The paper present results of a study, which investigates how gamification might foster user engagement and positive marketing outcomes. Authors provide a comprehensive review of empirical studies investigating relationship between engagement and gamification. Authors analysed game elements of the Fitbit app, one of the best-known excercise apps. Data from 276 users of an app were analyzed using partial least squares regression. The results showed that gamification increases user engagement through satisfaction of the needs for competence, autonomy and relatedness. User engagement, in turn, leads to greater intention to use, disseminate WOM about, and to positively rate, the app. Finally, this study provides a number of theoretical and practical implications that can help developers design more effective gamified mobile apps.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.028

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296321002666

Paula Bitrián, Isabel Buil, Sara Catalán, Enhancing user engagement: The role of gamification in mobile apps, Journal of Business Research, Volume 132, 2021, Pages 170-185, ISSN 0148-2963.

Andrej Košir

University of Ljubljana