Ask HN: How can I market my iOS games to older folks? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How can I market my iOS games to older folks?

1 pointegb4 comments

In my numerous though anecdotal experiences of talking with my retired parents and other AARP card holders, it seems that older folks don't read any blogs or app reviews sites or any such thing (at all!) to find out about apps or games for their iPhones or iPads. (I'm iOS-centric, so that's my research area.)

Does anybody have any leads on how/where to get some mindshare for games that squarely target older folks? I'm building games for them by making the games with these attributes:

* free - I've found that older folks really really really prefer free apps in the majority of cases

* clean, aka no gratuitous explosions/animations - From what I can tell, when presented with similar apps, older folks don't want buttons that jiggle all over the place or lots of particle effects. Instead, they want easy-to-read fonts and intuitive UIs

The unfortunate side effect of building games like this are that they are the opposite of what app/game review sites want to publish, because my games are purpose-built to be non-flashy, whereas the review sites want to see "a new twist" on a game or "amazing graphics/theme" wrapped on a game, in order to drive readership. As stated above, older folks don't read that anyways, so I guess it's moot, but it brings me back to my question - how do I get more older folks to try my games? :-)

PS - anybody here write for AARP? ;-)

My mom is your target demographic so let me know if you want to add a sassy, energetic 73 (going on 37) year old to your beta test group once you are also live on the Android platform.

In answer to your question, here are a couple ideas:

(1) Contact active senior living communities. They are springing up everywhere and the seniors opting for these communities are going to tend to be energetic, into new things and more financially well off. Most, if not all, of these communities have e-mail lists and calendars of events and activities that they send out to the residents every week or month because one of their selling points is that they offer fun and unique things to keep the residents active and having fun. See if you can get them to feature your games in their e-mails or newsletters. These are all over the country. Just google "active senior living communities" and similar key phrases. (Note: These are different from "nursing homes" so emphasis on "active.")

(2) This is probably tougher if you're not really into marketing and "selling yourself," but, do PR. From the local to national level there are great opportunities. Thousands of local newspapers still print everyday or every week and might find a feature about your game apps cool. But you'd have to craft it into a story that is enticing and verifiable (e.g. "A growing trend you wouldn't expect: Senior gamers"). On this page you can find local newspapers by state and start contacting them – or hire a PR rep – to pitch your story: http://www.usnpl.com. Even at the national level there are great opportunities. For example, Hoda Kotb and Kathy Lee Gifford do the last hour of the Today show on NBC and they are always featuring apps that make like easier or more fun. Plus, Kathy Lee is your target demographic (she just turned 60 and they celebrated on the show) so see if you can pitch the producers. Try CNN too – especially on weekends their demographic skews to 50+. And, of course, pitch AARP. ;-)

-Felicia Joy

Great ideas - thanks! :-)

1. If you view your audience as "old folks" you won't do well because you don't have any empathy for that audience

2. That's a pretty wide demographic that spans at least three generations at this point. An out of work baby boomer male in California may be very different than a well off retired female member of the silent generation who lives in Florida.

3. If you want to find out what people are reading in a target demographic just ask them.

4. The problem with your game is that you aren't trying to first design a great game but instead you're worrying about techniques and marketing.

5. Why don't you do some informal research and ask your target audience what games they're playing and how they found those games?

1) I've tried various terms - seniors, retired folks, etc. I love my audience! And they aren't offended by the term. Young folks, old folks - it's not a negative term here in the midwest.

4) Nope, I've got a great game - several in fact. But now that I do, how do I get more people to know about them.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com