Gamification software refers to any application or platform that is used to adapt game concepts to non-game contexts in order to boost engagement and produce effective results. Customer retention, eLearning, workforce engagement, and performance management are common use cases.

In recent years, gamification and components have become increasingly popular in consumer and corporate software and apps. Because gamification is becoming more widespread, there is already a contrast between gamification and a gamified element. While many platforms continue to offer specialized and comprehensive gamification tools for marketers, salespeople, and consumer brands, more types of software have incorporated gamified aspects into their existing offerings.

How to distinguish between gamification and game design

Although commonly mistaken, gamification and game design are not the same things. Making a game is not the same as designing engagement systems to affect behaviour.

Expertise in one field does not indicate mastery of the other.

• Game design is a subset of video game creation, whereas gamification is the act of adding game-like aspects into non-game situations.
• Game design is the application of design concepts for the goal of enjoyment, whereas gamification is a UX design tool that helps boost user engagement for digital products.

Why should you make your user experience more gamified?

• Apps frequently lack immediacy or relevance, making them appear dull compared to other available options.
• Gamification allows you to provide consumers with a more engaging experience, allowing you to engage your audience much more deeply than before.
• Gamifying software does not mean turning interfaces into games but rather introducing gamified features like points, badges, and progress bars into current programs/systems to make them even more, engaging with the inclusion of some extra exciting components like those described earlier!

Gamification, when done correctly, stimulates users to achieve their objectives while also assisting them in overcoming any negative associations they may have with the system or the tasks they must do.

By giving users some reward or accomplishment, gamifying an existing system can allow users to enjoy jobs that they would otherwise find tedious and monotonous and increase their motivation to continue with other routine activities.

Many of the game mechanisms that were once only utilized to interest mobile gamers, such as badges and awards, are now being employed in non-gaming pursuits, including education, fitness, banking, etc. Here are seven case study examples of successful gamification advertising efforts and the factors that contributed to their success.

An example of a good gamification advertising campaign is NikeFuel

• NikeFuel

Nike recognizes that a lack of desire is a significant roadblock to consistent training for many people. It’s easy to slip out of healthy habits if you don’t have a jogging partner, a personal trainer, or motivation.

To boost the possibility of people interacting with the product, NikeFuel used gamification in exercise. One of the main reasons for this is because games encourage their audience to pay attention and participate. Users are piqued by good gamification marketing in three ways: affirmation, completion, and rewards.

NikeFuel, Nike’s fitness app, is motivated by its customers’ need to validate their fitness successes on social media. Daily, users compete with one another and share their results. Users who integrate the app into their daily life establish a community around the brand by sharing their progress bars.

Nike continuously recognizes little victories by sending personalized messages praising consumers for their achievements and motivating them to continue. The constant encouragement increases users’ confidence in their abilities while simultaneously increasing app engagement. And with each run, you’ll unlock new achievements that you can share with your friends and improve over time.

Users can also instantaneously share their accomplishments with their peers. A retention hook is a built-in feature that gives users a cause to send notifications to other users, encouraging them to return to the app.

Likes, retweets, and earning followers are validation techniques social networking networks utilize. These are all ways for people to comment on one another’s material positively. Because it aids in forming communities, validation is one of the most potent drivers of long-term quality involvement.

Consider the following critical aspects before investing in a gamification platform.

• Usability: The ease with which a gamification platform can be used should be a significant element in deciding which product to choose. This is true for both companies and customers. A difficult-to-understand system may turn customers off. Similarly, a well-functioning software setup aids firms in increasing productivity and saving time. Ensure that the gamification software you buy is easy to use for both administrators and end-users.
• Another crucial thing to consider is the type of business, including firm size and industry. Some products, like Kahoot!, are geared at educators, while others, like Hoopla, are more suited to sales and marketing teams. Investigate which goods are most suited for the type of company you run.
• Customers can interact with your business in various ways, such as through games, prizes, contests, polls, and so on. Some products, such as Influitive, are more community-oriented, allowing users to earn badges or points by participating in social media posts/reviews. LevelEleven, for example, focuses on inspiring internal teams (such as sales and customer success) to close more transactions and renew more clients. First, consider if you want to use a gamification platform for internal or external use.

In conclusion, gamification is a complex and fascinating issue to investigate. It is unquestionably the way of the future in terms of personnel recruiting and administration. When you decide to create your HR gamification platform, whether for recruitment or employee motivation and management, you should focus on hiring game designers that are specialists in in-app creation and psychology.

Here at Smartico  we specialize in gamification and are here to make your experience flow smoothly. Smartico’s AI-powered marketing analyzes user trends to provide the best possible player experience. The marketing module makes automatic updates based on user insights to increase player value, improve engagement, and drive user acquisition. This everything takes place behind the scenes, so you can sit back and relax while the technology takes care of the rest.