Do you want to do marketing in a way that’s new and proven effective? Then game marketing may be for you. But what is it and how can it help your business grow? Well, let’s talk about it.

Game marketing is on the cutting edge of how we market, so much so that a definition hasn’t really been established. The term can actually refer to three separate tactics: marketing games (including sports), in-game marketing (where advertisements and product placement are put in video games), and finally the gamification of marketing. For this article, we are going to focus on the latter because of its exciting potential and more universal use.

What is Game Marketing?

Gamification, or the process of turning something into a game, has long been used in marketing. Raffles and contests, for example, are tried and tested ways of turning a marketing strategy into a type of game. It has long been a topic of discussion in the world of education. The rise of video games has given educators a chance to think about teaching in ways that encourage kids to enjoy learning through activities that they already associate with play and fun. Turns out there are benefits in the world of marketing as well, which is now referred to as “game marketing.”

One of the discoveries made in the world of education and gamification is that students are motivated when they can track their progress and feel rewarded for doing so. Video game companies use trophies and achievements to encourage people to play their games for longer and try for different goals, even in the absence of a tangible reward. For game marketing, a similar strategy can be used. Points systems, loyalty rewards, and apps like Biko are using game marketing to sell people things while also rewarding them for doing certain things.

So now that we know what game marketing is, let’s go through a couple of examples that show its benefits in the real world.

The No Frills Video Game

Grocery shopping is rarely fun, and, in recent times, it has arguably gotten more stressful. But Canadian low-cost grocery chain “No Frills” decided to drum up some hype for their stores with a custom-built browser-based game. Using an actual 8-bit video game as their game marketing tactic, No Frills gave people the chance to play a fun game while earning points for their loyalty cards. The game not only increased the number of people using their loyalty program, but it also gave customers a bonus incentive to visit the store and spend their loyalty points.

Duolingo Encourage App Time with Gamification

When it comes to learning a new language, constant practice is key. Anyone who has had to learn a second language in school will tell you that, unless they were forced to use it regularly, all of their hard work eventually faded away. Duolingo, an app that helps people learn languages, understands this issue and found some simple ways to encourage people to stick to their language lessons. And since Duolingo runs on ads, it meant people were coming back for more advertisements as well. Together, this approach to game marketing helps Duolingo be effective while also ensuring they generate a constant revenue stream.

Game Marketing and You

As you can see from the above, there are many ways that you can incorporate game marketing into your marketing and advertising strategies. The process of gamification may also be something that your business does already in the form of loyalty programs, points systems, contests, and more.

Game marketing is something that more and more companies are using to incentivize their customers, drum up brand loyalty, and connect with different demographics. It is also something simultaneously as old as marketing and on the cutting edge, which is why you should discuss your marketing plan with professionals in the industry.

By connecting with game marketing experts, you can develop a winning strategy that will help your company succeed. Together, you and your team of experts will craft something that helps your business by drawing on their expertise. Without that expert input, however, you could end up investing in a plan that simply doesn’t work, leading to a drop in sales and potentially a hit to your reputation. If you truly want to make the most out of a game marketing plan, then be sure to contact the experts.