Gamification has become a red-hot trend in the event technology world, captivating both event organizers and attendees alike. In this blog, we’ll explore the fascinating world of gamification, its significance in the event industry, and why it’s gaining such popularity. Discover how this brilliant concept enhances attendee engagement and transforms events into immersive and interactive experiences.
Why gamification is a hot trend in event tech
Event gamification revolves around integrating gaming concepts, such as point systems, scoreboards, and rewards, into your event marketing objectives. The aim is to infuse non-gaming activities with game-like elements, like earning points, solving puzzles, and discovering hidden items. The primary objective is to stimulate and involve participants, creating a more interactive and enjoyable experience for attendees.
Gamification has emerged as a prominent trend that effectively captures and maintains the attention of eventgoers. By presenting playful challenges and friendly competition, it promotes exploration, networking, and active participation in sessions, leaving a lasting impact on attendees’ memories. Event organizers should consider gamification as a strategic tool to accomplish specific goals, such as improving networking opportunities, increasing session attendance, or enhancing brand recognition. By thoughtfully implementing gamification, you can guide attendees to focus on crucial event aspects, such as subscribing to newsletters or establishing meaningful connections.
Using the right digital tools
Implementing event gamification successfully requires the right digital tools depending on your event format. Utilizing appropriate event management software is essential to ensuring a seamless and engaging gamification experience. Platforms like Canapii are ideal for in-person and virtual conferences, as they facilitate audience engagement and encourage active participation.
Tips for effective event gamification
Incentives for event attendees
Gamifying your event can involve incorporating prizes as incentives. By giving away gift cards to sponsors’ stores, offering free one-on-one demo sessions, or distributing unique branded items like coffee mugs and T-shirts, you can increase excitement and engagement based on attendee interactions. Encouraging competition through incentives and prizes, such as cash rewards, gift cards, and branded swag, serves as a powerful motivator for participants. Partnering with sponsors and vendors to create appealing prize packages can further boost attendee participation.
Group/Team Games
Encourage bonding and social interaction by introducing group games, fostering a friendly rivalry among participants. In virtual events, display real-time top gamers on screens to highlight the best players and teams. Canapii’s live leaderboard feature allows attendees to view their personal ranking and the overall event standing, updating whenever points are awarded. The leaderboard can be customized to display attendee types or as an overall event-wide ranking.
Make networking fun
Networking at meetings and conferences is essential, but it can be challenging to connect with strangers. Gamification makes networking at trade shows and corporate events more meaningful and enjoyable. With a competitive twist, participants form teams, fostering connections beyond traditional formats. Gamification also enhances engagement through social media contests and scavenger hunts, both virtually and in-person, sparking genuine interactions and lasting bonds among attendees.
Utilize event apps
Encourage attendees to utilize event apps by incentivizing specific actions with points. Encourage them to explore the app, complete profiles, favorite sessions, register for demos, share on social media, and network. The Canapii event app includes a ‘my progress’ profile feature, allowing attendees to track their earned points, view point allocation, and history. This feature enables attendees to plan their engagement to earn more points effectively.
Live and Post-Event Feedback
Gather valuable feedback through live surveys and polls by gamifying the process. Offer incentives like points or ranks for participation, providing insights for future event improvements. Gamification creates a digital trail for actionable insights. Despite this, live surveys and polls are still essential to directly ask attendees about their event preferences, whether remote or in-person. Gamification is a powerful tool to encourage feedback collection with enticing incentives, boosting survey participation and revealing its true power in feedback acquisition.
Amplify your next event with an event management software
Incorporating gamification into your events is a savvy decision, regardless of your event planning expertise. Engaging participants with event gamification can be simpler than you imagine when you utilize the appropriate tools. Canapii is ready to assist you. Learn more about Canapii and how it can ensure the success of your upcoming event.
