Clearing Up the Top 4 Misconceptions About Gamification

In the world of exciting marketing and engaging with people in a fun way, gamification is like a super cool tool. But guess what? Some people have some wrong ideas about it!

These wrong ideas have been stopping many brands from using gamification to make their marketing and engagement even better. So, let's take a closer look at these myths and find out the real facts that can help your brand in new and awesome ways.

Misconception #1: Gamification is inappropriate for serious brand endeavors

There's a common misconception among some brands that incorporating gamification into their strategies might diminish their professionalism. However, this couldn't be further from the truth! Gamification actually serves as a potent tool for brands to connect with their audience, facilitate learning, pique interest, and share valuable information about their products and services.

Take, for instance, our experience at Scratcher.io, where we've collaborated on numerous projects with NGOs. These partnerships aimed to raise awareness about various causes, educate people on different issues, and engage audiences to gather donations and support.

Let's look at an example from AIDS-Fondet, an organization dedicated to a world without new HIV cases. By using the "Quiz" format, AIDS-Fondet launched an "Inheritance Test" campaign with two key objectives: first, to create awareness among their target audience, and second, to generate new leads that could eventually become supporting donors for the NGO's long-term goals. With an average monthly spending of €400, during four months, the inheritance campaign attracted nearly 3,000 participants. Impressively, the ads converted at a remarkable rate of 40.75%, while the test itself converted 60% of the visitors. These outcomes empowered the NGO to broach complex subjects in an accessible and engaging manner, effectively educating people about their mission and the significance of financial support from their community of backers.

Misconception #2: Gamification comes with a high price tag

Another common error is thinking that gamification is expensive. But that's not accurate. When you look at the results and return on investment (ROI), you'll see that gamification is a smart and cost-effective choice. For instance, we recently published a compelling business case featuring Zapp, a company specializing in charging boxes and stands for individuals, businesses, and the public sector. They allocated a mere €550 for Meta ads to drive traffic to their website, where users could engage with the campaign. In just two months, they garnered 834 leads and an impressive 10% conversion rate from quiz participation to actual purchases. Considering that each charger costs approximately €6,000, the value of gamification becomes abundantly clear.

Misconception #3: Gamification complexity is exclusive to large corporations with extensive tech know-how

You might think gamification is complicated and only for big tech-savvy companies. But that's simply not the case! There are easy ways to start fun campaigns, try different game styles, and plan a whole year's worth of activities with a simple tool that doesn't need any technical skills.

Plus, there are ready-made templates with options to make them fit your brand, and even if you're not tech-savvy, you can use them without a problem.

And don't worry; you'll have experts to help you out. They know a lot about gamification and can give you advice that fits your goals, content, and what you have to work with.

If I can do it, you can do it too! ??

Myth #4: Gamification is just a top-of-the-funnel flirt, ignoring all the fun down the sales relationship rollercoaster! ????

The fourth misconception to bust is the idea that gamification is only for acquiring customers at the top of the funnel. Well, that's simply not true! Gamification can serve multiple purposes beyond just generating leads; here are a few examples:

• Boosting online conversion rates: Gamification techniques can reduce cart abandonment rates in e-commerce by reminding users of their incomplete purchases and offering instant incentives to complete them.
• Enhancing data quality: it serves as a valuable tool for collecting crucial information about your audience, including their preferences and behaviors, which in turn enriches your understanding of your customers. This data can seamlessly integrate with your CRM system for more comprehensive insights. For instance, BON'A PARTE employed the "My Favourites" game format, resulting in a substantial enhancement of their existing customer data. With the insights gathered from their gamified campaign, this fashion retailer unlocked the ability to implement intelligent and highly personalized post-sales communications through email automation. This personalisation led to boots the emails CTR 300% ??.
• Brand education and awareness: you can employ gamification as an enjoyable and effective means to educate individuals about your brand, its core values, and what distinguishes it from others. This approach not only makes learning engaging but also contributes to heightened brand awareness. Moreover, gamification proves particularly beneficial when marketing intricate products that demand a certain level of understanding from customers to make informed choices. By tailoring recommendations based on their responses, you can guide them towards the best-suited options, ensuring a smoother decision-making process.
• Encouraging newsletter subscriptions: You have the power to motivate users to join your newsletter community, enabling you to establish a direct channel of communication while gathering insights into their interests. Take Rascals Brewing Company, for instance, which achieved a remarkable 275% growth in their newsletter subscribers by launching a Wheel of Fortune campaign, infused with their distinctive brand identity. Individuals simply enter their information, take a spin on the wheel, and see if fortune favors them.In this engaging campaign, fortunate participants had the opportunity to win enticing rewards, spanning from assorted cases of Rascals' exceptional beer to valuable discount codes for their online store. Another noteworthy success was the redemption of consolation prizes, in the form of discounts, which significantly contributed to a 35% boost in online sales stemming from these vouchers.
• Driving traffic to physical stores (or vice versa): You can create a smooth and unified omnichannel experience for your customers. To illustrate, take the case of POWER International AS, which provided a digital "Spin the Wheel" opportunity. This not only engaged online leads but also served as a catalyst for driving foot traffic to their brick-and-mortar stores. Offering a variety of rewards and prizes, customers were incentivized to explore their nearby POWER store and claim their prizes in person.

As we bust these misconceptions and reveal the real magic of gamification, it's evident that this awesome tool can seriously level up your marketing and engagement strategy. Your audience is out there waiting for you—so, what are you waiting for? ??