You win! 

This simple but exciting statement is the groundwork for gamification in marketing. Simply put, gamification involves applying the fun and engaging elements found in games to real world or productive activities.  Think of Oraimo’s wheel-spin allowing customers to spin and win up to a 50% coupon which they can use on purchases above N9,000. That’s what gamification is all about – using enticing content to engage with customers. 

The purpose of gamification is simple; to

• trigger customer emotions,
• increase engagement,
• improve conversion, sales, and retention,
• boost customer recommendation i.e. word of mouth.

…as it applies to marketing

In marketing, this involves driving customer engagement using elements of competition and rewards. Customer responses and feedback collected can serve as data and insights into customer behavior, wants, and also help businesses make critical decisions targeted at innovation and growth. 

How can gamification strategy drive better customer engagement?

Gamification is important in implementing a customer engagement strategy that works; as it enhances customer experience, thereby making an activity more rewarding and fun for them to participate in, especially when it resonates with them. 

Events like the FIFA World Cup, Christmas Season, festivals etc presents opportunities for brands to leverage the excitement of the season to foster continuous customer interaction by

• asking  trivias questions related to the Brand or the season,
• integrating discount wheel popup on website to boost conversion,
• setting up quizzes,
• asking trendy questions about a sensational person, etc

When strategically done, these will keep customers actively engaged and improve brand affinity.

The icing on the cake – Rewards

According to financeonline, 78% of consumers are more likely to stay with a brand that offers rewards and a 5% increase in customer retention can increase revenue by 25-95%. Rewards trigger positive behaviors in customers, and businesses who reward customers for signups, purchases, or interactions typically experience

• more sales,
• high retention, 
• increase in customer loyalty ,
• more referrals.

Top businesses in Africa including banks, and FMGCs use Terragon Rewards to provide instant rewards to gamified customer engagements, with vouchers, mobile data, and airtime across major networks. Get started here

Gamified engagements with an offline audience – Mobile is KEY!

Channels like SMS and USSD do not depend on device type or internet availability, which makes them pervasive and available to a wider range of consumers. With internet penetration rate in Africa as of December 2021 at 43.1% (Statista), brands must not limit such engagements to the online space. 

Four ways to gamify customer experience 

Your businesses can turn basic campaigns into one which keeps customers coming back for more, with these four boosters:

1. Loyalty programs:
   Loyalty programs are a great way to gamify customer experience and according to Forbes, loyal customers spend 67% more than new ones. By offering rewards such as airtime, mobile data and vouchers using Terragon Rewards solution, to customers after they engage with a campaign, you can keep them coming back. 
   
   
2. Website/app games:
   You can integrate pop-up wheel-spins on your website or app and give coupons to spinners when they click on a product. 
   
   
3. Virtual badges:
   Rewards for specific actions taken by customers can be in the form of badges to make them return frequently and also allow them to anticipate and earn the next digital award.
   
   
4. Surveys:
   Businesses can receive feedback and collect first-party data through survey gamification delivered through Terragon Smart Survey solution. Gamifying surveys enhances the survey experience of customers, and fosters participation and engagement.