Gamification Techniques to Enhance Event Participation

Keeping your audience engaged is one of the most crucial, yet most difficult tasks for an event planner. In today’s world, where guests are easily bored and always looking for the next big thing, you need to use all the tools at your disposal to keep a competitive edge. That’s where gamification comes in. Guests love to be entertained and to interact with your event or products in new and fun ways. Here are some of the best gamification techniques to enhance event participation. 

While audiences love gamification, they don’t want to learn a complicated set of rules in order to participate. So, keep your games simple and easy to understand. Opt for activities, like scavenger hunts, that audiences already have some familiarity with, use intuitive apps, or create instructions that are short, clear, and concise. 

Team challenges are great for energetic, extroverted groups, while more introverted guests might prefer an augmented reality scavenger hunt to be completed on their phones. Similarly, integrating social media is perfect if you have a crowd of influencers, but may not work as well for a group of older professionals who prefer to limit their online presence. Spend time researching your audience and learning their interests so you can choose gamification techniques they will enjoy.

Use technology to your advantage when adding gamification to your event. When technology is utilized well, it enhances event participation while also providing you and your sponsors with important information. Mobile apps, smart badges, social media walls, and interactive kiosks provide excellent platforms for gamification. Your guests enjoy completing challenges and games while you and your sponsors collect useful data. 

Networking at events can sometimes feel painfully awkward and forced. When you add elements of gamification, however, the process becomes much more enjoyable. For example, you could hold a contest to see which guest checks in with the most vendors and sponsors. Or create a networking scavenger hunt where guests need to find other participants based on criteria like specific jobs, hometowns, or hobbies. This type of gamification encourages your guests to network and get to know each other, thereby enhancing event participation, yet it simply feels like a fun game to your attendees. 

Adding worthwhile prizes to your games and challenges is one of the best gamification techniques to enhance event participation. Guests love to compete for prizes, but it’s essential that they are prizes your guests feel are valuable to them in some way. These can be things like gift cards to Amazon or Starbucks, tech or merchandise from your sponsors, or free tickets to your next event. Offer bigger prizes for longer contests or those that are most valuable to you or your sponsors, such as social media challenges where users compete to get the most likes on photos or posts about the event. 

Incorporating gamification into your event energizes your audience and helps them feel excited about participating in your event. So tap into your creative side and try these gamification techniques to enhance participation at your next event. 

The Event Planner Expo 2024 is the perfect place to get ideas for how to gamify your event, check out new technology for event gamification, and learn from top pros in the industry. Don’t miss your BIG chance to gain valuable knowledge and networking opportunities to grow your event planning business. Get your tickets today!