If you search for top 10 trendiest terms in the event industry, you’ll certainly come across ‘gamification’. Even though everyone from the event industry is talking about gamification, there are misconceptions about what event gamification is. Clear ideas will help grow realistic expectations from an event app.
What is event gamification?
Event gamification is a gaming convention that uses problem-solving, points, goals etc.to enhance engagement, facilitate networking etc. The core idea is to use the competitive nature of games for better outcomes of events. Both indoor and outdoor events include physical activities.
What are the desired outcomes of event gamification?
1: To capture the attention of event attendees
2: To make events more entertaining
3: To enhance attendee engagement
4: To facilitate networking
5: To boost event marketing efforts
6: To raise ROI
A: Gamification is a mindset
Gamification is not a new technology. It goes beyond mobile devices and apps. It is a mindset. Event organizers are implementing gamification to get best outcomes. Hence, event gamification apps are gaining more popularity.
B: Gamification is not always about competitions
Event gamification apps can be used for enhancing attendee experience in a fun way. Let us take up a scenario where attendees want to find out locations of sessions, cafeterias or restrooms. e2m.live Event Gamification and AR can guide attendees in innovative ways.
There are special tags called SpiderTags. They are generated at the backend of e2m.live system. Event organizers can super-impose SpiderTags on floor maps and use them to guide attendees find out locations.
C: Gamification may not look like games
Gamification is not always about attractive graphics layers on top of interfaces. In fact, best interfaces are simple and flexible.
D: Gamification is an add-on
To think that only gamification can make events more entertaining is not correct. Gamification is an add-on to make the overall event a success.
How to use gamification add-on to ensure the success of events?
Competitions or problem-solving tasks should be chosen on the basis of event types. We at Web Spiders used e2m.live Event Gamification and AR to boost attendee engagement at a company retreat in Ibiza.
It was an outdoor event and we planned a mega scavenger hunt. There were multiple QR codes put at different places of the event venue. Attendees had to find them, scan them and earn points. Attendees could track their positions on their leaderboards.
Attendees used the following features of our event gamification app:
1: Challenge rules explainer window
2: Leaderboard tracking
3: QR code scanning
4: Location guidance
5: Accessing the social wall of the app
Now let us take a look at the following outcomes of the event:
1: 3000 (approx) app downloads
2: 800+ total number of players
3: 600 active players at a time
What you retrieve from gamification depends on how you use it. There are no fixed rules to use gamification and AR in events.
E: Gamification is not always about lead generation
Some event apps encourage attendees to earn points and win rewards by sharing contact details with exhibitors. While this method ensures collection of huge numbers of leads, the quality of leads is questionable.
Gamification pushes event agenda in a fun way. However, it can backfire if it tries to manipulate attendees by hiding terms and conditions etc.
We at Web Spiders believe that gamification must be used to make the best of events. The ultimate aim is to serve the interests of all parties involved. Write to us and ensure best ROI from events.
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