I would really like to hear how other independents generally approach marketing their game with limited resources. I know how critical marketing is since I've seen it first hand on several fronts. I've been part of teams that didn't put an ounce of marketing into their project and didn't come close to meeting expectations. I've also poured a lot of time into visiting forums to discuss our previous title which resulted in minor bumps over time.
I really think Wolfire is doing some amazing grass roots marketing with the way they are managing their community around their Blog. They've massed a following that is willing to pay (far in advance) them for their game before they finish it to help support them. That's awesome.
But how many people are really willing to divulge such information that early? Should that be a concern? Should I start talking about my next project before I really have anything implemented?
What has worked for you? I would be particularly interested to hear how people approach Apple's iTunes store. I believe we're looking at around 33,000 games on the store these days.
Answer
The Zero Budget Indie Marketing Guide is a great read. Besides that, definitely start building buzz as soon as you have anything to show, and do your best to keep the buzz up. Demos, trailers, articles, blog posts, whatever you can get to drive traffic and interest. From what I've heard, paid advertising is not very effective for indie games, so you may want to avoid it. Focus instead on building organic and genuine interest.
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