Ever wonder how much of Twitter’s success hinges on the simple fact that you can see how many followers you (and others on Twitter) have? How about why more than 50 million monthly users play Farmville on Facebook? Answers to these questions begin with an understanding of game mechanics, which encompasses a range of rules and theories aimed at positively engaging human behavior. What Worked Then Still Works Today Without delving as far back as we could, a common early example of game mechanics in marketing was the creation of the frequent flier program by American Airlines almost 30 years ago. The game mechanics that made American Airlines’ program successful then are the same making others successful to this day: collecting, points, access, status, rewards. Because these mechanics are now being focused around driving online engagement, often within a social network, we are witnessing the emergence of a new market of developers and best practices dedicated to helping companies “game-ify” their marketing. Read more.
