“Hello, User. I Want to Play a Game” – Increase User’s Activity with Gamification

Web design community got soaked and wet with new trend called Gamification.

It’s still very young 'cause it appeared year and a half ago. Gamification is the use of techniques typical for the games, game thinking and game mechanics enhance non-game contexts and attract users increasing their involvement in the use of programs of interest to the solution of problems applied.

The basic principle of Gamification is to ensure constant, measurable feedback from the user, providing the possibility of a dynamic adjustment of user behavior and, as a consequence, rapid development of all application’s functionality and gradually immersing user into more subtle point. Another method is to create Gamification legends, stories, equipped with dramatic techniques that accompany the process of using the application. This creates sense of being the part of each user, contribution to the common cause, and interest to achieve certain fictional purposes. In addition, when gamification is used it gradually changes complexity of goals and objectives as users acquire new skills and competencies.

Gamification’s main aspects:

• dynamics - the scripts that require user attention and reaction in real time;
• mechanics - use scripting elements characteristic of gameplay, such as virtual rewards, status, points, virtual goods;
• aesthetics - to create a common gaming experience that promotes emotional involvement;
• social interaction - a wide range of techniques to ensure user interaction for games.

Terms used in gamified software:

• players - customers and potential customers;
• actions - reactions that are needed from the user;
• levels of skill - stratification of users by level of achievement;
• motivation - creating a call to action, reaction.

How to use Gamification for business promotion

Let’s talk about Web sites, but we need to understand that all these concepts can be extrapolated to any other business, working with people.

---

---

Making status

Allow users to enhance the status, using your site. And it does not necessarily raise the status of the real world - quite work and intrasite status. Encourage user activity. Consider how many comments posted a user how much they liked the other, how much time he spent on the site and how much traffic it has distributed.

Show off target

When reaching the next stage always shows user next target - do not make a secret out of this. "You have posted one hundredth comments and here is a badge for you", "After making two hundred comments you’ll get another badge". Having a clear goal - user will follow it, hoping to improve the status.

Honors

Awards - are a great loyalty program for users. Course materials and valuable rewards work better, but oddly enough virtual gifts and badges - also work well. Besides the demonstration of gifts partially resonates with you next post.

Demonstration status

Position nothing if they cannot show off to others. Be sure to give user the opportunity to demonstrate his status and take advantage of it: change "title" on forums, board of honor, the ability to connect to the server priority and other parts.

How to embed Gamification into any community-driven website:

• Reward member after registration - he deserved it. Give him the first badge and a small amount of intersite exchange, so that he could try the benefits of higher status.
• Encourage efficiencies by - let's have more points for actions that are useful for the development of the site - a site that is filled with bad section Q & A - let's double the points for questions and answers there.
• Use rewards - from intrasite exchange and badges finishing quite tangible gifts.
• Keep ratings of the most active users, give them more power to the site.
• Encourage social connections between users - and users will come back for fellowship and bring their friends.

The numbers of Gamification

• the percentage of attracted attention in a game is 10 times higher than that of a 30-second commercial on TV;
• the duration of a non-stop game session is - 25 minutes;
• each player transmits information to 3-5 friends;
• people spend in website’ gaming areas 4 times more time than in other sections;
• the average duration of a single-player game session in online games is about half an hour, in a mobile game - 11-19 minutes in multiplayer games 12% of the players are ready to play more than 6 hours at a time;
• 70% of World gamers are constantly tied to the gaming practice, 21% of them play at least once a week, the duration of gaming time is more than 3-5 hours per week, 20% of gamers weekend turned into a full game "working" day;
• in gaming space 10-20 minutes is enough to convince person make an impulse purchase or give a hint where to buy goods in a real world.

Importance of Gamification

• it contributes to a better acquaintance of consumers with goods, transfer emotions of a game to brand perception, thus strengthening its position in mind and creating dynamic and exciting dating experience;
• it forms loyal audience: the user involved into the game tries to communicate with other users;
• is a tool that combines branding and continuous collection of data about users;
• is a tool to engage with users and then continue to build and maintain relationships, to create a basis for long-term contact with clients;
• allows each player create relationships with brand and manage them;
• focuses on the non-obvious benefits of a new product, making them a major factor in winning the game.

Gamification is successfully applied in the following resources

SCVNGR making some simple tasks users accumulate points, receive discounts, coupons, etc.

***

BunchBall Gamification platform.

***

BigDoor platform for implementing virtual economics for the websites.

***

BadgeVille tracks user activity, gives prises.

***

Xbox Live tracks achievements, creates leaderboards.

***

Foursquare gives badges and rewards fr specific actions on the website.

***

GetGlue rewards users for their activity.

***

LinkedIn has a progress bar for users that is based on their success.

***

SalesForce provides leaderboard, achievements, leveling for website users.

***

Mint shows achievements as a progress bar.

***

CheckPoints has a virtual currency, and rewards users for being active.

***

ShopKick has its own virtual currency, rewards, contests.

***

Hallmark provides Facebook credits, virtual goods, gifting & sharing.

***

Starbucks leveling system allows to get rewards.

***

Nike make achievements, get badges, challenges, get rewards.

***

Buffalo Wild Wings provides trivias and challenges for the users.

***

Gamification is all about attracting and making users feel great while surfing your website. This technique allows to engage them into the activity provided at your website. There is an endless amount of possible ways of engagement that will come within the term Gamification just use your imagination or visit any cool toy store it will definitely provide you a portion of inspiration of this specific matter.

P.S. If you have any cool ideas feel free to share.