MOVING PLAYERS FROM GAME TO SHOP

One of the most common hurdles game developers face is growing their web shop audience and transitioning players from mobile to the web. This is in part because app agreements often restrict the promotion of the Web Shop in-app. Developers often struggle with promoting their shops while complying with app and platform agreements. Driving players to a web shop directly from the game is prohibited. That's why developers use out-of-platform channels to inform players about the web shop's value: social media, the game's official website and forum, newsletters, influencers, and community channels. The Web Shop's social feature adds one more channel to that list. Other challenges include:

• Low trust of new shopping channels beyond in-app.
• Encouraging word-of-mouth.
• Building engagement and retention.

We responded to these challenges with new Web Shop features. Social Package helps partners acquire new shoppers through promotional efforts of existing players who already shop online.

DRIVING PURCHASES THROUGH SOCIAL INTERACTION

Web Shop’s Social Package feature includes a powerful referral program and clan rewards that encourage a game’s existing players to refer friends to the web shop via incentive offers. With the Referral Program, players can bring more players to a web shop by inviting friends to join via the link. Both player and friend get bonuses and gifts when an invited player makes a first purchase through the web. By strategically utilizing clan dynamics, game developers can significantly boost web shop engagement and revenue. The approach is to incentivize clan members to collaborate and make purchases together. By combining clan points, developers can offer tiered rewards that become increasingly valuable as the clan's collective spending power grows. The goal of these features is to empower existing web shoppers to become web shop promoters and build trust within the game’s community. Social Package leverages gaming’s trending social dynamics, resulting in these benefits:

• Incentivize user-generated marketing by rewarding players for driving their friends to the web shop.
• Build trust by empowering players to promote the game through a powerful Referral Program. When a player shares a link with a friend, the friend is more likely to trust the link and purchase via the web shop.
• Grow user acquisition by driving organic growth by tapping into players' existing social networks.
• A zero-cost tool to grow web shop audience with the help of other players
• Boost average spend per user. Offer social incentives and rewards by adding value to purchases with a reward chain.
• Increase web shop engagement and revenue with Clan rewards, which incentivize clan members to collaborate and make purchases together to earn valuable rewards.

To ensure optimal results, developers should carefully consider the design of clan rewards and referral programs. The rewards must be enticing enough to motivate players to participate actively. By setting ambitious goals and offering exclusive, high-value rewards, developers can drive player engagement and encourage them to share the web shop with their friends and clanmates.

SETUP RECOMMENDATIONS

With Xsolla Web Shop, setting up and launching Referral Program and Clan Rewards for your web shop is simple. Here are our expert recommendations on maximizing your referral and reward mechanics. Referrals

• Ease of achieving the referral reward: The criteria for getting the referral reward should be easy to meet. This helps encourage new users and motivates them instead of scaring them. For example, if the reward is linked to making a purchase, it should be based on the least expensive option in the store. This way, more people can participate without feeling overwhelmed.
• Value of rewards: The rewards should be valuable and appealing to players. Meaningful incentives create satisfaction and recognize the effort put into the referral process. Rewards should not be trivial, like small amounts of energy or items that aren't useful in the game. Instead, they should be desirable and impactful, motivating players to engage with the referral system.

Clan Rewards

• Balance in reward calculation: It's important to balance how rewards are given to players. In the beginning, rewards should be easy to earn, requiring little effort or just a few payments. This helps players feel a sense of progress and encourages them to participate more. When players see that they can quickly earn rewards for their actions, they are more likely to stay engaged.
• Final reward for completing the chain: The final reward at the end of a sequence should be something special and valuable. It should be challenging to achieve, making it a mark of prestige or accomplishment. This way, the final reward feels exclusive and is seen as a privilege for the best-performing clans. This fosters healthy competition among players, motivating them to strive for excellence.
• Regular updates to the reward chain: To keep things exciting, it's essential to regularly update the reward sequences. Introducing new reward chains, especially during special in-game or out-of-game events, adds variety and keeps players interested. Themed reward chains that relate to special occasions can further enhance player engagement and create a sense of novelty, encouraging players to participate consistently.
• Encourage leaders to promote your web shop: Leaders should promote a web shop within their communities to gain more from rewards. This can be achieved through various channels, such as social media, or Discord servers. By sharing links and inviting members to make purchases, clan leaders can significantly increase web shop traffic.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP

By implementing the Social Package features, developers and publishers can effectively promote their web shops, drive user acquisition, and increase revenue without relying solely on in-app marketing. Are you ready to enhance your live Xsolla Web Shop with social tools like referrals and group purchases to attract more traffic and boost player engagement? Learn more about Social Package and all of Web Shop’s other features by scheduling time with one of our game commerce experts, or sign up for an Xsolla Publisher Account to create your web shop today.