Gamification in Social Media: Everything You Need to Know
Have you ever felt your dopamine level getting higher after winning a title in a non-game context? If yes, you have now entered the world of gamification, a fertile land for new applications.
This post is available as a podcast:
What is Gamification Exactly?
The term ‘gamification’ has been widely applied to many features in education to make learning fun and rewarding. In general, gamification can be defined as the implementation of game-like elements such as point scoring, competition, and rules to foster incentives and behavior in a non-game setting (Williams, 2019). The gamification market has been blooming promptly, with the global market valued at 6.33 billion USD in 2019. It is expected to reach 37 billion USD by 2027, at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 24.8% in the forecast time span (GlobeNewswire, 2022).
Gamification elements exist in many formats, but Mekler et al. (2013) stated that points, levels, and leader boards are the most associated features of gamification. To maximize the efficiency of the top three most used elements mentioned above, combining badges – the digital recognition that visualizes progress and achievement, with those game mechanics, would supercharge the engagement levels (Growth Engineering, 2022). And adding challenging, motivating features to reward behaviors is also an attempt to increase user engagement and productivity on social media.
The Octalysis Framework for Gamification & Behavioral Design by Yu-kai Chou
Why Do We Need Gamification on Social Networking Sites?
There are many benefits in incorporating game mechanics in user experience (UX) and user interface (UI). Brncalova (2017) listed four main points that makes gamification useful. These are: drawing people’s attention, increasing engagement, garnering user-generated content (UGC), and turning them into advocates for a product or service. Coppola and Bochichino (2021) explained the reason behind the effectiveness of gamification. When users are on the top of the leader board or are the players with the maximum points and receive badges, the brain reward centre is triggered and gives them the incentives to continue breaking the record.
What Does Gamification Look Like on Social Channels?
Praising active members or giving them online recognition in a non-game context is now omnipresent. Applying game-like elements such as points & badges has been widely used in B2C (business-to-customer) social networking platforms. For example, the Top Fan badge for Facebook Pages was introduced by Facebook in 2020. In order to enhance community feeling, online badges are shown on active members’ profiles in Facebook groups with more than 50 people.
Some main titles are:
- Group Expert – This badge belongs to group members who work on excellent content in particular niches. It is not available in every group.
- Rising Star – New members who contribute much to the group could earn this badge.
- Conversation Starter – If a member stimulates conversations that are meaningful to other group members. He/she will get the Conversation Starter badge.
- Visual Storyteller – This badge is similar to the Conversation Starter but has more focus on photos and video contributions.
Built-in points and badges systems from Facebook help group admins easily identify active members among their community. They are given for each reaction and comment contributing to the group’s content.
Gamification in B2C Social Media
Facebook’s sibling, Instagram, also takes advantage of gamification features to encourage users to use the platform more and more. For example, as I already mentioned in my previous blog post. As a Reel fan, you can gain some achievements based on your actions. At the moment, challenges are not restricted to Reels only anymore. Here are some achievements available for Instagram content creators by the time this article is written. (Note: this feature is not available for everyone, and Instagram may remove and add achievements and challenges from time to time):
- Plays – when you receive a certain number of plays on a reel
- Followers – when you gain a certain number of followers
- Trendspotter – Use trending music or effect in your reel.
In general, many gamification elements have been applied widely on B2C social channels.
Gamification in B2B Social Media
What about B2B? Let’s say one of the most popular representatives – LinkedIn? LinkedIn has applied gamification to profile updates, and the implementation of features. Features like the progress bar, which motivates users to update their job statuses and skills, has proven effective. Upon completing their profiles, users are rewarded with the coveted “ALL-Star” badge. This strategic move has led to a significant 55% increase in profile completion rates on LinkedIn (Lindemann, 2019).
So, what if points and badges are given as rewards for active members on LinkedIn groups? Does this tactic help improve engagement within a B2B community group? I already conducted a hypothesis research where these two elements were used in a 60,000+ LinkedIn group.
I Challenge YOU to Embrace Gamification for Business Growth
The question is no longer whether gamification works—it’s how well you’re using it. Social media platforms have already cracked the code, leveraging game mechanics to keep users engaged for longer. Increasing interactions, and drive loyalty. So, as a digital marketer, ask yourself this. Are you applying the same proven strategies to your own brand’s social media presence?
Imagine the difference a well-designed gamification strategy could make in your customer journey. What if you rewarded engagement with exclusive badges? What if your audience competed in fun challenges, unlocking special discounts or early access to products and felt so valued that they chose your brand over competitors—not just once, but repeatedly?
The brands that master gamification won’t just gain more clicks—they’ll build communities, deepen loyalty, and drive sustainable business growth. So, will you just watch others win the game, or will you level up and play to win? The choice is yours. Let the game begin! 🚀
- How Gamification is Revolutionizing Social Media Engagement – By Hang Vu - May 3, 2025
- Instagram NEW features; 5 that you might have missed - January 1, 2023