Case analysis of gamification operation strategy!

This article will help you inspire gamification methods to motivate users by analyzing the types and characteristics of games; help inspire gamification operation ideas by analyzing classic cases of gamification operations; and assist you in systematically implementing gamification operation strategies by summarizing the key points of gamification operations.

How can you make users addicted to your product, frequently open your app, frequently read your subscription articles, frequently be active in your community, and repeatedly purchase your products/services? If you ask the operations experts around you, you may hear the word "gamification"!

Games have always been criticized for being "addictive". No matter adults or children, once they come across games, it is difficult to escape their huge attraction. As a result, many operations experts began to think about how to transplant the game's operating strategies into their own projects and replicate this rare attraction.

If you look closely at the most successful games, you'll find that they all have something in common. These commonalities are the fundamental reasons why they attract so many players around the world and make them spend a lot of money and time every day in the virtual world they have built.

Gamification Operation· Classic Case

World of Warcraft:

01 Goal

1) Clear goals

In World of Warcraft, every quest is clearly written out, including where to go, what to do, what evidence to collect to prove the completion of the quest, and the significance of the quest.

A clear goal can prevent users from giving up because they don’t know how to complete it. Because it is clear enough, it will also make users feel that the goal is simple, making them more willing to achieve it.

In the game, the goal can be to complete a task or to defeat a boss. In the project, the goal can be that the user persists in completing a behavior, such as checking in for 7 days, reading for 3 minutes, attending class, etc.

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2) Achievable goals

In World of Warcraft, there are endless series of quests for players to choose from. If one quest fails, they can do another one. As long as players continue to work hard, they will be able to achieve their goals.

But in real life, we provide users with too few and too difficult tasks to achieve their goals! Poor product experience and lack of new user guidance result in users having to spend a long time researching before completing each operation; excessively high product pricing and failure to provide enough choices based on the spending power and willingness of different users lead to user loss.

No matter what operation strategy you are formulating, you must first consider whether users can cooperate with you to complete the "task". Thinking about the feasibility of the strategy from the user's perspective is the key.

3) Tempting Target

In World of Warcraft, why do players spend time completing quests? Because they know that by completing quests, they can constantly improve their avatars and eventually dominate World of Warcraft!

And what about your users? What reasons do you give users to complete the “task”? Can it inspire users to complete tasks? Many e-commerce platforms have launched a points system to guide users to complete "points tasks" through consumption and other means, but the reward for the task is just a box of eggs. You know, not everyone wants eggs...

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In addition to clear goals, achievable goals, and attractive goals , there are also fair goals, difficult goals, and ambitious goals that can motivate users.

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02 Rules

In World of Warcraft, players can only achieve their goals by accumulating more experience, more abilities, stronger armor, more skills, and greater reputation.

Positive obstacles can screen and motivate users, thereby ensuring the conversion rate of each link.

Reasonable restrictions are the key to protecting products and projects. Many operational activities do not have reasonable restrictions, which causes users to complete tasks too easily and quickly. Not only does this fail to achieve the desired operational effects when designing the tasks, but it also makes users lose the sense of accomplishment in completing the tasks. Of course, the freeloaders are an exception.

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03 Feedback

1) Real-time feedback

In World of Warcraft, when players are performing tasks, they can see real-time feedback flashing on the screen: Endurance +1, Intelligence +1, Strength +1.

The real-time feedback in the game is the biggest difference from real life.

When you are studying, there is no feedback system that appears in front of you in real time and tells you how much your math skills have improved or how much your English ability has improved while you are doing the test. Therefore, your motivation to study must not be as strong as playing games;

When you are working, there is no feedback system to tell you how much your professional skills have improved and how much your boss's favorability towards you has increased despite your hard work and overtime. Therefore, your motivation for work must not be as strong as playing games.

But what if you could provide users with positive, real-time feedback?

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2) Timely feedback

Every time a task is completed, the various indicators of the player's virtual avatar in World of Warcraft will be improved. This lets players know clearly how far they are from achieving their goals. This will greatly motivate them to keep moving towards their goals.

And your users also need such motivation from you in order to achieve the goals you want them to achieve.

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04 Rewards

1) External rewards: gold coins, equipment, etc.

These rewards, which can be exchanged for cash outside of the game, have motivated some players to make it their career. These players contribute a lot of online time and activity.

2) Intrinsic Rewards: Pride

Facing enemies stronger than yourself and defeating enemies stronger than yourself, these scenes happen every day in World of Warcraft. Whenever encountering such a situation, players' palms will sweat and their hearts will beat wildly. But the moment of finally defeating the enemy, the great pride in their hearts will bring players a huge sense of satisfaction!

3) Intrinsic Rewards: Stronger Social Connections

Teaming up with strangers and winning team battles is an inherent part of games like World of Warcraft. Why? Because it meets many needs of players. Social needs, leadership needs, challenge needs, etc.

Compared to extrinsic rewards, intrinsic rewards are more lasting and affect a wider group of players.

When we operate Internet projects, every time we think of ways to motivate users, we think of external rewards. But if you study users' needs in depth and give them intrinsic rewards, you will be able to retain and convert users for a long time.

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There are many external and internal rewards that can be used in games. By studying them in depth, you can definitely infer how to set rewards for your own products to motivate your users.

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05 Challenge

1) Ongoing Challenges

In World of Warcraft, the more points players earn and the higher their level, the more challenging the tasks they unlock; the more challenging the tasks, the more motivated the players are to undertake them, and the more points they earn...a virtuous cycle is formed.

Challenges are the motivation for players to keep returning to the game. If one day the game is no longer challenging for players, such as completing the game, then the players will leave.

Reasonable challenges play a very important role in activating and retaining your users.

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Challenges are divided into continuous challenges and temporary challenges. The principle of their effectiveness is based on thrilling links, which can arouse users' interest in achieving their goals.

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06 Social

1) Team social interaction (team battle)

In World of Warcraft, players can build and maintain a team, and working with other players will amplify the satisfaction that comes from resource construction.

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2) Environmental socialization (collaboration)

When completing tasks, players can seek help from other players; they can also help other players.

The establishment of these social relationships becomes a bond between players and games, constantly attracting players to return to the game.

Of course, all of this is based on reasonable social relationships. Many times, we establish communities and impose social relationships on users with other users, but users do not buy it and either refuse to interact or leave the group.

How to learn games, establish reasonable social relationships, and allow users to obtain greater value based on social interaction is something we should think deeply about.

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07 Personality

1) Self-expression

In World of Warcraft, the virtual avatar that represents the player himself will wear heavy armor, use more powerful weapons, and wear gorgeous jewelry.

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2) Self-improvement

As you complete more and more tasks, your virtual self's skill values ​​will become higher and higher.

We all know that in order to attract users' attention, we must make it "related to me", that is, the information and services pushed to users must be truly related to the users themselves. After the user completes each action you expect him to complete, you should immediately show him what impact this action has had on him, so as to continuously motivate him to continue to perform such actions.

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08 Voluntary

Many tasks in World of Warcraft are not easy to complete, and players need to encounter many failures. However, players participate in the game and challenge difficult tasks voluntarily!

How to make your users voluntarily return to your product, voluntarily purchase your products and services, voluntarily give you good reviews... Games can teach you a lot.

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Gamification Operations·Application Cases

1. Nike+

A motivational app that is popular all over the world and is very popular among people who love running. It is a good example of how to motivate users to use products for a long time and bring more new users to the products through gamification operations.

2. Wikipedia

A crowdsourcing project that can attract global users to participate. All content is created and maintained by user UGC. There are no external rewards, and everything is driven by intrinsic rewards.

3. Learning Expedition

A "reality game" that subverts the operating mechanism in the education field. Through gamification operations, students can be stimulated to develop a strong interest in learning and no longer be afraid of exams.

Application cases other than these three games can inspire you to use gamification operations and improve the conversion rate of each link of the product. I suggest you analyze it yourself according to the dimensions I listed.

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Gamification Operations · More Analysis, More Gains

You can analyze the types and characteristics of games to inspire your gamification methods to motivate users;

By analyzing classic cases of gamification operations, we can inspire your gamification operations.

By summarizing the key points of gamification operations, we can help you implement gamification operation strategies in a systematic way.

From learning to practice is the best way to grow. Good luck!

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Author: Emily

Source: 8M Methodology