If you have ever decided to get fit after leading a sedentary lifestyle for an extended period, you’ll probably have come across a Couch-to-5K app. While different versions of the app will vary slightly by tactics, the broad concept is the same: guide the users with baby steps to start running, increasing the scope of the run each week until the user can run for 5K. It’s simple. Yet, these apps are successful because they introduce gaming-like elements – leaderboards, trackers, goal-setting, challenges – to keep users engaged.
The process, of course, is known as gamification, and it is becoming the norm for user engagement on apps and websites. Gamification is the process of adding video game elements in non-gaming contexts to engage and motivate. Fitness apps are a natural fit, but they extend to so many other genres. For example, one of the most successful examples is Duolingo, with the language learning app praised for its ability to keep users hooked on the app. Others, ranging from Waze (the navigation app) to Forest (a productivity app) to SuperBetter (a mental health app) have also introduced a lot of gamification to motivate and engage users.
Simple widgets could improve a sports blog
Gamification does not need to be complex, nor does it need to be expensive for app or website owners. For example, if you run a sports blog, there are a number of things you could do to introduce gamification, ranging from prediction competitions (always a winner) to integrating a sports betting parlay calculator for those interested in wagering their predictions on sportsbooks. Other gamification elements could include polls – Who’s the best player in the NFL? Who will win the Champions League? – and quizzes. None of these widgets would be expensive, nor would they require much maintenance. However, they work for engagement and ensure users are motivated to return to the blog.
Arguably, the key concept that links gamification to gaming overall is a sense of progression, or achievement. You’ll get the same endorphin-like buzz from hitting the finish and log button on a fitness app as you would when vaulting onto the flagpole at the end of a Mario Bros. level. —a sense of progress and accomplishment that drives the user to continue engaging with the app or website. This intrinsic motivation is a powerful tool in creating a loyal user base. Just as players are compelled to conquer the next level in a game, users are driven to complete the next challenge, earn the next badge, or climb higher on the leaderboard in gamified environments.
The psychology of wanting to complete
This concept of progression taps into fundamental psychological principles. The ‘Zeigarnik effect,’ for example, suggests that people remember uncompleted tasks better than completed ones, which is why unfinished challenges or goals in a gamified system compel users to return. Moreover, the sense of accomplishment from completing these tasks can trigger the release of dopamine, reinforcing positive behavior and making users more likely to continue engaging with the platform.
Gamification also leverages the power of social interaction. Leaderboards and multiplayer challenges introduce a competitive element, which can be highly motivating. When users see their friends or peers making progress, it often spurs them on to do the same. This is why apps like Strava are so effective: users aren’t just running for their own fitness; they’re running to beat their friends, to share their achievements, and to receive validation through likes and comments.
Importantly, the implementation of gamification can vary widely depending on the goals of the platform. On a fitness app, the focus might be on physical progression and health milestones. On a learning platform like Duolingo, the emphasis might be on educational achievements and language proficiency. For a sports blog, as mentioned, it could be about fostering community engagement through polls, quizzes, and prediction challenges, as well as introducing related concepts like sports betting gamification.
Video gaming and gamification share a common foundation in the use of motivational techniques to engage users. In video games, players are driven by elements like progression, rewards, challenges, and competition—each designed to provide a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Gamification mirrors these principles by integrating similar game-like features into non-game contexts, such as apps or websites. Both aim to tap into the psychological triggers that make tasks feel rewarding and enjoyable, transforming routine activities into experiences that captivate and motivate users, much like the best video games do.