This document provides an overview of gamification and its benefits for engaging online communities. It defines gamification as using game mechanics and design to make non-game applications more fun and engaging. Key benefits of gamification include increased engagement, loyalty, user generated content, and revenue. The document also lists several gamification software vendors and provides an action plan for developing a gamification strategy.

1. How-To Guide
© 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Engaging Users with Gamification
By Kristen Maida, Research Analyst
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
With a new generation moving into the workforce, new mindsets and
technologies are moving in with them. Video games, social media, and
all things interactive have been an integral part of everyday life for this
generation, now beginning their careers and developing increased buying
power as consumers. Engaging this new generation and those
generations to follow will be a key challenge for businesses in the near
future. Online communities and gamification are an important part of
engaging the new consumer perspective. Gamification, specifically, can
help to develop an environment of real-time feedback, exclusive benefits
and great rewards that the digital generations have become accustomed
to.
This How-To Guide is designed to provide practical advice for engaging
users with gamification. This guide outlines what gamification is, the key
business benefits of gamification, and notable software vendors in the
gamification space.
WHAT IS GAMIFICATION?
“Gamification is the use of game mechanics and game design techniques
in non-game contexts.” – Mashable.com
“Gamification is the process of engaging people and changing behavior
with game design, loyalty and behavioral economics.” - Gabe
Zichermann, Gamification.co
“Gamification is the concept of applying game design thinking to non-
game applications to make them more fun and engaging” –
Gamification.org/wiki/gamification

2. How-To Guide
© 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
KEY BENEFITS OF GAMIFICATION
Gamification can provide a positive, rewards-driven environment for the
users in your community as well as deliver benefits to your overall
business, including:
 Engagement – while engaging in your community, users will be
engaging with your brand and developing a relationship with your
company.
 Loyalty – over time, users continuously engaging with your
company with develop confidence with your brand and remain
customers based on the benefits and rewards of your community.
 User Advice & Content – depending on your industry, active
users may provide advice based on their background &
experiences. This could also lead to user-generated content, which
could aid your product/service in the future.
 References – a happy, engaged client will be more inclined to
share your website & community with colleagues and friends,
thereby, increasing your bandwidth with lead generation. These
types of clients are also more likely to post about you on
Facebook, Twitter, and other social media meaning you could go
viral!
 SEO – community activity will automatically increase your SEO
standings as more comments, likes, and users will increase the
instances of your company’s name.
 Fun – the “gaming” culture is inherently meant to provide
entertainment. Creating badges, levels, leaderboards, and rewards
will facilitate an enjoyable experience for your users and ensure a
gratifying association with your company.
 Revenue – all of the benefits listed above will essentially sum up
to increasing your revenue. Engaged, satisfied clients are more
likely to remain faithful to a specific brand (renewal revenue) and
share your benefits with others (new revenue).
KEY GAMIFICATION VENDORS
There are gamification software vendors that serve almost every business
sector and can accommodate any business needs, such as community

3. How-To Guide
© 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
engagement and/or employee engagement. Here are a few gamification
software vendors that focus on building gamification for communities
and that support various industries:
 Badgeville – a gamification platform that focuses on
influencing and measuring user behavior. Their pricing models
are licensing or use-based; and they service the following
industries: Consumer, Education, Enterprise, Government,
Health, and Social Good. You can visit their website by
clicking .here
 BigDoor – a gamification platform focusing on maintaining an
easy to implement, fully customizable program to engage
community users. Their pricing models are licensing or use-
based; and they service the following industries: Consumer,
Education, Enterprise and Health. You can visit their website
by clicking .here
 Bunchball - is the market leader in gamification. They are a
gamification platform focusing on user engagement, customer
loyalty, and employee productivity. Their pricing model is on a
licensing basis; and they service the following industries:
Consumer, Education, Enterprise, Government, Health, and
Social Good. You can visit their website by clicking .here
ACTION PLAN
1. Review additional resources on gamification – Visit these
websites to learn more: http://www.gamification.co/ and
http://mashable.com/category/gamification/.
2. Prepare yourself for a new initiative – before developing your
gamification plan, you will want to ensure that your marketing
strategy for the upcoming year is clear. Utilize our Marketing
Strategy Plan Methodology and our MarCom Plan Methodology
to get your company prepared for any new marketing initiatives
such as this.
3. Develop a plan – when implementing a Gamification Strategy
Plan, consider the following: Vision, Objectives, Your
Community, Engaging Your Users, Budget, & Measuring ROI.

4. How-To Guide
© 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
4. Select a gamification platform/software vendor – there are
vendors that cover every industry and can customize a platform
for your company. Consider your business needs before
selecting a vendor.
5. Begin the development process – once your budget has been
established and you’ve selected a vendor, you can begin
gamification development.
6. Launch the new ‘gaming’ features in your community.
BOTTOM LINE
Gamification within online communities is a growing industry and
may become booming as the digital generations continue to advance
in their careers. A growing number of businesses are considering
community development with gamification components to encourage
client engagement, attract new clients, increase and mature their overall
brand. Obtaining knowledge on this topic and developing a gamification
strategy for your company will serve your bottom line in the future.