We partnered with CatCraft, a custom Minecraft SMP server, on a two month influencer campaign aimed at acquiring new players after performance from server ranking websites began to decline. The objective was to build an alternative acquisition funnel focused on high intent players in the US, UK, and Australia.

The campaign included eight creators and fifteen total pieces of content across short form platforms, with a clear focus on measurable player conversion rather than vanity reach.

Since this was CatCraft's first influencer campaign, the strategy prioritized testing and learning while maintaining strict cost efficiency. We structured creator pricing so CatCraft only needed roughly 20 percent of median viewership to break even on ad spend. This minimized downside risk while preserving upside.

We tested two distinct sponsorship approaches to identify what converted best:

• Direct integrations focused on explicitly explaining the server and its features
• Indirect integrations embedded the server naturally into tutorials or seed showcase style content

This controlled testing approach allowed us to compare formats directly and generate actionable insights for future campaigns rather than relying on assumptions.

We partnered with Minecraft survival and seed showcase creators on TikTok and YouTube Shorts. These niches aligned closely with CatCraft's ideal player profile and allowed for natural, low friction integrations.

Creators were selected based on audience geography, content consistency, and historical short form performance. The short form format supported rapid testing across multiple videos while maintaining scale.

The campaign significantly exceeded performance expectations. Through iterative optimization and format testing, we achieved a campaign CPM of $1.72 and delivered an estimated 7,000 plus new players to the server.

Direct sponsorship content converted approximately 40 percent higher than indirect integrations, giving CatCraft clear guidance on how to structure future influencer campaigns.

After the campaign, CatCraft renewed with Hotslicer Media at an increased budget, validating both the performance results and the long term value of influencer marketing as a scalable acquisition channel for the server.