Gamification

Gamification was conceptualized to apply game mechanics to communities to create exciting incentives for engagement. Its purpose is to reward member contributions with game-style techniques in order to make participation more fun. Concepts like ranks, badges, and leaderboards serve as motivational factors to participate more in the community.

What can you do to gamify your community?

• Introducing levels is the first step to help better categorize community members. These levels can be as unique and as specific to your community as you want them to be. Usually, the levels are there to define engagement and contributions.
• Create a system that incentivizes members to -
• Earn more points and badges with each contribution or level of participation.
• Be competitive on the leaderboards and be more proactive in the community.
• Win prizes upon reaching or clearing a checkpoint.
• Get special privileges or access to certain VIP events or subscriptions.

Why should you consider gamification? Or rather, Why does gamification work?

• It creates a sense of healthy competition which in turn improves engagement and participation.
• A better quality of interactions since now people are more invested in it.
• Easier to understand your own community and rank members according to their level of activity.
• An elaborate reward system also facilitates consistency as the members stay involved for a longer time.
• Improves loyalty as people are now looking forward to being recognized and rewarded.

Over a period of time, gamification can heavily impact customer retention too. But on the other side, communities need to be careful to not cross over to the other side where you lose the core value of chasing after engagement. You might also end up making gamification the only good thing about the community. After a certain point, rewards become the only thing keeping your community together. It’s important to realize that gamification is merely a catalyst and not the end product. Value still remains paramount.

A helpful template to implement gamification -

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