In recent years, gamification has increased as an effective marketing tool for public education, politics, law enforcement and more. But even in the online world, gaming elements are increasingly being used to reach marketing goals. Think about savings programs, games with game elements, or playable ads that are already playing the game, even before you download it. Gamification and online marketing are the perfect combination! Why? I will explain in this blog. What is gamification? Let’s go back a little to the beginning. Gamification is the application of game elements in a non-gaming context to influence people’s behavior. You give them a push in the right direction, so to speak. From a behavioral psychological point of view, we also talk about nodding. One of the most well-known examples is probably Efteling’s Holle Bolle Gijs. As Efteling became more and more crowded in the late 1950s, more and more garbage was found in the park. Efteling designers have come up with Holle Bolle Gijs, which encourages visitors to throw trash in their mouths in a fun way. So you receive thanks from our friendly friends, and this element of the game often brings a smile to every face. Today, Holle Bolle Gijs is an attraction that is almost as valuable as one of the park’s roller coasters. Hol-bolle-gijs-gamification-efteling
However, Symbolica’s appeal to Efteling is also full of gamification. Gamification in the world of online marketing
But it can also respond to people’s actions online. Depending on your business and your goals (online), you can use gamification in different ways to give people a push in the right direction. Gamification is often used to have a positive impact on behavior for social purposes, such as educational technology, reducing phone usage while driving, using stairs instead of elevators, and keeping streets clean. .. But especially online, the possibilities for applying gamification are endless!
Secretly, gamification is already widely used in the world of online marketing. Consider how often you unknowingly perform an action that is actually thrown into your knee. Turn the wheel and you will receive a guaranteed discount coupon by email. Free discount, why? And what about the McDonald’s application advent calendar? Go back to the app every day and open a new gift. Then you can immediately use the gift in the form of a discount coupon at the physical store. However, even simple actions such as contacting us or completing an online profile can be prompted by game elements.
The power of online gamification
It’s easier to reach people online than offline. This is usually because the online threshold for performing the action is low. No one is looking at you and you don’t even have to do anything physical for it. In this way, you can do many things with just a few mouse clicks on the screen or a swipe of a gesture.
Therefore, gamification is a very valuable technique, especially for online marketers to respond to online consumer behavior. The main purpose of the game element is to entertain the user, but your main goal is to encourage action. Therefore, while enjoying the game elements that the user has added, the user is performing the action that best suits their goals. In this way, you can build a complete customer journey. From reaching new target audiences to directing purchase or contact request requests.