How To Gamify Your Next Event: A Beginner’s Guide

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Getting tired of hosting the same old boring events that people attend out of obligation rather than excitement? Since you are reading this blog, you might already know how event gamification is a game-changer for every event planner to engage your audience and make your event unforgettable. But, clueless of how to get started? Well, you've come to the right place! In this beginner's guide, we'll show you how to gamify your next event and make it an experience your attendees will never forget.


Gamification is the process of adding game-like elements to a non-game context, such as an event, to encourage engagement, participation, and enjoyment. It's like adding fun and exciting things to do, like treasure hunts, races, and puzzles, to make the event more interesting and enjoyable for everyone who attends. Event gamification is a powerful tool that can turn a dull event into a fun and memorable experience.


What is Event Gamification?

For those who might not be very familiar with event gamification, let us explain. Event gamification is the process of incorporating game-like elements into an event in order to engage attendees, encourage participation, and create a more memorable and enjoyable experience. This can include elements such as leaderboards, badges and rewards, scavenger hunts, interactive challenges, and other activities that provide attendees with a sense of accomplishment and motivation to participate. By leveraging the principles of game design, event gamification can help organizers create a more immersive and engaging experience for attendees, leading to increased participation, better networking opportunities, and more positive feedback from attendees.


Step 1: Define Your Goals and Audience

Before you start gamifying your event, it's important to define your goals and audience. What do you want to achieve? Who is your target audience? Once you have a clear understanding of these things, you can tailor your gamification strategy to meet your objectives and engage your attendees.


Let's say you're planning a big corporate event, like a company retreat or a team-building day. Before you start brainstorming all the fun games and activities you want to include, it's important to think about your goals for the event.


What do you want to achieve? Are you looking to strengthen team bonds and encourage collaboration? Do you want to reward your employees for their hard work and boost morale? Or are you simply hoping to provide a fun and enjoyable day out of the office? Whatever your goals may be, having a clear understanding of what you want to achieve will help guide your planning and ensure that you create an event that meets the needs of your attendees.


Step 2: Choose Your Game Elements

Now it's time to choose your game elements. There are countless options, so it's important to choose ones that align with your goals and audience. Here are a few popular game elements to consider:


Leaderboards: Create a leaderboard that tracks attendees' progress throughout the event. This will encourage healthy competition and motivate attendees to participate in various activities.


Badges and rewards: Offer badges or rewards for completing certain tasks or achieving specific milestones. This will encourage attendees to explore the event and engage with various activities.


Scavenger hunts: Create a scavenger hunt that takes attendees on a journey through the event. This will encourage attendees to explore and engage with various activities while having fun.


Interactive challenges: Set up interactive challenges that attendees can participate in throughout the event. This will encourage attendees to interact with each other and the event in a meaningful way.


There is a magic tool that can create all the game elements mentioned above. Sounds interesting? With PlayTours, the best event gamification tool, you can customize any type of game elements aligned with your theme.


Step 3: Incorporate Technology

To gamify your event, you'll likely need to incorporate technology. There are a variety of tools and platforms available that can help you create a gamified experience. Here are a few to consider:


Event apps: Many event apps offer gamification features, such as leaderboards, scavenger hunts, and challenges. Check out popular apps like PlayTours to see what they offer. Whether it’s for booth participation, QR code missions, scavenger hunt, trivia quizzes, or real-time event feedback, PlayTours app provides fun and engaging means to take your event to the next level.


QR codes: Use QR codes to create a scavenger hunt or to offer rewards. Attendees can scan the code with their smartphone to reveal a clue or reward. Generate QR codes on PlayTours and points can be calculated automatically.


Augmented reality: Use augmented reality to create interactive challenges or to offer a unique experience. This can be especially effective for events that focus on technology or innovation.


Step 4: Execute Your Plan

Once you've defined your goals, chosen your game elements, and incorporated technology, it's time to execute your plan. Make sure you communicate the gamification strategy to attendees before and during the event. This will help them understand how to participate and what they can expect. Be sure to monitor the gamification elements throughout the event to ensure everything is working smoothly.


Step 5: Measure Your Success

After the event, it's important to measure your success. Did you achieve your goals? Did attendees engage with the gamification elements? Use surveys, feedback forms, and other tools to gather feedback from attendees. So how exactly?


With PlayTours, you can get feedback and statistics from event attendees right away, which can help you make improvements for future events. By analyzing this data, you can identify areas that need improvement and make necessary changes to ensure that each event is a success. With an easy and enjoyable way for attendees to give feedback, you can make sure that their needs are being met and that they have a memorable experience. This will help you improve your gamification strategy for future events.


Summing Up

Event gamification is a powerful method that can turn a boring event into a fun and memorable experience. By defining your goals and audience, choosing the right game elements, incorporating technology, executing your plan, and measuring your success, you can create a gamified experience that engages and delights your attendees. So what are you waiting for? Let's gamify your next event!

That's it! If you need help, do email us at hello@playtours.app