How BetterMe Uses Gamification to Improve Engagement and Retention

BetterMe, a suite of health and wellness apps, leverages gamification to boost user engagement and retention. Their approach focuses on making healthy habits more appealing and sustainable. This case study examines how they integrate various gamification elements and the resulting impact on user experience.

Overview of BetterMe Gamification

BetterMe apps (including BetterMe: Health Coaching and BetterMe: Mental Health) use a multifaceted gamification strategy. The core objective is to transform often-daunting health and wellness tasks into engaging, rewarding experiences. They achieve this through features designed to provide continuous feedback, motivation, and a sense of accomplishment.

Points and Rewards

Users earn Points for completing various activities within the apps, such as finishing workouts, logging meals, completing meditation sessions, or simply checking in daily. These points serve as a direct measure of user activity and progress. The accumulation of points unlocks Rewards, which can include access to premium content, personalized coaching sessions, discounts on products, or exclusive features. This system incentivizes continued engagement and helps users visualize the benefits of their efforts.

Achievements and Badges

Achievements are awarded for reaching specific milestones or demonstrating consistent effort. These are often linked to long-term goals, such as losing a certain amount of weight or completing a specific number of workouts. Badges, on the other hand, typically recognize specific achievements or skills. For example, a user might earn a "Consistency Badge" for logging meals every day for a week or a "Workout Warrior Badge" for completing a high-intensity training program. The visual representation of these achievements and badges provides users with a tangible sense of progress and accomplishment, further motivating them to continue their journey.

Levels and Progress Bars

BetterMe uses a Levels system to track overall progress and provide a sense of continuous advancement. As users accumulate points, they progress through different levels, unlocking new content and features as they go. Progress Bars are strategically used throughout the apps to visualize progress towards specific goals and level advancements. This provides users with a clear understanding of where they are on their journey and how much further they need to go to reach the next milestone. The visual representation of progress is a powerful motivator, encouraging users to stay on track and continue making progress.

Challenges

BetterMe incorporates Challenges to introduce variety and excitement into the user experience. These challenges can be individual or group-based and often focus on specific aspects of health and wellness, such as completing a certain number of steps in a week or trying a new healthy recipe. Challenges encourage users to push themselves beyond their comfort zones, try new things, and connect with other users. The competitive element of challenges can also be a strong motivator for some users.

Streaks

Streaks are a simple but effective way to encourage daily engagement. BetterMe rewards users for maintaining consistent activity, such as logging meals or completing workouts, day after day. The longer the streak, the greater the sense of accomplishment and the stronger the motivation to maintain it. Streaks leverage the power of habit formation, helping users build sustainable healthy behaviors.

Leaderboards

While BetterMe doesn't explicitly focus on public Leaderboards in the traditional sense, they may incorporate elements of friendly competition within specific challenges or communities. This avoids discouraging less active users while still providing a motivational boost for those who thrive on competition. The focus is more on personal progress and self-improvement rather than direct competition with others.

Impact on Engagement and Retention

The strategic integration of gamification has significantly impacted BetterMe's user engagement and retention. By making healthy habits more rewarding and enjoyable, BetterMe has been able to motivate users to stick with their programs and achieve their goals. The continuous feedback, sense of accomplishment, and personalized rewards contribute to a more positive and engaging user experience, leading to increased user satisfaction and loyalty. Specific metrics include:

• Increased Daily Active Users (DAU): Gamified features like streaks and daily challenges encourage users to open the app more frequently.
• Improved Session Length: Points, badges, and progress bars motivate users to spend more time engaging with the app's content and activities.
• Higher Retention Rates: The feeling of accomplishment and progress keeps users coming back, reducing churn.
• Increased Conversion Rates: The rewarding nature of the app can encourage users to upgrade to premium features for even greater benefits.

Examples of Effective Gamification Implementation

• Personalized Progress Tracking: Progress bars are tailored to individual goals, showing users exactly how close they are to achieving their objectives.
• Tiered Reward System: Rewards become more valuable and exclusive as users progress through the levels, providing continuous motivation.
• Social Challenges: Group-based challenges foster a sense of community and accountability, encouraging users to support each other.
• Adaptive Difficulty Levels: Challenges adjust based on user performance, ensuring they are challenging but not overwhelming.
• Gamified Onboarding: The initial onboarding process is gamified to introduce users to the app's features and benefits in an engaging way.

Key Takeaways for Startup Founders, Product Managers, and Designers

BetterMe's success with gamification offers valuable lessons for startup founders, product managers, and designers:

• Understand Your Target Audience: Tailor gamification elements to the specific needs and preferences of your users.
• Define Clear Goals and Objectives: Gamification should align with your overall business goals and user needs.
• Focus on Intrinsic Motivation: Design rewards and challenges that are inherently engaging and rewarding.
• Provide Continuous Feedback: Keep users informed of their progress and provide positive reinforcement.
• Create a Sense of Community: Encourage social interaction and collaboration to foster a sense of belonging.
• Iterate and Optimize: Continuously monitor user behavior and adjust your gamification strategy as needed.
• Balance Competition and Collaboration: Focus on fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where users can thrive.
• Don't Overdo It: Gamification should enhance the user experience, not distract from it. Avoid excessive or unnecessary game mechanics.
• Ensure Transparency and Fairness: Make sure that the rules of the game are clear and that rewards are distributed fairly.

By carefully considering these principles, startups can effectively leverage gamification to enhance user engagement, improve retention, and ultimately, add value to their users' lives.