Millennials are the most connected generation that has ever existed. That connectivity comes with a price, though—millennials are inundated by distractions throughout the day. They are always on their smartphones texting friends, checking social media feeds, taking photos of themselves and their surroundings to post them online, and multitasking in general.
In order to communicate with this constantly distracted generation, marketers have been brainstorming new ways to keep millennials engaged throughout the entire marketing process—especially when it comes to advertising. One of those innovative new methods is gamification. In the past few years, marketers have discovered that they can use the elements of gaming to engage millennials and convert them into customers.
Here are seven ways you can use gamification to engage millennials in your marketing:
Create a social media contest.
One great way to use gamification to engage millennials is to create a social media contest. Awarding a prize for the best post (time to utilize the best IG filters) or photo has been a winning tactic for many brands. People enjoy the chance to be a winner, and a social media contest can give them a reason to share their brags on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or any other social platform.
Participation in these contests is fun for millennials because it combines two of their favourite things: technology and competition. In order to make your content more engaging, consider adding a twist, like a scavenger hunt or a puzzle to solve.
Use QR codes.
QR codes are another great way to get millennials engaged in your marketing. These square barcodes can be scanned with a smartphone, which will take the user to a website or download an app. Millennials are always on their phones, so integrating QR codes into your marketing plan can help you reach more of them with each post or ad.
QR codes are also helpful because they allow millennials to engage with your brand before they make a purchase, which is great for building loyalty.
Create gamified videos.
Another way to engage millennials is to create gamified videos. By incorporating elements of games, your video will be more captivating, which will get more people to watch. There are many ways you can do this, including live-streaming the video game itself or using sound effects and graphics that look like actual gameplay.
If you choose to use a live stream, make sure you have a good internet connection. Live-streaming can be frustrating if it keeps buffering or cutting out.
Offer in-game rewards.
One of the best ways to keep millennials engaged is by offering in-game rewards. Whether it’s an achievement badge for completing a task or a reward for reaching a certain level, in-game rewards are a great way to keep people hooked on your game.
In order to make the most of this strategy, you need to make sure that the rewards are desirable and relevant to your target audience. Offering a discount on future purchases is always a good incentive, or you could give out exclusive coupons, early access to new products, VIP treatment, premium IG filters, or any other prize that your target audience would enjoy.
In order to get the best engagement from this tactic, you should also incorporate social sharing into the rewards system. Many games offer a reward for sharing posts on social media or inviting friends to play. This helps build your brand’s reach and encourages more people to try out your game.
Use leaderboards.
Leaderboards are a great way to get millennials engaged in your marketing. A leaderboard is a table or list that ranks people or things according to their performance. This usually means ranking players based on their score or level when it comes to gaming.
Leaderboards are popular because they give people a sense of competition. Everyone loves to see their name at the top of the list, and leaderboards are a great way to motivate millennials to keep playing your game.
You can also use leaderboards to track other aspects of your game, like how many times a player has used a certain power-up or how many enemies they’ve killed. This data can be used to generate interesting blog posts or infographics that help keep millennials interested in your game.
Make it social.
One of the best ways to get millennials engaged is by making your game social. This means adding features that allow players to interact with each other. Some games allow players to team up and play together, while others let them chat with each other in real-time.
Games that are social are more engaging because they encourage people to communicate with each other. This helps build relationships and creates a sense of community around your game. It also allows players to share tips and tricks, which can help keep them engaged for longer.
Use AR and VR.
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are two of the newest and most exciting technologies on the market. Both of these technologies allow users to experience digital content in a real-world setting. This means that you can use them to create immersive gaming experiences that are more engaging than traditional games.
AR and VR are still in their early stages, so they offer a lot of potential for marketers. If you want to get millennials engaged with your game, then you should consider using one or both of these technologies.
When it comes to AR, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, you need to be aware that some people get motion sickness from this kind of technology. If your game uses AR, you need to ensure that it doesn’t affect the user too much.
This also means being careful how you implement the visuals. Remember that millennials have a low attention span and can easily get distracted by bright or flashy visuals. Make sure that the AR elements in your game are subtle and don’t take away from the gameplay.
VR is a little more forgiving when it comes to visuals, but you still need to be careful. This technology can be extremely immersive, which means that it can quickly suck people in and hold their attention for longer periods. However, it can also be a bit overwhelming for some people, so you need to make sure that your game is easy to understand and doesn’t require too much exploration.
