Visibility is tied to performance (sales). Stronger sales increase visibility, which is how any store works. Items that sell better get better shelf space and stay there longer. So if we manage to get a (relatively) strong start, we'll get (relatively) more visibility. Not the kind of visibility top sellers get, of course, but enough to make a difference. How to get that strong start? By promoting the game ourselves and generating interest.
If you have some time, could you give a few hints for your promotion methods? Like, I know you talk about your game here, but do you go to other forums as well and talk about it there, promote it through twitter and social media? Do you buy ads on facebook etc?
I really don't see how posting about your game on twitter can be helpful. Same goes for facebook and other social media cancer. We do have a twitter account (some guy offered to run it as a way to support us, I said sure and that was the extent of my involvement).
My promotional 'method' is very simple. I talk about the game (updates and occasional interviews), then I talk to people who have questions and suggestions. After we released the AoD demo I posted on our forums, Steam forums, the Codex, Watch, NMA Fallout, as well as German, French, Italian, Russian, and Turkish forums. I didn't spam forums with 'let me tell you about this game I'm making!" as such threads are rarely well received but followed the site traffic instead. If people are discussing our games, they link to the main site or the Steam store page and if the thread generates enough interest (i.e. more than a couple of replies) you'll get a few hundred visits.