We live in a world that requires change at every level, because our world moves too quickly for us to ever stand still. For those of us in the event industry, we are appreciating more and more how integral engagement is to a successful business. If executed well, consumers stay engaged, grow in their loyalty, and inevitably become spokespeople for your brand. 

 A year and a half ago, Wizard Studios was able to leverage our background in digital engagement to bring a newfound joy into the world of virtual and hybrid events. One of the biggest ways we were able to engage and bring joy to audiences was through gamification, and we’re excited to share with you how you can do it too! 

• What is Gamification?

Just like the name implies, gamification is the process of making any user’s digital experience more closely aligned to that of a game! By doing so, consumers find themselves enjoying the game-like aspects of a digital environment, driving a new sense of engagement but also driving a revived sense of brand loyalty. Your brand is no longer standing still and waiting for consumers to engage. Gamification invites them in, sparks their interest and joy, and gets them coming back for more! 

• How Does Gamification Motivate Behavior?

Ah, the question event professionals are always working to solve: how can we best motivate behavior to drive results? The answer in gamification is actually simpler than you may think. 

In any context, motivation is the relationship between an individual and a particular task, especially within a particular set of circumstances and/or a particular time frame. Or in layman’s terms, how do we get someone to do something? Games do this automatically: they motivate consumers through competition with the game and within themselves! They teach us a new language to learn, a new set of rules to master, and as we grow proficient in those rules, we get further along in the game and it becomes more satisfying and fulfilling to continue. So the more we play, the better we get, the more incentive we have to stick with it. See where we’re going? 

Imagine turning your event or your brand into a self-paced, competitive game that allows users to interact and move the needle towards something fun and enjoyable? This allows consumers to link your brand with joy and with engagement, and will naturally draw them back into the world of your brand, sparking even more joy and even more engagement. 

• How Can We Foster More Gamification in Our Events?

Don’t be afraid to start small with gamifying your event. For safely produced, smaller in-person events, something as feasible as a Game Corner or Break Room could allow attendees to take a break from engaging in the event and do something that’s just simple fun. This could be games such as chess, checkers, foosball, or virtual games. It helps communicate your event’s values that a break to play is important to some work-life balance!  

Trivia or a quick-fire quiz allows attendees, in-person or virtually, to network while also sharing a laugh. It removes some of the strict shirt-and-tie nature of professional events, and allows participants to relax a little while also getting to know their fellow attendees. Something as simple as a poll or Q&A on a fun topic could accomplish the same thing. These can be incorporated during a happy hour, at the offset of an event, or even in a virtual breakout room. 

Event Apps are also quickly becoming a win-win for virtual, hybrid, or in-person events. Attendees are already conditioned to keep an eye out for event apps to take full advantage of what a gathering offers, and it’s been a great solution to a post-COVID world as more attendees feel safer utilizing their own phones to engage with an event. Small games with a point system that utilize the event area are a great way to incentivize participation, but if you have the budget to spare, consider integrating some augmented reality games, akin to Pokemon Go. The options are truly limitless! 

The name of the game, no pun intended, is ensuring that your games are linked to your desired outcomes. If you want to create buzz, consider how to gamify participation in sharing things on social media or getting others to talk about your product or brand. Similarly, consider how social media-friendly your events’ visuals are to entice more picture taking and more sharing between friends, colleagues, and potential customers. If you’re crystal clear on how you want your audience to engage, then you’ll know exactly how to gamify your event. 

The future of events is rich with opportunities to grow into more and more customizable events - especially when we look at the exciting realm of gamification! Wizard Studios has been busy creating solutions that inspire and engage with fun at the center since our beginnings, and if you’re interested in transforming your next gathering into an extraordinary gamified event, contact Wizard Studios today!