How To Plan Your Gamification Strategy? A Roadmap for Implementing It Right for Your Business
Updated: Jul 2
Implementing gamification in your applications is not a game!
It requires careful evaluation of what will work best for your brand, who is your target customer persona & what are the desired outcomes from including it. Assessing all these parameters is what constitutes a gamification strategy in business. But how can you break down gamification into small elements tailored to your necessity & form such a strategy?
The top companies globally have cracked this code and so are able to leverage gamification in a way that brings them more profits & better productivity. This is indicated by the Zippla article that says 70% of Global 2000 companies use gamification in some way, and a whopping 89% of employees feel happier at a gamified workplace, while 90% claim they have better productivity.
On the other side, it is also equally discerning that this article mentions 80% of gamification efforts fail to meet a company’s objectives due to poor planning & design. If you do not want to join this league, this blog will serve as a comprehensive guide to help you craft a gamification strategy that fits your business & finds success.
Why Is It Important To Have a Gamification Strategy?
A gamification strategy is a structured roadmap that outlines how game elements, such as point systems, badges, and leaderboards, will be intentionally incorporated into a non-game environment. This framework is a blueprint for designing engaging experiences that motivate users and propel them toward specific goals.
A well-constructed gamification strategy is the linchpin for success, ensuring your efforts resonate with your target audience and deliver tangible results. By clearly outlining your objectives, selecting appropriate game elements, and meticulously crafting the user experience, you can:
Optimize Engagement: Guarantee that your chosen mechanics align with user preferences, maximizing their impact on participation.
Ensure Alignment: Align gamification efforts with your overall goals, ensuring a seamless integration that drives desired outcomes.
Measure Effectiveness: Establish metrics to track progress and assess the effectiveness of your gamification strategy, allowing for data-driven adjustments and improvements.
Forming this strategy is also particularly useful if you want to include gamification in marketing your product or service. From laying the bricks to selling the house, the strategy should ideally outline every single aspect of your gamification.
Without further ado, let’s dive into our thoroughly curated roadmap and reap the benefits of gamification.
Step-By-Step Guide for Gamification Strategy
1.Understand what your goals or challenges are
First and foremost, take a moment to crystallize your objectives. What specific goals do you hope to achieve through this strategy? Are you aiming to boost user engagement, incentivize desired behaviors, or facilitate learning and skill development? Clearly defining your targets ensures your gamification efforts are laser-focused and deliver impactful results.
Ask yourself:
What outcomes do I want to achieve?
What challenges are currently hindering these goals?
How can gamification address these challenges?
By crafting a clear and concise vision, you lay the foundation for a successful gamification strategy that resonates with your audience and drives meaningful change.
For example, the Beeminder app uses game elements along with monetary incentives & actual money pledges to keep the users motivated on their goals. Its strict approach narrows down the users to a select userbase who really want to commit to their goals. Beeminder was clear with its outcomes and so was able to design the game accordingly.
2. Break your goals or challenges into campaigns
Don't be overwhelmed by the grand vision! Break down your ambitious goals into bite-sized campaigns. These campaigns can take various forms:
Seasonal sprints: Leverage holidays or special occasions to fuel excitement with themed challenges.
Promotional bursts: Time-bound campaigns tied to product launches or specific initiatives.
Always-on adventures: Long-term campaigns that become a core part of your user experience.
Ad hoc challenges: Spontaneous activities to keep things fresh and address emerging needs.
Each campaign allows you to test different mechanics, engage users in focused bursts, and celebrate smaller victories along the way.
3. Decide which game mechanic is best suited to your goal
Now, it's time to unleash the power of play! Select game mechanics that serve as your tools for engagement, carefully aligning them with your goals and target audience. Remember, the most effective mechanics are:
Goal-oriented: They clearly connect to your desired behaviors and provide a tangible path towards achievement.
Audience-specific: Consider your users' preferences and what motivates them. What excites gamers might not resonate with casual participants.
Diverse and balanced: Experiment with various mechanics, such as points, badges, leaderboards, progress bars, and virtual rewards, to cater to different motivations and learning styles.
Don't be afraid to mix and match: Combine multiple mechanics to create a dynamic and engaging experience.
Remember, the key is to create a system that feels fun, rewarding, and relevant to your users, ultimately driving them towards your desired outcomes.
Fitbit, a fitness tracking app does this exceptionally well with its game designed to make fitness activities more fun for the users by keeping the mechanics simple but competitive. It also allows sharing on social platforms and engaging with communities and makes it easy to keep track of the progress with intuitive game elements.
4. Plan your promotion strategy
With your goals segmented and your mechanics chosen, it's time to spread the word! Develop a compelling promotion strategy to grab attention and invite users to join the fun.
Consider these key elements:
Clearly communicate the value proposition: Highlight how gamification enhances the user experience, addressing their needs and pain points.
Tailor your message to your target audience: Leverage their preferred channels and language to resonate effectively.
Create a buzz: Generate excitement through teasers, contests, and influencer partnerships.
Leverage multiple channels: Utilize social media, email marketing, and website integration to reach your audience where they are.
Track and analyze results: Monitor promotional performance to identify what resonates and adapt your strategy accordingly.
Remember, promotion is an ongoing process. Continuously engage your audience, share success stories, and reward participation to keep the momentum going. By effectively promoting your gamified experience, you can ensure it reaches its full potential and attracts a thriving community of engaged users.
Nike was praised for its effective promotion using digital marketing back in 2012 in addition to utilizing TV Ads for its Fuelband launch campaign. Fuelband uses gamification elements to track user’s fitness such as steps taken, calories burnt, etc, Nike created a stellar commercial & used the hashtags #COUNTS and #NikeFuel on multiple social channels when the internet boom was just beginning. This increased the brand’s exposure & made its presence known to a larger audience.
5. Utilize prizes efficiently
Rewards can fuel engagement, but extrinsic motivators shouldn't overshadow intrinsic enjoyment. Use prizes strategically to celebrate milestones and incentivize desired behaviors, but ensure the core experience itself remains fun and valuable. To get an idea about the range of rewards you can include to fit your needs, explore our options here at theFlyy.
6. Collect data in a smart and non-intrusive way
Harness the power of data while respecting user privacy. Implement non-intrusive data collection methods to understand user behavior, preferences, and progress. This data will be invaluable for iterating your gamification strategy and ensuring it resonates with your audience.
7. Eliminate dead ends in the journey
Keep the user experience seamless and intuitive. Design a clear path with achievable goals and avoid confusing dead ends. Ensure users understand their progress and how their actions contribute to the overall objective.
8. Track, analyze, and improve
Did your gamification strategy hit the bullseye? Establish robust tracking and analysis systems to monitor key metrics such as engagement, progression, and goal achievement. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and continuously adapt your strategy for optimal results.
Game On!
Gamification, when thoughtfully implemented, unlocks a treasure trove of benefits: boosted engagement, fostered motivation, and accelerated goal attainment. But before diving in, a well-structured strategy serves as your compass. This guide has equipped you with the essential steps to chart your course, from defining goals and segmenting challenges to selecting engaging mechanics and measuring success. Remember, gamification is a journey, not a destination.
