[casual_games] Club Penguin's Conversion Rate

[Aaron Murray]

James - this would be great information to know. What percentage of visitors
download a game? What is the average number of downloads per visitor? These
numbers would help level the comparison quite a bit.
Our numbers vary by source, but we typically convert 30-35% of site visitors
into registered players. This "feels" low to me, and I'm actively working on
some new methods to increase those numbers because we're already paying for
that traffic- I should try harder to monetize it.

-Aaron

On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 6:32 PM, Erin Hoffman <erin.n.hoffman at gmail.com>wrote:


> Hi James -- this taken into consideration, do you know of available

> figures that specifically compare unique visitors : downloads :

> purchases for casual sites? I don't typically see that figure, only

> instead the usual 'conversion' percentage.

>

> In the case of Club Penguin or similar, there's another layer of

> difference also that may equate loosely to download -- registration.

> Not all visitors to a CP-type will register, so #unique visitors

> doesn't equal registered free users. But you're right that there'd

> still be a discrepancy on the download count in that one unique

> visitor may result in multiple downloads, whereas on a F2P site it

> will generally result in only one registered account -- though at

> least on GoPets we found frequent instances of multiple account

> registrations from a single user, which is going to be dependent on

> whether your game mechanics incentivize users to register multiple

> accounts (to farm resources, for instance).

>

> How would you recommend separating these factors to generate a fair

> comparison? #unique visitors : purchase/subscription?

>

> --Erin

>

> On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 4:24 PM, James C. Smith <james at reflexive.net>

> wrote:

> > You are comparing conversion of two different things.  On the case of

> Club

> > penguin you are measuring purchases per visor but for downloadable games

> you

> > are measuring purchase per download when you should really looking at

> > purchases per visitor if you want to compare it to Club penguin.

> >

> >

> >

> > Let’s say 10 visitors come to your sight, and they each try 5 games, and

> > then 1 guys buys one of those games.  So you had 50 download and 1

> > purchase.  You only converted 2% of your downloads but you converted 10%

> of

> > you visitors.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > I believe many visors do try several games before deciding which one to

> > buy.  Measuring purchases per download makes it seem like this is a bad

> > thing.  Measuring purchases per visitor or average revenue per user

> (ARPU)

> > are much better ways to compare to subscription plans.

> >

> >

> >

> > --James

> >

> >

> >

> > -----Original Message-----

> > From: casual_games-bounces at igda.org [mailto:

> casual_games-bounces at igda.org]

> > On Behalf Of Erin Hoffman

> > Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 3:56 PM

> > To: casual_games at igda.org

> > Subject: [casual_games] Club Penguin's Conversion Rate

> >

> >

> >

> > Hi all,

> >

> >

> >

> > I don't think Club Penguin is traditionally identified as a "casual

> >

> > game", but I know there are a few marketers on the list who might have

> >

> > access or thoughts on these statistics.

> >

> >

> >

> > The customary conversion rate for casual games is 1% -- 1 in 100 free

> >

> > downloads will convert to a purchase. This tends to also apply where

> >

> > casual games intersect the F2P MMO market. Club Penguin, however,

> >

> > converts at a rate of 5.8% -- they maintain around 700,000 paying

> >

> > users out of 12 million account holders, and these subscribers also

> >

> > "over-spend" on Club Penguin goods, averaging between $50-70 per year

> >

> > on Club Penguin purchases.

> >

> >

> >

> > Is there any research or existing thought on why Club Penguin converts

> >

> > at such a large rate? I realize it's so far considered an aberration

> >

> > (a 'hit'), but what all could be contributing to its unnaturally large

> >

> > conversion rate? Is it strictly a matter of demographics?

> >

> >

> >

> > Thanks very much,

> >

> > Erin

> >

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-- 
Aaron Murray
Technical Director, Founder
Tandem Games
www.TandemGames.com
www.DomainOfHeroes.com
"Fun for All. All for Fun."
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