Powering esports communication with Bayes ONE

Creating deeper esports connections

The esports market is becoming more and more lucrative with the market expected to reach $5.48 billion by 2029, according to Fortune Business Insights. These impressive numbers have spurred an influx of startups to be part of the action with the aim of taking the market by storm. What they didn’t account for, however, was the challenge of initially engaging with new players and managing to keep them engaged.

There are plenty of factors that cause this, from bigger, more established companies that already have the lion’s share of the player audiences, to smaller budgets and messy processes. This could be the reason why 9 out of 10 startups fail within the first year, regardless of the industry they’re in.

Dr Susanne Ardisson, senior director of public relations at Bayes Esports, believes that even the smallest startups should be able to go toe to toe with the industry goliaths. “At Bayes Esports, we are deeply rooted in the industry,” she says. “We have partners in every corner, from the biggest tournament organisers to the top-grossing betting operators to the most reputable media platform, and that’s why we want to support newly emerging companies that come into the industry as much as possible.”

Enter Bayes ONE.

What is Bayes ONE?

Ardisson and her team have listened to the needs of the industry and used this feedback to curate a new centralised esports communication platform which provides a network of over 80 media partners, covering everything from building long-lasting online communities to B2B processing platforms.

“With Bayes ONE, our customers can make use of our connections and experiences. We can help them focus on the topics most relevant to them, support them in the creation of content that will reach their target audience, and keep them up to date on everything they need to know about the industry.”

This new esports platform aims to centralise communications so that all types of esports business can be delivered via the Bayes database, enabling startups with new ideas to reach their intended audiences. Offering an expansive connections list, state-of-the-art software and a streamlined and personalised experience, this innovative offering is the fast-track for startups to become professional-grade esports specialists.

Giving esports startups a head-start

Esports has and will continue to be shaped by passionate gamers and fans that dedicate their lives to a game and its community. With the global esports audience forecast to grow 8.7% year-on-year in 2022 according to Newzoo, the number of companies looking to penetrate the industry is only set to rise.

What’s more, Bayes knows better than most that startups have the power to make a huge impact on the industry, as Ardisson explains: “Bayes Esports itself was founded as a result of a small startup finding ways of using in-game data to create solutions more established companies struggled with.”

Tackling esports industry problems head on

Ardisson says that one of the biggest hurdles for esports industry leaders is how nuanced PR and communication can be, as feedback from Bayes’ partners made plain. With everything from language barriers and lack of experience in the industry to simply ineffective B2B communication being flagged, it’s clear there was a huge communication gap.

“For us, however, PR has been one of our cornerstones. Over the years, we have established a strong voice and great relationships with some of the most respected media platforms in esports. We have had many positive experiences with our partners being grateful that they can rely on us for the creation of press releases or the organisation of collaborative interviews and articles explaining our partnership.

“It’s these experiences that we now want to share with players from outside our network. Esports is full of people with great and innovative ideas. We want to help them be heard by the decision-makers of this industry, so that they may help shape the future of esports.”

Bayes itself has an unmatched network of more than 450 stakeholders powering the company with strong connections to some of the most relevant players in the esports industry. Ardisson is clear that this sort of network should be shared for the success of the wider industry.

“With Bayes ONE, we aim to enable all of our customers to make use of that network, establish relationships with one another, and create win-win situations that go beyond what other PR agencies can offer. At Bayes Esports, we think of ourselves as the middleman of the esports industry, connecting various parties and enabling them to benefit from each other. Bayes ONE intends to continue to follow that principle.”

Gaming startups: Right place, right time

In esports, having ideas is just one step in the journey, having them heard by the right people is the destination. So how is Bayes ONE ensuring its partners are positioned correctly for this to happen?

Ardisson says that more often than not, it’s the process that needs the backing, not just the idea. “Many great and innovative ideas struggle to break through not because their concepts are too niche, but because they fail to clear the hurdle of going from an idea to a sustainable business model. To clear it, these small businesses and startups need to establish the right connections at an opportune time.”

Securing that one crucial investment, partnership or sponsorship can make all the difference in ensuring an innovative idea has the space to grow into an industry-defining business. What Bayes is doing differently with its platform is customisation; making it so personal that these opportunities aren’t just a rarity, but the norm.

“This is our goal with Bayes ONE. Support innovative ideas when they need help the most, help them establish themselves in the industry and accompany them on their journey to success.”

Bayes ONE packages on offer

Bayes ONE has tackled the PR teething pains by offering a variety of communication service packages – a range that can be scaled and customised to what best fits a customer’s specific needs.

As part of the platform, four individual packages – ‘Ping’, ‘Story’, ‘Voice’ and ‘Ambassador’ – offer 24/7 PR and communication services and consulting. Each is customised to enhance visibility, offer exposure, establish a strong presence in the market and continue to drive those connections throughout the lifetime of a product.

The ‘Ping’

Ping makes up the Bayes ONE basic service package, offering five press releases, four pieces of content on Bayes website, 12 social media posts and four ads a year for €1,500/month. This starter pack was created with financial viability in mind, a key aspect for Ardisson who wanted to ensure that the startups could continue to thrive without breaking the bank.

“The Ping package aims to be affordable for all businesses in esports, yet it includes some of the most vital parts of successful business communication,” she says. “From the creation and distribution of press releases to engaging website and social media content, even our smallest package helps newcomers to the industry find their place and have their voices heard.

“Furthermore, for those still unsure about our services, we offer a trial of the Ping package at a discounted price, so that businesses may see how we can support their efforts for themselves.”

The ‘Story’

The Story package goes further into the creation of engaging content. It expands on the initial starter pack, offering everything Ping does, plus two in-depth analysis pieces, four interviews and four statements, as Ardisson explains.

“Besides including all services offered in the Ping package, we will help our customers in the creation of expert articles, interviews and opinion pieces that will allow them to go into great depth about their work, vision, mission and philosophy. With the Story package, businesses can take their first steps toward becoming thought leaders.”

The ‘Voice’

For those wanting to go even further, Bayes offers the Voice package offering clients a shared booth at events, one webinar and two podcasts throughout the year.

“The Voice package includes all services of the Story package but also allows our customers to make their voices heard. It enables them to meet other industry leaders and decision-makers by joining in on podcasts and webinars, as well as make their presence felt by attending and speaking at industry-relevant events.”

The ‘Ambassador’

For those that have already established themselves as major players in the industry, Bayes also offers its Ambassador package. In addition to all of the above, Bayes will collaborate with its Ambassadors on white papers, roundtables and sales events at major esports tournaments, as well as establishing university connections.

Ardisson stresses that every package can be fully customised and the services included in the individual packages can be mixed and matched to fit Bayes partners’ particular needs.

“No matter how and by whom you want your voice to be heard, we have got you covered.”

“Our Story and Voice packages give businesses the platform to position themselves, either through text or their voice, and enable them to be heard by other leaders and decision-makers,” she says.

Ardisson believes that through her and her team’s experience as industry leaders at Bayes, they can ensure everyone in the industry’s message, big or small, can be reached by those that need to hear it.

Future of Bayes ONE

The main initiative for Bayes ONE is to enable startups launching in the esports area to have the chance to reach the audiences they need.

“Our services are accessible even to small businesses and startups but can be scaled to allow us to support them on every step of their journey. The esports industry is full of game-changing ideas, we want to make sure they are heard.” Spearheaded by Ardisson and her team, Bayes Esports plans to grow more success stories for all their partners and it’s clear that this could be the gamechanger that esports really needs.