Global digital transformation has observed growth in e-commerce and online shopping platforms. Digital marketing plays an important role in promoting brand products online. The marketing industry is revolutionizing to keep up with continuously changing marketing trends and it includes collaborating with advanced technology. One of its results is implementation of video games in digital marketing, which will help to improve user engagement.

This article covers significant aspects of Marketing using gamification which include its importance, benefits, examples and much more. Keep reading to know about gamification in the market and what it offers.

What Is Gamification?

Before getting into gamified marketing lets understand what Gamification is. It is basically a process of using game mechanics, elements, and principles and applying them to different non-game contexts. This includes businesses applying gamification for employee training programs, recruitment applications and for increasing organizational productivity by putting forward creative content and engaging users better.

Other uses of gamification include physical activity, voter engagement, and customer loyalty programs. The main perspective behind application of gamification is to inspire users to engage with the brand or business. This also helps to improve tasks that are not enjoyable, such as an in-depth safety training program or even loading of online websites and waiting for downloading certain data.

Also Read: How to Keep Winning Big in the Market Using Competitive Intelligence?

What Is Gamified Marketing?

Gamification in marketing refers to an enhanced marketing technique that borrows design elements from games to attract and retain customers. With acquaintance of gamified marketing, consumers are driven to perform certain actions just because it offers elements of competition or reward. Such gaming elements can run the gamut from “spin to win” pop-ups all the way to actual video games.

It can help you attract and maintain loyal customers by creating a fun experience that users will actually want to engage with. Gamification marketing campaigns can take the form of gamified loyalty programs, interactive quizzes, and simple game elements which includes the following.

Points

By engaging with gamified marketing campaigns users can collect points either by winning a game each time they purchase something. These points can be exchanged for a discount or free stuff.

Badges

Implementation of this gaming form provides award badges to customers for accomplishing something. This usually helps to positively influence users and convert them into regular consumers.

Levels

This is one of the most appealing techniques as it provides customers’ a sense of achievement by offering bigger rewards for saving more points at higher levels. Progress bars can also be applied to Show customer’s progress toward reaching the next level.

Education

Adding education information through games has observed interest from consumers.In this way tips, tricks and quizzes are given to the user throughout the process for increasing users involvement into the content.

Virtual currency

Virtual currency is still emerging as a new marketing strategy which allows businesses to Invent their own money to be used only at their store, then use it to reward frequent shoppers.

Leaderboards and Countdowns

With leaderboards one can showcase Post players’ names and scores on their website or social media to encourage competition. And countdown can help to bring a challenge for players to complete a task within a certain timeframe.

How Gamification Is Important For Marketing?

Video games have mass, worldwide appeal which provides a way to capture your audience’s attention at a time when most consumers are exhausted by a constant onslaught of virtual engagement efforts. That’s why gamified content works. It is fun, interactive, challenging, and even relaxing. It allows businesses to build excitement, drive product awareness, and generate sales by incentivizing customers to try a new product, sometimes virtually.

Another fact to be considered is the craze for online gaming. Modern age consumers mark video games as their favorite entertainment activity. That’s why collaborating digital marketing with games helps to capture the market and enhance brand value. For instance, according to a report by Digital Marketing World Forum, “60% of consumers said they would be more likely to buy from a brand if they enjoyed playing a game with it”.

Examples Of Marketing Campaign Using Gamification

Well there are alot of gaming or quiz options to pick your marketing purposes while considering what suits better to your brand niche. For instance, let’s take a look at some gamified marketing strategies and campaigns held by famous food and beverage giants.

1. KFC Gaming

KFC has its own gaming Twitter handle named as KFC Gaming. This brand has engaged over 269,000 followers with gaming-related tweets. They also partner with social media influencers or pro gamers who play a racing game online during a live stream event, then give away prizes to people who win a bet during the game.

2. Starbucks Cup Flip game and Starbucks For Life Game

Starbucks has launched a cup flip game that encourages users to share their results on social media and in return winners receive vouchers to use in-store. This gaming strategy has resulted in 30-second dwell time, 90% engagement, 60-second engagement time per user, and surpassed voucher download targets by over 110%.

Starbucks also runs a holiday campaign called “Starbucks for Life”, which is only offered to starbucks reward members. Customers are offered to play the game by buying drinks and completing challenges. This gives players a chance to win exciting prizes such as bonus stars, free drinks or merch. By running such campaigns regularly, a company drives more engagement as customers get involved and look forward to such events.

Key Benefits Of Marketing Using Gamification

Gamification marketing is a powerful technology, especially in the world of e-commerce. It provides several benefits to customers as well as businesses. Some of its benefits are as discussed below.

• Gamification allows businesses to collect customer data in a way that complies with GDPR, CCPA, and the end of 3rd party cookies. Customers may also opt to share their data with brands in exchange for playing games built or funded by them.
• It also provides UGC (user-generated content) to grow brand awareness by encouraging customers to share their winning scores or photos on social media.
• Businesses can educate their audience with the help of an interactive quiz or trivia game, it can be a fun way to inform people about their areas of expertise.
• Increase engagement and reduce bounce rate. It entices people in with the promise of coupon vouchers, free merch, bragging rights, or simply a cure for doom scrolling.
• Gamified marketing assists to drive conversion, by rewarding people with coupon vouchers or points, they will most likely come back to spend it and eventually increase customer visits.

Furthermore, Gamification marketing is great for getting consumer attention, at the same time it also delivers valuable data. As customer engagement will be more, time spent on such websites will be increased. This will surely help to boost sales as well as increase the number of loyal or regular customers.

Also, gamification is popular with marketers because it helps to inspire users to create and share user-generated content (UGC). This refers to people taking to social media to share their best times on certain branded racing games, or using a branded hashtag to enter a contest, representing priceless, organic, word-of-mouth marketing.