Episode: 301

What assets do you actually need to create a bangarang crowdfunding landing page—and ads that convert?

Episode 301 – What assets do you actually need to create a bangarang crowdfunding landing page—and ads that convert?

Sean is joined by Crowdfunding Nerds team members Jacob Cecil and Donnie to break down the creative assets every board game and RPG creator should have ready before launching a marketing campaign. They explain why a 3D box render is practically non-negotiable, what types of artwork and component shots make landing pages more compelling, and why some of the simplest ad creatives can outperform highly polished productions.

They also dig into what they’ve learned from running and testing crowdfunding ads: thematic artwork, lifestyle photos, quick unboxing videos, GIFs, simple product shots, and even images taken straight from Tabletop Simulator can all have a place in your campaign. They discuss how to design assets for mobile scrolling, why vertical, square, and horizontal formats matter, and how layered Photoshop files can give marketers much more flexibility when creating ads and landing pages.

Guest Bios:
Jacob Cecil is a member of the Crowdfunding Nerds team who specializes in developing crowdfunding landing pages and turning a game’s creative assets into compelling marketing experiences. His work focuses on communicating what a game is, immersing potential backers in its world, and structuring landing pages that turn ad traffic into interested leads. In this episode, Jacob shares practical guidance on box renders, component photography, layered artwork, thematic storytelling, image formats, and even using Tabletop Simulator when a physical prototype isn’t available.

Donnie Chase is part of the Crowdfunding Nerds team with hands-on experience developing and testing advertising creatives for tabletop crowdfunding campaigns. Through working across board game and RPG campaigns, he’s seen firsthand which creative formats consistently attract attention—from box renders and thematic artwork to GIFs, lifestyle photography and simple unboxing videos. In this episode, Donnie breaks down why authentic creative can sometimes outperform polished advertising and how creators can develop assets that better match what board gamers and RPG players naturally respond to.

Resources:
https://kaganproductions.com/tutorials/
https://stonemaiergames.com/a-new-twist-on-showcasing-our-games-on-facebook/

Connect with Crowdfunding Nerds:
Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crowdfundingnerdspodcast

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Stay Nerdy!

00:00 Why Polished Ads Don’t Always Work
00:43 Welcome to Crowdfunding Nerds
00:56 What Assets Do Your Ads Actually Need?
01:55 Why Your Box Render Is Non-Negotiable
04:20 Component Shots That Sell Your Game
05:35 The Three Questions Your Landing Page Must Answer
07:33 Creating Great Assets on a Budget
09:21 Why Thematic Artwork Works
12:12 Why You Should Save Layered Art Files
14:08 The Art + Product + Logo Formula
16:59 Creating Ads for Every Screen Format
18:11 Why Amateur Photos Can Outperform Professional Ones
19:14 Unboxing Videos, GIFs & Natural Content
23:49 What Great Crowdfunding Creatives Look Like
27:19 Why Simple Product Ads Can Work
28:04 The Jamey Stegmaier Ad Formula
31:44 What Makes a Good Video Ad?
34:53 Optimizing Images for Email
39:09 No Prototype? Use Tabletop Simulator
40:35 The Essential Crowdfunding Asset Checklist