Creating a top quality Kickstarter page takes time. From setting up your account, creating your first draft, designing your page and then waiting for Kickstarter to accept the project. Designing your page takes careful planning, engaging content, and effective communication.
Here are some tips to help you create a successful Kickstarter page design.
The video pitch
Your pitch video at the top of your Kickstarter page should be a combination of your trailer and you or the team. If you're camera shy, having just a trailer is fine, but people want to see the face's behind the game and to know that they are just regular people trying to get by.
Create a high-quality video that explains your project visually and verbally.
Keep the video to around 2-3 minutes and make it attention-grabbing from the start with your trailer.
Include clips of the product in action, interviews with team members, and relevant visuals.
Get to the point and explain the game
Let's not waste time here. In your introduction, you need to get straight to the point. Clearly state what your game is, its genre and it's unique selling points (it's usually best to do your top 3 USPs).
If your video game genre matches that of some already top sellers out there, you need to show off what makes your game so special and different to the rest, is the graphic, the mechanics, the story? Or all 3! You have to sell it to the reader with text and images.
Use storytelling techniques to draw your viewers into the story of the game - not just the gameplay.
Players want a game with meaning so tell them the backstory of the who and what of your game and what they can expect in your game.
Get creative with page design, layout and graphics
Pay attention to the design and layout of your Kickstarter page. Plan ahead by writing down in a word doc your page structure and what you will have on your page. Your page gives you the chance to be creative and a lot of Kickstarter pages do it really well!
Take Loftia as an example. There's no text on the actual page at all, it's all graphically designed and shows off the game in a playful tone.
While their page looks great, you should also think of your page load speed or any accessibility issues people may have reading the page. For example, if English isn't someone's first language, those viewers might not be able to understand what's being said on the page.
Take inspiration from other Kickstarter pages and stick to a known layout structure.
Use consistent branding elements, typography, and colour schemes.
Ensure the page is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate.
Use High-Quality Images, Videos & GIFs
Sell your game through high-resolution images, videos, and graphics to showcase your project.
What's that old saying... An image is worth a thousand words.
They wasn't wrong.
You will be able to explain your game in more detail with images (images are great for character introductions) and GIFs. GIFs are a great way of showing game play mechanics in under 10 seconds.
Remember to:
Use GIFs to show off sort clips of game play and movement.
Include images of prototypes, sketches, and the development process. People want to see your progress.
Use videos to introduce yourself, your team, and your project in an authentic and personable way.
Rewards and Tiers - The more interesting the rewards, the more $$ you could make.
Making your Kickstarter rewards can be a fun but difficult process if you haven't planned a head. There's loads of ideas to take inspiration from but try not to get too carried away - be realistic with what you can deliver at a reasonable cost.
Think about what you can do to add extras into the game from a backers perspective.
For example, you can go as basic as 'Early Access', to give your backers the chances to pay a little bit more to play your game even earlier in its development. Or, get really creative! Let's say your game has a load of NPC's - Why not offer a reward of your own custom NPC character based off your backer and their name.
Offer a variety of appealing rewards at different price points.
Ensure that your rewards are relevant to your project and offer genuine value to backers.
Consider limited-quantity rewards to create a sense of urgency.
If you need somewhere to start with reward ideas, you can find them here.