1/ Gamification in products can be done in two ways:
1. Do it because your goal is to somehow “retain” customer
2. Do it to drive a positive impact on your customers and in turn they naturally “remain” an active customer
A thread from my personal experience 👇🧵
#gamification
1. Do it because your goal is to somehow “retain” customer
2. Do it to drive a positive impact on your customers and in turn they naturally “remain” an active customer
A thread from my personal experience 👇🧵
#gamification
2/ In 2020 I took a personal goal of learning meditation and I eventually picked up a guided meditation app - @calm
The app offered few introductory courses for free. And they had couple of 30 day courses which required a paid subscription
The app offered few introductory courses for free. And they had couple of 30 day courses which required a paid subscription
3/ I was keen on trying out something for 30 days because as they say - our brain requires about 21 days on an average to pick up any habit.
But at the same time I was still not ready to give my money to the app
But at the same time I was still not ready to give my money to the app
4/ So I kept trying the free ones. The app had these generic “Timed Meditation” where you can set like 5/10/15 mins timers and it plays a nice soothing music
5/ However, even in those free ones, the app has something called “Streaks” - that tracks how many days “Continuously” you have been meditating.
This is where the “Gamification” part starts.
When you complete your 5/10 minutes meditation every day, something like this appears
This is where the “Gamification” part starts.
When you complete your 5/10 minutes meditation every day, something like this appears
6/ Basically it’s a counter that keeps incrementing every day you practice meditation through the app - even for 5 minutes.
However, there is an interesting behaviour of this counter.
However, there is an interesting behaviour of this counter.
7/ If you practice for 4 days and 5th day if you skip, the “Streak” is reset. And you start over from zero again.
Initially, I just had 2 or 3 days of these Streaks. I used to break the habit pretty quickly. Here’s a screenshot of how it looked in my early days
Initially, I just had 2 or 3 days of these Streaks. I used to break the habit pretty quickly. Here’s a screenshot of how it looked in my early days
8/ So, with these Streaks, two things happened internally:
- I had an urge to increase that number every single day
- And with every increase in that number, skipping a day became harder (which is good for habit formation)
- I had an urge to increase that number every single day
- And with every increase in that number, skipping a day became harder (which is good for habit formation)
9/ Higher the number in that Streak, I was less likely to skip it - as a reset makes it extremely hard to reach my previous baseline. I have to start all over from zero again. This is just painful for our brains
10/ So what happened? Here are some screenshots :)
The habit got formed internally and now I cannot skip a day. It has become part of my life now. Weekdays or Weekends doesn’t matter. I sit and meditate every single day
The habit got formed internally and now I cannot skip a day. It has become part of my life now. Weekdays or Weekends doesn’t matter. I sit and meditate every single day
11/ My personal record so far is 82 days and I broke it one day due to some unavoidable reason.
And the Streak got reset.
But now I have this urge internally that I need to go past 82 and I am currently at 65 :)
And the Streak got reset.
But now I have this urge internally that I need to go past 82 and I am currently at 65 :)
12/ Now coming back to the original statement. How has this gamification strategy helped Calm - the app?
I eventually subscribed when I had about 20 day Streak or so.
And since then I have been using their guided courses. Which actually helped achieve me that 82 day Streak
I eventually subscribed when I had about 20 day Streak or so.
And since then I have been using their guided courses. Which actually helped achieve me that 82 day Streak
13/ And now that the habit has formed (through gamification) and I like what the app is doing to me, I will happily remain a subscriber
14/ Another simple thing the app does is asking a question “How are you feeling?” right after you complete a meditation.
This again, connects directly with the user’s emotion. Right after the meditation I am already wondering "how it went” & the app taps into that exact moment
This again, connects directly with the user’s emotion. Right after the meditation I am already wondering "how it went” & the app taps into that exact moment
15/ Now, lets compare the strategy with some of these ‘Scratch Cards” that you get whenever you make a digital payment through one of these payment apps (I will NOT name the app :))
16/ Initially these things started out as “Cashbacks” and I was interested to scratch them.
However, those Cashbacks dwindled and the scratches result in some stickers or some coupon (which I may NOT need anyway)
However, those Cashbacks dwindled and the scratches result in some stickers or some coupon (which I may NOT need anyway)
17/ Now, I have no intention to scratch them. The app has become completely “transactional” and I have absolutely no sort of “attachment”.
Tomorrow, if there is some other utility app that solves the same purpose and provides a better experience - I will just switch
Tomorrow, if there is some other utility app that solves the same purpose and provides a better experience - I will just switch
18/ Gamification is an integral part of many products today. It's actively thought out right from the MVP days of products.
But, Gamification when done with the intention of genuinely helping users can really establish long term relationships with them.
But, Gamification when done with the intention of genuinely helping users can really establish long term relationships with them.
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