Ever since the term Gamification marketing has entered into the marketing realm, it has stood its ground. We all know that with the evolution of technology, marketing standards have changed a lot. And they will continue to change over time. To increase the ROI with the ever-changing marketing standards, marketers need to step into the new sphere.
In this day and age, the concept of gamification is not alien to modern-day marketers. However, there are still some people out there who are new to this lucrative industry. And they are pretty unfamiliar with the benefits of gamification marketing. And what it can bring to their plate. So if you are one of them, then there is nothing to worry about because we have got you covered.
In this blog, we will shed light on the different advantages of gamification marketing. So without wasting more time, let us get started and make ourselves aware. Dive In and Read On!
It is Entertaining and Fun
It is a pretty obvious fact that any activity which includes some gaming element brings entertainment and fun to humans. Games that are simple to play get more eyeballs. And thus, such games result in higher customer engagement.
So the idea is to market your product or service through games that are fun to play because fun is indeed marketable.
Engagement
One of the biggest pros of having a branded mini-game included in your strategy is that it helps in increasing engagement levels. Further, gamify’s software platform enables companies to measure engagement levels. It means that the companies can see and make use of the captured data for their future campaigns. The data captured can also be helpful for businesses as it will enable them to improve their services.
The information companies collect from gaming software may include:
For instance, they get to know:
- How many users are engaging with their campaign?
- How many users are sharing on social media platforms?
- Which users have earned rewards?
- How many of them are redeeming their rewards?
- Which user is sharing his/her information? (like email, social media account, etc.)
When users interact with businesses through games, there underlies an opportunity for companies to convey their message and build brand awareness in several different ways.
In these times, people of every age group spend a tremendous amount of their time on their phones. And most of them play games to refresh their mood or pass the time. So as marketers or business leaders, here lies the opportunity for you to gain people’s attention through fun games. And, at the same time, promote your product or business.
It is Affordable
The traditional marketing methods require companies, no matter big or small, to have a large budget. And to achieve the expected outcome or to get satisfying results with traditional ways can be costly. However, it becomes difficult for small businesses to invest a significant amount. So what is the alternate?
Well, instead of following traditional ways, you can invest in gamification software and achieve your desired results even with a tight budget. Such software helps businesses to track lead information and consumer traffic. You can consider such software as a one-stop-shop that contains all the elements of a successful marketing campaign. Further, it saves time, money, and hassle also.
But the problem is that many marketers to date believe that these tools are expensive, which is farther from the truth. These tools were indeed expensive when smartphones first became popular. But in today’s world, when tech is ruling the world, the case is entirely different.
It is Multiplatform
Do you know somebody in your circle who does not own a smart device in these times? We reckon you do not!
Accessing the internet and downloading social media apps has become easier than ever. Almost everybody now owns multiple devices that can access the internet, be it smartphones, laptops, tablets, etc. And wherever you find these elements means any of these devices can incorporate games there.
Games can make the reach of your campaign unlimited. So if you want to reach a large audience, then here is your chance to achieve this goal through gamification.
It Helps Gather Powerful Customer Data
The sole purpose of marketing is to generate more leads and update the information stored in databases. And do you know what the exciting news is? Under the GDPR, companies can collect valuable data related to customers in a GDPR friendly way.
If the users make any entry of information before or after playing the game, the companies can collect that information. And use it for their marketing purposes. And this is all done by Gamification platforms, as they can gather information from the users and display it to the companies.
However, it depends on the companies and their objectives that how much information they gather related to users.
Has a Wide Market Reach
Games are not gender or age-specific. Anybody, no matter how old or young, can find games appealing. So to reach a wide range of demographics, games are the easiest and accessible stream these days.
According to Forbes, in 2017, smartphone gaming accounted for 42% of overall gaming revenue. It means that mobile gaming generated a gain of more than $50 billion through mobile gaming.
According to a survey, nearly 80% of mobile users indulge in gaming on their smartphones. And almost 50% of the users play games daily, making up about 1-2 hours of gaming every day. Further, the percentage of Male mobile gamers is 52%. And the percentage of female mobile gamers is 48%.
These stats depict that how vast is the gaming industry. So no matter which target market you are aiming for, it is well within reach of gamification.
Positive Asssoication
The thought behind gamification marketing is relatively straightforward. When a user earns a reward by accomplishing something in a game, it creates a sense of gratification and a positive feeling. And not only the user feels great about the accomplishment. But he/she also ends up feeling optimistic about the brand that the game is associated with.
If the game a brand uses to attract customers is engaging and entertaining, it will create a positive image of the brand. To achieve the maximum outcome, make sure to implement a game that offers great fun and entertainment.
Builds Brand Awareness
While playing, most of the players(users) do not realize that brand marketing is also taking place during their gameplay. But the good thing is that being unconscious makes them receptive to brand marketing.
To make you understand, let us look at the example of the Wheat Thins case study. According to the case study, the users had 9 seconds to play the game devised by Wheat Thins. In the game, users had to collect the falling chips in 9 seconds. And everybody strived to score higher. After every 9 seconds of gameplay, the game would show users the products of Wheat thins. And this products page appeared every time users played the game.
In this way, the game not only engaged the users. But it also helped Wheat Thins to build their brand awareness among the users.
The above example shows that how gamification can help build brand awareness. Remember that customers buy products marketed before rather than purchasing a product they have never come across.
Educational
Games play a vital role in reducing consumer aversion to marketing. If you market your product or service the traditional way, then the chances are that users might not pay attention. The lack of attention is primarily due to the consumers are fed up with seeing ads guaranteeing impossible things or results. But with gamification marketing, the process becomes more manageable and less tedious.
Gamification is a creative way to engage users with a launched product or yet to be established. Designing a game for such a product will help you as a company educate people regarding your product. But it will also provide fun to the users.
Entertaining games designed explicitly for marketing enables users to unconsciously understand what the brand is trying to make them aware of.
Builds a Community of Loyal Customers
People of the 21st century prefer doing business with the brands they are familiar with. And the ones they trust. So when a user connects with a brand and other consumers through a game, he/she becomes a part of the community.
In gamification marketing, consumer-focused elements such as sharing the experience with the brand on social media platforms can aid in advertising the brand further. If a customer finds your game exciting and becomes satisfied with your service, he/she may share their experience on social media, which can help you extend your community. And the bigger the community, the higher the revenue will be.
Increases Buyer Intent and Replay Value
Gamification has replay value. But wait! What does it mean?
It means that whether users strive to earn more valuable rewards or try to surpass others or their high scores, they will get value at every stage. Further, by implementing it, you can increase buyer intent by 169% compared to regular video ads.
Games are the best way to engage customers. Games that are fun to play make people come again and again to earn rewards or perform better. And this might surprise you. But people like to earn rewards rather than getting them by watching a simple video and doing nothing.
Further, a Gamify study has also proved that consumers are seven times more likely to use and value the rewards earned by playing a game rather than getting them just by watching a mere video.
Bottom Line
We all are tired of seeing brand ads that say, “PICK ME UP I AM THE BEST, PICK ME UP I AM THE BEST.” Right?
But the good news is that gamification marketing is engaging and offers a whole different experience.
Gamified experiences enable consumers to engage with a brand in a fun environment. And at the same time, it offers excellent benefits to brands in several different ways to positively influence. So if you have made yourself aware of the services, then it is time to plan and implement it.
We hope that you have found the information provided in this blog helpful.
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