Gamification is a revolutionary process that instills non-game environments with gaming aspects like competition, play, fun, and reward. Many industries, ranging from fashion to finance, have taken to using gamification to increase user engagement with their products, services, and platforms. According to projections, the global gamification market, which was worth $10.19 billion in 2020, will be worth $96.3 billion by 2030. This is because, when applied correctly, gamification significantly improves the user experience. It helps expand brand following, boost sales, create repeat business, and produce new leads for entrepreneurs. Here is a look at how different sectors are using gamification today.
Gamification Techniques
Before we look at different applications of gamification, it is crucial to understand how this process works. Companies that use gamification take non-gaming environments and add gaming elements to them. This can be done in the form of gamified web push notifications, which may for instance, pop up on a browser and tell a customer how many other people have bought the product they just saw. The pop up can also offer a discount that the customer can redeem by performing a given action.
Some gamified elements are more “gamey” than others. Some providers use a progress bar that shows customers how much they have saved or how many products away they are from a discount. In some cases, platforms may feature scratch-to-win coupons or interactive wheels of fortune.
It is important, however, to note that these game-like features are used to drive sales and increase online engagement. They are not actual games. And while they do have game-like features, you cannot interact with other players, NPCs, and gaming environments as you would in video games.
Gamified processes are effective in incentivizing users with bonuses, discounts, and other benefits. This approach is widely employed in online gaming and gambling, where specific actions can give you a chance to earn rewards that are redeemable within the site. To delve deeper into this concept and understand its application in gamified marketing, you can refer to this resource on gambling websites.
Now let’s look at how different markets use gamification to enhance user engagement:
In Finance
To some extent, gamification has existed in the finance sector for a while now. Think back to when your credit card awarded you points for spending money a certain way or at a specific place. This is a classic, albeit toned down, gamification application. More obvious applications have been implemented recently, nonetheless.
Nestlings, for instance, is a game-based finance app that helps consumers save more. It features whimsical squirrels and other creatures who react to your spending habits and try to help you stash money for “winter.” Another great example is the Long Game app, which rewards you for saving. Every time you save something, you get the chance to play a game and possibly win real money.
In the Health Sector
The healthcare system is barely one where joy and fun are the order of the day. But healthcare providers have found that taking some of the seriousness out of medical procedures can help patients better manage their illnesses and prescriptions. This is best demonstrated through health and wellness apps that use gamification features to promote medication adherence, disease prevention, and management.
A notable example is Mango Health; a smartphone app that helps patents form healthy habits and take their medications as prescribed. When patients follow their Mango Health schedules, they earn points and increase their levels. CaféWell function similarly, awarding patients points for keeping up with their emotional and physical healthcare needs. These points can often be redeemed for real-life perks.
In Marketing
Gamification is applied in marketing strategically to attract new customers and reward brand loyalty. While many brands are using this strategy successfully, Sephora stands out for how well it has gamified its loyalty program. When customers sign up for the Beauty Insider program, Sephora rewards their loyalty through perks like savings, gifts, and points. These points can then be redeemed at the shop. Other brands are using scavenger hunts on their platforms where users are rewarded for spotting hidden symbols within the site. This feature increases the amount of time users spend on a site.
In Learning
Experts have shown that increasing immersion in learning processes can help motivate learners and help them process new information faster and much easier. In the e-learning sector, apps like LetterSchool are at the forefront of gamification. This handwriting app allows children to plat with letter sounds, shapes, and names through tracing and tapping. This helps them improve their writing and reading skills. Even better, the games are arranged by level of difficulty so a child can progress to different complexities. Another great example is Word Search which features over 20,000 puzzles provided in over 37 languages and different difficulties and sizes. It helps children improve their critical thinking skills as they learn vocabulary in different languages.
Wrapping Up
Gamification seems to fit into many industries, be they the ecommerce, finance, health, or education sectors. Whatever business you own, incorporating gaming features into your processes can help make them more fun and interactive. This is guaranteed to boost your brand’s performance because, let’s face it, people like to play games and be rewarded. There is a reason that the online gaming industry is worth billions after all. Depending on your setup and marketing style, consider using competition, challenges, levels, leaderboards, badges, levelling-up, or rewards to increase user participation with your brand.
