How Preply Leverages Gamification to Boost Retention

Preply, an online language learning platform, leverages gamification to boost user engagement and retention for both students and tutors. Their approach focuses on motivating users to achieve language learning goals, creating a more rewarding and consistent learning experience.

Student Gamification

Preply uses gamification to encourage consistent learning and track student progress. Several key features contribute to this:

1. Progress Tracking: Preply uses visual Progress Bars (see: https://trophy.so/blog/progress-bar-feature-gamification-examples) to show students how far they've come in a lesson or course. This provides a clear and immediate sense of accomplishment.
2. Streaks: Students are encouraged to maintain consistent learning habits through Streaks (see: https://trophy.so/blog/streaks-feature-gamification-examples). Daily or weekly goals, when met, build a streak, which motivates continued engagement to avoid breaking it.
3. Achievements and Badges: As students complete lessons, reach learning milestones, or demonstrate specific skills, they unlock Achievements (see: https://trophy.so/blog/achievements-feature-gamification-examples) and earn Badges (see: https://trophy.so/blog/badges-feature-gamification-examples). These digital rewards provide tangible recognition of their effort and progress. For instance, a badge might be awarded for completing a specific grammar module or achieving a certain level of fluency.
4. Points: Some actions within the platform can award Points (see: https://trophy.so/blog/points-feature-gamification-examples). While not always prominently displayed, points can be a backend mechanic for triggering other gamified elements like leveling up or unlocking new features.

These gamified elements contribute to a more engaging and motivating learning environment. By providing visual feedback, rewarding progress, and encouraging consistent behavior, Preply helps students stay on track and achieve their language learning goals.

Tutor Gamification

Preply also incorporates gamification strategies to incentivize tutors to provide high-quality instruction and maintain a consistent presence on the platform. This is crucial for attracting and retaining both students and tutors.

1. Levels and Tiered Systems: Tutors can advance through Levels (see: https://trophy.so/blog/levels-feature-gamification-examples) based on their performance, student reviews, and activity on the platform. Higher levels often unlock benefits such as increased visibility in search results or access to premium features. This creates a sense of progression and motivates tutors to improve their performance.
2. Badges for Performance: Tutors can earn Badges (see: https://trophy.so/blog/badges-feature-gamification-examples) for achieving specific performance metrics. For example, badges might be awarded for maintaining a high student satisfaction rating, completing a certain number of lessons, or having a low cancellation rate. These badges are often displayed on the tutor's profile, showcasing their accomplishments to potential students.
3. Leaderboards (Potential): While less common, Preply could potentially implement Leaderboards (see: https://trophy.so/blog/leaderboards-feature-gamification-examples) to showcase top-performing tutors based on metrics like student hours taught or average rating. This could foster healthy competition and motivate tutors to strive for excellence. (Note: This feature is not explicitly advertised as a core part of Preply's gamification but is a plausible addition given the existing infrastructure.)
4. Rewards (Monetary & Visibility): Achieving certain milestones or maintaining high performance can unlock Rewards (see: https://trophy.so/blog/rewards-feature-gamification-examples), such as increased visibility in search results, promotional opportunities, or even monetary bonuses. This directly incentivizes tutors to provide excellent service and actively engage with the platform.

By gamifying the tutor experience, Preply encourages tutors to provide high-quality instruction, build strong relationships with students, and remain active on the platform. This ultimately benefits both tutors and students, creating a more vibrant and effective learning environment.

Impact on Engagement and Retention

Preply's gamification strategies have a measurable impact on both student engagement and retention:

• Increased Student Engagement: The use of progress tracking, streaks, and rewards motivates students to actively participate in lessons and maintain a consistent learning schedule. This leads to increased time spent on the platform and improved learning outcomes.
• Improved Student Retention: By making language learning more engaging and rewarding, gamification helps to reduce student churn. Students are more likely to stick with the platform and continue their language learning journey when they feel a sense of accomplishment and progress.
• Enhanced Tutor Performance: Gamification motivates tutors to provide high-quality instruction and build strong relationships with students. This leads to higher student satisfaction and improved tutor retention.
• Stronger Platform Ecosystem: By incentivizing both students and tutors, gamification helps to create a stronger and more vibrant learning ecosystem. This attracts new users to the platform and reinforces its value proposition.

Design and Implementation Considerations

When designing and implementing gamification strategies, Preply likely considered several key factors:

• Target Audience: The gamification elements are tailored to the specific needs and motivations of both students and tutors. For example, students are motivated by progress tracking and rewards, while tutors are incentivized by performance-based achievements and increased visibility.
• Clear Goals: The goals of the gamification strategies are clearly defined and communicated to users. Students and tutors understand what they need to do to earn rewards and progress through the system.
• Appropriate Rewards: The rewards are meaningful and relevant to the users. Students are motivated by recognition of their progress, while tutors are incentivized by increased earning potential and visibility.
• Balance: The gamification elements are balanced to avoid creating undue pressure or competition. The focus is on motivating users to improve their performance, rather than creating a sense of rivalry.
• Iteration and Improvement: Preply likely monitors the performance of its gamification strategies and makes adjustments based on user feedback and data analysis. This ensures that the gamification elements remain effective and engaging over time.

Conclusion

Preply's use of gamification is a successful example of how to enhance user engagement and retention in an online learning environment. By understanding the motivations of both students and tutors, and by carefully designing and implementing gamified elements, Preply has created a more rewarding and effective learning experience for all users. The platform leverages Achievements, Badges, Levels, Points, Progress Bars, Rewards, and Streaks to drive behavior and foster a positive learning community. This targeted approach has demonstrably contributed to Preply's growth and success in the competitive online language learning market. For startup founders, product managers, and designers, Preply's case offers valuable insights into the strategic application of gamification to achieve key business objectives. The key takeaway is that gamification should be thoughtfully integrated, aligned with user goals, and continuously optimized to maintain its effectiveness.