The Gaming "Niche"

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85
Hello Warriors

As a 22 year old male who has been a gamer for a good 10 years, I have always wondered if there was ever a way to make a living from this passion that didn't require being part of a games development team.

Although I have been in IM for about 3 years, I have never once tackled the gaming niche simply because it always looked very over saturated and quite daunting.

But I was curious, who on this forum is in the gaming niche? And does anyone have any advice or comments on it?

Thanks
#main internet marketing discussion forum #gaming #niche

  • Did you ever buy any guides or reports when you were gaming?

    If not what did you buy that was gamine related?

    Answer those 2 questions and you'll know if it's a good niche
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  • Tons of ways!

    Some gamers blogs KILL it! others review games, others give tips on games, cheats.. etc...

    Some people generalise the games, and others are more specific!

    You could have a mobile app game... There's lots of ways!

    I know someone who specialized in WOW... And was coining it in!

    Everything takes hard work... but I Hope this helps!

    Craig C
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  • [DELETED]
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    • If you narrow down the game which you are interested in I may be able to help FIFA is monetized a different way from say WOW or DOTA etc...
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  • You can make bank with Wow, I did.

    Anything where you can sell a few info products i.e. guides
    is a great way to make money from the gaming niches.

    If you just create content in those niches & put banners
    on your site, you can make money.. it's a fairly easy niche
    to convert imo.
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    • Do you have an opinion on whether its better to go specifically for sub niches? Example, a website or blog designed for a specific class. Or whether its better to go for an overall website designed for just gaming as a whole?
  • I used to write video game reviews and upload them to one of my blogs. I got a decent amount of traffic but then I decided to switch the niche of my website (bad idea) and now I have no idea what to do with it. I actually love the gaming niche but I haven't put a lot of effort into building a website on it yet. Maybe I will soon.
  • I spent like 30 minutes writing one article on how to fix the Xbox 360 (but left the directions very vague), gets roughly 80 visitors daily from search. Anyway, tried promoting a 3 dollar download guide on how to fix it. Total sales per month is like 3, at best! Think this type of audience don't own credit cards.
  • You could also try affiliate marketing gaming paraphernalia. Like headsets, mice, consoles, graphics cards, etc. I actually want to set up a new gaming website. I would go for it if I was you.
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  • Ok I think I am going to give this a try. Baby steps at first.

    I won't be buying a domain or hosting, I will try see how much interest I can get with what ever good quality content I can put up on a free blog. But I am curious if anyone out there has any ideas on what I should be doing?

    As in, which site should I create the blog with? And what type of content do you think I should focus on? Reviews? News on up coming titles?

    Any input would be helpful. Thanks!

    Edit: Also, people always say the money is in the list. Is there any way to build a "list" in the gaming niche?
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    • Dude this is a rookie error... Please read http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ne-basket.html before you consider starting a business on someone elses platform!

      The price of a domain and hosting is so cheap it is unreal, this is a business, fork out the 10 dollars a month!
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
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  • You should definitely get a domain and hosting.
    Review/commentary videos are good ones.
  • The first Internet Marketing success story I ever heard was about a 13-year old kid who made several hundred grand selling a "cheats" list for some game. Of course, the copycats piled on and the rest is history.

    You're in a really good position with your background. You've gotten some good suggestions but sometimes the answer isn't so obvious. Ask yourself what do gamers want the most?

    I wrote a landing page for a guy once. He was an affiliate for this high-powered gaming mouse. I figured gamers are mostly young males, lots of testosterone and cocky. I realize that's an over generalization but it fits many of the players.

    So I wrote the page from the perspective of this geeky wannabe who got hold of this magic mouse thingy and started smokin' all the studs in a few online game rooms. Appeal to vanity. Works all the time. The guy's click throughs went from like 10% to 50+% in a day.

    So what do gamers want? One thing they want, apparently, is bragging rights.
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    • Little bit of marketing gold given away so easily!
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  • Also, split out your demographics and target one unique demo.

    People have a big misconception about where the money is coming from in video games these days (hint - it is not teenage boys). Gaming is a massive industry, and one that is going to keep getting bigger.

    I'd consider one of the more unique demographics and then go to town there. For example, that there is an entire segment just starting about using Minecraft for teaching. How about you create guides for teachers about how to design and create teaching activities in Minecraft? Yes, there are a few sites already, but this is just an example.

    Something else to think about. You know those 40 year old guys who are still doing everything they can to hang with the 18 year olds on the basketball court? They are paying for surgery, training, gear, everything to hang on and prove they can still compete. The gaming demographic, with money to spend, is that same guy. Can you make him feel like your stuff will make him able to beat the 18 year old in Halo?
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    • Exactly. What do your customers want?
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  • I'm in the gaming niche as well, but I make silly skit videos and try to monetize the ad revenue. Right now, I'm trying to build my fanbase with the money I get from the IM niche (my main source of income)

    Once I get a bigger fanbase, I'll start adding merchandise in the mix and that's where the real money will start coming in.
  • So much talk of people killing it in the gaming niche, but I am yet to see any example. Apart from the obvious big ones being run by multiple people.
  • just find some good source of trafic
    and you will put some cpa offers
    that would do the trick
    people in gaming always want free games
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  • The gaming niche is a very big market with a lot a sub-niches that can be monitized, so yes, you could definitely make a living from it.

    My nephew used to be an article writer for some of the top gaming sites and he actually employed most of the techniques that we learn about and implement ourselves in IM. The big thing he didn't do was monetise it, but if he had done then I'm sure he could have gone on to be very successful. Also, I know of a Warrior here who does very well with Facebook fan pages in the gaming niche.

    It's already been said but what would the customers want? What would they be willing to pay for? Can you provide it to them? Find a need and meet the demand, putting your own twist on it in the process
  • You should do a search for Peng Joon he got started in the gaming niche and has a bunch of successful clickbank products. You don't even need to look for him you can just go to clickbank and see what products have the highest gravity in the gaming niche.
  • Hi Ben,

    i don't know if you are still looking for a product in the video game arena, i'm involved with a product that will be pre-launching at the end of this month that you may like. If interested I'd like to share more info with you when it goes live. I'm pretty excited about it and think you will be also.
  • I know this was an old post brought up today, but our site urgentfury.com is an example of a site that makes money purely off of ads... we average about $200 per month or so with no work at all. I saw that you were looking for examples.

    We are kind of dry right now while we wait for our community to convert over to PS4 but we run tournaments and such for PlayStation games.

    I also work with several gaming blogs that do well The Game Fanatics - United We Game! All things video game culture. and Radio PlayStation helping promote their artilces and promoting their brand.
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    • question how did you initially get traffic to your site and or still do? At 200$ a month I doubt you are paying for any advertisement is why i ask
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  • There is massive potential in this
    Just make sure whenever there is new version of any famous game launching like NFS or COD
    You get it at first availability and start making walkthroughs and guides, make bundle of videos, infact when ever he is playing ask him to keep his screen recorder on, then just upload em to Youtube and dailymotion
    Also if you can find some secret, cheat then it gets a lot attention on Youtube and other social sites regarding video sharing
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    • Except back in the 90's guides were worth the 30$ because games were actually long and harder back then. Now games are all about graphics and under 12hrs.

      Plus info is free, gamefaqs, etc etc



      Another problem, gamers are usually pretty smart. And are probably in IM themselves. The stupid kids however dont have credit cards.

      One guy writing a guide for cod stands little chance...it would take you a month to write it and by that time there would be 6000 free resources on gaming site already.

      The way I see it is you have to get specific and be an expert on something like minecraft...if there isnt already a ton of those.

      If you reviewed games in a comical but informative and somehow expanded into a well known reviewer from sheer personality id probably watch it......the typical ign and gamespot reviews always seemed lame.

      idfk
  • You may be going after the wrong games if you are targeting games <12 hrs.

    Many games are actually going longer or lasting indefinitely - MMORPG - because they can retain the gamer longer and continue to sell to them with in game buys, new games and products.

    That's why some can base their entire income on WoW.

    The value of the player is such that many companies run CPA campaigns for free trial offers that pay anywhere from $2-$10+ per sign up. Lower if you're just grabbing an email, higher if they actually register an account.

    And if you run a nice blog or have a mailing list you can send them to the CPA free trial.

    You have a small list of 300 gamers and send a review of the new game (hey get a free trial right? May as well test it out and tell your list) and a link to the CPA offer to sign up.

    How many aren't going to sign up for a free trial?

    Say only 30% register a free account and screw around for a while? Whats 100 x $10?

    I know Star Trek Online CPA were popping up all over file share sites/gaming blogs for a while and very frequently so you know these affiliates were making buck on their CPC.

    YouTube is great for traffic. Do a screen capture or image slide video showing how to sign-up, create an account and some introductory play. Players look for game videos all the time on YouTube - especially reviews, how to's and demos.

    Send the traffic to your blog, CPA offer or squeeze page.

    Anyway, just one idea.

    Don't worry about competition in the niche.

    You can beat that like any other competitive niche. Find your angle or sub-niche. Look at the competition to see how you can get in. Research what people are looking for. Find/create products that meet their needs. Build relationships and traffic. Build a list!

    As gaming is such a social niche to start with social media campaigns work well YouTube, Facebook, Twitter. Talk to people.

    Anyway you should be encouraged by the size and competition- it's because there is money to be made there.

    And since you love gaming it won't be hard to talk to people about it.

    Your Blog Comments and forum posts will be useful. Your knowledge and jargon will brand you as authentic.

    And if your greatest fear comes true and you fall on your face you'll still have learned all about research, SEO, traffic and monetization that you can apply to a different niche that you hate.

    Like removing pimples from teenagers' faces.

    Mahlon
  • If you are an online game enthusiast try to make a review or write an article about it. Create a blog and create a buzz, then get some advertisers. If you love what you are doing then there is no doubt you can make a living from it.
  • I was promoting one gaming offer in Peerfly and still am (with free traffic) and made some conversions like 20+ in 2 mths. I just wish I had the money and blast it on an effective ad network! I know it WORKS.
  • It's possible, but if you aren't going to be building the games, it's extremely difficult and expensive. It will take at least 3 years to build up the authority and the reward is a customer base that is inherently cheap.
  • Want a cool way to profit from gaming?

    Tell them how to make money.

    1. Write an ebook on the subject.
    2. Create a squeeze page (free ways to make money from gaming)
    3. GIVE them free ways to make money
    4. Promote your paid ebook (hosted on Click Bank or Ejunkie, for instance.)

    Trust me, it works.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Do YouTube videos, guides, how to's, tricks, tips etc. Then when you build up a following sign up to be a YouTube partner.
  • You are right it is oversaturated and daunting.

    So if you want to get into it, be prepared to go through a lot of trouble and pain – what will all the changes that Google keeps making.

    All the best. Regards.
  • Assuming you have a dynamic personality and good speaking voice, you might do well at Youtube gaming videos. Many famous Youtube gamers including Pewdiepie and Cupquake who are receiving millions of video views and earning a full time income off Youtube partnership.
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    • Lots of competition for this route as most gamers imagine they are good game play creators, when most are not. And, I'd be skeptical about going this direction, considering how many others are already there before you. If you really feel drawn into this direction, just do a few videos and share with friends, get feedback and see where it leads.
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  • You could also try a fansite; dedicated to one game, with news, articles, and guides for that game, and most importantly: a community.

    There are a number of upcoming games, Star Citizen, Shroud of the Avatar, Pantheon, Camelot Unchained, that are or have been running Kickstarter campaigns some extremely successfully.

    Star Citizen for instance has raised $36 million from crowd funding which shows that it should be an extremely popular game (if the devs don't muck it up.) Building a fansite around SC should be a no brainer... Hmmm on the other hand, no it won't. Disregard what I said while I go look for a domain name...
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    • Or create a site thats a hub of 3 sites

      StarMineWarcraft.com
  • I would set up tournament sites for specific games. I know Gamebattles and MLG does this but it's not that targeted because they have a lot of games they host tournaments for.

    For example. I enjoyed playing Halo back in the day so I would work to set up a website specifically for online Halo tournaments. Obviously you would have a money prize for the winning team.

    You can come up with that based on how many participants show up and offer incentives for participants.

    For every participant you get to join a tournament using a specific refferal link you'll get some type of reward.

    I would then promote it using targeted PPC with targeted ad copy of course.
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    • I was also looking for some warriors with the gaming niche blog, website, fanpage or video channel to cooperate, if you are the one, message me please.
  • Banned
    Review sites, walkthroughs, youtube gameplay channels.

    If you did those in your free time you would amass a following just ebcause gaming is so huge.
  • So many people are addicted to gaming. It's definitely a niche people are buying in. I've seen the most amazing following of videos on youtube even from videos of just some guys playing the game. Thousands and thousands of views for these videos on youtube. I know because my kids watch them all the time. Just get in to it!
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    • Why not try combining niches?

      People aren't solely interested in one thing. People who like games are also interested in other things. Off the top of my head, dating is one thing which I think a lot of gamers are interested in. The thing is there aren't any dating guides/sites/products that are created for gamers by gamers (not that I've seen, I wouldn't be surprised though).

      How about something specifically for female gamers? Maybe something about how to get into the games industry? How about a site that reviews game creation software? Maybe a product which teaches people how to market a game?

      Try to expand your search. Keep the gaming niche in mind but look into related niches. I've found most people are fairly restricted in their thinking and will generally go after the most obvious ideas. If you can get creative, you'll probably find something which isn't already covered.
  • It seems like video reviewing games for a living is becoming increasingly hard as it's much more competitive now that both the PS4 and Xbone make sharing gameplay footage so much easier. Also Youtube are pulling many videos containing gameplay footage on copyright grounds.

    Maybe a website containing news, updates, and written reviews of a specific genre of games such as RPGs would be popular? You could make money using Amazon affiliate links to the products in question.
  • Banned
    Gaming isn't a niche! It's a damn market! Learn the difference for one...for two, there is a way to earn in every market.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Mumble, mumble...
    Thank you Warriors for the brain food!

    One of many niches am considering now is this very one,
    but with a different twist:
    only Android Games/Apps
    + mobile optimized web
    + gaming guides/videos as products...

    Hoping it opens more widely your developments,
    best regards.

    Adrian
  • I had a site years ago, back in 2008 that focused on a specific game. Now, at the time I started the site, the game wasn't even out yet. So I had preview videos, news about the game, release date information, preorder links to amazon, etc etc. Then, when the game actually released I had guides, hints, walkthroughs, etc. It evolved over time. I even eventually added a forum that had about 500 active members.

    Eventually the game aged and the site fell off. That's just how it goes. But using what I learned, I could do it again and again for any game I wanted.

    Maybe try finding a game that isn't quite out yet, but has a lot of people excited. Then, build a site out around it. I'm also a diehard gamer, so that helps!
  • u can always promote gaming offers via fb ads
  • I want to try the idea with making a niche keyword website with list of MMO games and review them a bit, the sign up for some affiliate network that has offers such as CPL, CPS for online games, you know ? You can check this thread - http://www.warriorforum.com/ad-netwo...-networks.html
  • I've earned something on icy-veins.
  • I've been in the PC Gaming niche for a while and have built / sold / own a lot of companies ranging from 6-8 figures in size.

    It is one thing to be an enthusiast in PC Gaming. There are around 300 million people like that. It is an entirely different world to have a strong sense of business, technical skills, programming knowledge, engineering abilities, entrepreneurial abilities, a strong work ethic, a sense of invention, and so on.

    If you posses the above talents and are passionate about PC Gaming then you can easily make millions in this field per year.
  • If we have a full demand on its details, then we can easily enter into the gaming world. Actually, Gaming technology is developing very quickly and also get the profitable income in a short period of time.
  • my adsense shows me that there are over 80-130 viewers each day on my website but most of them doesn't klick the adds. ID there any trick to enlarge the number of klick?
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    • The gaming niche is quite easy to monetize if you offer the right products.

      Some time ago I wrote a free ebook about it

      https://mega.co.nz/#!2cERHb6a!C8lQ_3...PcMarKGtWepJK4

      So here is the cool thing - you won't be forcing or convincing
      anyone to buy something they don't really want [the problem with most
      affiliate programs]. You'll be offering people a product they want to buy in
      a great price! That's like a wonderland of affiliate programs.
  • Good thread. I've been interested in gaming since I was a kid & they have only gotten bigger & better with time. Actually getting my PS4 on Black Friday It's awesome that you can make some money with the eBook idea & just from making related ads.
  • I have a game site called for more then five years.
    I built and promoted the site by myself, and now the site is successful with 5,000 visits per day.
    The secret is to put good games, and to provide easy to use game site.
  • Gaming is a very profitable niche, and there's competition. With that said, any niche worth being a part of will have competition. It just means there's more money to be made. I say go for it. While I"m not a gamer, I do buy games for my nephew and stuff like that. I recommend that you cross promote products in addition to promoting the games.

    I also know that gaming channels are really popular on Youtube. That alone can make you a full-time income and beyond. Once you build a following on YT, you can also promote t-shirts and stuff like that with some of your popular catch phrases on them using one of those popular third-party sites like Spread Shirt or Tee Spring.

    Good luck,
    Joey
  • When I started reading your first post, I felt like I was writing it myself. I've also been a passionate gamer ever since I remember... My whole life I've been told by my parents, friends, girlfriends, and strangers that I spent way too much time playing games and that it won't help me in life. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a social freak in real life, but gaming has been a LARGE part of my life for the past 10 years.

    Guess what happened, one day (about 4 years ago) I learned that money can be earned online, my niche? Well GAMING of course, been doing it ever since, made dozens of thousands of dollars since 2011, and I am 100% sure I am an individual who has spent the least amount of hours working for this - I think of myself as lazy, now after I've gained so much experience in this field, I cannot believe how much I have earned, considering how LITTLE work I have put in.

    I am also pretty sure I would have made millions by now if I ever took IM as a real-life job and worked 8h/day with it.

    That said, I'm now looking for a partner to develop somekind of a gaming website and everything that goes along with it, and start making real bank.

    I'll actually create a new thread tomorrow on looking for partners
  • Without any success in the niche myself, i think it really applies to most of the top niches.. you're either #1-5 or the efforts never pay back.

    As my personal example:

    #1 domains, but i received not a single offer since 2010.. not even $$
    http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ro-offers.html
  • Yes there is.

    There are so many ways to make money in the gaming niche:

    1. Make a YouTube channel uploading videos related to gaming. Could be on news, gameplay, walkthroughs, reviews, etc. Pick one you like, and that you're good at. You can expand later.

    2. Start a Twitch stream and just stream your games. Try to get traction and get subscribers to your Twitch account.

    3. Create a gaming blog reviewing games and posting gaming news. A couple of years ago I did this and got a blog to 2,000 views a day in a couple of weeks.

    Pick one of the three things above and get good at it.

    Once you get good, you can mix all 3 things together to create an ultimate marketing plan.

    Good luck

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  • 85

    Hello Warriors As a 22 year old male who has been a gamer for a good 10 years, I have always wondered if there was ever a way to make a living from this passion that didn't require being part of a games development team.