Engaging the Right Audience:
How Targeted Outreach Boosted a Fan Film’s Kickstarter Success
Opportunity
A fan film inspired by a popular video game franchise set out to create an immersive short film and wanted to invite their audience along on their journey to fundraise on Kickstarter. The team self-funded and self-produced a high-quality teaser trailer to generate interest and showcase the film’s potential. This teaser was not part of the final film, but a proof-of-concept to demonstrate their vision.The team launched a five-week Kickstarter campaign with a $30K goal, making it an all-or-nothing effort. Relying on the support of the game's dedicated fanbase, we expected to reach 160K fans across multiple channels. Spreading awareness and engaging the community was critical to ensuring the teaser trailer led to a full production.
Strategy
To maximize awareness and engagement, we identified Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and X as the most effective platforms for reaching fans of the video game franchise. These channels provide opportunities to share compelling content, foster community interaction, and drive traffic to the fundraising page.Based on keyword research, we developed a content strategy focused on relevant themes to engage the target audience on each platform. Additionally, we established a targeted outreach strategy to connect with influencers in the space for partnership opportunities.
Our strategy aimed to reach 160K fans by the campaign deadline, generating $30K in funding. Using industry benchmarks, we calculated audience reach and conversion rates, targeting a 3% click-through rate (CTR) to the fundraising page and a 5% engagement rate across social media. Success was measured through short-term signals like engagement and CTR metrics, with funds raised as the primary measure.
Results
The project gained significant media attention through targeted outreach, including coverage from Nintendo Life and other major gaming media outlets. This exposure led to the widespread sharing of the trailer across gaming sites and social platforms.After just two weeks, the campaign reached approximately 80% of its Kickstarter goal, with about two-thirds of backers coming from the intended audience of dedicated video game enthusiasts. Additionally, Kickstarter recognized the project as a “Project We Love,” further boosting visibility and attracting additional backers, demonstrating both the campaign and teaser trailer’s success.