What would be your advice regarding creating a project on Kickstarter in general? How important was the video?
The most important thing is preparation, really. It is easy to underestimate the amount of time and work that needs to go into the preparations before the campaign actually launches, and that’s only the beginning. What follows are 30 days or so of intense work on a grueling schedule, as you continue to explain the project, create updates, answer questions, push for exposure, do interviews and such. The better one is prepared for all that, the easier and smoother the campaign will go.
The pitch video is exceedingly important. Many backers never read the text. They will watch the video and decide within the first two minutes whether they like it or not.
What did you do to promote your Kickstarter campaign?
We began by announcing the upcoming campaign on our official website, accompanied by a countdown. In addition, we made the information available to the public through the press. We have a media list that contains well over 2,500 media contacts, which we repeatedly contacted with news, information, screenshots and other information about the project and the Kickstarter campaign.
However, the press, being what it is, trying to get coverage is always a hit or miss proposition. If one percent of your media outlets cover your story, you’re already among the lucky ones.
But we continued to work the media long before and after the Kickstarter launch. Hard as it is to get coverage, especially on major gaming websites, it can result in a lot of exposure and attention.
I’ve also done countless interviews to promote our campaign, both in written form as well as video interviews and podcasts. Every little bit counts, and considering how hard it is to get good coverage, it is very important to seize every opportunity you get. Never turn down an interview, even if it means getting up at 4:00 in the morning in order to talk to someone on the other side of the world. Kickstarters are international affairs and they do not operate on your schedule.
