Board Games : Online Business Ideas

Board Games OVERVIEW

History always repeats itself! Board games are still a thing- and more and more families and even adults are getting connected to this great way to spend quality time together!

There are serious, adult-oriented board games (Dungeons and Dragons and Magic the Gathering card game, for example) as well as funny “date night” games such as “Scattergories” and “5 Second Rule” which are still popular today.

Kids and family games are selling well, too. Parents desiring to break their kids away from phones and computers are finding new life in board games.

And let’s not forget that board games can be educational as well!

Board games have a rich history that you can explore, and a pretty solid future, even in today’s computer-driven world.

This is a fun niche that can be explored in a variety of ways, not just as a shopping or e-commerce site. There are quite a few paths to great content which will add “weight” to your site.

So let’s roll the dice, and give a board games niche site a try!

Market research – Board Games

(Our coverage of a particular niche market will provide you with a solid foundation of how large (or small) a niche idea is, who is the typical person engaged within a certain niche, how much money is spent on products related to the niche, and data on the current and future growth of that niche.)

• In the 2017, board game sales in the U.S. grew by 28 percent, per NPD Group, and global sales increased to $9.6 billion in 2016 from $9.3 billion in 2013, according to Euromonitor International.

• Hasbro re-branded its games portfolio under the Hasbro Gaming arm and launched numerous concepts within the field, including subscription boxes to deliver curated content to fans, but more and more, we have witnessed a widespread of toy companies express a growing interest in the sect. (source: toynewz-online.biz)

• Amazon”s board game revenue has seen an increase of double digit revenue over the past three years.

• US hobby and game stores are reporting an increase of 15%-20% recently.

• Gen-Con, a popular gaming conference, has seen attendance rise by 20% in the last two conferences.

• Kickstarter reported that board game start-ups earned $52 million than video games!

Sub Niches

• Family games

• Adult games

• Kid’s games

• Educational games

• Card games

• Board games history

• Board game collectibles/vintage

• Individual game instructions

• Individual game strategies, tips/hints/hacks

Conclusion

The board games niche is a great opportunity to get in on something that isn’t extremely saturated. As you move along, you will find a small, but very passionate, legion of gamers.

In addition, board games connect with all of us at one point or another, and they have a rich history that is woven into our fabric as a society!

Top keywords

The following list is compiled by my favorite keyword tool, Jaaxy. This list is characterized by Jaaxy’s preferred measurements, which are:

• SEO power is a metric that determines the difficulty or ease to rank for these keywords, with 90-100 being the easiest, 80-90 being moderate, and 70-80 for broader appeal-with more competition.

If you are unfamiliar with Jaaxy, I invite you to watch this training from my favorite, Jay at Wealthy Affiliates. He explains the metrics and powerful features of this simple to use tool He even shows proof how quick it can work!

Please also keep in mind that we have enclosed a raw keyword data package along with this guide. Jaaxy filters their results with affiliate marketers specifically in mind, but the other data will help round out your research.

Keywords	Monthly_Searches	Estimated_Traffic	QSR	SEO_Power
board games	57711	9811	200	71
new board games	791	135	199	82
board games online	3651	621	200	79
buy board games	345	59	169	83
online board games	3063	521	159	79
boards games	24	5	99	90
cheap board games	277	48	94	93
family board games	1215	207	269	51
board games go	48	9	207	82
board games backgammon	64	11	89	95
classic board games	1134	193	198	81
popular board games	3319	565	128	87
board games store	136	24	58	94
board games for kids	5306	903	222	76
axis and allies board game	814	139	87	92
backgammon board game	132	23	100	94
life board game	1022	174	158	81
battleship board game	539	92	155	82
japanese board game go	48	9	119	98
sorry board game	1207	206	149	89
go for it board game	40	7	48	98
go board game online	96	17	55	98
go green board game	32	6	142	98
go the board game	872	149	71	94
go board game download	64	11	56	98
board game	4528	770	179	73
board game go	306	53	160	83
monopoly board game	5243	892	134	86
risk board game	5142	875	112	86
scrabble board game	712	122	96	91
board game ideas	529	90	178	82
board game ideas projects	40	7	9	100
homemade board game ideas kids	32	6	6	98
board game ideas kids	112	20	21	98
new board game ideas	32	6	35	100
easy homemade board game ideas	8	2	1	88
preschool board games ideas	72	13	2	99
board game ideas adults	40	7	2	100
preschool board game ideas	48	9	4	100
board games ideas kids	24	5	0	100
family board game ideas	24	5	18	100
history board game ideas	64	11	19	99
math board games ideas	56	10	42	99
drinking board game ideas	40	7	2	100
math board game ideas	82	14	31	99
drinking board games ideas	48	9	16	100
educational board game ideas	56	10	26	99
homemade board game ideas	104	18	32	98
board games ideas	103	18	39	95
animal board game ideas	96	17	4	99
maths board games ideas	48	9	0	100
board game ideas history	56	10	20	99
civil war board game ideas	40	7	19	98
cool board game ideas	56	10	20	99

Google suggestion keywords

This is a listing of the top keywords according to Google suggestion (or auto-fill) results. We use the outstanding tool Keyword.io to compile these results. These results are especially vital because they outline what Google suggests as you type. The reason they do this is to make typing a whole phrase less time-consuming. What they suggest is a “peek” into the habits of others, as it recommends the keyword phrases that are most searched for.

Keep in mind that this data is more raw than the results with Jaaxy, but it provides great insight and potential starting points for further keyword research.

Keywords	Search Volume (Average)
board games	2740000
board games geek	60500
board games sorry	40500
board games life	27100
board games strategy	18100
board games classic	18100
board games online	18100
board games store	18100
board games go	14800
board games popular	12100
board games store near me	12100
board games reddit	12100
board games dominion	9900
board games deals	8100
board games list	5400
board games 90s	5400
board games of the 90s	5400
board games in the 90s	5400
board games ideas	5400
90’s board games	5400
board games cafe	5400
board games from the 90s	5400
board games cards	5400
board games templates	5400
board games with cards	5400
board games arena	4400
board games pieces	4400
board games kickstarter	4400
board games prices	4400

YouTube keywords

This list is from YouTube, which has positioned itself as a search engine of sorts in this age of video content. It provides insight into the different-but sometimes similar- habits of users compared to a traditional Google search.

YouTube results not only uncover the content and media that your potential audience is searching for, it can give you some keyword ideas if you are planning to add a YouTube channel to your offerings. Depending on the niche idea, this can be a wonderful way to engage with your audience, and increase your marketing reach.

Remember that with a YouTube channel, you can gain subscribers and eventually monetize that traffic. It also allows you to extend the influence of your sites as a brand, and build trust.

Keywords	Search Volume (Average)
board games	24390110
board games geek	538541
board games sorry	360511
board games life	241231
board games store	161117
board games strategy	161117
board games online	161117
board games go	131742
board games popular	107708
board games dominion	88125
board games cards	48068
board games cafe	48068
board games 90s	48068
board games ideas	48068
board games with cards	48068
board games list	48068
board games on kickstarter	39167
board games kickstarter	39167
board games arena	39167
board games games	32045
board games of the 80s	32045
board games descent	32045
board games 80s	32045
board games how to make	25814
board games to make	25814
board games making	25814
board games design	25814
board games homemade	21364
board games diy	21364
board games japan	21364

Niche Angles

This list gives you some ideas that pair well with your chosen niche. The idea here is that you start with a smaller, more segmented part of a bigger picture, then slowly build out more content that grows your site and offers variations.

Keywords	Search Volume (Average)
games	5000000
online games	1220000
fun games	550000
snake game	450000
dress up games	450000
cool games	450000
the game	201000
play games	165000
family games	165000
pacman game	90500
sorry board game	40500
maze games	33100
life board game	27100
popcap games	27100
bored games	27100
breakout games	22200
classic games	22200
monkey games	22200
board game store	18100
board game online	18100
classic board games	18100
strategy board games	18100
go board game	14800
popular board games	12100
mega man games	8100
interactive games	8100
cardboard games	5400
old board games	5400
board game ideas	5400
board games list	5400

Good Domain Name Ideas

An effective domain name can be many things. For unknown websites, it is a wise practice to pick a domain name that explains the foundation of your business, most likely using your main keywords. It is still the best idea to choose .COM names, although .NET and .INFO are gaining popularity.

These domain names are provided to give some simple ideas and inspiration. Please check to see if any of these are available.

Incorporating your main keyword into your domain is also highly suggested.

(pro tip: Jaaxy includes available domain suggestions as you research keywords!)

*BoardGamesSearch.com *DailyBoardgames.com *ThinkBoardGames.com *Info BoardGames.com *BoardGamesPower.com *MaxBoardGames.com *BoardGamesPlace.com *BoardGamesmagic.com *BoardGamesNation.com *DreamBoardGames.com *BoardGaesReport.com *WinBoardGames.com *BoardGamesBuddy.com *BoardGamesLove.com *BoardGamesDirectory.com *BoardgamesTown.com

Content Ideas

Here’s a great list to spur your creative imagination! This list of headlines and general content ideas, focused to your chosen niche, will give you insight into what types of content audiences are searching for. Keyword-focused, image-rich articles that have a word count of over 1,000 and employ eyeball-grabbing headlines are sure to make your content sizzle!

(note: a lot of the content ideas that focus on tips and hints should be specialized to individual games that you are covering- for example: “top 20 tips for Monopoly fans”, “top 20 tips for Dungeons and Dragons fans”, etc.)

• 3 (BOARD GAMES here) Secrets You Never Knew

Take the top 3 tips (or any number you wish) and craft an article that transcends games and is universal. Specific examples would be great!

• Where Can You Find Free BOARD GAMES Resources

Link to other viable game sites for added content and outbound links. Connect with some of these sites and see if they will link back to you!

• The Ultimate Guide To BOARD GAMES

This can be the overall theme to your site, providing content on a wide range of games. Ratings, reviews, instructions, strategy guides, and where to buy would all be great content choices here!

 

• Avoid The Top 10 (BOARD GAMES here) Mistakes

For each individual game you are covering, provide a great resource that shows players what “not” to do when playing the game. This can be tied in to a strategy guide for that particular game.

• 17 Tricks About (BOARD GAMES here) You Wish You Knew Before

Some slick tricks and hacks would go great here, giving your audience the upper hand!

• The A – Z Guide Of BOARD GAMES

This is another fantastic theme idea for your site! You can cover different categories of games, and include links to individualized content for each. You can convert a segmented version into an Ebook to build a mailing list.

Topics such as this could provide the initial framework of your site, and you can build your content out from there.

• 10 Things You Have In Common With BOARD GAMES

Fun and light articles such as this signal to your audience a spirit and personality to your site that has a magnetic attraction!

• Best 50 Tips For (BOARD GAMES here)

A great list for individual games, allowing users to discover new ways to discover their game!

• The (BOARD GAMES here) Mystery Revealed

Everybody loves to learn the “mystery” behind anything, so this is always a great headline to draw people in.

• (BOARD GAMES here) Smackdown!

Feature some stiff user-generated competition between ken competitors, and use this content to form some dialogue between them.

• Old School BOARD GAMES

This is great content to feature vintage and out of stock games, and possibly provide places that users can still find and purchase them. Even if the games are no longer available, a walk down memory lane would be great for those who used to play them!

• 12 Questions Answered About (BOARD GAMES here)

Design a FAQ- styled article, possibly referencing feedback from users, that will answer questions about specific games or genres.

• (BOARD GAMES here) Adventures

This type of article could be an on-going series, highlighting the life and times of people playing certain games, especially if those games have a “cult-like” following, such as Dungeons and Dragons. This can be designed as a lifestyle piece, breathing some life into your site as it centers on the human interaction we have with games.

Product Ideas/Affiliates

Many top companies in almost every niche host their affiliate programs with companies such as CJ.com, ShareASale, and Clickbank. We scour the internet to bring you some of the most relevant programs to align with. Check on terms and conditions, including payouts and commissions, because these change with time.

Here’s the links to sign up for some of these great affiliate programs:

*CJ.com *ShareASale.com *Rakuten

*Ebay *Amazon *WalMart

*ClickBank *JVZoo.com *Etsy

*Udemy (courses) *Coursera (courses)

Below, we highlight some of the best ideas for this niche. Use these as guidelines for your product promotions, but by all means use your own inspiration!

• Amazon best sellers in this niche

• Ebay best sellers for this niche

• Google best sellers for this niche – not always affiliate programs connected to this list, but a vital way to see what people are searching for and buying

 

 

• CasualGameRevolution– focuses on lesser-known adult board games. Very dedicated writing and passionate fan base! 30 day cookie and 20% commissions.
• GammonVillage– GammonVillage is the #1 backgammon retailer in the world and one of the largest retailers of mahjong, chess, dominoes, and classic board games. They offer 60 day cookies and 10% commission.
• AreYouGame– They carry everything from popular games and puzzles to difficult to find games. You can also find games based on ages and interests like strategy card, sports, logic, and more. 7% commission and 30 day cookie.
• TheChessStore– one of the top stores specializing in chess and other ‘parlor” games. Offers 8% commission and 30 day cookies.

Things to consider

• Board games are great gift ideas, so targeting special content around the Christmas holiday, when demand grows, would capture an audience that doesn’t normally shop or seek info on games throughout the rest of the year.
• Seek out info from industry sources such as Gen Con, which is a conference based solely around board games and gamers. This insight will lead to great content ideas and direction for your site.
• When writing about vintage or out of print games, try to include as many screenshots and images as possible. No matter the game, there is bound to be a site that offers information and images. Just be sure to email the site admin and ask permission to share the images. You might be able to strike up a partnership and/or relationship with others who are just as passionate about gaming as you!
• Certain role playing games have a lot of strategy, which is an opportunity to write walk-throughs and other forms of guides that will help others understand and play the game better.
• There is a rich history to draw from when it comes to board games, so be sure to research ad write compelling articles that will draw your audience in.

 

Competition/ “Stars” of the niche

Part of niche research is finding and understanding your competition. You can glean ideas from them, as well as finding potential partners. There are many places to find the key influencers in each niche, such as Google, Facebook, YouTube, and many others. While this is not intended to be a complete list, it should give you a good starting point. Take a peek at how they do things- what products they promote, what types of content do they write, how do they engage with their audience. Use these ideas as inspiration, and put your own special twist into it!

Top sites (Google)

• GenCon– Info about the annual conference, and insight into the board gaming world.
• Unboxedthe board game blog– nicely done site that features a lot of lesser known and “underground” fan favorites
• The board game family– focuses on family style games
• Art of Board Gaming– geek-style site focusing on passionate gamers
• Tom’s Epic Gaming– very grassroots reporting and reviews from Tom.

Top groups and pages (Facebook)

• Board and Alone– a group featuring content designed for one-person games. 1.9k members.
• The Board game group– 36k members
• Board game geek– 31k likes
• Board Game Revolution– 15k likes

Top YouTube channels

• Board Game Spotlight– 10k subscribers
• Shut Up and Sit Down– 156k subscribers
• Games Night– 178k subscribers
• The Dragon’s Tomb– 8.6l subscribers

Best Selling books

• Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals
• Paid to Play: The Business of Game Design
• Dice games properly explained
• GameTek: The science and math of gaming

Top smartphone Apps

• Through The Ages

• Twilight Struggle

• Brass

• 7 Wonders

• Patchwork

Niche-specific Forums and social media

Knowing where your audience gathers can help you make in-roads to put your offer in front of them. Connecting on a more personal and engaging way will be a solid strategy for building trust with your potential readers. Joining relevant forums and posting helpful comments and suggestions, as well as creating and maintaining social media profiles should be thought of as an extension of your existing website, providing a compliment and additional resource for your brand.

 

• BoardGameGeek– a very lively and active community of board gamers
• BoardgameArena
• Reddit/Board games
• BoardGameDesignersForum– great resource for those who create and sell games

What’s Next?

This guide is designed to give you a lot of research information on your chosen niche, so that you can take that data and start building your site! This guide will, hopefully, save you some time, as well as show you the process of niche research. I enjoy this process, but I know a lot of people don’t. A lot of people get frustrated with this critical step, and never get going as a result.

While the info in the guide is not your only options, it does give you insight and point you in the right direction. Too much information is never a bad thing!

I invite you to create your own research on top of this guide, and hopefully this content will give you ideas on where to look.