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You know what makes any event a hundred times better? Games! Doesn’t matter if your event is virtual or in person, implementing fun gamification ideas is always the way to go.
There are several ways you can introduce gamification into your events. It can be something as basic as a photo contest or as elaborate as scavenger hunts. The entire idea is to get attendees excited in order to increase their engagement with your event.
And if you’re worried about whether games detract from the event’s seriousness – don’t be! We pitch our gamification features to all sorts of organizations—from Cornell Graduate School to the Philippine Stock Exchange—and they go for it.
So let’s dive in to explore some enticing event gamification ideas, and learn from successful gamification examples!
Event gamification involves applying game-design elements and principles to non-game contexts, such as conferences or workshops, to boost engagement. This approach leverages interactive techniques typically found in games. Examples include point scoring, leaderboards, rewards, and challenges. All this helps create a more dynamic and captivating event experience for attendees.
You can apply gamification to various event types, from conferences and trade shows to corporate meetings. The ultimate goal is to make the event more memorable and enjoyable. This, in turn, encourages active participation and positive interactions among attendees.
Gamification certainly drives in-person or virtual event engagement. There are several other, less obvious benefits as well. These range from better attendee data collection to greater networking opportunities and more. Let’s explore these benefits in greater detail so you can learn just how necessary it is to adopt gamification ideas for events.
Gamification captures attention and sustains involvement through interactive challenges. This is especially useful in today’s era of decreasing attention spans, where you need something truly captivating to break through all the noise. In fact, gamification has been reported to boost user engagement by 48%. So, imagine what it could do for your events.
Additionally, the increased engagement gamification ideas offer is particularly advantageous for virtual events. By incorporating gaming elements, organizers can create a more immersive experience to overcome the disengagement often felt in online formats.
Learning becomes easier when it feels like a game. That isn’t just true for kids—adults work the same way too. That’s why integrating game-like elements into your event helps improve information retention. When educational content is delivered through engaging, game-based formats, such as simulations or interactive scenarios, participants are more likely to absorb and recall the material.
Plus, the playful nature of games makes complex topics more accessible and enjoyable. And this inevitably makes learning more effective.
Gamification drives higher levels of enthusiasm and commitment by leveraging rewards and competition. Elements like points, badges, and leaderboards create a sense of achievement and motivation. All this encourages participants to engage more fully with the event. In other words, the excitement of competing and the desire to win inspire attendees to actively participate.
Incorporating interactive gaming elements into events creates positive associations and lasting impressions. When participants are engaged and entertained, they are more likely to remember the event fondly for longer. This is bound to translate into positive feedback and increased advocacy for future events.
By tracking participant interactions within the game framework, organizers can gather insights about their behaviors and preferences. This data helps understand participant engagement and informs future event planning to better meet attendees’ needs and interests. Ultimately, all this data-driven decision-making leads to improved overall event effectiveness and satisfaction.
Gamification ideas that require collaboration and teamwork, like escape rooms or collaborative storytelling, can significantly enhance networking opportunities. By working together to complete challenges or solve problems, participants naturally build connections and foster relationships. This interactive approach not only breaks down barriers but also facilitates meaningful interactions, making it easier for attendees to network within a structured and engaging environment.
Simply adding an event gamification app or coming up with a new game at your next event isn’t good enough. Let’s go over a few crucial factors you must consider to create a compelling gamified experience.
When choosing gamification activities, it’s crucial to first establish what you aim to achieve with the game. Are you looking to simply increase attendee engagement or perhaps educate participants about your company or sponsors? Similarly, you might want to consider whether your goal is to drive competition or collaboration.
Defining your objectives at the start will directly influence the game you end up picking. For example, if your goal is to enhance learning, you might incorporate quizzes or challenges that test participants’ knowledge about key topics. If fostering teamwork is the objective, you’ll pick team-based challenges or cooperative tasks instead of winner-takes-all leaderboards.
To ensure a seamless experience, the gamified experience you pick should be able to integrate with the existing event technology. This way, attendees won’t have to download a separate app or create additional profiles just for the game. Instead, choose a platform that integrates event gamification with the rest of your event technologies.
This integration not only simplifies the user experience but also reduces friction and potential barriers to participation. For example, if your event uses a custom mobile app, look for gamification features that can be incorporated directly into that app. This enables participants to engage with the game without having to switch between multiple platforms.
No one’s going to play if they don’t like what they’re playing for. To encourage participation, ensure the game rewards are appealing and relevant to your audience. As you think of your gamification ideas, try conducting research or surveys beforehand to understand what prizes resonate most with your attendees.
Another crucial aspect to remember: always align the rewards with your event’s theme. For example, at a conference on health and wellness, handing out fast food vouchers wouldn’t make sense. Also, think about using tiered rewards or recognition. This maintains engagement throughout the event and caters to different levels of achievement.
The best gamification examples are ones that are designed with accessibility and inclusivity in mind. It’s important to consider both when choosing any gamification idea, to ensure all attendees can participate and enjoy the event.
For attendees with disabilities, provide alternative formats to make the game accessible. This could include audio descriptions, transcripts, or closed captioning. Also, incorporate features that accommodate visual and hearing impairments. This way, everyone has an equal opportunity at the game.
Lastly, be sensitive to cultural differences. So, avoid any challenges that might be unintentionally exclusionary.
Now that you’re sold on the benefits of gamified events, it’s time to figure out which games are right for your event. Here are seven easy-to-execute yet effective gamification ideas that work well for all events, from conference gamification to trade show gamification and everything in between.
How to play: Live trivia can be organized as a real-time quiz where participants answer questions. The questions can be related to the event theme, session topics, or industry knowledge.
At an in-person event, this could involve using a quiz master and audience response devices or answer sheets. For virtual events, trivia can be conducted using specialized software that allows attendees to answer questions immediately via their devices.
You can decide what answer format to adopt, such as multiple-choice, true/false, or open-ended. Also, define whether participants can compete individually or in teams.
Why it works: Live trivia is a fantastic way to engage attendees by tapping into their competitive spirit and knowledge. Additionally, trivia questions about the event’s themes reinforce key information in a memorable way. This interactive element keeps participants attentive and interested, enhancing their overall experience and boosting retention of the information presented.
How to play: Audience polls involve real-time interaction where attendees respond to time-bound questions during the event. Polls are also often used for making event-related decisions. For example, you could ask something as simple as, “What music should play during the break?”
Polls don’t always have to be event-related. They can be for fun, as a way of getting to know your audience.
Quizzes, on the other hand, can be used to test knowledge on event-specific topics. In-person, this can be done with clickers or mobile apps. Virtually, events can use platforms like Zoom or through an event app gamification itself.
Why it works: Such gamification ideas keep attendees involved and attentive. This is because it provides immediate feedback and makes them feel more connected to other participants. Polls can gauge audience sentiment, making them feel heard and valued. Quizzes add a competitive and educational element.
Both methods can help you tailor the event experience based on real-time input, enhancing engagement and interaction.
How to play: In a photo contest, participants are encouraged to take and submit photos based on specific themes or prompts related to the event. For in-person events, you can set up designated areas for photo opportunities or provide props. For virtual events, attendees can submit their photos through a social media platform or event app.
Taking it a step further, you can even start an event-related hashtag for attendees to use. Set clear guidelines and deadlines for submission, and consider having a panel or audience vote to select winners.
Why it works: Photo contests foster creativity and personal expression, making them a great tool for engagement. They can create buzz around your event, especially if you incorporate social media sharing. This works to amplify your event’s reach and visibility. They provide a fun way for attendees to interact with each other, thereby enhancing networking opportunities as well.
How to play: Bingo can be adapted for various event themes by creating custom bingo cards with terms or actions related to the event. Attendees mark off squares as they experience or observe these items during the event. In-person events might use physical bingo cards. Virtual events can use digital bingo cards integrated into gamified event apps or platforms.
Why it works: Bingo is a versatile game that promotes active participation and attentiveness. It encourages attendees to engage more deeply with the event content and interact with others to complete their bingo cards. As such, this gamification idea can serve as a fun, low-pressure way for icebreaking and encouraging networking.
How to play: Minute to Win It games involve participants completing simple but challenging tasks within a minute. These tasks can include activities like stacking cups or moving objects with a spoon. You can also create custom activities to match your event’s theme.
For in-person events, set up stations with the necessary materials. Get a game master to explain the tasks, time the challenges, and track scores. For virtual events, use online platforms for participants to perform tasks and submit video evidence or use webcams to complete challenges live.
Why it works: This type of game adds an energetic, competitive element to the event, which can be very engaging and entertaining. It encourages camaraderie and interaction in a light-hearted way. Plus, the time constraint adds an extra bit of excitement.
How to play: Icebreakers are activities designed to help attendees get to know each other and promote networking. Icebreakers are just a game category, with several gamification ideas falling under it.
Common examples include introductions with fun facts, two truths and a lie, or quick team-building exercises. You can conduct virtual icebreakers through digital interactions, like virtual breakout rooms or online polls.
Why it works: Icebreakers work magic at the beginning of events, creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. They reduce initial awkwardness and encourage participants to interact and network. By fostering a sense of community and openness, icebreakers enhance overall event satisfaction.
How to play: Escape rooms involve solving puzzles and challenges to “escape” from a themed room or scenario within a set time limit. For in-person events, you can set up physical rooms with various event-themed clues and locks. For virtual events, online escape room platforms can provide a digital interactive experience. So participants can easily work together to solve puzzles in a virtual environment.
Why it works: This event gamification idea is great for promoting teamwork, problem-solving, and communication among participants. Escape rooms offer an immersive experience that can deepen connections between attendees. The collaborative nature of escape rooms also fosters a sense of camaraderie as participants work together to tackle complex challenges.
vFairs offers a variety of event gamification features to make your events more engaging. These features include interactive leaderboards, virtual scavenger hunts, customizable challenges, and more! Plus, you can easily integrate with other popular online games too. So, let’s get into it and see how vFairs can enhance your next event with these fun gamification ideas.
A scavenger hunt is a great way to get attendees to engage with the event as they try to find all the clues. For virtual settings, you can hide themed clues and items across the virtual venue.
For onsite events, vFairs offers a QR Scavenger Hunt. This entails attendees exploring and finding QR codes on objectives across the physical venue. Once they locate the item, they can easily scan the code using the vFairs mobile app. Each hidden item across the venue has a score attached to it. The attendee who finds the most items gets the most points and wins.
Be strategic with where you place the clues and items. You could place a hidden item at a premium sponsor’s booth to drive more attendee traffic their way. Similarly, try hiding items in auditoriums to increase attendance at a keynote session.
The Spin the Wheel feature adds an exciting element of chance and reward to your event. Attendees can interact with a virtual wheel, which they spin to win various prizes or rewards. For in person events, you can have a physical wheel present, along with rewards or points too.
Such event gamification increases engagement and encourages more active participation. It’s also an effective way to drive traffic to specific event areas or promote sponsor booths. You can do so by purposefully placing the wheel in locations where you want to boost interactions.
The vFairs Photobooth offers an interactive way for attendees to capture and share their event experiences. Virtual photo booths are especially great at engaging remote audiences, allowing them to take themed photos.
The booth comes with tons of fun editing options too. Attendees can choose from a variety of backgrounds and frames, really letting their creativity shine. That’s not all—they can add cool filters and stickers too!
Even sharing is easier with the Photobooth. Attendees can save and download their photos to keep them as cherished memories. Or they can share them on social media or the event platform directly from the photo booth.
While such gamification ideas enhance the attendee experience, they offer extra benefits too. For instance, a photo booth offers event organizers the opportunity to increase brand visibility. It also helps create more touchpoints for interaction and engagement.
The vFairs Leaderboard introduces a competitive edge to your event by displaying the top performers in real-time. Attendees earn points by completing various activities and interactions. Examples include attending a webinar, viewing a video, or interacting with exhibitor booths. This feature motivates participants to actively engage with your event’s activities, striving to climb the ranks and win.
At the end of it all, you can offer prizes to attendees with the most points. Get creative with your prizes, but keep them relevant. A prize could look like a 1:1 networking opportunity with a keynote speaker or sponsor merchandise.
The Leaderboard feature is also available via the vFairs mobile app. So attendees can keep an eye on who’s winning and view the list of activities to complete right from their phones.
vFairs currently offers integrations with Kahoot!, Kumospace, and Slido. This means your next virtual event doesn’t have to be all work and no play. With these games integrated into your event space, you can create a seamless blend of entertainment and interaction.
The good thing is all these integrations are games most attendees are familiar with. This reduces the time event organizers have to spend explaining the rules and getting participants on board.
With Slido, you can create polls and surveys, helping you get immediate feedback and gauge engagement. Or you can try Slido’s quizzes for a bit of healthy competition among attendees. Kahoot! also lets you host quizzes and engage attendees by posing questions.
Lastly, with Kumospace, you can include board games and puzzles directly into your gamified events. These are not only entertaining but also provide interesting spaces for networking.
Several customers, across industries, have unlocked event success with vFairs gamification capabilities. Let’s take a closer look at how some of those customers are including gamification ideas in their events.
Incorporating gamification ideas into events can significantly enhance engagement, learning, and networking. Gamified events also make the experience more memorable and enjoyable for attendees. As you must have seen, there are countless ways to drive excitement and interaction at events. From trivia and photo contests to escape rooms and leaderboards, the possibilities are endless.
Do remember to align gamification strategies with your event goals. Also, ensure accessibility and integration with event technology. These tips will help create a dynamic event that captivates participants and maximizes their overall experience. Time to embrace these gamification ideas to transform your next event into an unforgettable adventure!
Amna Bajwa
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