With Steam Next Fest kicked off, we thought it would be a great time to discuss how to get the most out of your game’s Steam Page. There are a few things that are worth considering from the very beginning, beyond what Steam asks you to include:

When should I create my Steam page? Great question! Your Steam page should be up the moment a game is announced to the public unless your intent is to tease the game with only a small amount of information and a teaser trailer. You want to be able to synchronize the announcement to the public with your Steam page so users have a place to go and check details (aside from the website) as soon as possible. By not doing this, you run the risk of the Steam algorithm not picking up and nobody caring about your exciting new game, as well as users not having the ability to wishlist when the game has just been announced.

Help! They can’t understand my Steam page! When creating a Steam page, it’s crucial that you take note of the importance of clear and concise language. Your description needs to clearly explain what the game is and its hook/unique selling point. This is sometimes the player’s first glimpse into the game, so you want that first impression to matter. When writing for the “About this game” section, you want to start with the big stuff and work your way down, including verbs and visual language, finishing with a strong hook, and if the theme of your game allows it, be original! If this doesn’t work, try the three-steps structure, where the first sentence is a really short description of what the game is, the second sentence is what you can expect, and the third sentence is the hook. Make sure to tag your game correctly as this informs players about particular features of your game. Finally, don’t forget to localize your game if possible, as less than 1/3 of Steam users select English as a primary language.

Is my trailer ready for Steam? Trailers are an invaluable piece of marketing that you should consider having on your Steam Page from the start. What defines a good trailer depends largely on the type of game you’re making, but you should always keep in consideration that a trailer shouldn’t be too long. It should be fast-paced and structured to give players an idea of what your game is like and leave them with the feeling “I want to play this, it looks amazing!”

What assets should I prioritize? You want to get to the front page right? Get a ton of fresh eyeballs on the game you’ve been making? Then you need to key art for your game to stand out. Having a great main capsule with an awesome logo and beautiful art is important, especially when it comes to sizing. Players may see your game’s art through a tiny box, so it’s important that it’s always legible. But good looks are only half the battle! The game’s images need to convey what your game is about and the experience that it will deliver. Its screenshots must demonstrate the gameplay loop/interface simply. Finally, take into consideration Steam’s sizing for graphical assets listed here.

How important is the Publisher page? The publisher page on Steam can be a useful tool to showcase all past products in the same place, as well as upcoming releases, social media links, and more. Sometimes it can make sense to drive traffic to the publisher’s page, such as sales, announcements, and other cross promotion. Having a place for these titles can benefit each game individually, so it’s important to consider it as an addition to help boost your Steam page further.

Hopefully, this has given you a clearer understanding as well as some tips to help improve your Steam Page! For more information visit the Gamesindustry article, “How to Get the Most out of Your Game’s Steam Page,” and leave any questions you may have below!

This article was originally published in The Iterative Digest #84. Click to subscribe!