How to Boost Your Business with Gamification?

In this article, we’ll walk you through gamification mechanics and explain how to integrate them into traditional marketing channels. We’ll also share case studies and examples of what not to do.

We’ve been developing our GameDev division since 2021 and have already built strong expertise in this field. Gamification is a professional playground where numbers meet emotions and marketing turns into an engaging story.

In today’s content-saturated world, capturing users’ attention is becoming increasingly difficult. According to Microsoft, the average attention span is just 8 seconds. So how can you keep your audience engaged? And what should you do if your metrics start to decline? The answer is clear—implement gamification.

A game opens a “dopamine window.” Completing levels is far more engaging than consuming large amounts of dry information—especially when rewards are involved. Gamification also outperforms when it comes to engagement time. Ads are skipped within seconds, and email inboxes are overflowing—making it harder than ever to stand out. With games, you can capture users’ attention for 10–15 minutes. Your brand will stick, and the key message will stay with your audience.

Game mechanics also drive customer acquisition—whether through registrations, purchases, subscriptions, or other actions. At the same time, loyalty grows: gamification boosts repeat sales, NPS, and conversions. All of this ultimately translates into higher revenue.

Traditionally, games have been developed by major brands—mainly in retail and e-commerce. But more and more often we receive requests from less expected industries, such as pharma. We offer them quizzes and surveys, which resonate strongly with doctors.

Our team helps identify solutions tailored to each specific industry. Now, we design games almost every month, adapting them to different fields. There’s always something that can be gamified—no matter the sector.

Popular gamification mechanics (such as Flappy Bird, Hidden Objects, Customize a Card) can be easily adapted to both brand and industry. Visuals can be rebranded, while the tone of the game can range from playful and dynamic to serious and restrained—depending on the context.

For those aiming for long-term engagement, advent-style mechanics are a great fit. They involve opening windows with gifts and activities over the course of a month or even longer. It motivates users to return to the game for several days or weeks in a row. Advents act as a remedy for off-season slumps and serve as strong support around major holidays. And contrary to popular belief, they’re not limited to New Year or Christmas campaigns.

1. Define your goal: build a customer database, attract new clients, or strengthen loyalty among active users
2. Choose the right mechanics: simple or complex, short-term or long-term
3. Identify the launch channels: website, CRM, social media, or messenger chatbots

If you lack experience or are hesitant to experiment, don’t start with complex mechanics. Begin with something simple or observe how the audience reacts. Test various approaches and tools.

Some brands make gamification projects an integral part of their CRM and loyalty programs, continuously adding new mechanics. Another effective strategy is tying the game to current social or cultural trends—this generates extra interest and attracts more users.

Watch out for mistakes that can ruin even a great game:

• Overly complex mechanics: if levels are too hard or time and attempts run out too quickly, users will stop playing. Long, complicated rules will also discourage players from finishing
• Poor visuals or UX: if your team lacks in-house design resources, consider hiring professional designers
• Unclear motivation: without a clear reason to participate, players lose interest and engagement drops
• Lack of CRM integration: track analytics before and after launch to measure effectiveness
• Single launch without follow-ups: metrics may spike initially, but will quickly return to baseline without repeated engagement

Don’t be afraid to get creative—whether in gamification or any other area of marketing. Think beyond just “discounts and revenue” and try to understand your users’ values and interests: how can you make their advertising experience more engaging, and what tools can help you stand out?

And don’t forget CRM integration. Gamified experiences on websites, messenger chatbots with surveys and quizzes, and in-app challenges allow you to collect user contacts efficiently.