There are five generations of consumers in the marketplace right now: the Silent Generation – parents of the Baby Boomers, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and the youngest shoppers, Gen Z. We’ve discussed how Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z have all played video games throughout their lives. Now it’s a good time to talk about the two types of gamification and what role they play in the way you attract and serve your customers.

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Introducing Implicit Gamification

Because three generations of shoppers have grown up playing video games, they instantly recognize and understand what certain universal elements of gameplay mean when they encounter them in non-game settings. For example, a status bar that accompanies a multi-stage form lets users know how many more questions they can expect to answer before they’re done. Loyalty programs that let customers accumulate points and level up to earn progressively greater rewards are modeled on classic video game structure. Both of these examples illustrate implicit gamification – the type of gamification that you can use on your website or in digital spaces to encourage people to complete a task or engage more deeply with your content.

Introducing Explicit Gamification

Explicit gamification includes games that are recognizable as games; they’re distinct from the normal operation of your business, are fun to play, visually exciting, and offer rewards for winning. These rewards can be completely intangible – simply having your name appear on the score leaderboard can be a reward – or they can take the form of coupons, discounts, or prizes.

Both Implicit and Explicit Gamification Have Value

Implicit gamification can make the customer journey more fun for your customer; additionally, well-designed implicit gamification elements can improve conversions on key objectives, such as registering for an account. Explicit gamification can serve many roles, including attracting new customers, strengthening relationships with your customer, and serving as a meaningful differentiator in a crowded marketplace.

Additionally, the best gamification elements include a way to learn more about your customers. There’s data you can ask your customers to share when they sign up to play the game. Additionally, there’s data that can be gathered based on when and how your customers play. This data can help you better understand your customer and deliver the personalized experience they’re looking for.

To learn more about gamification and how it can help you build your business, download your free copy of our special report here.