The Basics of Gamification Mechanics You Should Know 

Gamification Mechanics 

All games have basic game mechanics that you should know. These mechanics have nothing whatsoever to do with technology but have to do with how your mind accepts the game. All games have some form of these mechanics in common – whether they’re old-fashioned or use newer technologies. Gamification mechanics impact motivation and each person responds differently to various game mechanics.

Some game mechanics to choose from as you work toward gamifying your business are:

* Points – Assign a value to a task or an achievement in the form of points that can be used to put you at a new level or enable you to convert the points to other prizes or keep score. For example, you can allow users to earn points for each task they get done on a task list that can later be traded in for a reward that motivates them.

* Levels – This can be done alone or in a group of people. For example, a level might show an area of accomplishment or prove that you reached a milestone. Often, levels are used in gamification in longer-term games that allow you to collect achievements that move you up in the levels.

* Missions – You can use this in teams or even as an individual by setting up a challenge to overcome or a task to complete in order to enhance the feelings of accomplishment. 

* Badges – This is a great way to demonstrate to you or anyone in the game that an important task or challenge has been completed. The visual demonstration of the accomplishments can help motivate you.

* Leaderboards – This type of gamification offers a way to see who else is scoring high or which product is making more sales. For example, if you run a group challenge, you can create a leaderboard for everyone to show their level, but you can also arrange a leaderboard to organize your products so you can see what’s selling more.

* Unlocks – This often works with quizzes. So, to do this one way, you can put a quiz in front of the landing page (or several) that sends the taker to a specialized landing page based on the answers, essentially unlocking the secret information or unlocking the next level. 

* Event Feeds – This type of gamification motivates by allowing everyone to see what everyone else is doing. As you see the feed, you will be prompted to do more because it’s fun to see your progress highlighted. 

* Quizzes – Tests are good ideas to use with almost all the other mechanics of gamification because it works well with the other options. Usually, a quiz is short, to the point, and designed to help guide. 

* Progress Visuals – Showing any type of progress bar or having different things happen based on progress – like words popping up that say “good job” – is very motivating.

Understanding these mechanics of gamification makes it a lot easier to figure out how to gamify your business based on your needs and your audience’s desires. With the right methods, you can motivate yourself and them to take the actions you want them to.