Before talking about the advantages of gamified content, let’s first see what gamification means in terms of email marketing. To put it short, gamification is the employment of diverse game-liked design elements and solutions in email campaigns in order to reach deeper engagement, promote brand awareness and, of course, generate sales.
The concept isn’t new to marketing. Gamification has been used widely on websites and social media. However, recently it has made its way into email campaigns in an effort to breathe some fresh air in one of the oldest communication channels.
There is no single definition, rule or restrictions on how gamification can or can not be used in emails. Your imagination and technical possibilities are the only limits. Depending on your campaign type and purpose, it can take any form. By far, the most common are:
However, there are also many solutions that simply can’t be categorized due to their customized design and uniqueness. Anything that involves gaming tasks can be qualified as gamification content.
Why To Use
The main purpose of gamification is to catch the reader’s attention and prompt them to interact with the particular message as long. And its main advantage is its versatility; it can be employed equally well for B2C and B2B, and suits any industry, from travel agencies to beauty studios. Why?
As you see, the benefits can be numerous, but there are also things you need to consider. First, every gamification project is a one-time solution. The whole idea of this approach is interest and excitement, and people won’t play the game or take the same test twice. If you plan to invest effort in a complex project, make sure you use it to promote a really good offer to amplify the effect.
Second, to put a complicated project in life, you’ll most probably need a designer. Such elements as a quiz, trivia, or a crossword can be implemented even within a basic responsive template; a more advanced layout requires HTML skills.
How to Use
Before starting crafting any campaign, ask what task it has to complete: offer new products, collect data, redirect to a target page, collect feedback, or simply keep you top of mind. Once you’ve set it up, it will be easier to design the layout, position CTAs, and put a focus on certain elements.
Before starting designing a gamified campaign, make sure that whatever form you choose, it complies with the following characteristics.
To sum up, gamification can be a useful tool in your email marketing arsenal. It’s not a replacement for all other solutions but rather a supplement to the existing strategy. Use game-like elements to spruce up your campaigns, deliver content in a new way, and keep your subscribers engaged and entertained.