The Hack to Marketing Strategies: Gamification

It is no secret that people love games. More specifically, people love playing to win. So, what if we told you that you could take this concept and apply it to your marketing campaigns?

What is Gamification?

Gamification refers to the use of games in mediums that otherwise do not typically consist of games. So, take a website for example. Let’s say you want to make your website more interesting to visitors. You could gamify it by coding puzzles and/challenges into the website for people to solve and each time they get a clue right, it leads them one step closer to accessing your website.

A fantastic example to look at is the scavenger hunt that marketing agency ThreeSixtyEight designed for their employees to cleverly uncover the location for the company retreat.

But keep in mind, the game does not necessarily have to be so intricate, so there is no need to feel discouraged by the whole concept. Sometimes keeping it simple is equally as enjoyable and is sure to keep customers engaged.

Another example to look at that is both fun and simple is Merrell’s February promotion. The theme of the month is bird watching and so the promotion revolves around this theme. Customers can stand a chance to win a pair of Merrell boots and binoculars by clicking the link, looking at the image and trying to spot the bird species. Simple, fun, and definitely something to keep customers engaged and scrolling through your website.

Moreover, both examples provide ways for audiences to work to win some sort of prize. The need to win and ultimately the feeling of accomplishment that one achieves when winning or figuring out a clue is more than enough reason for a positive connection to be made between audience and brand.

Game Ideas that you can Implement

So now that you understand the mechanics and benefits of gamification, here are some ideas to get you started

  1. Riddles

Riddles are a great way to get audience engagement and works very well when trying to reveal a hidden theme or message. It also works well because it can be easy or very challenging depending on your audiences’ capabilities.

  1. Spot the difference

I’m sure we have all experienced the infamous ‘Where’s Wally’ and have spent many hours trying to spot the man in the red and white striped shirt. Well, if you can recall how much fun you had with this challenge, just imagine how fun it would be for audiences to participate in something similar, but this time win an actual physical prize!

  1. Identify the sounds

Engaging in all the human senses is a technique that is often overlooked when it comes to marketing. So much time is spent on visuals that it is easy to forget just how engaging sound can be. Presenting a challenge such as ‘identify that animal sound’ or ‘identify that appliance sound’ is sure to pique the interest of many and get them eager to learn more about your brand.

  1. Spin the wheel

A classic method of presenting opportunities for giveaways. This is truly a timeless idea that is sure to get people interested every time. Why? Because people love any opportunity for freebies.

Now that you have the information and ideas, it’s time for you to take your marketing to the next level and gamify your content. But wait, with all the fun games that lead people to browse through your website, you’ll need to make sure that your web page is in tip-top shape.

And that’s where we come in! Here at Haystack!SEO we provide you with SEO, PPC and Digital Content expertise. Reach out today and let’s optimize your page together.

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