{"id":79680,"date":"2024-05-03T19:53:27","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T19:53:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/glosario\/gamification\/"},"modified":"2026-10-06T14:48:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T14:48:00","slug":"gamification","status":"publish","type":"glossary","link":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/en\/glossary\/gamification\/","title":{"rendered":"Gamification"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Gamification is the use of game elements, such as points, levels, challenges or rewards, in activities that are not games.<\/strong> The goal is to get people to participate more, come back more often and enjoy what they do.<\/p>\n\n

It is used in education, in companies and, increasingly, in marketing. If you have ever kept a streak going in a language app or collected points on a loyalty card, you have seen gamification.<\/p>\n\n

What does gamification mean?<\/h2>\n\n

The term gamification<\/em> comes from the word game<\/em>. In Spanish, the Fund\u00e9u recommends the term ludificaci\u00f3n<\/strong>, although in marketing gamificaci\u00f3n is used far more often.<\/p>\n\n

The term started to circulate in the early 2000s and became popular around 2010, with the rise of mobile apps and social media. The underlying idea is older: airline points programs and brand trading cards were already playing on the same thing.<\/p>\n\n

It is not about creating a video game. It is about taking what makes a game appealing and applying it to something else.<\/p>\n\n

Elements of gamification<\/h2>\n\n

These are the most common elements:<\/p>\n\n

Element<\/th>What it is<\/th>Example<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Points<\/td>A reward for each action<\/td>Points for every purchase<\/td><\/tr>
Levels<\/td>Stages you unlock as you progress<\/td>Silver, gold and platinum customer<\/td><\/tr>
Badges<\/td>Recognition for specific achievements<\/td>Badge for completing your profile<\/td><\/tr>
Challenges<\/td>Goals with a deadline<\/td>Place 3 orders this month<\/td><\/tr>
Leaderboards<\/td>Ranking among participants<\/td>Top 10 of the week<\/td><\/tr>
Progress bars<\/td>Show how much is left<\/td>\u201cYour profile is 80% complete\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
Streaks<\/td>Reward daily consistency<\/td>Consecutive days using an app<\/td><\/tr>
Rewards<\/td>What you win at the end<\/td>Discounts, gifts or exclusive access<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Progress bars work so well because we find it hard to leave something unfinished. This is explained by the Zeigarnik effect<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

\"Infographic<\/figure>\n\n

Why does it work?<\/h2>\n\n

Gamification relies on very human motivations:<\/p>\n\n

Achievement.<\/strong> We like to see ourselves progress and complete things.<\/p>\n\n

Recognition.<\/strong> A badge or a spot on a leaderboard gives us status.<\/p>\n\n

Curiosity.<\/strong> Anything locked or kept as a surprise makes us want to keep going.<\/p>\n\n

Belonging.<\/strong> Competing or collaborating with others makes us feel part of a group.<\/p>\n\n

That is why it boosts engagement<\/a>: people participate more and come back more often. But it only works if the activity makes sense on its own. Points will not make something interesting if it isn’t.<\/p>\n\n

Examples of gamification in marketing<\/h2>\n\n

Tiered loyalty programs.<\/strong> Airlines, hotels and coffee chains reward their biggest spenders with levels and perks. More on customer loyalty<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Apps with streaks and achievements.<\/strong> Language and fitness apps celebrate every consecutive day and every goal reached to build a habit.<\/p>\n\n

Profiles with a progress bar.<\/strong> Many professional networks show how much is left to complete your profile.<\/p>\n\n

Spin-the-wheel and scratch cards.<\/strong> In an online store, a pop-up<\/a> with a prize wheel offers a discount in exchange for an email address.<\/p>\n\n

Seasonal challenges.<\/strong> Advent calendars with a daily surprise, or challenges for dates such as Christmas or Black Friday.<\/p>\n\n

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Turn your emails into a challenge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create automated multi-day series with Mailrelay and reward those who take part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Create a free account<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Gamification in email marketing<\/h2>\n\n

Email is a good channel for gamification, as long as the game is simple and useful:<\/p>\n\n

Idea<\/th>How to do it<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Progress bar<\/td>In the welcome email, show new customers the steps they still have to complete<\/td><\/tr>
Email challenges<\/td>A 5-day series with a small goal each day<\/td><\/tr>
Hidden code<\/td>A discount hidden in the newsletter for those who read it all the way through<\/td><\/tr>
Survey or quiz<\/td>A quick quiz that gives a personalized recommendation<\/td><\/tr>
Program levels<\/td>An email showing how much is left to reach the next level<\/td><\/tr>
Surprise calendar<\/td>A different offer every day for a week<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Measure by clicks and conversions<\/strong>, not opens. Since Apple started hiding real opens, the open rate<\/a> is no longer reliable for rewarding anyone.<\/p>\n\n

And if the game includes a giveaway or a contest, publish clear official rules.<\/p>\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n

How to apply gamification in 5 steps<\/h2>\n\n

1. Define your goal.<\/strong> More sign-ups, more repeat purchases or more product usage. Pick one main goal.<\/p>\n\n

2. Get to know your audience.<\/strong> A student is not motivated by the same things as a business buyer.<\/p>\n\n

3. Choose just a few mechanics.<\/strong> One challenge and one reward are enough to get started.<\/p>\n\n

4. Make the reward worth it.<\/strong> And make it achievable: if it seems impossible, nobody will try.<\/p>\n\n

5. Measure and adjust.<\/strong> Participation, conversions and whether people come back.<\/p>\n\n

Common mistakes<\/h2>\n\n

Gamifying for the sake of it.<\/strong> If the game doesn’t serve a purpose, it just adds noise.<\/p>\n\n

Rewards nobody wants.<\/strong> The reward must be valuable to your customer, not just to you.<\/p>\n\n

Complicated rules.<\/strong> If people have to read instructions, you lose half your audience.<\/p>\n\n

Creating pressure.<\/strong> Streaks and countdowns work, but too much of them wears people out and puts them off.<\/p>\n\n

How Mailrelay helps you<\/h2>\n\n

With Mailrelay you can send email challenges, automated multi-day series and newsletters with surprises for your subscribers. With segmentation<\/a> you send each group the challenge that suits it and see in the statistics who clicks.<\/p>\n\n

The free account includes up to 80,000 emails a month and 20,000 contacts, with human support by chat, ticket and phone.<\/p>\n\n

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Send your newsletters with Mailrelay<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Up to 80,000 emails a month and 20,000 contacts for free, with human support on every plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Try Mailrelay for free<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n

These are the most common questions about gamification.<\/p>\n\n

What is gamification in a nutshell?<\/h3>\n\n

Using game elements, such as points, challenges or rewards, to make an activity more motivating.<\/p>\n\n

What is the difference between gamification and game-based learning?<\/h3>\n\n

Gamification adds game elements to an activity. Game-based learning uses a complete game to teach something.<\/p>\n\n

What are the elements of gamification?<\/h3>\n\n

The most common are points, levels, badges, challenges, leaderboards, progress bars, streaks and rewards.<\/p>\n\n

Can you gamify a newsletter?<\/h3>\n\n

Yes. With multi-day challenges, hidden codes, quizzes or progress bars. What matters is keeping it simple and making the reward worth it.<\/p>\n\n

Does gamification work for B2B companies?<\/h3>\n\n

Yes, especially in training, software adoption and partner programs. The tone should be more restrained than in consumer marketing.<\/p>\n\n

Related entries<\/h2>\n\n