potential customers toward the campaign through a call-to-action button at the top of the page. Now that the campaign is successfully backed, the team recommends that the website should focus on pointing visitors to the digital version of Boy Band Builder on Tabletop Simulator, highlight the game contents for new customers, garner Facebook followers, and communicate an estimated time of distribution to continue building excitement.

Key website recommendations include:

Adding security credentials to BoyBandBuilder.com (https://)
Create a more effective landing page by bringing the game’s trailer to the top of the page.
Adding the Facebook icon to the website’s header, or replacing the Kickstarter call-to-action button with a Follow Us on Facebook button.
Revise the website’s text and background formatting, ensuring all text is visible on various screen resolutions.
Integrate a header menu and give the Boy Band Builder name generator its own page.
Replace Kickstarter information with distribution information and a call-to-action button for the storefront’s web page when available.

Aside from formatting and layout revisions, one of the most important recommendations for Boy Band Builder’s website moving forward is to get the security certificate that adds the “https://” at the beginning of the domain. Without this credential, a website visitor’s browser may warn them that the website is potentially not secure or unsafe, and the website’s search engine rankings may suffer.

Recommendations: Concrete Level

At the concrete level, the team has provided Sam with 4 comprehensive guides to simplify content planning, analytics, and implementation for Boy Band Builder’s future marketing campaigns.

The following guides have been prepared and distributed:

Content Plan Template containing 5 months of Facebook posts
Facebook Ad Guide
Google Ads/YouTube Ad Guide
Google Analytics Glossary/Guide

Each guide takes into account Sam’s limited time to manage Boy Band Builder’s media platforms and is intended to second as a template for Boy Band Builder’s brand strategy moving out of the Kickstarter campaign and toward distribution on a third party storefront.

References