Influencer marketing has become one of the most effective strategies for game publishers to reach their target audience. With billions of active users across platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok, influencers have the ability to generate massive engagement for games. However, many publishers make mistakes when working with influencers that can hinder the success of their campaigns. In this article, we’ll highlight the top 9 mistakes game publishers often make and how to avoid them.

Mistake 1: Not Trying Organic Outreach First

Many game publishers mistakenly believe that working with gaming influencers always requires paid sponsorships. However, even in 2025, plenty of influencers are happy to cover your game for free—if it aligns with their audience and you reach out with the right message at the right time. Also, keep in mind that some gaming influencers, like SplattercatGaming or Skill Up, don’t accept sponsorships but may still cover your game if it resonates with their audience.

How To Fix It:

Start with organic outreach, and once those efforts are maximized, leverage paid sponsorships to achieve any remaining goals:

• Build an extensive list of target influencers who are relevant to your game and audience.
• Set clear goals before reaching out, such as “Drive 5,000 wishlists for the Demo release.”
• Reach out to influencers organically (without offering monetary rewards) and provide Steam keys to gauge their genuine interest. Influencers who cover your game for free are often the most authentic advocates and can become long-term brand ambassadors.
• Leverage platforms like Keymailer, Terminals.io, and Lurkit to distribute keys and connect with micro to mid-tier influencers. Keep in mind that these platforms only reach creators who have signed up for the platform, so they may not include all of your target influencers.
• Once you’ve exhausted organic outreach, use paid sponsorships to meet any remaining goals. Start engaging influencers with paid campaigns about a month before your milestone to ensure adequate coverage. Paid activations can be affordable and effective—for instance, Wanderbots charges $1,000–$1,500 for a dedicated video.

Organic outreach can deliver excellent results and can be combined with paid activations for a balanced, cost-effective, and impactful influencer marketing strategy.

Mistake 2: Not Understanding the Difference Between SM Platforms

One of the biggest mistakes publishers make is treating all social media platforms the same when working with influencers. In reality, each platform attracts different audiences and has unique engagement patterns. For example, YouTube excels at long-form content like in-depth reviews, playthroughs, and tutorials, offering strong SEO benefits and long-term discoverability. In contrast, TikTok thrives on short, creative clips and viral trends, making it an excellent platform for reaching younger audiences like Gen Z.

How to Fix it:

Each social media platform plays a different role in game discovery and engagement, so it’s important to tailor your approach. Knowing how gamers interact on each platform helps you reach the right audience, drive engagement, and boost conversions. Here’s a breakdown of the key platforms and how they compare.

• YouTube is the primary platform for game discovery, used by 64% of gamers. It’s perfect for creating detailed, evergreen content, but conversion rates to clicks are modest—averaging 0.5%–1% for integrations and 1%–3% for long-form videos. Use YouTube for long-term exposure and games with deeper mechanics that benefit from detailed reviews or tutorials.
• Twitch is used by only 20% of gamers for discovery, but its real-time interaction drives exceptionally high conversion rates—25%–50% during a 2-hour stream. Turn to Twitch for games that thrive in extended play sessions and immediate audience interaction
• TikTok is widely popular among 18–24-year-olds and offers immense organic reach through viral trends. However, its ability to showcase complex mechanics or detailed gameplay is limited. Leverage TikTok for visually appealing games or creative gameplay elements that suit short, engaging videos and trends.
• Beyond these major platforms,  identify where your audience is most active. If your target players engage heavily on Instagram, Reddit, Twitter, Discord, or other niche communities, meet them where they are. Tailoring your approach to each platform ensures maximum engagement and conversion, whether that’s through in-depth discussions on Reddit, real-time updates on Twitter, or community-driven hype on Discord.
• When collaborating with influencers, consider activating several platforms at once. For instance, many gaming influencers are active on both YouTube and Twitch. They can host a Twitch live stream that is later repurposed as a YouTube VOD with stream highlights. Influencers often have deep insights into their audiences and can advise on adapting content effectively for each platform, ensuring your campaign resonates across multiple channels. 

By aligning your strategy with each platform’s strengths and leveraging multi-platform opportunities, you can maximize your campaign’s reach and impact.

Mistake 3: Chasing Big Names

Many game publishers think that partnering with top-tier influencers like Markiplier or Ninja is a guaranteed recipe for success. While big-name influencers can draw huge audiences, bigger isn’t always better. High-profile influencers often come with high costs—sometimes in the six-figure range—and their engagement rates don’t always match the size of their following. For publishers with a limited budget, this approach can be inefficient.

How to Fix it:

Instead of going after the biggest names, focus on influencers whose audience aligns with your game’s target demographic and who engage authentically with their followers. Finding the right fit is more impactful than sheer size.

Here’s how to identify the best influencers for your game:

• To find the right influencers, the first thing to check is the games the influencer has been playing or talking about lately. Take a look at their last 20 videos, top 5 most-played games and also their activity over the past year. Try to find influencers who have covered at least 2-3 games similar to yours. 
• Pay attention to the gaming platforms they feature in their content. If an influencer primarily focuses on mobile games, having them cover a PC or console game might not be as effective.
• Assess performance metrics like average views, concurrent viewers, true reach, engagement rate, and recent activity to evaluate the influencer’s impact.
• Focus on conversions – click-through rates (CTR) aren’t publicly available , but you can request this data directly from influencers or work with agencies that track historical performance. Since likes and clicks are often correlated, monitoring like counts can help estimate conversion potential.
• For region-specific campaigns, it’s important to know an influencer’s audience demographics. Keep in mind that an influencer's location doesn’t always reflect where their audience is based. ‍

‍Tools like Cloutboost or Streamforge can help you find influencers who play games similar to yours. These platforms provide detailed stats on which games influencers engage with, how often they play them, and the kind of audience interaction their content generates.

‍The publishers of Ogu and the Secret Forest, a charming 2D action-adventure game, focused their influencer marketing efforts on mid- and micro-influencers who had a history of covering similar games. Instead of chasing big names, they targeted gaming channels with audiences in their 20s and 30s—gamers who actively follow cozy, cute, 2D indie games. Influencers like Charlie Barley, MadMorph, and Symbalilly were selected for their strong connection with this niche audience, and ensured more engaged, authentic coverage that delivered great results.

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By focusing on influencers who genuinely connect with their audience and match your game’s niche, you’ll get better engagement, more authentic coverage, and greater value for your budget.

Mistake 4: Starting Too Late

A common mistake we see among publishers is waiting until 1-2 weeks before a major milestone to start planning their influencer campaign. The assumption is simple: “How long can it really take to send emails and have influencers record a gameplay video?” But in reality, a well-executed influencer campaign requires at least 6-8 weeks of preparation to maximize impact.

Why? Because a successful campaign isn’t just about sending emails—it’s about finding the right influencers, securing their availability, handling contracts, briefing them properly, ensuring content quality, and allowing time for revisions.

If you don’t plan ahead, you’ll likely miss out on the best-fit influencers because they’ve already committed to other campaigns and end up rushing content creation, resulting in lower-quality videos that don’t showcase your game effectively.

How to Fix It:

• Decide in advance which milestones will be supported by influencer campaigns (i.e. game announcement, Alpha, Early Access) and give yourself 2 months before each milestone for planning.
• During peak industry moments like Gamescom, holiday season, or major game launches, influencers get booked fast. If you don’t reach out early, you’ll struggle to get on their schedules.
• Follow this structured 8-week roadmap:
  
  • Outreach (Weeks 1-2): Identify and contact influencers early. Expect only 30-40% to respond immediately, so start working with those who reply first. Follow up twice with those who haven’t responded.
  • Bookings (Weeks 3-4): Finalize agreements and secure influencers. Provide game keys, key messaging, and content guidelines to ensure a smooth workflow.
  • Content Creation (Weeks 5-6): Give influencers ample time to record and edit their content. Maintain communication, but don’t rush them—quality takes time.
  • Revisions (Week 7): Review all influencer content before it goes live. Request any necessary revisions to align with your campaign goals.
  • Content Launch (Week 8+): Publish content and track key engagement metrics (views, clicks, audience retention).

Mistake 5: Over Spending

Many publishers end up overpaying for influencer marketing simply because they lack a clear understanding of industry rates. Without that knowledge, it’s easy to overspend—whether by skipping negotiations with influencers who are often open to price discussions or by rushing into deals without comparing multiple options. If the content then underperforms, the return on investment takes an even bigger hit. Additionally, working with too many intermediaries can introduce unnecessary markups, and some agencies may include hidden fees that quietly inflate costs.

As a result, publishers may feel disappointed in influencer marketing as a strategy and miss out on future opportunities.

How to Fix It:

• Research average cost-per-thousand impressions (CPMs) across different social media platforms, content types, and regions. You can refer to our rate card for English-speaking creators:

• Determine how much you’re willing to spend per 1,000 views and focus on influencers who align with that pricing. There are plenty of creators available at different pricing tiers.
• Many influencers and agencies expect price discussions, so don’t hesitate to negotiate to get the best value.
• Instead of paying flat fees, consider a hybrid structure that balances risk for both parties. One effective approach is setting a minimum fixed fee based on the influencer’s worst-performing videos and adding a CPM-based payment for views above that baseline (with a cap).
• Understand how many layers exist between you and the influencer. If working with an agency, ask if they exclusively represent the talent and confirm who they are working with. If there are more than two layers (e.g., an exclusive representative and an agency), you are likely overpaying.

By applying these strategies, you can optimize your influencer marketing spend, ensuring better efficiency and ROI.

Mistake 6: Not Tracking or Tracking Wrong

Many publishers either don’t track influencer campaign performance beyond views or track it incorrectly. Effective tracking requires a solid understanding of influencer marketing, and applying the same methods used in traditional paid advertising often leads to inaccurate results. 

How to Fix It:

• Each social media platform has different rules for third-party link placement, so understanding these differences is key for effective tracking. On Twitch, links can be placed via chatbots during streams or added to banners in the info section. YouTube allows links in the video description, but pinned comments can also help drive additional conversions. TikTok restricts links to the influencer’s bio, requiring users to navigate away from the content to access them. On Instagram, free accounts can include links only in their bio or stories, while Meta Verified users can also add them to reels, offering direct engagement.
• Link wrappers like Bit.ly or TinyURL increase trust and click-through rates. Many publishers use custom or unknown link wrappers, which can lead to lost clicks if users hesitate to engage. If your game is mobile or multiplatform, it's important to implement device-based redirection—ensuring that desktop users are directed to the Steam page, while Apple users go to the App Store, and Android users land on Google Play for a seamless experience.
• Unlike traditional ads, influencer content can continue driving traffic weeks or even months after publication. Regularly analyze which influencers are still delivering traffic, so you can prioritize reactivating the best performers

• Unlike banner ads (where nearly 100% of conversions are trackable), influencer campaigns often have a large percentage of untracked players. Many viewers see a video, get interested, but don’t click the link—instead, they search for the game directly in the app store. This untracked audience can be 40% to 200% larger than the attributed players
• Influencer marketing goes beyond just views and clicks, engagement is also measured by how actively the audience interacts with the content. Key engagement metrics include likes, shares, and comments, which indicate how well the content resonates with viewers. Analyzing comment sentiment can provide even deeper insights into audience perception, helping to identify positive reactions, concerns, or areas for improvement. 

Mistake 7: Ignoring Regional Differences

A lot of publishers want to reach players in different regions but don’t realize just how much influencer marketing varies across countries. It’s not just about different pricing—everything from social platforms to gaming habits, communication styles, and even legal requirements can change dramatically depending on where you're running your campaign.

For example, Facebook Gaming is widely used in Southeast Asia, and in China, Bilibili is the go-to for gaming content. If your campaign is on the wrong platform, you’re already at a disadvantage. Communication channels also vary. In Japan and Taiwan, LINE is the most popular messaging app, while in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Telegram is more common. Even campaign timing can make a difference—Lunar New Year in China lasts 16 days in late January, and running a campaign during this period could mean significantly lower engagement.

How to Fix It:

• Research your target regions to understand which platforms, influencers, and gaming trends dominate in each. Don’t assume what works in one market will work in another—localized strategies yield better results.
• Work with native speakers who can translate contracts, review influencer scripts, and ensure messaging is culturally appropriate.
• Build relationships with influencers in your target regions and ask for their input on local gaming trends, player behavior, and effective messaging. 
• Work with regional marketing agencies or consultants who understand the local influencer landscape. Having someone on the ground can help navigate regulations, cultural nuances, and platform-specific strategies.
• Consider a Global Influencer Marketing Agency. Agencies with international experience can help structure campaigns across multiple regions, ensuring proper outreach, compliance, and optimized messaging for each market.

Mistake 8: Not Keeping Track of News and Trends

Game publishers and marketers often overlook the importance of staying updated on industry news and trends, which can lead to controversial situations or wasted resources. Trends and changes at both macro and individual levels can significantly impact influencer campaigns.

For instance, platform ownership changes, such as Twitter’s acquisition by Elon Musk, and algorithm updates (e.g., significant shifts on YouTube) can drastically impact content visibility and audience engagement. The rise or decline of platforms like Kick or Mixer shifts user attention, and the introduction of new features requires marketers to adapt content strategies. Regulatory challenges and privacy concerns further complicate the landscape, making it crucial for brands to stay agile.

One key example is the uncertainty surrounding TikTok in the U.S. After a temporary shutdown on January 18th 2025, the platform was restored the following day, but its long-term future remains uncertain. Many creators have already started migrating their audiences to platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Marketers should hope for the best but plan for the worst, ensuring campaigns can adapt to potential platform disruptions.

How to Fix It:

• Monitor platform-specific changes, such as algorithm updates, emerging platforms, or political and legal challenges. Follow industry news sites, blogs, and social media accounts focused on gaming and influencer marketing to stay ahead of trends. Subscribe to newsletters from trusted platforms like Social Media Today or Adweek. Set up Google Alerts for relevant keywords to conveniently track updates in real time. 
• Conduct ongoing checks on influencers before and during partnerships. Ensure their recent behavior, content focus, and reputation align with your brand’s values and campaign goals. Leveraging influencer discovery tools with built-in trend analysis can help streamline the process of staying updated.
• Diversify your influencer campaigns across multiple platforms to minimize the risks. For example, if Twitch is your primary focus, balance your efforts with YouTube sponsorships to reach a broader audience. Additionally, collaborate with influencers to share sponsored content across all their active platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter, ensuring your message is amplified.

By staying updated on industry news and carefully vetting influencers, publishers can avoid risks, adapt to changes, and ensure their campaigns remain effective and relevant.

Mistake 9: Limiting Outreach to a Single Talent Agency

Many game publishers rely on talent agencies to find influencers, but a common mistake is working with only one talent agency. This approach can restrict your options and make it harder to find the best influencers for your campaign. The gaming industry has hundreds of talent agents worldwide, representing anywhere from a handful to over 100 creators. Some agencies specialize in specific niches, like Roblox or MMORPG creators, while others have a broader focus. However, if you limit yourself to just one agency, you risk being presented with only a small pool of influencers, many of whom may not be the best fit for your campaign. Agents often prioritize recommending talent from their own rosters, which doesn’t always align with your goals.

How to Fix It:

• Work with multiple talent agencies to increase your access to a diverse range of influencers. Each agency has its own unique network, and casting a wider net improves your chances of finding creators who align with your game’s audience and objectives.
• Don’t rely solely on agencies— do your own research to identify influencers who may not be represented by talent agencies but are still a great fit for your campaign. Use influencer marketing platforms that offer detailed insights into creators, including their audience demographics, gaming niches, and performance metrics. These tools can streamline your search and provide objective data to support your decisions. Some tools have contact data and representation. 
• Consider hiring a dedicated influencer marketing agency with expertise in the gaming industry. These agencies do not limit your options to a roster of exclusively represented talents and have extensive networks and tools to manage end-to-end campaigns, ensuring you connect with the right talent.

By broadening your approach and utilizing the right tools and partners, you can avoid limiting your options and ensure your campaign achieves its full potential.

Working with influencers can be one of the most powerful tools in a game publisher’s marketing arsenal. However, avoiding the mistakes outlined in this article is essential for building successful campaigns that drive engagement, conversions, and lasting relationships. By focusing on the right influencers, metrics, and strategies, game publishers can ensure that their influencer marketing efforts lead to measurable success.