Gamification in UX: How to Drive More Engagement

We keep hearing about how people have even less attention span that necessitates app development companies to brainstorm strategies to keep users engaged. Moreover, developers focus on creating apps which are highly focused on fulfilling user needs. The philosophy behind user centered approach requires developing products focused on overall user needs. One such strategy for improving attention span and engagement of users is Gamification.

The point is that users have a lot of applications at their disposal today. To launch an app in the market that focuses on improved user experience requires well-placed strategies and UX design solutions. One such solution is Gamification which improves the user experience. Along with that, gamification improves user engagement.

Let’s dive into the article to understand what Gamification entails and why it is important for improving overall user experience –

Let’s Understand the Role of Gamification in UX

Mobile app developers leverage Gamification in UX as a powerful tool to drive user engagement. The primary aim of the developers is to transform user interfaces by adding fun elements into the user interface. Mobile app development requires more than just building a product. You are building an experience for users that fulfills user needs but also engages them well. This is where UX gamification comes into picture.

App development companies are working towards improving user experience by introducing playful and game-like elements in the app. In exchange for performing a set of tasks, users can get rewards in their app. Let’s take an example of Snapchat. Snapchat is a social media application, which is available on both iOS and android. It allows users to share videos and photos with friends which are called snaps.

Snapchat has become widely popular in India having more than 250 million users from all over the country. Snapchat uses gamification for driving user engagement using features like trophies, streaks and filters. Snapchat encourages users to interact with their friends frequently and share snaps with each other. Sending snaps regularly to each other creates a streak that keeps users hooked in the app.

Gamification is a powerful strategy to engage with customers in a fun way to boost sales, drive conversions and foster loyalty. Different gamification elements include digital badges, cartoon characters, reward points, quests, etc.

How to Use Gamification to Drive Engagement

You will find that many mobile apps introduce gaming elements in their UX to boost user engagement. Gamification elements make the application fun to use while also making the app highly interactive. 

Research About Your Audience

The first step to add gamification in the mobile app is to research the audience well. It is important to consider the desires, needs and personality type of the application users. Through this, you will be able to comprehend users’ needs and introduce gaming elements in the app accordingly.

A study by Marc Hulsebosch divides the audience in different segments. As per this study, some users identify themselves as explorers, some as achievers, some as socialisers, while some as killers. The focus of the achievers is on achievements within the game context. Explorers try to experience the game world as much as they can. Socialisers use mobile apps with gamification elements to communicate with other players. There are also killers who see other players as competitors and aim to fight them.

It is crucial to understand user motivation, preferences and needs in the initial stage to successfully gamify their experience. It involves conducting UX research to identify the primary users, their motivation points and interactions with the system. You can create personas based on the initial user research. Creating a persona will help add the gamification elements in mobile apps to fit different personality and user types. For example, some users may prefer the journey of discovery while some would like a competitive environment where they can achieve points and create a leaderboard.

Choosing Gamification Elements to Add in Mobile App

The next step is to choose the appropriate game mechanics. You can incorporate different gaming mechanics in your mobile app.

For example, if you have a majority of the audience of “achievers”, you can use achievement based mechanics like rewards and badges that highlight users accomplishments. Apart from badges and rewards, there are several effective gamification elements which you can use to boost user engagement.

Some of the effective gamification examples include badges, levels, internal currency, journey, social interaction, points, leaderboard, progress dashboards, and challenges.

Why Gamification is Important

Games do not only offer entertainment, they have been a part of our culture since decades. The essence of games is deeply rooted in our psyche. Games reflect human desire of challenging, achieving and fostering a social connection. Gamification in mobile apps improves the attention span of customers. 

Drives More Engagement

There are different gamification techniques which you can add in your mobile app to further improve and fulfil your business goals. You can add checklists, rewards and other game dynamics in the mobile app to attract users. You can track user engagement by key performance indicators like customer retention, product adoption rate and user growth. 

Intrinsic Motivation

Gamification in mobile apps drives intrinsic motivation in users. Users look forward to overcoming challenges, improving skills and achieving goals which becomes a powerful motivator for them to engage more with the mobile app.

Improved Learning

You can add gamification elements in the mobile app for improved learning and skill development. Gamification in the mobile app provides a safe space to fail, learn and practice. Some gamification elements allow users to develop problem-solving abilities, strategic thinking and practical skills. Hence, gamification in mobile apps has an educational aspect.

Sense of Accomplishment

Apart from this, gamification elements in mobile apps offer stress relief, escapism, social interactions, and a sense of accomplishment. Customers can use mobile apps with an interest to progress in their game, cross levels and achieve more rewards. Customers get a sense of accomplishment by seeing tangible results of their efforts. It motivates them to continue engaging with the app to achieve visible milestones and rewards.

To Sum Up

Gamification improves the attention span of people. It also drives more engagement and fosters loyalty. Gamification elements like rewards, leaderboard, badges, etc offer a fun way to keep users engaged with the mobile app. Mobile app development companies in India like VerveLogic provide services related to website development, mobile app development and AI integration in apps. You can contact our team to boost engagement through your mobile app by adding gamification elements.