Ahead of Pocket Gamer Connects London 2019 on January 21st and 22nd we are catching up with some of the big names that we have on-stage at the show.
Today we catch up with Matchmade CMO Heini Vesander. Matchmade is an influencer marketing and management platform that helps influencers and brands connect. Vesander will be speaking during the Influencer Insight panel.
Tell us a bit about the company?
Matchmade is the leading influencer marketing platform for games. The Matchmade platform analyses all games-related content on YouTube and Twitch to intelligently match advertisers with the best content creators for their brand.
That’s over 3.7M channels and 348M videos on YouTube and over 265K channels and 15M streams on Twitch. Matchmade makes influencer marketing easy, efficient and measurable.
Why did you want to work in the games industry?
This industry combines passion, technology, art and entertainment. Always innovating, always trying new things, games are not only fun to play, but also fun to make (and yes, stressful too).
What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into it?
Play games across platforms and across genres with an analytical mindset. Get to know a few people in the industry (local IGDA is a great place to start), and soon you'll know everyone.
What are your thoughts on the industry in the last 12 months?
Apart from Epic's massive success with Fortnite, the past year has been very "business as usual" without massive disruption and change. I feel like the industry is holding its breath for the next big thing.
What major trends do you predict in the next 12 months?
Mobile continues its steady growth, we'll see a few new titles hit the charts. Fortnite esports will be interesting! In the aftermath of GDPR, we might see more regulation around in-app/in-game purchases.
How has the games industry changed since you first started?
Companies are taking diversity more seriously than before, both in terms of recruiting and representation of minorities in games.
Which part of the Connects event are you most looking forward to most?
Mingling with fellow games industry folks.
Vesander will be hosting 'Pitching your game to the right influencers' during the influencer insight track. The talk takes place on January 22nd at 4:40pm.
There's still time to pick up a ticket for Pocket Gamer Connects London 2019 - click here.
