Gamification in digital marketing is one of the best tools to up your social media marketing game! Find out how and why!

Quick Links:

• TIP: How to use gamification in digital marketing [Infographic Download]
• Episode Overview – Gamify Your Marketing
• Personal Note from Jenn Neal on Gamification in Digital Marketing
• Episode audio [Podcast on Spotify]
• Blog Post – Gamification in Digital Marketing – How to Level Up Your Game
• Related Posts

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TIP: How to use gamification in digital marketing.

What’s In This Episode

Are you using the right tools for your social media marketing? Gamification in digital marketing is one of the best tools you could use for social media! It’s a great way to engage your audience and have them associate your brand with joy. This week, we’re talking about the benefits, best practices, and some examples of gamification in digital marketing!

Gamification in Digital Marketing – How to Level Up Your Game

What is one thing that you can do on social media to help engage your audience? A game, of course! Gamification in digital marketing is a great way to create fun, interactive content that will draw in your audience. I recently started doing some research on the best way to get more engagement on social media, and the one thing that kept coming up was gamification. So, if you’re wondering how to engage your audience and grow your business, you’re in the right place! Not another second to waste! Let’s dive in!

What is Gamification

Everyone knows that Neil Patel is like my hero, right? (And if you didn’t, you can totally pretend that you did.) Anywho, Neil defines gamification as using game elements in non-game applications to make them more fun and engaging. What does this mean? It means you can take a piece of educational content and turn it into something fun to do! One great example of this? Jeopardy! This game show has been on for years! But it’s a great example of teaching through a game. (Because let’s be real… most of us viewers don’t know the answers to all the questions.) 

Benefits of Gamification in Digital Marketing

As humans, we are naturally curious beings who are inclined to have fun. So, you will stop and engage if you’re scrolling through social media and see a puzzle or a fun little piece of content. Who doesn’t like free entertainment? (If you don’t, I’m not sure we can be friends.) In reality, what is this free entertainment really doing? It creates a positive experience for your audience as they interact with your brand. You’re training them to keep returning to your content as they play the game and get rewards. Think of it as training a puppy (I know, it’s a horrible analogy, but it’s true!). You reward them for each thing they do well. Basically, you’re showing your audience that they’ll feel joy and receive a reward each time they interact with your content. They, in turn, become more loyal to your brand.

In order to “train” your audience, your content will need to be seen. Well, here’s a little secret I found out. Content in game form is algorithm friendly. That means it’s more likely to show up to more people because the algorithm doesn’t find it spammy. The algorithm sees that people are engaging with your content and will show it to more people! This gives you a wider reach, precisely what you want (and need!). Now that we know a few key benefits, it’s time to figure out how to use gamification in digital marketing! (If you want to know more about the MANY benefits of gamification in digital marketing, check out this week’s episode of The Content Toolbox up above!)

How to Use Gamification in Digital Marketing

There are many ways to use gamification in digital marketing. It’s all about using the right tool for the job! One of the right tools for this job is, in fact, one of my favorite things – an acronym. That acronym happens to be K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Señor/Señorita (or whatever other S word you choose!). The important part is to keep it simple. Keep your games easy so that rewards are easily achievable. (Again, we’re sort of “treat training” our audience. So every reward they receive is positive reinforcement with your brand.) Again, you’re building brand loyalty.

Now, remember that you only have a few seconds to grab your audience’s attention. So keeping your games quick and simple will entice them to do more. Having games like a puzzle, find a pair, scratch tickets, or a spin-to-win wheel are short games with immediate rewards. Regardless of the type of game, keep the design engaging and branded with your brand colors (and logo) to ensure that your brand is front and center in their minds! (For more on branding, check out this episode where I share the process we went through to successfully rebrand Formula Done!)

Be sure your goals and outcomes are clear, and explain their next step to your future clients. Ensure that your rewards give value – an opt-in to a free gift is a great reward. Another important tip is to share the game across different platforms to ensure it’s reaching the maximum number of people it can! 

In Conclusion

With 60% of consumers saying that they’d buy from a brand they played a game with, I’d say it’s time to jump on the gamification in digital marketing train! As a great way to veg out and relax, your audience won’t even realize that they’re learning something while playing. And I don’t know about you, but that’s usually the information I retain better.  

For more tips, tricks, and examples about using gamification in digital marketing, check out episode #125 of The Content Toolbox! (Just scroll up and you can watch it now or listen to it on Spotify!) I hope you’ve enjoyed your time with me! Until next time! 

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How Gamification Can Help Improve Your Marketing

The Foundations of Gamified Marketing

Everything you need to know about gamification marketing

Why Inbound Marketing Is An Essential Marketing Strategy

Are you already using gamification in your business and how are you using it?