Ideas To Drive Engagement At Your Event With Gamification

Gamification has become a buzzword in recent years, and it’s not difficult to see why. 

Using game mechanics in non-game contexts has increased engagement, motivation, and enjoyment. 

In events, gamification can be a powerful tool to drive engagement, enhance attendee experiences, and create lasting memories.

Continue reading for some great ideas on using gamification to drive engagement at your event.

Top Gamification Ideas To Drive Event Engagement

• Social Media Contests

Social media is an essential tool for event promotion, and using it to host contests is a great way to boost engagement. Encourage attendees to share photos or posts about your event on their social media channels and use a specific hashtag to enter. 

Offer prizes for the best entries, such as a VIP upgrade or a free ticket to next year’s event. This encourages attendees to engage with your event and helps spread the word to their social networks.

To showcase all the entries for the contest, consider using a social media wall. This provides a visual display of the entries and encourages others to participate and share their own content.

• Social Wall

Using a social wall can be a great way to drive event engagement. By displaying user-generated content from social media platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram, on a screen at the event, attendees can see their posts and feel included in the conversation. 

You can encourage attendees to use a specific event hashtag and display the posts with that hashtag on the social wall. This can create a sense of community and increase engagement among attendees.

• Scavenger Hunts

A scavenger hunt is a classic game that can be easily adapted to an event setting. Create a list of tasks or challenges attendees must complete, such as taking a photo with a specific sponsor or finding a hidden message in the venue. 

Offer prizes or rewards for those who complete the hunt, such as a free drink ticket or entry into a prize draw. This engages attendees in a fun activity and encourages them to explore the event and interact with sponsors.

To take it a step further, consider incorporating a social media wall that displays all the posts using the scavenger hunt hashtag. This will create a sense of excitement and encourage others to join the fun bandwagon.

• Interactive Exhibits

Interactive exhibits are great when it comes to engaging attendees and provide a hands-on experience. Whether a virtual reality demo or a physical game, interactive exhibits provide a break from traditional lectures and presentations. 

This provides a fun experience for attendees and helps educate them on the products or services being showcased. Make sure to have staff explain the exhibit and answer any questions attendees may have.

To enhance the interactive experience, consider incorporating a social media wall that displays photos and posts from attendees interacting with the exhibits. This provides a visual display of the exhibit and encourages others to try it out for themselves.

• Leaderboards

Leaderboards are a powerful tool to drive engagement and create friendly competition among attendees. 

Whether it’s a leaderboard for a game or a leaderboard for completing specific tasks, it provides a sense of accomplishment and recognition for those at the top. 

Make sure to display the live leaderboard in a prominent location and offer prizes for those who reach the top.

To showcase the leaderboard in real-time, consider using a social media wall that displays the top scores or rankings. 

This creates a healthy competition among attendees and encourages them to participate and try to reach the top of the leaderboard.

• Gamified Presentations

Traditional presentations can be dull and unengaging, but you can make them more interactive and enjoyable by incorporating game mechanics. 

Consider using a quiz or poll to gauge attendee knowledge and understanding or incorporate mini-games throughout the presentation to break up the monotony. This not only keeps attendees engaged but also helps to reinforce key messages and takeaways.

To enhance the interactive experience, consider incorporating a social media wall that displays the poll results or showcases attendee reactions to the presentation. 

This provides a visual display of the engagement and encourages others to participate and engage with the presentation.

• Gamified Networking

Networking can be daunting for many attendees, but incorporating game mechanics can make it more enjoyable and engaging. Consider using a networking bingo card, where attendees must meet and speak with other attendees to fill out their card. 

Offer prizes or rewards for those who complete their card, such as a free drink ticket or entry into a prize draw. This not only encourages attendees to network but also helps to break the ice and facilitate conversations.

To enhance the networking experience, consider incorporating a social media wall that displays photos and posts from attendees interacting with each other. This provides a visual display of the networking activity and encourages others to participate and engage with each other.

• Live Polls

Live polls are great for engaging attendees and getting real-time feedback on topics or presentations. Incorporate polls throughout the event, and display the results in real time. This keeps attendees engaged and provides valuable insights for event organizers.

To showcase the poll results in real time, consider using a social media wall that displays the results or showcases attendee reactions to the poll. This provides a visual display of the engagement and encourages others to participate and engage with the polls.

Wrapping Up!

In conclusion, gamification is a powerful tool to drive engagement at events. By incorporating game mechanics, you can create a fun and interactive experience for attendees, boost engagement, and create lasting memories. 

Whether it’s a scavenger hunt, social media contest, interactive exhibit, leaderboard, gamified presentation, gamified networking, or live polls, there are plenty of ways to incorporate gamification into your event. 

Make sure to measure the results of your gamification efforts and make adjustments for future events. With the right approach, gamification can take your event to the next level.