Steam isn’t a storefront — it’s an algorithm.And if you don’t understand how it works, your game gets buried.In this episode of Freaking Cool Indies, I’m joined by Jarvs Tasker (Head of Communications at Happy Volcano) to break down how Steam actually decides which games get seen — and what indie devs can do to improve their Steam pages without spending more on ads or social media.We cover:- Why click-through rate (CTR) is Steam’s real currency- How bad tags quietly kill your visibility- Why your capsule art isn’t doing its job- How to write short descriptions that get clicks- Why iteration (not “one-and-done”) is the secret to long-term sales- What most indie devs are completely ignoring on SteamIf you have a Steam page (or are about to make one), this episode will change how you think about discovery.🔗 Connect with Jarvs💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarvstasker/🎮 Wishlist Modulus on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2779120/Modulus/🏆 7 Day Marketing Foundations Challenge: https://freakingcoolindies.com/resources/📬 Newsletter: https://freakingcoolindies.com/newsletter/Chapters:00:00 – Introduction and Jarvs' Journey from Teaching to Game Marketing02:57 – Jarvs' Transition from Drama Teacher to Community Management06:03 – The Success Story of Blueprints and Happy Volcano08:11 – Common Steam Page Misconceptions Indie Devs Have10:17 – Understanding Click-Through Rates: Steam's Algorithm Currency17:11 – The Foundation: Making a Good Game First17:27 – The Critical Importance of Tags for Steam Discovery24:34 – Tag Moderation and User-Added Tags26:24 – Beyond Tags: Short Descriptions and Discovery Elements27:27 – Capsule Art: Your Game's First Impression Strategy38:11 – The Power of Iteration and Continuous Steam Page Updates49:08 – Screenshot and Trailer Strategy for Maximum Impact56:40 – Post-Launch Strategy: The Long Tail Approach1:01:06 – SEO Optimization and Competitor Research Techniques1:02:39 – Post-Launch Community Building and Steam Events1:08:35 – The Biggest Missed Opportunity on Steam1:10:03 – Final Advice and Best Practices1:11:19 – Paying It Forward: Shoutout to Bip and Bits Studio🎙️ Learn on the go:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2doPqk8Q9IKstjLDdSMn9nApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freaking-cool-indies/id1824774892❤️ CONNECT WITH ME 🕸️ Website: https://freakingcoolindies.com/🐦 Twitter: / https://x.com/F_Cool_Indies🎵 TikTok: / https://www.tiktok.com/@freakingcoolindies💼 LinkedIn: / https://www.linkedin.com/in/marnone/🦋 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/freakingcoolindies.com