What is gamification, what are its objectives, and how can it be applied?

Human beings love to play. From the moment we’re born, we play because it entertains us, because we learn new things, and because we love to compete—and above all, to win. Because of this, the business world—and more specifically, the world of marketing—has harnessed this tendency to reach potential customers and build loyalty in a much more natural and unforced way. In this post, I’m going to explain exactly what gamification is, what its goals are in marketing, and how you can apply it to your business. Sounds interesting, right? Let’s dive in.

We can define gamification as a technique that involves applying game mechanics to achieve objectives previously defined by the company or brand, making the product or service more appealing, or even to encourage communication and interaction between users and the brand.

This technique, because it’s based on gaming—with all that entails— manages to engage users in contexts unrelated to the brand, making it much more memorable for the consumer.

This marketing strategy can be used by any business, in any industry, and is one of the most effective ways for brands to communicate creatively with their users and customers.

Every gamification initiative must be backed by a series of achievements to the user, such as badges, leveling up, or points. Among the Most Commonly Used Achievements to incentivize users, we would have:

• The standings. Users are ranked based on their performance in the game, which fosters competition and leads to higher participation rates.
• Countdown. TPlayers are challenged to complete a specific task within a limited time frame (usually a few seconds).
• Progress. Customers are asked to make progress in a specific activity, and there is an element that tracks their progress.

But what are the main advantages of gamification in marketing? Let’s take a look.

The 7 Benefits of Gamification in Marketing.

I’m sure you can think of plenty of benefits of using gamification in your marketing strategy. Next, I’m going to introduce you to seven of them, and I’ll explain why they’re so effective in the digital world.

1. INCREASE AND IMPROVE USER ENGAGEMENT.

Gamification encourages users to take specific actions, thereby achieving higher participation rates. It also fosters lasting relationships between the brand and users, thanks to the engagement generated by the game.

2. IT HELPS INCREASE BRAND AWARENESS AND LOYALTY.

If you can make the gaming experience satisfying, that user or customer will remember your brand for much longer. Furthermore, they’ll have a more positive impression and be more inclined to make a purchase and become a loyal customer.

3. HELPS COLLECT USEFUL DATA FROM CUSTOMERS.

Today, data is one of the most valuable assets for companies. Through gamification, and by combining it with the AI and the IoT, it’s possible to gather valuable information about your customers, which can help you create dynamic clusters that allow you to launch communications and products or services better tailored to their needs.

4. INCREASE THE CONVERSION RATE.

As players interact with the gamified elements provided by your brand, they are more likely to respond to your CTA than they would to a traditional banner ad or any other marketing method. This interaction will help improve your conversion rates.

5. IT MAKES PROMOTIONAL OFFERS MORE INTERESTING.

Consumer behavior can, in most cases, be more emotional than rational. Often, the same offer or product can be interpreted differently, depending on the context and circumstances in which it is presented.

For example, users might ignore a clickable banner advertising a 10% discount in the next few hours, but they might feel very excited to receive the same 10% discount for completing three levels in an interactive branded game. This is because customers will feel like they’ve “earned” the discount—they’ve “worked” for it—so they’ll value it differently than if it were simply given to them for no reason.

6. EDUCATE YOUR CUSTOMERS ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES.

The interactive experience you create can be an excellent way to show users what your product or service is all about, how it works, and what its main benefits are.

7. IT HELPS YOU INTERACT WITH CUSTOMERS MORE OFTEN.

To turn a user or potential customer into a customer, the first step is to get them to interact with the brand. A banner, a pop-up window, or an email are often ineffective if the user is inclined to ignore any commercial content that comes their way. However, with gamification, it becomes possible to break down that barrier and create a simpler, more lasting interaction while the user is playing.

These benefits I’ve just outlined are, in turn, what we can consider the main objectives when planning your gamification strategy. Now let’s see how to apply them to your marketing strategy.

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CHow to Apply Gamification in Marketing.

Every teacher has their own method, but when it comes to gamification, it seems that many experts follow the same approach, with most of them applying these steps:

1. It all starts with defining a goal, followed by some objectives, and based on those, you select some KPIs that allow you to measure whether those goals are being met.
2. Now is the time to go after the target audience, but who are they? What kind of content do they like and expect? Can you provide it?
3. It clearly identifies what the motivations that can encourage your audience to participate in your gamification initiative. Based on those motivations, we’ll create one type of content or another.
4. It’s time for the promotion. Define Through which channels is it most likely to work? your gamification initiative. Making a training session more engaging via PSP is not the same as doing so online, since there are more computers in the offices.
5. What do users think of what you’re doing? It’s very important that you figure out a way to get feedback. Create tasks or activities that help the user develop new skills that add value. Don’t be afraid to take risks—innovate and keep them entertained. Don’t pigeonhole them, or they’ll eventually get bored. Users love to provide feedback, so introduce new game mechanics and dynamics that encourage them to interact with your brand continuously, so you can gather the feedback you need to improve.
6. Finally, you’ll need to know whether the initiative is working at the business level or not. To do this, It’s essential that you measure your results and understand what’s working and what isn’t, as well as determine whether you’ve achieved the goals set out in step one.

The gamification As you can see, is an interesting way to connect with your customers. However, as with any other digital marketing initiative you might consider, The key is to have a clear understanding of who your buyer persona isso you can engage them with activities that truly motivate them, leading to better conversion rates. Want to talk?