Crowdfunding Nerds: Kickstarter Marketing, Business, & Beyond!

What assets do you actually need to create a bangarang crowdfunding landing page—and ads that convert? Sean is joined by Crowdfunding Nerds team members Jacob Cecil and Donnie to break down the creative assets every board game and RPG creator should have ready before launching a marketing campaign. They explain why a 3D box render is practically non-negotiable, what types of artwork and component shots make landing pages more compelling, and why some of the simplest ad creatives can outperform highly polished productions. They also dig into what they've learned from running and testing crowdfunding ads: thematic artwork, lifestyle photos, quick unboxing videos, GIFs, simple product shots, and even images taken straight from Tabletop Simulator can all have a place in your campaign. They discuss how to design assets for mobile scrolling, why vertical, square, and horizontal formats matter, and how layered Photoshop files can give marketers much more flexibility when creating ads and landing pages. Guest Bios: Jacob Cecil is a member of the Crowdfunding Nerds team who specializes in developing crowdfunding landing pages and turning a game's creative assets into compelling marketing experiences. His work focuses on communicating what a game is, immersing potential backers in its world, and structuring landing pages that turn ad traffic into interested leads. In this episode, Jacob shares practical guidance on box renders, component photography, layered artwork, thematic storytelling, image formats, and even using Tabletop Simulator when a physical prototype isn't available. Donnie Chase is part of the Crowdfunding Nerds team with hands-on experience developing and testing advertising creatives for tabletop crowdfunding campaigns. Through working across board game and RPG campaigns, he's seen firsthand which creative formats consistently attract attention—from box renders and thematic artwork to GIFs, lifestyle photography and simple unboxing videos. In this episode, Donnie breaks down why authentic creative can sometimes outperform polished advertising and how creators can develop assets that better match what board gamers and RPG players naturally respond to. Resources: https://kaganproductions.com/tutorials/ https://stonemaiergames.com/a-new-twist-on-showcasing-our-games-on-facebook/ Connect with Crowdfunding Nerds: Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crowdfundingnerdspodcast

What actually makes a tabletop game successful? According to Roll for Combat publisher Stephen Glicker, creating a great game is only one piece of a much bigger puzzle. Sean sits down with Stephen to unpack nearly five decades of gaming experience and the lessons he’s learned building Roll for Combat and Battlezoo into major third-party publishers for Pathfinder, D&D, Shadowdark, and now Deathbringer. Stephen shares how his background in publishing, advertising, video games, and even studying casino psychology shaped the way he approaches game design and marketing. They also dig into the realities of running a tabletop publishing business—from printers, fulfillment, NDAs, and structured playtesting to the growing challenge of proving artwork wasn't AI-generated. Stephen explains why understanding the mechanics behind a game matters more than simply playing hundreds of games, and why designers need to learn how to deconstruct what makes games work. Guest Bio: Stephen Glicker is the publisher of Roll for Combat and the creator behind the Battlezoo line of tabletop roleplaying products. Roll for Combat publishes material across multiple systems, including Pathfinder, D&D 5E, Shadowdark, and Deathbringer. Stephen has been playing tabletop RPGs since 1977 and brings decades of experience across gaming, publishing, design, and marketing. Before working full-time in tabletop publishing, he ran Skyscraper Studios, producing websites and interactive projects for Fortune 500 companies, and studied print publication and design at Carnegie Mellon. Roll for Combat originally began as an actual-play podcast before Stephen experimented with publishing his first Battlezoo Bestiary. When COVID disrupted his original plans to sell the book at conventions, he took it to Kickstarter instead—where the first campaign raised more than $300,000. Today, Stephen works alongside game designers and creators on products including Battlezoo Bestiary, Eldamon, Battlezoo ancestries, adventures, dragon-focused products, and Deathbringer with Professor Dungeon Master. He also co-hosts Roll for Combat's weekly show, discussing tabletop game design, publishing, crowdfunding, fulfillment, and the business behind the industry. Connect with Crowdfunding Nerds: Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crowdfundingnerdspodcast

SEO is changing. AI is changing search. But does that mean everything you knew about getting discovered online is suddenly useless? Not exactly. Crowdfunding Nerds SEO wizard and original co-host Richard is back to talk about what tabletop creators need to know about SEO, AI search, branding, and getting their games discovered online. Richard and Sean dig into why brand presence matters more than ever, how AI tools find and recommend products, and why being mentioned across places like BoardGameGeek, Reddit, social media, review sites, and other authoritative platforms can make a major difference. They also discuss one of the biggest mistakes crowdfunding creators continue to make: waiting until launch to start building awareness. From choosing a searchable game name to creating public conversations around your project, the goal isn't simply to spam your Kickstarter everywhere. It's to give search engines, AI systems, and—most importantly—real people enough evidence to understand who you are and why your game matters. And Richard's biggest SEO tip might be the simplest: be unique. Share stories, experiences, insights, statistics, and ideas that nobody else can copy. Guest Bio: Richard Phillips is the SEO expert at Crowdfunding Nerds and one of the podcast’s original co-hosts. Working largely behind the scenes, Richard specializes in search engine optimization, online visibility, and helping brands build a stronger digital presence. He was also instrumental in launching the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast as a way to share practical marketing knowledge with creators and expand the company’s reach. Richard shares his perspective on the rapidly changing world of SEO and AI search, including how tabletop creators can build brand authority, improve discoverability, and give both search engines and potential backers more reasons to find—and trust—their games. Connect with Crowdfunding Nerds: Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crowdfundingnerdspodcast

Why do some players crave big, memorable moments while others obsess over clever combinations or competitive wins? Understanding those motivations can help you design a stronger game—and market it more effectively. In this episode of Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew and Sean explore the psychographic profiles behind different types of gamers. They unpack the classic Timmy, Johnny, and Spike archetypes, explain how Vorthos and Melvin players experience games differently, and connect these profiles to the core motivations that drive purchasing decisions. In this episode: Why understanding player motivation matters What crowdfunding reveals about your market Designing from theme versus mechanics Why thematic messaging performs well in advertising Common traps in lore-heavy and mechanics-heavy marketing Resources: The Three Magic Psychographics — Mark Rosewater’s updated explanation of Timmy/Tammy, Johnny/Jenny, and Spike. Timmy, Johnny, and Spike Revisited — A deeper look at the three original player psychographics. Vorthos and Melvin — How players derive enjoyment through flavor and theme versus mechanics and systems. Vorthos and Mel — Mark Rosewater’s updated article on the two player aesthetics. The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman — The business book referenced during the discussion of core human motivations. Richard Bartle’s Player Taxonomy — The MMO player categories of Achievers, Explorers, Socializers, and Killers. Paul Lawrence’s Core Human Drives — Acquire, bond, learn, defend, and feel. TableTone — An adaptive soundboard featuring music, ambience, and sound effects for tabletop games.   Connect with Crowdfunding Nerds: Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crowdfundingnerdspodcast

Most creators know they need marketing, but very few understand what actually creates demand versus what simply captures it. In this episode of Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew Lowen and Sean dive deep into one of the most important marketing concepts for crowdfunding creators: Drivers vs. Catchers. They explain why many campaigns mistakenly attribute sales to the wrong marketing channels, how platforms like Meta, Google, Amazon, YouTube, conventions, and now ChatGPT all serve different purposes, and why understanding the customer journey can dramatically improve your marketing ROI. Andrew also shares his first-hand experience testing the brand-new ChatGPT Ads platform, including real campaign data, click costs, impressions, targeting options, and early lessons learned after spending over $150 on the platform. Thank you to our sponsors! Use Our Pledge Manager Powered By Hive Interactive - 2% Late Pledge Fee + 0% Setup Fee / 0% Campaign Fee: https://pledgemanager.crowdfundingnerds.com/services https://bridgedist.com/ - We recommend Bridge Distribution & Fulfillment for US fulfillment and Amazon fulfillment. We use them for our own projects, too! http://crowdfundingnerds.com/hive - Hive Interactive Pledge Manager - https://www.mailerlite.com/a/6K95GNejWHMV - We recommend Mailerlite for building your community [Affiliate] https://crowdfundingnerds.com/academy/ - If you are looking to DIY your crowdfunding, we have highly impactful courses that teach you how to build, excite, and prepare a crowd to fund you on Launch Day! Official Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/ and join our bustling Crowdfunding Nerds Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/ Stay Nerdy! Connect with Crowdfunding Nerds: Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crowdfundingnerdspodcast