Leveraging gamification for stickiness

Gamification applies game-design elements to non-game contexts, enhancing feature stickiness by tapping into users' desires for achievement, status, and rewards. Key elements include points systems, leaderboards, badges, progress bars, and challenges. Each element serves a specific purpose: points reward actions, leaderboards foster competition, badges mark achievements, progress bars visualize advancement, and challenges drive engagement.

Among these elements, progress tracking often proves most effective for sustained engagement. While points and badges can lose their appeal over time, and leaderboards might discourage users who aren't highly competitive, progress bars tap into users' intrinsic motivation. By visualizing meaningful advancement toward personal goals, they create a sense of purpose and accomplishment that maintains engagement over the long term.^[1]

MyFitnessPal effectively uses progress tracking through its macro nutrition circles, showing clear visual progress toward daily goals while maintaining specific numbers for precision.