New level unlocked -Gamification Marketing
Author : Sana Anand
I remember during my childhood I used to get really excited when I went to the malls. I spent all my time in the gaming zone while my parents shopped for the necessary items. Well, gaming still brings excitement to me, just the modes of playing have changed. Likewise, a lot of people no matter what their age is, still enjoy playing games. Therefore, marketing companies took advantage of it and have devised a whole new method to grab audiences’ attention. They try to include some interesting gaming elements into the context which keep the users engaged and compels them to take actions. This increases the sales and generates greater revenues for the firm. This is what is called as gamification marketing.
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Benefits
Gamification marketing possesses a lot of benefits for the companies. Including gaming mechanisms on your websites or applications, increase the chances of leads getting engaged with the company’s interface say, website and getting transformed into sales. This simply drives motivation, and the marketers can create a lot of different games and tasks for the users. The marketers have to devise new strategies to keep the users motivated and encourage them to try the new games or levels. This is a tough task to pull out in a non-gamified context.
Things to keep in mind
If companies are planning to step into gamification marketing, then there are a few things to keep into mind. They should try using simpler games first and see how the users are responding. Are the users finding the games interactive? If not try to readjust the game. To increase their response rate, give them rewards for liking and following company pages on social media sites.
Complex games require a lot of efforts to be put in by the users which might result in losing interest in the game. The games should be designed in a user-friendly manner which are not difficult to understand and play. In case, the game is long, segregating it into different games might help. Draft simple rules, regulations, and gaming instructions. The game should be easily comprehendible by the audience. Let them know about the information that they must be aware of before proceeding to the next level.
Remember the aim or objective for which you designed the game. Users should not just play the games and leave the portal. Rather, they should be directed towards your site and should be automatically convinced or in a way compelled to buy the products. It is essential to build the game around the lines of product or services that the company offers.
Before formulating the game, it is essential to consult a professional who has knowledge related to this field. Building games with an intention to market the products can become a tedious task. It is better to take advices related to gaming environment beforehand than making the user experience distasteful by spoiling the gaming experience for them. This can tarnish the organisation’s reputation as well.
Try these !
Choosing what type of game to use can be confusing. Here’s a list of some games that you can include –
· Reward the customers for their loyalty- Whenever customers spend some money buying your products, reward them with some points which can be later redeemed by them in future to avail discounts.
· Run contests- Try running contests in the forms of games like Quiz contests and assign different prices for the winners who secure the top positions. Many companies often collaborate with other popular brands to offer interesting prizes to the winners.
· The spin game- A lot of eCommerce websites use the spin game. Wherever the wheel stops, the user is awarded that discount or coupon. Users love these kind of simple yet exciting games.
· Referral games- Some companies give users referral points when they invite their friends and families on the portal to join or register themselves on the portal. This is a wise strategy to increase the company’s reach and at the same time to retain existing customers.
Examples
1. ECommerce sites – The most prominent example on gamification marketing which struck my mind is of Amazon. They have created a Fun Zone where people can win prizes everyday. Amazon regularly hosts competitions and games offering amazing discount coupons and game prizes from all the segments of the products they offer. From electronics to stationery items and home furnishings etc. This ensures that they are marketing the products from all the segments.
2. Education Sector- Education related applications like Unacademy offer badges to the learner depending on the time they have spent watching videos and the courses they have completed. Internshala on the other hand offers discount on their courses and increases the chances of getting an internship for people who manage to invite their friends and family to join the platform.
3. Health sector- Applications that help you track your calories and step count reward you with badges as you complete your daily goals. HealthifyMe application on the other hand shows your ranking over the world which is based on how good you are managing your eating habits as well as meeting your exercise goals.
Conclusion
Using games to market the products is an interesting concept. If it is used up to it’s potential, then it can surely bring a lot of benefits to the organizations which practice it. This can enable them to increase their customer base across different segments and turn the leads into sales which can be very profitable for the businesses.
References
https://neverbounce.com/blog/gamification-marketing-examples