How to Market Your Game with Haley Uyrus
In this episode of The Goth Boss Podcast, I speak with marketing expert Haley Uyrus about how indie and AAA game developers can effectively market their games. We discuss strategies ranging from defining business objectives and understanding audiences, to making the most of social media, mailing lists, events, and store pages like Steam. Haley also shares insights on current trends and future predictions for game marketing.
Key Talking Points
Marketing Foundations: Developers should define clear business objectives, identify their target audience (not just themselves) and establish brand/game pillars to guide all marketing decisions.
Social Media & Content: Short-form video content (TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts) is essential for discoverability, while mailing lists are regaining importance as a direct, algorithm-free communication channel.
Behind-the-Scenes vs. Game Content: Sharing developer stories and studio culture can humanise marketing, but game-focused content remains the priority unless resources allow for both.
Events & Community: In-person events are costly and hard to gauge the ROI for, but valuable for feedback, networking and building loyal fans. Indies can start with smaller or shared booths.
Optimizing Store Pages: Steam pages should focus on the top section: trailers, screenshots, tags and a concise description of gameplay. Key art should stand out among competitors. Iteration and testing are crucial.
If you have any questions or comments, you can send me a message at gothboss.co.uk/podcast.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:03 Marketing fundamentals in gaming
03:30 Understanding Your Audience
06:22 The Evolution of Social Media in Marketing
09:28 The Resurgence of Mailing Lists
12:38 Behind the Scenes: Humanising Game Development
15:37 Indie vs. AAA Marketing Strategies
18:31 The Role of In-Person Events in Marketing
24:32 Maximizing Steam Page Effectiveness
33:42 Understanding Fractional Roles in the Games Industry
39:58 Marketing Trends and Predictions for 2026
About Haley
Haley Uyrus is an award winning brand marketing director and creative leader, having worked 12+ years in the industry on games like Fall Guys, LEGO Fortnite, and most recently Sonic Rumble.
You can connect with her on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haley-uyrus-a0059212/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/absintheuse.bsky.social
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brand.sorceress
About Me
Hi, I’m Cat Burton! I've built studios, raised funding and shipped games to millions of players. Now I help you do the same with expert games consultancy and coaching. The Goth Boss Podcast is where I dive into the real challenges of making games and running studios.
GothBoss (Games Consultancy & Coaching): https://www.GothBoss.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catburton
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gothbosscat
