BGG Overview
BoardGameGeek is a vibrant community of board game enthusiasts who are eager to both create and devour gaming information.
Gamers come to our site to discuss their favorite games, track game collections, and most importantly, learn about new games to introduce to their friends.
Our users have submitted 20 million articles, 4 million images, 250,000 files, and so much more to BoardGameGeek. The database contains about 100,000 games and grows daily, making us the go-to resource for anything cardboard.
We began to work with BGG in 2007, and each year, our marketing plan for every main release is built with the cooperation of the BGG crew. From banner campaigns aimed at game releases, to contests that are a great tool to build awareness about a product and its features, we basically cannot imagine promoting new product without BoardGameGeek.
Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal Games
Portal Games is one of the biggest European game publishers, and we would not be there if not for the marketing and promotional opportunities BGG offers us.
Our Numbers
- 4.7 million unique monthly visitors
- 73 million monthly page views
- 2.6 million registered users
- Average age in mid-30s
- Spends over $500/year on gaming
- Average of 200 games owned
- 78% play games at least weekly
- 92% have crowdfunded a project
- Nearly 50% have children at home
Visitors by Location
Site-Wide Banner Ads
Every month, we deliver a total of approximately 80 million banner impressions to 4.2 million monthly unique visitors. These banners appear on all non-home page pages of the site in various locations, from the leaderboard banners at the top of every page, to inline ads that are interspersed into rankings pages and forums.
We can do anything from a quick, high saturation ad burst, to a longer, lower saturation branding campaign.
I’ve used banner advertising for all 7 of my tabletop Kickstarter campaigns, and I could not be happier with the results. Not only has the click-through rate and conversion rate been excellent, but the customer service is superb, and I love getting the analytics at the end of the project.
Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games
BoardGameGeek is the only website where I’m genuinely interested in the content of the banner ads, and I don’t think I’m alone in that.
Our banner advertising packages include placement in all of our banner positions throughout the site (non-home page). This approach gives you great banner variety on the site, both on desktop and mobile, allowing you to give our audience multiple views of your product as well as capitalize on users that might browse our site in various ways.
You choose both the budget and the timeline. Your budget will be spread evenly over your desired timeline.
The minimum buy and pricing may vary if you require geographic targeting.
Availability
Typically immediate availability.
Ad Specifications
- Format: JPG or PNG @ 72 dpi
- Sizes: 1456×180, 600×500, 2400×250, 640×200
- Required: You must upload artwork for all four sizes, finalized at least two business days before the scheduled launch date.
- Recommended: You may upload multiple banners per size, which will optimize based on performance.
Cost – $ 100 per 100k Impressions
- Minimum buy of $500.
- Minimum burn rate of 20k impressions per day.
Sweeteners
Buying at least 1 million site-wide banner impressions? We’ll put a little sugar on it to bring even more value to your campaign!
As a board game publisher, advertising on BoardGameGeek is a no brainer. If you’re going to advertise at all, it should be on BoardGameGeek.
Michael Coe, Gamelyn Games
Below are the sweeteners, which we automatically apply to any campaign buying at least 1 million site-wide banner impressions:
For All Campaigns
50,000 Bonus Home Page banner impressions for each 1 million site-wide impressions. These bonus impressions are spread over the same time frame as the site-wide banner purchase. This banner position appears as users scroll down the home page.
For Crowdfunding Campaigns
- Text links in our Crowdfunding Weekly emails for the duration of your project. Note that these text links are different than the Crowdfunding Weekly Email Feature add-on, which is a more distinct and prominent placement.
- A “Back This Project” button in the header of the BGG listing of the game being crowdfunded, as well as a Kickstarter widget for KS campaigns, making it easy for BGG users to browse from the game listing to your crowdfunding campaign.
Cost – $ 0
- Some things in life are free!
Add-on: Home Page Hero
Do you have something important to highlight on a specific day? A game releasing into retail? A crowdfunding project starting or ending? With the home page seeing an average of 140,000 visits per day, this is a great way to get the word out!
The BGG team is knowledgeable and easy to work with. Their promo credit program helps make promos easily available for fans, and reduces pricing for marketing of new projects. BGG is a great partner in getting the word out about new Thunderworks titles!
Keith Matejka, Thunderworks Games
The Home Page Hero option gives you 50% of the top banner slot on BGG’s home page for the date of your choice, and is the best option for high-saturation exposure on our home page.
On your chosen date, your ad will run from 12:00 AM central time until 11:59 PM central time, so make sure to schedule according to the central time zone!
Due to high demand for these slots, this is an add-on item. You are limited to one add-on per 500,000 site-wide banner impressions.
Availability
Often fully booked out 3-4 weeks. Reserve your desired date(s) ASAP!
Ad Specifications
- Format: JPG or PNG @ 72 dpi
- Sizes: 2400×250, 1456×180, 640×200
- Required: You must upload artwork for all three sizes, finalized at least two business days before the scheduled launch date
- Recommended: You may upload multiple banners per size, which will optimize based on performance.
Cost – $ 300 Per Day
- Limit of one add-on per 500,000 site-wide banner impressions.
- Cancellation Policy: 7-day notice required for cancellation of any add-on. Cancellations inside of 7 days from the scheduled date will be charged 50% of the ad cost.
Add-on: Sponsored Spotlight
The Sponsored Spotlight appears more as native content than an ad, featuring your game’s BGG info in a tidy package with easy access to the game’s images, videos, and forums.
When I am launching a Kickstarter or a retail game, the BGG platform is always at the top of my list. Engaging in a community that loves board games is a priceless resource.
James Hudson, Druid City Games
The Sponsored Spotlight guarantees that one of the spotlights on the home page is yours for 3.5 days, either starting Sunday at 12 AM central, or Wednesday at 12 PM central.
Due to high demand for these slots, this is an add-on item. You are limited to one add-on per 500,000 site-wide banner impressions.
Availability
Two slots available per week, starting either 12 AM central on Sunday, or 12 PM central on Wednesday. Often fully booked out 3-4 weeks. Reserve your desired date ASAP!
Ad Specifications
- No assets needed.
Cost – $ 300
- Limit of one add-on per 500,000 site-wide banner impressions.
- Cancellation Policy: 7-day notice required for cancellation of any add-on. Cancellations inside of 7 days from the scheduled date will be charged 50% of the ad cost.
Add-on: Crowdfunding Countdown Feature
The Crowdfunding Countdown feature gives you the very first position in the Crowdfunding Countdown module for a one-week period. Prime exposure for crowdfunding campaigns!
The Crowdfunding Countdown Feature guarantees the first slot for a one week period, starting on Wednesdays at 12 AM central. Perfect timing for most Tuesday/Wednesday campaign launches, or for the home stretch of your crowdfunding campaign!
Due to high demand for these slots, this is an add-on item. You are limited to one add-on per 500,000 site-wide banner impressions.
Availability
One slot available per week with a Wednesday, 12:00 AM central start time. Often fully booked out 3-4 weeks. Reserve your desired date ASAP!
Ad Specifications
- No assets needed.
Cost – $ 1,400
- Limit of one add-on per 500,000 site-wide banner impressions.
- Limit of one Crowdfunding Countdown Feature per campaign.
- Cancellation Policy: 7-day notice required for cancellation of any add-on. Cancellations inside of 7 days from the scheduled date will be charged 50% of the ad cost.
Add-on: Gone Cardboard Email Feature
Looking for a premiere option to highlight games releasing into retail? We’ve partnered with CSI to provide a useful mailing for gamers to stay on top of all the latest releases. The list averages 30,000 opens per mailing; great visibility for your product launch!
The Gone Cardboard Mailing add-on gives you a featured placement at the top of one of our weekly mailings, including an image and 320 characters of text. Gone Cardboard is sent out every Tuesday afternoon (central time), so plan accordingly!
You can see an example of Gone Cardboard here.
Due to high demand for these slots, this is an add-on item. You are limited to one add-on per 500,000 site-wide banner impressions.
Availability
Available on Tuesdays only. Often fully booked out 3-4 weeks. Reserve your desired date ASAP!
Ad Specifications
- Format: JPG or PNG @ 72 dpi
- Sizes: 300×300, finalized at least two business days before the scheduled launch date.
- Up to 320 characters of text.
Cost – $ 400
- Limit of one add-on per 500,000 site-wide banner impressions.
- Gone Cardboard is only for games currently available.
- Limit of one per campaign.
- Cancellation Policy: 7-day notice required for cancellation of any add-on. Cancellations inside of 7 days from the scheduled date will be charged 50% of the ad cost.
Add-on: Crowdfunding Weekly Email Feature
Crowdfunding Weekly goes out to folks who have expressed a specific interest in receiving information on crowdfunding projects, averaging 25,000 opens per mailing.
This Crowdfunding Weekly add-on gives you a featured placement in one of our weekly mailings, including an image and 320 characters of text. Crowdfunding Weekly is sent out every Wednesday afternoon (central time), so plan accordingly!
You can see an example of Crowdfunding Weekly here.
Due to high demand for these slots, this is an add-on item. You are limited to one add-on per 500,000 site-wide banner impressions.
Marketing on BGG is a key to success. They are the biggest board game website by far! On top of that, Chad is always there for us and working with him is nothing but a pleasure!
Marcin Świerkot, Awaken Realms
Availability
Available on Wednesdays only. Often fully booked out 3-4 weeks. Reserve your desired date ASAP!
Ad Specifications
- Format: JPG or PNG @ 72 dpi
- Sizes: 300×300, finalized at least two business days before the scheduled launch date.
- Up to 320 characters of text.
Cost – $ 450
- Limit of one add-on per 500,000 site-wide banner impressions.
- Crowdfunding Weekly is only for active crowdfunding projects.
- Limit of one per campaign.
- Cancellation Policy: 7-day notice required for cancellation of any add-on. Cancellations inside of 7 days from the scheduled date will be charged 50% of the ad cost.
Add-on: Geek Weekly Email Feature
Direct to consumer mailings are a key way to enter the consciousness of potential customers. With about 35,000 opens per weekly mailing to dedicated BGG users, Geek Weekly is a flexible option for many different types of ad campaigns!
The Geek Weekly add-on gives you a paid placement in one of our weekly mailings, including an image and 650 characters of text. Depending on the nature of your ad, we will place it under an appropriate heading: Crowdfunding Spotlight, Featured Game, or Featured Post.
In addition to being sent as a weekly mailing, Geek Weekly is also posted to BGG News.
You can see an examples of Geek Weekly both here in the email format, and here as a BGG News post.
Due to high demand for these slots, this is an add-on item. You are limited to one add-on per 500,000 site-wide banner impressions.
Availability
Available on Thursdays only. Often fully booked out 3-4 weeks. Reserve your desired date ASAP!
Ad Specifications
- Format: JPG or PNG @ 72 dpi
- Sizes: 300×300, finalized at least two business days before the scheduled launch date.
- Up to 650 characters of text.
Cost – $ 350
- Limit of one add-on per 500,000 site-wide banner impressions.
- Limit of one per campaign.
- Cancellation Policy: 7-day notice required for cancellation of any add-on. Cancellations inside of 7 days from the scheduled date will be charged 50% of the ad cost.
Sponsored Contests
Contests are a prime way of engaging potential buyers of your game on a deeper level. Through the contest, they can learn more about the game, getting them excited about the prospect of owning it themselves!
Using BGG contests provides the visibility we always needed. For small publishers, a contest is a great way to attract attention and create the buzz any good game needs, and it comes at an affordable price.
Agnieszka Kopera, Board & Dice
Our contests revolve around a standard multiple choice format which requires users to research the game in order to answer correctly. The more questions they answer correctly, the more chances they get to win. This approach gets users to spend time with your product, piquing their interest in the game through the process.
Contests typically attract 4,000+ participants, and this activity usually vaults the game near the top of our hot games list as well, which exposes it to thousands of other users!
We launch one contest each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with the contest duration being one week.
Availability
Three slots available per week, with contests starting Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 12 AM central. Contest duration is one week. Often fully booked out 3-4 weeks. Reserve your desired date ASAP!
Ad Specifications
- You will be directed to a form which walks you through all of the necessary images and text.
Cost – $ 2500
- You will also be responsible for the prizes and shipping these prizes to contest winners.
- Cancellation Policy: 7-day notice required. Cancellations inside of 7 days from the scheduled date will be charged 50% of the ad cost.
BGG.TV: In Focus Video
BoardGameGeek now creates In Focus videos in-house, which are quick-hit game overviews that allow gamers a glimpse at the game, allowing them to quickly see if the game is up their alley!
In Focus videos are 2-5 minute overviews of the game, touching on the high points of game play, while also showing off artwork and components. They will not contain any opinions, but rather present the game in a concise manner that allows the viewer to decide for themselves if the game is appealing.
Check out an example of In Focus here.
The video will be listed and featured in the following places, giving additional exposure to the game, as well as increasing conversion from interest to a buying decision:
- Highlighted as a feature video on the BGG game listing.
- Included in the BGG Media Newsletter.
- Pinned in the BGG home page Featured Videos for at least one week.
- Posted to the BGG YouTube channel.
Availability
For availability and booking, please directly contact our media manager, Lincoln Damerst.
- lincoln@boardgamegeek.com
Cost – Starting at $ 1,200
BGG.TV: How to Play Video
While we’re sure you write killer rule books, fans of your games will be pumped to skip them, having the game taught to them by a pro! We’ll learn your game, then film and publish a professional “How to Play” video for you.
How to Play videos are professional-grade rule teachings, utilizing multiple camera angles for effective demonstration, allowing gamers to get up and playing more quickly. They also help drive interest in the game, as potential buyers can check out the rules teach before making a purchasing decision.
Check out an example of How to Play here.
The video will be listed and featured in the following places, giving additional exposure to the game, as well as increasing conversion from interest to a buying decision:
- Highlighted as a feature video on the BGG game listing.
- Included in the BGG Media Newsletter.
- Pinned in the BGG home page Featured Videos for at least one week.
- Posted to the BGG YouTube channel.
Availability
For availability and booking, please directly contact our media manager, Lincoln Damerst.
- lincoln@boardgamegeek.com
Cost – Starting at $ 1500
Suggested Ad Packages
Not sure what to choose? While we have an a la carte menu of options, here are some suggested advertising campaigns. Keep in mind these are not discounted packages… merely suggestions of various possible combos of impressions and add-ons, so if you want to add more impressions, a contest, BGG.TV production, etc, these are all completely flexible options!
The D4 – Starting at $800
- 500,000 Site-Wide Banner Impressions
- One add-on. The final total will depend on which add-on is chosen.
The D6 – Starting at $1,300
- 1,000,000 Site-Wide Banner Impressions
- 50,000 Bonus Home Page Imps.
- Crowdfunding Sweeteners (if applicable)
- One add-on. The final total will depend on which add-on is chosen.
The D8 – Starting at $1,600
- 1,000,000 Site-Wide Banner Impressions
- 50,000 Bonus Home Page Imps.
- Crowdfunding Sweeteners (if applicable)
- Two add-ons. The final total will depend on which add-ons are chosen.
The D12 – Starting at $2,400
- 1,500,000 Site-Wide Banner Impressions
- 50,000 Bonus Home Page Imps.
- Crowdfunding Sweeteners (if applicable)
- Three add-ons. The final total will depend on which add-ons are chosen.
The D20 – Starting at $3,200
- 2,000,000 Site-Wide Banner Impressions
- 100,000 Bonus Home Page Imps.
- Crowdfunding Sweeteners (if applicable)
- Four add-ons. The final total will depend on which add-ons are chosen.
Augment Any Package with:
- Additional Site-Wide Banners
- Contest
- BGG.TV Video Production
RPGG Banner Ads
Every month, we deliver a total of approximately 1 million banner impressions to the 85,000 monthly unique visitors that visit RPGG.
Banner advertising is the only advertising option on RPGG, and includes placement in all three of our banner positions throughout the site, including the home page. This approach gives you great banner variety on the site, allowing you to give our audience multiple views of your product as well as capitalize on users that might browse our site in various ways.
You choose both the budget and the timeline. Your budget will be spread evenly over your desired timeline.
The minimum buy and pricing may vary if you require geographic targeting.
Availability
Typically immediate availability.
Ad Specifications
- Format: JPG or PNG @ 72 dpi
- Sizes: 2400×250, 1456×180, 600×500
- Required: You must have artwork for all 3 sizes, finalized at least two business days before the scheduled launch date.
- Recommended: You may send multiple banners per size, which will allow optimization based on performance.
Cost – $ 50 per 50k Impressions
- Minimum buy of $50.