Using Gamification for Member Engagement and Recognition
Who doesn’t love a shout-out? By showing your members recognition, you’re showing your appreciation and encouraging them to participate more. The typical “thank-you” note or a small gift are easy ways to do this, but why not make it more interesting? Why not use gamification to encourage member engagement and use it for recognition?
What is gamification?
The dictionary defines gamification as “the application of typical elements of game playing to other areas of activity, typically as an online marketing technique to encourage engagement with a product or a service.” This practice is used across brands and businesses all over the world. Fitbit offers users badges for walking certain distances. LinkedIn recognizes its users every time they add information to their profiles. Starbucks Rewards program promises customers free drinks and food after several purchases. My point? You’ve probably encountered gamification before.
How can I apply this to my association?
Recognize your members whenever they engage with your association! What are your goals?
- Completed member profiles
- Increased number of posts on discussion boards
- Referrals
- Increased thought leadership and education
Whatever your goal is – gamify it! Typically online community platforms will provide a fun way to recognize members that engage in certain ways by offering profile badges. It may seem silly at first, but it’s a great way to motivate members to do more while recognizing them at the same time. Take an ordinary task and make it fun, it’ll make your members more likely to do it.
How does this benefit me?
Aside from making your members feel the love, using gamification helps sustain member engagement over time. An engaged member is a happy member that is more likely to renew, recruit their colleagues to join, and become a champion for your organization. Gamification ensures that member engagement is not just a one-time occurrance, but something that is continuous.
Looking for other ways to engage your members? Check out how to increase engagement rates by using social media.