Social Networks

Websites: MySpace, Facebook and Bebo

The great thing about social networks is that they have a built in community and allow external linking to other websites. Once you’ve setup your profile page, creating the content for it becomes primary.

Depending on the site, you can add video and pictures to your profile page. Ubisoft’s Rayman’s Raving Rabbids MySpace page is a great example for a recent game. They add video, pictures and content they think their community would want. Keeping all your profile pages updated is a time consuming process, so make sure you don’t bite off more then you can handle.

Cryptic Studios' City of Heroes Online Newsletter

Online Magazines/Newsletters

Software: Usually custom built

The transportation industry has been doing it for years and so has the City of Heroes/Villains developers Cryptic Studios. Producing your own publication whether it’s a comic book, novel, magazine, or newsletter is an unique way to show your true colors and adds another dimension to your online PR campaign.

Not everyone who reads comic books or goes to their local bookstore plays video games, but by tapping into that market you are exposing more people to the history and characters in your video game.

Practicing safe, ethical and smart online PR

Originally, I was going to write this two-page explanation about what safe, ethical, and smart online PR really means. However, I’m not going to do that. I’ve simplified the entire process and came up with a test that you or anyone can perform to know if what you are doing is safe, ethical, and smart online PR. Just ask yourself this one simple question:

Would I want what I’ve done showing up on the front cover of newspapers around the world tomorrow morning for the people I care about and everyone to see?

If you answered yes to this question, then odds are you are being honest and treating your customers as the smart and savvy people they are. Now I know everyone has a different idea of morals and we certainly won’t all agree on what is ethical, however, I think we can all agree that if you are cheating or not being completely honest with your audience then something is up. People want to be treated with the same respect they would show you.

If you didn’t listen to my advice and things do go bad, then there is only one thing you can do. Admit to it, right away. Don’t wait and see if things cool down, because they won’t. Admit to what you did wrong and hope that people will forgive you, even if they don’t forget that you treated them badly. Which brings me to Sony’s fake blog from last year.

Sony’s Fake Blog

Sony’s fake blog, www.alliwantforxmasisapsp.com, which was made in conjunction with Zipatoni, didn’t practice safe, ethical, and smart online PR. The public felt they were mislead about who was updating and maintaining the website. It wasn’t two teenagers who wanted a PSP for Christmas, but many felt it was marketing people from Zipatoni.

The content wasn’t compelling or well thought out. How could two “teenagers”, who look 30 something, afford let alone have access to a warehouse that is supposed to look like their house is beyond me. The videos looked cheap and badly shot. There was little, if any, creative thought put into the videos.

FYI, Sony and Zipatoni, most young people today have access to some pretty high-end equipment when it comes to filming and media. You shouldn’t have gone cheap at all. The writing on the blog was over done in what could only be called “teenager-speak”. It would have been better to practice better spelling, grammar and general punctuation than try and sound like a teenager.

In the end, this fake blog lacked honesty, heart, respect, and anything we could remotely call compelling content. Sony and Zipatoni, I urge you to never try this again.

Conclusion

This may seem overwhelming at first but if you break it down into manageable pieces, you’ll be able to tackle online PR for your video game. Not every online PR tactic will work for every video game, but if you focus on what you think will work, you’ll be fine. The above ideas are just the tip of the iceberg and what is possible. If you harness the unique qualities that your video game has, you’ll come up ideas and tactics that will set your video game apart.

In my last and final column, we’ll be covering how to bridge the gap between online and offline PR and what tools to use to track your messages once it’s out there. Remember, if you don’t want your mother reading what you’ve done on the front page of the paper tomorrow morning, then don’t do it. Until next time, please practice safe, ethical and smart PR.