Bristol web design firm sees business benefits of gamification

The benefits of so-called 'gamification' has been seen first-hand by Bristol-based web design and marketing firm GWS Media.

The company, in Lilymead avenue, said it was commissioned by a client to create a gaming app, which has been been found to enhance employee engagement and productivity.

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Now the company has increased engagement on its own website after introducing the app, which was inspired by a hit 1980s arcade game.

Froghopper is a take on Frogger - where an amphibian has to get across the street and river in one piece.

GWS Media graphic designer Victor Castro said: "Gamification can be used as an interactive educational tool, such as drag-and-drop options or 3D and augmented reality.

"It can also educate your audience in an entertaining way about your products and services, such as with interactive trivia.

"It can make processes from training to boring tasks easier, quicker and more fun. It also avoids human error when it comes to monotonous and repetitive work."

Castro continued: "Sites with quizzes and games can attract an insane amount of traffic to the site and people share them all the time on social media.

"The interactive element increases the traffic to your website, keep visitors engaged, and generates revenue with potential conversions."

GWS Media senior software developer Jerome Beckett added: "More businesses are looking at gaming apps – with benefits such as increasing web traffic and revenue.

"Mobile gaming is a big industry. Firms are recognising games can be used to show a sense of fun, promote their brand, increase engagement and garner interest in their products or services."

Gamification can be used for educational, training, marketing or recruitment purposes.

Sites which feature gamification include Buzzfeed, LinkedIn, Reddit and Duolingo – the language-learning app with 500 million users.