Swapping Ads

[First Oni]

I was on rpg.net and someone had suggested something like this: two companies swapping ads in the back of the books for the other. No money exchanged, but one audience would be introduced to the other and both publishers can aid the other for getting the word out.

How plausible is this, granted both companies agree to it, aren't in competition with each other (games not too similar) and both have read the others game and approve that it is "good enough" for lack of another term to use at the moment?

Just curious, cause i was thinking this might be a way to go in the future of indie-press.

-Oni

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Eloy,

You're right, but also not the first. Most of the publishers here have been advertising one another's games for years. Sometimes it's a formal exchange, and sometimes it's not.

Best, Ron

[Ron Edwards]

Found it! Here's an older thread about the topic: Putting other people's games in your game? from 2002.

In that thread, a guy asks what forum would be appropriate for arranging advertising for one another, and I tell him "Publishing," but that's because back then, the Connections forum didn't exist. So now it would be Connections.

Best, Ron

[First Oni]

Oh yeah... never thought it was a "new" topic, just one that i'm thinking I may want to take part of. So, i was brining it up to see who else might be, the pit falls, etc. :-)

-Oni

[Ron Edwards]

No pitfalls to date. It seems to have been one of the undisputed "let's do this" "OK let's" ideas of the earlier days of the Forge that has worked out well for everyone.

Every publisher can do it however they want, of course, but speaking for myself, I consider which games are well-suited to my current one, or perhaps played a role in inspiring it, and then I just zip the creator an email asking for a PDF page or image of the right size. I don't practice any exchanging; I figure if someone wants to promote one of my games, they'll get in touch when they want to.

Best, Ron