How do you know which conference is worth going to and which is not?
There are a lot of conferences dedicated to the games every month (the exception is July, when people prefer cozy beaches and cold cocktails to work). And all these events are divided into two types – those that you need to go to, and all the others. How to determine that the conference is "fire"?
To do this, it is enough to clearly answer a simple question: why are they, conferences, needed at all?
It's a business, baby.
In mobile games, as in any business, one of the key things is connections, dating, relationships. Of course, the product comes first, but before you can demonstrate it, tell about it, you, not being familiar with the right person, will have to go through a dozen big and small "tests".
Although, personally, it seems to me that it is much more correct to use a different metaphor here – a sieve. A significant, successful player in the market (whoever he is, publisher, advertising network, developer, information resource, and so on) receives dozens, if not hundreds of letters and offers from a huge number of companies every day.
And you, whoever you are, and whatever goals you pursue, need your email not only to be read, but also to be interested in it, and then not to forget and respond. In other words, only your letter needs to go through the most rigorous selection, to stay in the sieve.
Of course, you can get tired of numerous letters, personal messages on social networks and, if you really don't have complexes, phone calls. Only, firstly, this way you risk causing a negative reaction to your product, and secondly, you will have to work with every potential partner in this way (in other words, devote valuable time not to work on the product, but to its aggressive promotion).
Conferences are a place where the leading players in the market gather, where they can (and should) grab hands, get acquainted, show their product, officially make friends and, if they suddenly like each other very much, conclude certain preliminary agreements.
If you want to ask first–hand about the source of traffic and video advertising – catch advertisers, you want to knock out the largest share of the publication – stop publishers, dream of a game that will hit the jackpot - get acquainted with the developers.
Show yourself
For successful teams, the conference is both a significant PR, and an opportunity to find new employees, and establish relationships with new partners who failed to stay at Sita.
Plus, it's a certain image. It often happens that by participation/non-participation, the presence/ absence of a stand, you can talk about how things are going in the company. During the period of formation and active development, companies strive to "shine" as much as possible. Conferences are a wonderful way.
Local players in new regions also resort to this practice in case of business expansion. For example, Asian companies have been visiting Western conferences more and more recently, and representatives of American and European studios have been visiting eastern events.
Download skills?
Since it is difficult to promote behind the scenes, any conference tries to boast of its official part – reports.
In fact, it is hardly possible to really learn something by listening to a report for 20-40 minutes. The best way is, of course, systematic practice, courses, and a full–fledged second (third) education. But to learn about the experience of colleagues, about potential rakes waiting in one area or another, nuances that, unfortunately, will not even be written in every book / article on Habra – you can easily.
Actually, this is what reports are needed for, so that celebrities local to the industry share such things, talk about well-known things based on their successful experience.
Again, it is important that after any report you can approach these people and ask them "with passion", ask them to disclose the material from a perspective that interests you personally. Perhaps you should ask to see your project from the point of view of jambs and blunders.
Conclusion
Conferences are necessary for developing contacts, PR and, optionally, gaining new experience in the necessary field.
Those conferences that allow all this are mandatory to attend.
One of them, I can't resist, yes – White Nights 2014, which will begin (with prep) in exactly a week.
And now let's analyze it according to the mentioned points:
- Business component: about 250 companies have already been registered (not participants, there are several times more of them). There will definitely be someone to talk to.
- Image: previously, King, Supercell and Warner Bros. participated in the conference, this time the guys from Kabam, Rovio, Unity and Vkontakte will be the speakers.
- New experience: more than 35 reports.
In general, be sure to come, App2Top.ru It will also be there.
And, yes, now deciding whether to go somewhere, disassemble the event into these three components. This will immediately remove all possible questions (in the sense of whether to go or not).
