Marketing gamification and B2B? Explore why so many brands have adopted gamification in their B2B marketing strategies.
Many B2B brands worry that gamification isn’t a fit for their sector. “It’s not serious enough,” “This only works for retail or consumer goods,” “Our customers don’t have time to play games.” These are just some of the concerns we’ve heard from customers before they saw the results for themselves.
The truth? Marketing gamification is incredibly effective for engaging business audiences. In fact, our platform data shows that registration rates for B2B campaigns lie around 78%, compared to a 70% platform average. Click-through rates are also stronger, with B2B campaigns averaging 27%, compared to the overall 23%.
In this article, we’re debunking the most common myths around B2B marketing gamification. We’ll also walk you through some examples, giving you inspiration for your own B2B marketing strategy.
Marketing gamification is most effective when used strategically, rather than as a short-term reaction or tactic. B2B makes no exception, and that’s the reason why many organizations are embracing game mechanics because they offer a smarter way to educate, engage, and convert professional audiences.
In B2B, where sales cycles are long and decisions are complex, gamification adds value by making information more accessible and interactions more meaningful. Here, the prizes are still important, but not as much as the value.
Knowledge games like quizzes or personality tests help communicate complex topics in more bit-sized and easily digestible formats. Beyond educating and building trust, gamification can also support lead nurturing, customer onboarding, and product adoption. And yes, fun still plays a role. Campaign types like calendars or luck games bring energy into channels that often feel dry, helping brands sustain engagement over time.
Marketing gamification can not only drive brand awareness, but it can also help to engage customers across the entire customer journey.
B2B audiences want to be educated. Potential customers just become aware of your brand and/ or product offering, and a solid gamification strategy can help you build trust and educate through the power of play.
How could it look in practice? A quiz promoted on social media or during industry events to promote awareness
Gamification can help you turn interested individuals into actual customers by encouraging them to take a specific action, such as making a purchase, marketing permissions, booking a demo, or filling a lead form. Did you know that more than 50% of B2B marketers cite creating content that drives desired action as a challenge. Marketing gamification helps overcome this. The key is providing real value and relevant prizes so they are willing to participate.
How could it look in practice? A wheel of fortune prize draw to win a free trial with a lead form
Marketing gamification helps you foster interaction and build a deeper connection with your audience to keep them interested and involved.
How could it look in practice? A personality test to help with marketing personalization and to learn more about customers
Gamification is a great way to share valuable insights and expertise, positioning your brand as an industry leader. In this stage, it’s essential to keep existing customers engaged and satisfied, and encourage repeat purchases.
How could it look in practice? A priority puzzle that lets participants rate the most important products/services/features to them to help you tailor your marketing further
To achieve the highest level of customer engagement, where customers have a strong emotional connection to your brand and become advocates, you can implement gamification strategies that reward loyalty and encourage ongoing engagement.
How could it look in practice? For those who are already customers and engage with the brand on social media or via email marketing, an advent calendar with prizes or discounts behind each door can help to reward loyal customers
Did you know? Because B2B sales cycles are usually lengthier and more complex, a marketing strategy that uses gamification across the entire customer journey can help to foster closer brand relations over time that not only attract new customers but also keep them.
This guide will take you through the effectiveness of gamification in B2B marketing, with real examples from brands, and show you how to get started with your own campaign to drive results.
We have heard these many times – and we are here to explain why these myths are not true.
Reality: Business audiences are also people. And like every person, they are hardwired to play. When in a play state, we enjoy having fun, being rewarded, and feeling a sense of belonging – and we also learn better! The approach in B2B is different – but the psychology behind it is the same as in any other industry.
Reality: Actually, gamification was created around the concept of motivational psychology. Play is the most ordinary human instinct. It is present in every culture across the world, it’s how we connect, learn and grow.
Play triggers our brains to release feel-good DOSE hormones (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins), creating a profound sense of happiness, leaving a lasting impression, and making us more likely to remember the experiences we just had.
The effects of these feel-good hormones are defined as:
Reality: For games, maybe. For a well-designed, strategically developed marketing gamification campaign? Absolutely! In a B2B context, gamification can bring enormous value to your customers. They are not here for a 10% discount code. However, they can benefit from learning more, be it about your company, industry, or their own problems and challenges. When it comes to prizes, here are some of the most appropriate ones when it comes to B2B gamification:
Now, let’s explore some inspiring b2b gamification examples.
Würth, the global market leader in the development, production, and sale of assembly and fastening materials, has successfully incorporated gamification marketing in their strategy. For one of their campaigns, they leveraged the traffic they received for Cyber Monday to collect new marketing permissions. In this fun Hit the Target game, participants were transported to the year 3045, where they had to shoot VR cyber ducks while avoiding shooting the lunch box.
The prize was a free Würth lunch box with their next purchase. This example perfectly illustrates how the fun element of gamification can fit business audiences.
QIAGEN, the biotechnology research leader, has been effectively using marketing gamification to engage and educate their audiences. Many of their campaigns have centered around quizzes, particularly during industry events, where they successfully attracted attendees to their booths. For example, one of their quizzes was testing players’ knowledge of QIAGEN and their solutions. This campaign is a strong case of how gamified experiences can turn educational content into a memorable interaction, especially in industries where the subject matter can often feel quite complex.
Visma LogBuy, Denmark’s largest discount and benefits portal, has been embracing gamification as part of their marketing strategy. To celebrate their 22nd birthday, they launched a Wheel of Fortune campaign designed to drive lead generation, boost app engagement, and increase app downloads. Thanks to the daily play option and attractive prizes, the results quickly followed. This campaign is a great example of how brands can use gamification to mark special milestones, such as company anniversaries, in a way that’s both fun and results-driven.
Marketing gamification is a powerful strategic tool to engage potential and existing business customers throughout the entire buyer journey. Gamification enables B2B brands to effectively engage prospects, boost lead generation, and build lasting relationships to stay ahead of the competition.
Playable’s gamification platform can help you create successful gamified campaigns that increase engagement and help you build trust. Get a demo today to see how our platform can help you craft a B2B marketing strategy that drives real results.