Audience Planning
Part of Advertising inside games
Choosing game advertising by audience and campaign goal
Turn an Australian gaming brief into an audience definition, suitable ad contact and measurable outcome.
Choose a game advertising approach by defining who you need to reach and what result would matter. Then ask which available contact can reach those people and what evidence it can provide. A format that looks engaging may still be a poor fit for the brief.
Define the eligible audience
“Gamers in Australia” is too broad for a useful buying comparison. Specify the market, device, context and campaign period: for example, adults eligible to see an ad in Australian mobile game inventory.
Ask the seller how much of the proposed inventory matches that definition and how it was estimated. A game's total players, an ad network's users and a tournament's viewers are different populations.
Treat genre as a hypothesis about audience fit, not proof. Only some sessions may contain the offered ad opportunity. Request evidence for the audience eligible for that placement, and include product-specific age and content restrictions in the brief.
Define the eligible audience before comparing inventory
- Specify the buying definitionSet the market, device, context and campaign period — for example, adults eligible to see an ad in Australian mobile game inventory.
- Ask how inventory matchesAsk the seller how much of the proposed inventory matches that definition and how it was estimated.
- Separate populationsA game's total players, an ad network's users and a tournament's viewers are different populations.
- Treat genre as a hypothesisGenre suggests audience fit but does not prove it; only some sessions may contain the offered ad opportunity.
- Request placement-level evidenceAsk for evidence for the audience eligible for that placement, and include product-specific age and content restrictions in the brief.
Choose the contact that serves the goal
| Campaign goal | Candidate contact | What would make it suitable | What to check afterwards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build recognition | A short message on a game-world surface or another visible unit | The brand is clear in the likely player view | Defined delivery and available visibility evidence |
| Explain a simple offer | A unit at a natural break | The message fits the time and space available | Delivered ads and relevant follow-on behaviour, if measurable |
| Invite a trial or visit | A unit with a destination action | The action is clear and the destination matches the promise | Visits or useful destination actions, where measurement permits |
| Associate with a competition | An esports partnership | The contracted team, event or channel fits the audience | Delivery of each agreed sponsorship asset |
These are possible matches, not performance rankings. Availability, controls and reporting vary by game and seller. A rewarded ad may fit an offer, but interpret its completion separately from interest in the advertised product because the player also has an in-game incentive.
Matching campaign goals to suitable game advertising contacts
- Build recognitionCandidate contact: short message on a game-world surface or another visible unit. Suitable if the brand is clear in the likely player view. Check afterwards: defined delivery and available visibility evidence.
- Explain a simple offerCandidate contact: unit at a natural break. Suitable if the message fits the time and space available. Check afterwards: delivered ads and relevant follow-on behaviour, if measurable.
- Invite a trial or visitCandidate contact: unit with a destination action. Suitable if the action is clear and the destination matches the promise. Check afterwards: visits or useful destination actions, where measurement permits.
- Associate with a competitionCandidate contact: esports partnership. Suitable if the contracted team, event or channel fits the audience. Check afterwards: delivery of each agreed sponsorship asset.
Define useful evidence
For a recognition brief, decide which exposure evidence you will accept and whether a separate brand study is warranted. For an action brief, define the useful destination event before launch.
A click may be too weak; an install may also be too early if the product requires meaningful use. Label platform-attributed outcomes as attributed unless a sound comparison establishes an incremental effect.
Ask the seller to show the placement in context and list the metrics available for that format and device. Check the denominator of each rate: eligible opportunities, impressions, rewarded starts and destination visits are different events. If a metric is unavailable, record the gap rather than replacing it with an unrelated total.
Checklist for defining useful evidence
- For a recognition briefDecide which exposure evidence you will accept and whether a separate brand study is warranted.
- For an action briefDefine the useful destination event before launch.
- Judge event strengthA click may be too weak; an install may also be too early if the product requires meaningful use.
- Label attribution carefullyLabel platform-attributed outcomes as attributed unless a sound comparison establishes an incremental effect.
- Inspect the placementAsk the seller to show the placement in context and list the metrics available for that format and device.
- Check the denominatorEligible opportunities, impressions, rewarded starts and destination visits are different events.
- Record gapsIf a metric is unavailable, record the gap rather than replacing it with an unrelated total.
Make a decision from the brief
A short selection note can cover:
- Audience:eligible people, market, device and exclusions.
- Goal:the desired change and useful evidence for it.
- Contact:the proposed placement or sponsorship asset and its audience fit.
- Limit:targeting or measurement gaps.
- Decision:what would justify a test, a different option or no buy.
When comparing proposals, keep the audience, message and outcome definition as consistent as practical. Record differences that cannot be held constant so the result remains interpretable.
Make a decision from the brief using a short selection note
- AudienceEligible people, market, device and exclusions.
- GoalThe desired change and useful evidence for it.
- ContactThe proposed placement or sponsorship asset and its audience fit.
- LimitTargeting or measurement gaps.
- DecisionWhat would justify a test, a different option or no buy.
- Keep comparisons interpretableKeep the audience, message and outcome definition as consistent as practical, and record differences that cannot be held constant.
