How to Combine a Steam Discount With a Creator Campaign

Short answer: a discount gives people a reason to buy now, and creators give them a reason to care. Together they work much better than either alone. Steam emails your wishlisters when you run a discount of at least 20% that lasts over 8 hours, so run the creator campaign in the same window: new viewers and existing wishlisters arrive at once. On SOS OPS!, that combination sold 287,139 copies in one week.

Why pair a discount with creators?

A discount on its own mostly reaches people who already know your game. A creator campaign on its own brings new people, but some of them hesitate at full price. Put them together and the creator video becomes an invitation: "this game is great, and it's on sale right now".

How do Steam's discount notifications work?

From the Steamworks wishlist docs:

• Wishlisters get an email and/or mobile notification when the discount is 20% or more.
• The discount must, at a minimum, affect your lowest priced package.
• It must last over 8 hours.
• The emails typically go out within a few hours, and only to customers with a verified email.
• Each customer gets at most one email about your game every 2 weeks.

That last rule matters. A second sale a few days later won't reach the same people again, so plan the discount and the campaign as one moment.

What did it look like for SOS OPS!?

SOS OPS! ran three back to back campaigns with 175 creators and 336 videos, reaching 11,452,423 views. In the sales week, the game sold 287,139 copies, compared with 452 the week before, plus 207,294 DLC units. Daily sales climbed from 4,670 on day one to 28,035 on day two and 62,771 on day three.

The case sums it up: "The discount worked as an entry ticket, the co op format pulled friends in, and the DLC carried the revenue."

How should you time it?

• Creators post at the start of the discount. The first days of a sale are when the price is news. Concentrate the posts in the first one or two days.
• Give creators the exact details. The discount percentage and the end date go in the brief, so they say it correctly. Never let a video claim a price you're not offering. Our creator brief template has a slot for it.
• Line up your other channels. Discord, newsletter and social posts on the same day add to the creator wave.
• Have something for buyers to do next. DLC, a co-op mode or an upcoming update keeps the momentum going after the sale ends.

Steam's other levers for a released game, like update visibility rounds, are covered in how to boost sales of a game that's already out.

Is this only for released games?

Yes, a discount needs a released game. For an unreleased game, the equivalent moment is a demo or the launch: see how to market a Steam demo and our launch week guide.

FAQ

How big does the discount need to be?
At least 20% for Steam to notify your wishlisters, and it has to last over 8 hours.

Can I notify wishlisters every time I run a sale?
Not more often than every 2 weeks per customer. Steam holds back any email about your game for anyone it already emailed in the last 2 weeks.

Should creators mention the discount?
Yes, with the exact percentage and end date from your brief.

What's the minimum budget on Trapster?
$3,000 per campaign.

Make your next sale louder

Tell us your discount dates and send us your Steam page. We'll send back a free forecast for views, creators and sales. See Trapster for studios or book a call.

Sources: Steamworks documentation on wishlists and discount notifications. Campaign figures come from Trapster case studies.