How to Create a Steam Page for Your Video Game That Sells

Great games have a conversion rate of 19% to 30% on Steam, while average games clock around 5% to 7% (according to data from GamesIndustry.biz). However, most of the games that hit Steam never earn their investment back. Why? Because gaming is a competitive industry. You are pitching against names that sell millions of copies. 

Marketing won’t be easy, so you’ll need a sound game launch strategy if you want to make it on Steam. The 100 top games generate most of the revenues, and even if you don’t think your game will make it there, you should still aim to join the higher ranks if you want to survive. Most game marketers develop a launch strategy that solely focuses on their Steam listings. After all, your page on Steam is a store. It should be appealing, engaging and optimized to attract customers. We will teach you some easy yet effective ways to enhance your Steam page to help you attract more gamers, convert them into paying customers and be a part of the ever-growing games market.

1. Build trust

You can write paragraph after paragraph stating all the good things about your game. But that’s not going to cut it. Overpraising your game will likely result in gamers leaving your page, as it doesn’t seem authentic. The trick to hooking people is to build trust. Unless you are a AAA gaming company, gamers will need some push to place their trust in your brand. Treat your Steam page as a portal for educating your customers. Gamers want to know more about the experience of playing the game. So, you should show and tell as much as you can without selling yourself too much.

What to do

1. Make a good video or trailer for your game. Don't just go for a slideshow of screenshots. Create a good video that gives gamers an idea of what they can expect when they play. You can feature live gaming scenes, too, for extra impact. 
2. Use a lot of images, thumbnails, and visual clues. Make your page all about the experience of your game. These should be attractive, engaging and should show the true essence of your game. Invite visitors into your game using your Steam page.
3. Write a good description. It's the perfect place to pitch for your game and say what's special. Include some select images here too. Try using hooks to attract gamers. 
4. Check out some similar game pages that perform well on Steam. Their layout, videos, copy, imagery and user interaction (i.e. downloads, reviews etc.) will give you an idea of what we mean.

What not to do

1. Never lie in your description or anywhere on your Steam page. Always be honest. Do not show screenshots or videos that misrepresent your game, and nor should you describe it in a way that is misleading. This will only lead to negative reviews as you will have promised something you didn’t deliver.

Think of your Steam page as your game's landing page. It's important to attract gamers and persuade them to buy or play your game. Work consistently to build trust on Steam and other platforms. 

We understand that building trust can be difficult. That’s why we’ve got another guide created specifically for game devs that will help you generate this loyalty among your players. Find out more in Game Brand Trust: 6 Strategies to Get Gamers on Your Side.

2. Great UX sells 

A good UX is crucial for the success of any game. A messed up user experience leaves a bad taste in the gamer's mouth even if the plot or gameplay is amazing. If you’ve put in the effort to make playing the game a good experience, then you’ve got to make sure that buying the game is too. The importance of good UX extends to almost everything that a user comes across, including your Steam page. That's why a singular bad experience on a website makes visitors 88% less likely to access the page again, according to a study by BrightScout. An appealing Steam page with a good UX is important for any PC game marketing strategy. You need to provide a good experience to gamers while they are on your Steam page. Here are some tips you can follow to optimize your Steam page:

• Start with using the right amount of images in the right places. Use your best image or logo in the information snippet on the right-side of your video and image slideshow. Write an attractive yet concise description. 
• Link to any news coverage, press releases, or updates about your game.
• Sprinkle the right amount of images in the slideshow. Don't overload your screen with meaningless pictures that create a visual overload. 
• Be thorough with your game's system requirements. It also contributes to user experience.
• Images and thumbnails should be informative. They should reveal something about your game apart from just looking good.
• Update your screenshots and thumbnails when you introduce or change a feature. Your Steam page also serves as a communication platform with your gamers.
• Don’t be afraid to stream your game on your listing! This is becoming very common for developers to do.

As we said before, you should consider your Steam page your landing page. Put efforts to make it easily navigable like you do for your website. A good Steam page UX will encourage users to spend more time on your page. 

3. Build awareness

It's highly unlikely that someone will purchase your game on the first visit to your page. You’d need to provide enough resources to encourage them to click the buy button. The two tips above will ideally help you build some level of awareness and trust in your game. Honesty does pay off, and being truthful about your game is a great place to begin. Improving UX also keeps your visitors engaged and encourages them to view your game favorably. However, there are a few more ways to increase the exposure of your game. You can start off by using social proof to create a positive image of your game in players' minds. 

Follow the tips below to help build a great image about your game:

• Game description: Try a top-down approach. Present the most important USP about your game to begin with. Follow up with a few key features gamers should know. Next, add supplementary yet important information. 
• Testimonials: Include testimonials from influencers or journalists in your Steam page. They are great to create an immediate impact - especially if they are well-known figures. Use reviews from regular gamers if you don't have quotes from any media outlet or famous people.
• Awards: Don't forget to include the awards your game has received! Along with that, feature some review scores by prominent sources. The more mentions your game gets, the better the image of your product.

Feature the testimonials and awards on upper portions of your Steam page to increase visibility, including in the description. Include any news or press reports on your page. 

If you haven’t already launched, work to get reviews from other sources and connect with the press before you release your game. This way, you will be able to include these mentions when you launch your game on Steam. 

 4. Keywords are important too

Keywords are not only important for Google, but also for your Steam page. That's why you can't neglect keywords and still hope to get exposure for your game. Spend time to research keywords that are suitable for your game. 

Google analyzes your Steam listing for the keywords it can rank just like it does with any other site. It looks into your game title, description, and keywords and then determines if your game aligns well with the keywords. However, keep in mind that all keywords don't offer the same results. Gamers may search for some specific keywords more than other keywords. You should make an effort to uncover frequently searched phrases and keywords, and include them on your Steam page. Focus more on your title and include a keyword you find fit after your keyword research. 

For example, you may include keywords like "fantasy game," "strategy game," "RTS," or similar keywords if you are selling a fantasy turn-based strategy PC game. Likewise, your keywords may include "racing game," "bike game," or "racing combat" when your product is something like Road Rash. Your strategy may also depend on less-competitive or less-search but exact keywords to take advantage of highly specific searches.

Consider how people generally search for games while creating your keyword list. We mostly search for phrases like "new car games" instead of just single words unless we’re looking for a specific game. You can target combinations of these phrases to get more traffic to your Steam page. Use a mix of keywords and phrases to build a successful keyword strategy and implement it on your page.

Also, don't forget to use the right tags on your Steam page. Take advantage of tags that are popular, trendy, and engage a lot of people. Using the right tags is a great way to increase discoverability. 

A final note for this section is that under no circumstance should you use keywords or tags that do not relate to your game. It’s not about packing your listing with as much as you can find, it’s about providing value and connecting your Steam page with the right audience. As we mentioned at the beginning, you must build trust with your players to create lifelong customers that are loyal not only to your game, but also to your brand.

5. Influencer marketing is your friend

Yeah, this point isn't about optimizing your page, but rather about another blog we have that is relevant to you if your game is on Steam! After all, influencer marketing is your game's ticket to quick exposure, trust building and instant awareness. 

So, if you want your game (and its Steam page) to succeed after you release it, then check out our guide here: How to Promote Your Game on Steam with Influencers!

Or if you want to skip the long-winded process that is planning an influencer marketing campaign by yourself, the team over at Atisfyreach can help. The Atisfyreach platform helps you create powerful campaigns at the click of a button, finds and vets the right fit influencers for you and has detailed performance reporting that will help your business grow. Sign up today over at the Atisfyreach website!

Get your game on with our game launch guide!

Enjoyed this article? Want to know more about launching a game? We've got much more to share with you in The Game Dev’s Guide to the Best Game Launch!

Getting reviews is not an easy task with so many games fighting to grab a share of the market. You need professional guidance and solid expertise to navigate the maze of game marketing. Game Marketing Genie can give you the thrust you need and help you understand the strategies needed to make your game popular. 

We can help you reach out to the top players in the industry and reach a highly targeted audience for better results. After a while, your good reviews will come naturally when people are more interested in playing your game. 

Still puzzled? Let's chat today about how we can streamline your marketing process.