A full guide to gamification for news publishers

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Gamification for media outlets is a thing. From the New York Times’ acclaimed success in using games to drive reader retention and growth, to financial news outlets increasingly offering stock market games that educate readers on investing, there are countless examples of how gamification has proven valuable for news publishers for reader engagement.

However, as with any initiative, the game has to align with your overall business goals and be tied to your editorial content from inception.

Whether you’re exploring gamification to strengthen engagement within your reader community or are already incorporating games into your strategy, we have created a guide to successful gamification to support you in your endeavor and achieve your objectives. Here’s an overview of what we’re touching on.

What is gamification in media and why it works

Gamification in media refers to the use of game-like elements to boost reader engagement, create memorable experiences, and drive interaction with content. From simple puzzles to elaborate strategy games tied to journalistic themes, gamification caters to a broad spectrum of readers, offering value at different levels.

Best gamification for news publishers

The Basics: Relaxation and Entertainment

At a foundational level, gamification often includes word games, crosswords, and puzzles. These provide casual entertainment that’s ideal for readers seeking to unwind during a commute or a break. Such games enhance dwell time and foster a positive association with the publisher.

Advanced News Gamification: Story-Driven Reader Engagement

News publishers are increasingly leveraging gamification to extend their brand identity and attract new readers. These advanced games often integrate journalistic content, aligning the gaming experience with the publisher’s mission to inform and engage. For example, financial publications like Dagens industri, Finanz und Wirtschaft, Dagens Næringsliv and Kauppalehti use the “Fantasy Funds” stock market game, where players manage virtual investment portfolios and compete for prizes. This not only entertains but educates readers on market dynamics, fostering deeper connections with the brand.

Similarly, the Colombian newspaper Cuestión Pública innovatively gamified voter education with their “Game of Votes” initiative, inspired by the Game of Thrones aesthetic. The game invited players to uncover the influence of wealthy families on political campaigns through investigative journalism, turning complex issues into an engaging, interactive experience. By combining entertainment with investigative reporting, the project achieved over 41,000 unique visitors and 350,000 ad impressions—a remarkable impact in building voter awareness and showcasing the paper’s editorial strengths​​.

Collaborative Gamification Initiatives

Gamification in media is not limited to individual companies. Several news publishers are joining forces to explore innovative ways for new audiences engagement:

• Game Hub by FutureMediaHub: A collaborative network exploring interactive storytelling using gaming technologies. Their goal? To make news consumption immersive—possibly even within VR environments.
• Seriously Play the News by NewsArcade: An EU-backed initiative aiming to blend gamification with journalism to improve news literacy and combat misinformation among young adults.

Why Gamification Works

The appeal of gamification lies in its ability to tap into our intrinsic desire for achievement and recognition. Features like leaderboards, badges, or interactive storytelling engage not only Gen Z but a broad demographic of readers. These tools also enable publishers to collect valuable insights into audience behavior, paving the way for more personalized content.

As we look ahead, gamified news experiences may become integral to media strategies, driving both engagement and innovation. If the future of journalism includes a chance to play while staying informed, count me in!

In the media landscape, gamification offers unique opportunities to:

• Capture and retain readers’ attention
• Collect first-party data
• Drive subscription growth

By leveraging gamified experiences, news organizations can not only attract new audiences but also create deep, meaningful interactions that drive business outcomes.

The Fundamentals of Gamification

To implement a successful gamification strategy, it’s crucial to understand the core elements that make games so engaging. By considering and addressing each of these key elements you will have done half of the work already.

Download our full guide to gamification here.

After fleshing out ideas and addressing each step outlined above, the next phase focuses on how to attract the right audience and successfully bring your game to market.

Steps to Implement Gamification Successfully

1. Know Your Audience: Understand what motivates your target audience. Are they driven by competition, social interaction, or achievement? By tailoring your game mechanics to these drivers, you can create a more engaging experience.

For example, Fantasy Funds appeals to users’ desire to outperform their peers in stock trading and win an attractive prize. With leaderboards and weekly / monthly or a grand prize, the game taps into these motivations effectively.

2. Start Simple, Scale Gradually: Begin with simple game mechanics like points and badges. As you gather user feedback, you can introduce more complex features like levels, or multiplayer modes, if applicable.

3. Design for Engagement: Your design should be intuitive and visually appealing. A seamless user experience ensures that players stay focused on the game rather than being distracted by complex interfaces.

Fantasy Funds provides an interface that replicates a real-world trading platform, ensuring a smooth user experience for new as well as experienced investors.

4. Leverage Data and Analytics: Use analytics to monitor player behavior and identify what features drive the most engagement. Data can provide insights to continually refine and enhance the game experience.

In Fantasy Funds, data helps track player performance and the level of engagement.

5. Keep It Fun, But Purposeful: Balance fun with purpose. While gamification should be enjoyable, it must also meet your business objectives—whether they are educating users, increasing engagement, or encouraging behavior change.

Fantasy Funds combines gaming with learning and is an effective method to introduce players to real-world market data and related stock-market news. Sending weekly newsletters to players or showcasing financial podcasts or other content keeps the educational and informative level high during the entire game period.

6. Encourage Continuous Improvement: Introduce new levels, challenges, and seasonal events to keep players coming back for future rounds.

Publishers implementing Fantasy Funds make the game available once to twice a year on average, where players can meet new challenges and keep competing with their friends and peers.

7. Incorporate Social Proof and Community: Social proof, like leaderboards and leagues, adds credibility and motivates players to engage further. Building a community around your gamified platform fosters long-term loyalty.

Fantasy Funds fosters a strong sense of camaraderie by blending shared achievements with a healthy competitive spirit. A notable example of this is DN‘s partnership with a local business school (BI), where students are able to join the school’s league and compete against one another. This innovative approach not only promotes the game but also introduces the newspaper brand to younger audiences.

Before diving into the key approaches for maximizing the ROI of gamification, it’s essential to understand the broader impact of a well-implemented strategy. When executed thoughtfully, gamification not only increases user engagement but also fosters deeper connections with your audience, turning casual participants into loyal users. By combining smart game mechanics with tailored content, publishers can drive significant business outcomes—from attracting new users to boosting subscriptions. Let’s take a look at what ROI you can be expecting with your game.

Download our full guide to gamification to master your game success.

Maximizing Gamification ROI: 3 Key Approaches

1. Gain New Users and Convert to Subscribers
   • Generate tens of thousands of new registered users through freemium models.
   • Convert readers into subscribers by placing premium content within the game.
2. Sign Commercial Sponsorships
   • Tap into sponsorship revenue by offering ad spaces in strategic game locations, providing brands with targeted exposure.
3. Generate Advertising Revenue
   • Utilize gamification as a platform for ad placements, generating millions of impressions and valuable first-party data.

What publishers say:

“We’re launching our 7th Fantasy Funds season now. It’s one of the most important activities we have for attracting younger audiences.” – Product Manager at DN Media Group

“The higher the players’ engagement, the greater their interest in related content we publish, resulting in player conversion.” – UK Financial Publication

Conclusion

Gamification has proven to be a powerful tool for media organizations looking to boost user engagement, grow subscriptions, and gather valuable data. By offering a unique game, publishers are able to create a compelling and educational experience that draws players in and keeps them engaged – the more unique the game, the higher the interest. Fantasy Funds stands as a successful example of how gamification can transform audience interaction, leading to tangible business results.

In understanding their audience, starting small, and scaling as needed, publishers are able to create a gamified experience that is both fun and purposeful. Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your strategy, gamification offers endless opportunities for growth.

Want to learn more? Reach out to request a demo of Fantasy Funds!