Being pretty good at something, even if it’s only a game, could become a claim to fame. Besides, it’s great knowing you were able to help other gamers with your content. And if you get really popular, there are monetization options that few gamers can resist. Whatever channels and forums you’re active in, having your own gaming fan site gives you a “home base” that other people can refer to. Thinking of starting your own gaming site? Here are some ideas to get you started.
Link All Content for Easy Access
Does anyone out there still play only one game? Chances are, there are several favorites you’d like to showcase. Make it easy for folks to find you in-game. For example, you may have created several spaces in Minecraft. Showcasing what you’ve done in this deceptively simple, yet remarkably complex, game may mean featuring your spaces, unifying them with your Minecraft banner designs for at-a-glance recognition.
You’ll definitely want to link some videos to your site too. Almost every gamer has their streaming times, how-to clips, and finest hour videos. Organize your menus so that visitors to your site can easily find content based on the games they’re interested in and the aspects of those games they might want to explore.
Go Beyond the Game
Whether it’s your choice of gaming mouse, your home content creation lab equipment, or off-platform communication tools that help you to work as a team, your readers want to know your secrets. Be generous and share! You may even find that unpaid product and app endorsements lead to paid sponsorship deals. If you are sponsored, do inform your readers. It’s only fair to do so. You can always highlight the fact that you wouldn’t endorse something you didn’t already use and enjoy if that’s your policy – and it should be!
Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced?
Nobody wants to waste time viewing content that tells them nothing they didn’t already know. By the same token, advanced gamer content will go right over the average beginner’s head, leading them to think that your site is for the “big guys.” If you love doing beginner tutorials, use titles and tags to show that you’re posting to help the newbies. If you’re demonstrating skills that only an advanced player can master, be sure that your content clearly indicates the level at which players can hope to emulate your achievements.
Basic SEO
Even if you aren’t making a cent from your content, a bit of basic SEO will help other players to find it. While SEO may seem like “smoke and mirrors,” it comes down to being relevant and using words, phrases or synonyms that would specifically relate to your style of gaming. If you’re already relevant, and know the gaming terminology, chances are that the search terms and related synonyms will come naturally, but you might want to look at search statistics to find the terms people actually use in context.
Lights! Camera! Action! Multimedia, Multilevel Blast
Use your gaming website to engage with and help fellow-players. Show videos of your most impressive victories, write about the games you play. Post screenshots that help other players to learn. Keep a good balance between text, images and video. Help newer players with advice, and engage more advanced players with your achievements. With the right level of balance and organization of info plus a focus on fun, your site will be an asset to the gaming community and you’ll be a gaming nerd everyone respects.
