Jessica Thompson is a gaming journalist and CEO with more than five years of experience in the video game industry. She writes for Gamerbolt.com and PS6news.com, covering gaming news, game reviews, upcoming releases, and industry trends. As CEO, Jessica is also involved in shaping content strategy and overseeing the direction of digital gaming publications. She combines her editorial experience with a strong understanding of the gaming audience, keeping a close eye on new technologies, emerging trends, and upcoming titles.
Company: Gamerbolt
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Jessica Thompson: Thank you for having me. I’m Jessica Thompson, a gaming journalist and CEO with more than five years of experience working in the video game industry. Gaming has always been an area I’m passionate about, and over the years I’ve had the opportunity to turn that interest into a career through writing, content strategy, and digital publishing.
I currently contribute to Gamerbolt.com and PS6news.com, where I cover gaming news, reviews, upcoming releases, and wider industry trends. Alongside the editorial side of my work, I’m also involved in the business and strategic direction of our gaming-focused digital platforms.
What I enjoy most is being part of an industry that changes so quickly. There is always a new game, technology, platform, or trend to explore, which keeps the work interesting. As a CEO, I’m focused on growing our publications while making sure we continue producing useful and engaging content for the gaming community.
What was the pivotal pricing insight or experiment that most dramatically improved your company’s growth or profitability?
Jessica Thompson: We learned one of the biggest pricing lessons was that there was not a universal price that is suitable for everyone. The audience has very different expectations and level of engagement in digital publishing, particularly in the gaming area.
We began to pay attention to the value our audience placed on our product/service over the cost of our product/service. That spurred us to concentrate on the value of our content and partnerships, and to make offerings more flexible, focusing on the value in our ads.
The biggest shift is that we had to at least think about pricing as an element of the value proposition rather than a fixed price. The test results and what things worked helped us to make better decisions as to how to invest our time and resources.
It was also the first time that I learned that you don’t have to have a dramatic pricing experiment. The way you package and communicate an offering can go a long way in how customers view its value, sometimes in a very powerful way.
How do you determine the true value your product or service delivers to customers, and how does that shape your pricing strategy?
Jessica Thompson: To us, value begins with figuring out what our audience and partners really need. It’s looking at engagement, feedback, the type of content that people spend time with, and what makes them come back. Well, those signals tell us much more than if we just look at page views.
We are a gaming publication and our worth doesn’t simply lie in creating articles. It’s the place where the audience is ready to believe the content you present, interested in what you’ve got available and wants to hear from brands and partners who are interested in them.
We define pricing in terms of that understanding. We think about what we’re delivering, rather than attaching a number to it, based on our costs alone, and how good the audience we are reaching is. Then we can create product/service offerings that suit both parties.
I believe it would be helpful to continually revisit that value. The gaming industry is dynamic so what customers like now will not be the same as a year later.
Can you share one pricing decision (such as packaging, tiering, or a bold price increase) that felt risky at the time but ultimately paid off significantly?
Jessica Thompson: A decision that was a bit of a risk was to end the “one size fits all” style of offering our commercial products and develop more flexible packages for our partners.
Initially, I thought I’d get people in complicated and they might opt to go with the cheapest when choosing partners. Rather, it provided us a more effective way of aligning our offerings with the desired offerings of our partners.
Some partners, for instance, had the primary aim of being visible, and others wanted a more substantial content or promotional linkage. The ability to package around those needs, and be able to do that, made the conversations a lot more productive.
Flexibility meant that for me, it wasn’t always the case that I had to reduce my prices. It is possible that it can help to explain the value better. It was easier to develop relationships that benefited both parties, since we began to concentrate more on the result and the audience we could serve, and not just on selling single placements or services.
How do you continuously test and refine pricing without alienating existing customers or damaging brand perception?
Jessica Thompson: When it comes to pricing changes, I like to be careful, and not make changes just because something makes more money. The first step is to know what’s working and where customers or partners are adding value.
As we test something new, I like to be making little changes instead of a total overhaul of the pricing system overnight. Different packages, features or offer presentation can be tested and the response reviewed. As much as the numbers, feedback is important since it will explain why something is or isn’t working.
I also think that current customers need to feel that they are being ‘fairly’ treated. Communication is important if there are price adjustments to be made. If someone understands what is changing, why it is changing, and what other benefit he is gaining from the changes, people will be more forgiving.
To me, it’s not about getting the best possible price. It’s about finding a price that will be valued, long-term relationships and trust are to be maintained. That balance is far more important than a short term boost in revenues.
For other CEOs who still treat pricing as an afterthought, what’s the single most important mindset shift or first step you would recommend they take?
Jessica Thompson: First of all, I see pricing as being a component of your business rather than the product or service’s price itself.
The first step is to truly grasp what customers are getting from you and why they elect to go with you versus the competition. Engage with customers, review data, listen to feedback, and know what aspects of your product/service are most important to your customers.
I believe that CEOs need to get used to being tested. The price need not be a fixed price. Try different offers, packaging, positioning, etc. and learn from the outcomes, making changes and improvements.
First and foremost, don’t believe that lower prices necessarily means higher demand. The best opportunity may sometimes simply be in articulating your value. If customers know what they are purchasing and why it is a good deal for them, the pricing is relatively easier to handle.
