2011 Press
WebMediaBrands' Inside Network Research Releases Latest Survey Revealing Deepening Brand Loyalty, Willingness to Pay Among Social Game Players
"Inside Virtual Goods: Spending and Usage Patterns of the Social Gaming Audience 2011" Market Research Report Released Today
San Francisco, CA - June 14, 2011 - Mediabistro.com (a division of WebMediaBrands Inc., Nasdaq: WEBM) today released a new report through its Inside Network research division that reveals strong brand preferences and willingness to pay among players of social games.
Recent Inside Network research concluded that the total US market size for social gaming would reach $1.25 billion in 2011, up from $865 million in 2010.
The current report, "Inside Virtual Goods: Spending and Usage Patterns of the Social Gaming Audience 2011," elaborates on the user behavior and attitudes that will drive this growth, and is the latest original research study in the Inside Virtual Goods series, co-authored by Justin Smith and Charles Hudson.
"Social gaming's key metrics in both monetization and engagement have seen a steady rise as that industry exploded in 2009 and 2010. As social gaming continues to mature in 2011, the games themselves continue to evolve, engaging and monetizing and growing portion of Facebook's over 600 million users," Justin Smith, founder of Inside Network, says.
"A big question facing social game developers in 2011 is Facebook's new policy mandating the use of Credits. We found that many users are already familiar with the Facebook Credits brand, while some say that Credits is making it easier to buy virtual goods inside social games," adds Charles Hudson.
"Inside Virtual Goods: Spending and Usage Patterns of the Social Gaming Audience" presents detailed results from original surveys of social game users, and reveals the attitudes and behaviors that will fuel the industry's next round of growth.
"Inside Virtual Goods: Spending and Usage Patterns of the Social Gaming Audience 2011" is based on original survey results from approximately 2,000 players of social games on Facebook from around the world and across the demographic spectrum. "Inside Virtual Goods: Spending and Usage Patterns of the Social Gaming Audience 2011" is an in-depth and independent survey of player behavior and spending patterns in the social gaming market.
"Inside Virtual Goods: Spending and Usage Patterns of the Social Gaming Audience 2011" focuses on the following areas:
- Spending Habits and Payment Methods in Top Games -- It's easy to compare games based on audience numbers, but which games monetize better? What payment methods do players use most often in top games? How is the shift to Credits affecting player behavior? We investigate how spending patterns compare across top social games.
- Frequency of Play and Methods of Game Discovery -- As Facebook has cut down on developer access to viral channels, designing an engaging and viral game is becoming both increasingly important and challenging. We investigate which games people play most frequently, and which methods of social game discovery are most effective for top games.
- Demographic Differences by Region, Age, and Gender -- While the social gaming market is increasingly global, the audience is also becoming increasingly diverse by age and gender. How do different segments of the audience differ in terms of spending and usage patterns inside social games?
- Brand Recall for Social Games -- How important are brands, and how well can users identify developers of top games? We investigate brand recall among social game players.
For more details and to purchase the report, please visit: http://www.insidevirtualgoods.com
Contacts:
Justin Smith, 650-646-5175
Charles Hudson, 650-249-0905
[email protected]
About WebMediaBrands Inc.
WebMediaBrands Inc. (Nasdaq: WEBM) (http://www.webmediabrands.com), headquartered in New York, NY, is a leading Internet media company that provides content, education, and career services to media and creative professionals through a portfolio of vertical online properties, communities, and trade shows. The Company's online business includes: (i) mediabistro.com, a leading blog network providing content, education, community, and career resources (including the industry's leading online job board) about major media industry verticals including new media, social media, Facebook, TV news, sports news, advertising, public relations, publishing, design, mobile, and the Semantic Web; (ii) InsideNetwork.com, leading network of online properties dedicated to providing original market research, data services, news, events, and job listings on the Facebook platform, social gaming, and mobile applications ecosystems; and (iii) AllCreativeWorld.com, a leading network of online properties providing content, education, community, career, and other resources for creative and design professionals. The Company's online business also includes community, membership and e-commerce offerings including a freelance listing service, a marketplace for designing and purchasing logos and premium membership services. The Company's trade show and educational offerings include conferences, online and in-person courses, and video subscription libraries on topics covered by the Company's online business.
All WebMediaBrands press releases are here:
www.webmediabrands.com/corporate/press.html
For information about WebMediaBrands contact:
Amanda Barrett
Director of Marketing
212-547-7879
[email protected]
