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As part of the increasingly lucrative online gaming sector, social titles have evolved beyond their initial cult following to become a mainstream feature of popular culture. According to statistics released in 2014, the value if this market is set to exceed $5 billion by the end of this year and continue to soar at a similar rate beyond this date. As a result of this, social gaming now provides a key marketing and promotional tool for innovative businesses that are striving to achieve large-scale growth.

As an estimate, the average engagement rate for a commercial Facebook page stands at 0.5%. There is a stark contrast between this rate and the one associated with social gaming adverts, however, which often trigger engagement levels of up to 20%. This represents a huge difference, meaning that brands with the initiative and ability to develop social gaming-inspired adverts are likely to tap into a larger and more motivated target audience. While this may not always be possible, it is something that can help your brand considerably in 2015.

Gaming is often blighted by misconceptions, with one of the most prominent being the idea that the majority of gamers are male teenagers with ample amounts of leisure time. This is far from the truth, as research suggests that up to 54% of all social gamers are actually female, while a total of 50% are also parents. Beyond this, a further 28% of all social gamers have a bachelor’s degree or above, which suggests that this platform offers value to a more diverse and refined demographic of players.

While online gaming experiences such as video poker or free slots may be associated with single males, the same cannot be said for social gaming titles. In fact, statistics suggest that 54% of social gamers are actually married, with many playing in couples and sharing their experience online. This underlines the diversity and inclusive nature of social gaming, which is far removed from the type of isolating experience synonymous with seventh generation consoles.