Gamification - Start gamifying your digital service

By taking advantage of what engages and attracts people in games we can create a better user experience. In part 2 of our mini-series on gamification we give concrete examples of game elements, how to get started and when gamification should not be used. If you missed part 1 you can find it here.

Some common examples of gamification

Reward - badges and stickers

People love being rewarded for their actions. The reward can be anything from a discount code, free products, free shipping or early access to a product or service.

Getting a badge (emblem) when you have completed a certain task can make users extra motivated. Or why not reward a user when they have filled in their profile in a sign-up flow. The language app Duolingo, for example, has made every lesson into a challenge where each bit of progress is rewarded with a badge.

Goals and progress - progress bars and step flows

Users usually want to reach a specific goal, so it's important to help them achieve that goal and show the progress they make along the way. Loyalty clubs often use a progress bar — a bar that shows progress in real time — to indicate how many points have been collected and how far it is until the goal is reached. Sometimes different levels are used, where the user aims to move from one level to another.

Step flows, where users can see where they are and how many steps remain, are another way to show goals and progress. They are common in e-commerce during checkout or in extensive web forms. In e-learning, step-by-step learning is also used, where content is divided into smaller parts. This makes it both easier and more enjoyable to absorb the content.

Challenge - competition through leaderboards and rankings

Competitions can increase engagement and extend a product's longevity. Challenges make us focus on results and often we want to prove that we can handle what lies ahead. Let users compete against friends and acquaintances in various challenges.

Who can take the most steps in a week, who can make the most runs on the ski slope, etc.Challenges can also be used in internal systems to motivate employees to perform better. Then showcase results and success through leaderboards, rankings, or visual infographics and statistics.

Treasure hunts, where users search for items placed on a website and those who find the items compete for attractive prizes, are another example of a challenge that can boost engagement.

Collect points and bonuses

Collecting points motivates people. If you include game elements such as bonuses in an e-commerce site, visitors shop more often to collect more bonus points. They also become more loyal because they don't want to miss offers or lose out on their points.

Here are a few more common examples:

• Customer clubs where you collect bonus points for every krona spent and then receive a discount code
• The user earns points every day they log in to the service
• Users receive an extra bonus or discount if they refer a friend
• Email campaigns that encourage customers to leave a review in exchange for extra points or a discount code

Companies that want to motivate employees can also include competitive elements to raise engagement levels. For example, to reward upselling by displaying current status reports, goal attainment and salary potential 

Limitations

Introducing limitations can motivate users to complete them. Setting time limits on tedious tasks is one example. Booking sites for hotels or concerts often time-limit a reservation to create a sense of urgency — that you have to act before it's gone or it's too late. But this can also be experienced as stressful, and it's important to carefully consider whether the positive effects outweigh the negative ones.

Social influence

People are social beings who are influenced by what those around us think. When electricity companies show what you consume compared with the previous period and compared with similar households, it affects us and can make us act.

When we see how our home compares in value to the average, or that our lot is larger than the neighbours', it stirs up some feelings and curiosity. When we see this kind of information we immediately feel we should be at least above average or better than our neighbours.

"This is what the neighbours in your area pay..."

"This is what 51-year-olds earn on average in your area/in Sweden..."

"You have 35% lower electricity consumption in January compared with similar households. Well done!"

When should gamification not be used?

There are many ways to include gamification. This does not mean you have to gamify your entire site, app or digital service. It's more about including it in selected parts where it can have a positive impact on the user experience and engagement.

Not every type of game element suits every type of service or industry either. It's important to find the method that fits your target audience, your brand and the product or service you offer.

Gamified elements should only be used when they are meaningful and provide added value. Rewards shown at inappropriate times can have a negative effect on visitors' motivation. Game mechanics should not be so complicated that they prevent users from moving forward. Therefore think carefully about how, why and when you use them.

In conclusion

Give your users clear goals, show them the progress and where they are in the process. Last but not least, reward them. Which gamifying methods you choose to implement depends on your company's conditions.

Once you've implemented your gamified design, it can be useful to user-test and evaluate. How effective has it been?

Has it really increased engagement as you expected?
Missed part 1 of this mini-series? You can read more here

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