This document outlines a 3-step model for motivating users of games and other digital products: 1) Establish aspirations and use social proof to show users what they can achieve, 2) Set milestones along the journey that seem achievable, and 3) Provide frequent small victories to keep users engaged in achieving their goals step-by-step. Examples discussed include classic games like Monkey Island that motivate players to become pirates, and mobile games and apps like Kim Kardashian: Hollywood and Codecademy that use social features, progress tracking, and regular feedback to keep users motivated in their aspirations.

1. 3 Gaming Tactics
to Supercharge User’s
Motivation
5 min read

2. Whether it’s winning EPIC boss fights,
Game: Shank

3. Solving ENDLESS puzzles,
Game: FEZ

4. Or failing AGAIN AND AGAIN...
Game: Flappy Bird

5. One thing is certain.

6. GAMES ARE
HARD WORK

7. AND GAMERS
DON’T GIVE UP

8. Read on to learn how games
keep players motivated using 3 crucial steps.

9. Please allow me
to introduce myself first

10. Hi, I’m Dori Adar.
I write and talk about the
intersection of video games and
non-game consumer products.
www.DoriAdar.com
@ Dori Adar

11. 3 STEP MOTIVATION MODEL
1. Aspirations and Social Proof
2. Milestones
3. Small Victories

12. 3 STEP MOTIVATION MODEL
1. Aspirations and Social Proof
2. Milestones
3. Small Victories

14. That’s the opening screen of Monkey Island (™).
When I saw that as a kid, 25 years ago, I was like...

15. Hell yea!
Me too!

16. Kids these days have different aspirations.

18. Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, a mobile game by GLU,
was all the rage on the app stores in 2014.
(Rage = $200 million in revenue)
Source: Forbes

19. Both games inspire their users to
BECOME SOMEONE.

20. Both enhance this goal with
SOCIAL PROOF.

21. Each character in KK
has a very visible “celebrity rank”
as a constant reminder
of the main quest.

22. And there’s Kim
the primary role model.

23. In Monkey Island
everybody is a goddamn mighty pirate

24. But you.
...except for YOU

25. 3 STEP MOTIVATION MODEL
1. Aspirations and Social Proof
2. Milestones
3. Small Victories

26. It might take weeks of gameplay
to become a pirate/A-lister.

27. That’s why it’s so important to set
milestones along the journey.

28. Finish these trials and become a pirate in Monkey Island.

29. Make it to the next celebrity
level on your way to becoming
an A-lister.

30. Milestones assure users they are on the right track,
and should always seem within reach.

31. 3 STEP MOTIVATION MODEL
1. Aspirations and Social Proof
2. Milestones
3. Small Victories

32. A journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step.

33. Each step is a small victory.
Games give us plenty of these.

34. In Monkey Island, each time an item is picked up,
or better yet, is used: It’s a small victory.

35. Acquiring fans by participating in events and dates
are KK’s small victories.

36. Each time the user logs into the game
she gets her fix of small victories.

37. That’s how playing turns into a daily habit.

38. Let’s take some non-gaming examples
that use this model.

39. Is an online education platform for learning code.
It is used by 24 mil users.

40. The ASPIRATION is clear,
right from the homepage.

41. Enhanced with
SOCIAL PROOF.

42. This is a
MILESTONE.

43. And here are the small
steps, the
SMALL VICTORIES.

44. But hey,
Learning to code is BORING…
Let’s spice things up.

45. Is a dating app/game
that has made over 1 billion matches.
How do they motivate their users?

46. Tinder’s go-to-market strategy was to acquire hot
students to be the first users,
for social proof’s sake.

47. It worked. Tinder became the first dating app
to break the online dating stigma.

48. Tinder users’ aspirations may vary,
but are always related to meeting new people.

49. The milestones
are the DATES...

50. And of course small steps →
SMALL VICTORIES.

51. Once Alison and I finally meet...
Me Alison

52. It will be these pics,
SMSs and other small victories gestures...

53. That keep this new relationship alive
until the next milestone date.

54. Remember this 3 step plan...
...And motivate your users
WITH LOVE!

55. Feeling motivated?
SHARE
Wanna get some more?
www.DoriAdar.com
Thank you Sarah Keyes for
reviewing this slide.