Social Media Campaign for Alfa

[CloudDancing]

So as some of you know, I worked as a social media specialist and a guerrilla marketer on the side.

I believe this sort of marketing is how Alfa can make its presence known and attract new players.

First, there are some minor changes I'd like to see happen to the webpage:

1. Our front page should contain information about the OAS in easily read text sections.
2. Our front page should be more viewer friendly. I think the traditional design is perfectly fine, but the information presented should pop up all in the right place. It currently looks like this to me in my Chrome:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yp9W ... geAlfa.jpg

3. Alfa shows up on page 8 of a google search for "Neverwinters Nights 2 Persistent Worlds" and "NWN2 persistent worlds." I'd like advice on how to change that so it is popping up on page 1.
4. This page needs information about OAS play as an alternative to the application or as a companion to: http://www.alandfaraway.org/node/1111

(More coming in next post)

[CloudDancing]

So our two target audiences are:

1. Current players of NWN2 and past players of NWN2 persistent worlds
2. Dungeons and Dragons players (who may be disenfranchised from playing tabletop games due to distance, disability, or family)

Group 1:
*Already enjoys NWN2 and D&D
*They need to hear about Alfa from other players.
*Likes to read articles about RPGS and D&D, uses websites like FRWiki, Kotaku, the Dungeons and Dragons site, and Nwn2vault.
*They are often builders, DMs, HDMS, Techs, Server Hosts and fairly saavy with the technology.
*They are looking for something new and novel to enrich or relive past good experiences with NWN2.
*They are looking for a place that allows them to do what other servers will not, like actively contribute to the PW via dming, building, or other skills.
*Looking for a PW where the rules make protect and support realistic RP
*May have unusual habits from past experiences in other PW that support less RP and more video game style game play or unregulated RP.
*Participates in RP/D&D chatrooms, RP, and fan-related fiction or nonfiction writing .

Group 2: (any mix of these)
1. Enjoys D&D
2. Has been disenfranchised from playing D&D in real life for various reasons.
3. Enjoys RPGS (specifically enjoyed Baldurs Gate, Icewind Dale, NWN, Dragon Age, ect)
4. Is moderately computer savvy and not easily frustrated by modding
5. Wants to play D&D but various physical and mental disabilities make tabletop impossible.
6. Likes to read articles about RPGS and D&D, uses websites like FRWiki, Kotaku, and the Dungeons and Dragons site
7. Participates in RP/D&D chatrooms, RP on MMOs, and fan-related fiction or nonfiction writing.
8. Enjoys build-it-yourself games like Minecraft

[CloudDancing]

I can provide my social media skills and start a daily infusion of Alfa propaganda into various locations.

Additionally, if each of us did just one post a week in various locations, that influence would grow exponentially.

So there are many ways to insert things into social media.

Forum Posts: "I play a warlock in this NWN2 persistent world called Alfa (www.alandfaraway.org) and I think these new 4.0 changes are terrible. You should do...."

There are forums for everything, including other PW, so anywhere you talk about RP or D&D is a good place to give Alfa a shout out.

I am of the opinion that even if a post is taken down (if we are considered competition) people will read it and get the idea.

Chat: "You sound like you are really missing tabletop. You know you can play D&D games online with NWN2? I do it all the time. I have a level 4 rogue and we just met a dragon in the caves below the Evermoors..."

In game: Most of us are adept at making friends outside the RP setting wherever we play. If you meet someone who is disgruntled with a PW or an MMO and laments being able to participate in immersive RP, that is a good time to tell them about Alfa. One of our members had been doing this for quite sometime and it has yielded many new visitors.

In real life: Talk to old friends you used to tabletop with. Share with your family members.

(To be continued, need to pick up the rugrats..ahhh..late)

[Castano]

get with IA to get the webpages changed and up to snuff. I had no idea we were not Chrome compliant.

[Iarwain]

Web page looks good in both Firefox and Chrome to me...

[CloudDancing]

Good to know the front page works. I didn't think that a graphics problem like that would slip by Hialimar.

My main goals are:

1. To produce a short, catchy video montage for Alfa with lots of action scenes.

2. Write a short article about NWN2. The hook is to compare it to Minecraft (except for RPG fans.) I also want to emphasize that the tool set is being used to teach people the skills to become future programmers and developers.

3. Encourage an Alfa-wide presence on the internet and hopefully arouse some popular interest and attention.

[HEEGZ]

cool stuff. i dont spend time anywhere outside of our website though.

[Castano]

bump I like this idea. What do we need tech-wise to make these updates to the website?

[Zelknolf]

You just gotta know enough about assembling web sites to redo it-- phpBB for the forums; Drupal for the pages. I know Hialmar's been on board with updating the website to keep with the times for a while (though we hadn't talked about it since May, and that conversation was as long as "Add that to the help wanted post. We could use that.").

[Castano]

I suggest cd work up the copy and send it to IA for posting?

[CloudDancing]

Over the last two days I have gone over our webpage and added/edited various sections to reflect new changes and to clarify new policies. I don't see any need to update the main page outside of writing up a "state of Alfa" blurb for the coming new year.

I'll keep working on the social networking and record some video footage on MS.

[HEEGZ]

We should probably try to update "The Latest News" on the main page. I think the CE has been out for a while. Here is some of the latest news:

We have Ronan's Campaign on Moonshaes. The Knights Draconis on TSM. There are two campaigns simmering on WHL and BG at the moment. A new campaign is starting on WHL next month. New map content has been added to WHL and BG in the past week. More updates coming to MS soon. This is all off the top of my head, and there is other stuff happening that I am not familiar with. Feel free to use any images from my posts in the news reporting.

Do we have anyone interested in updating the front page news portion? I don't have the flair for it really.

[Rumple C]

I can do it, but i'd need permissions

[CloudDancing]

Please be my guest! Just pm me.

[CloudDancing]

Last week I posted www.alandfaraway.org links/pr on D&D 40th anniversary articles.
Today updated the Wikipedia page on NWN2 today and posted some media links on our FB page.

Join the FB page! (Note that that if you value your privacy, joining the facebook page will show your FB name to the people on our Alfa FB page list.)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/alandfaraway/