(Link above to article)
Not a bad round-up of the application of gaming mechanics to social media, with a few interesting firms to look at.
One positive consequence of this trend is that it really gets marketers thinking properly about marketing to customers based on their ‘lifestage’ with the business. Too often I see firms communicating to new users in the same way as ones who’ve been regularly using their services for several years. Game designers wouldn’t throw you up against the final level boss after just five minutes into the game, nor propel you back to level one when you’re a hardened pro. Marketers are doing the equivalent every day.
The gimmicks of badges, levels and bonuses might be a passing fad, but the underlying philosophy of gradually introducing your customers to the full complexity of the product offering should stay.
