What can online publishers learn from gaming?

The demise of mainstream print media is now taken as gospel by many leading editors and media thinkers, while an even more radical idea - that there may not be any online future for existing newsrooms - is also being put forward. Whether or not you believe in that nightmare scenario is not important right now. What everyone in the news media does seem to agree about, is that engaging their online audiences is stupendously important.

By Niel Bekker

29 Oct 2010

Online publishers are still finding answers to the question: how would people like to interact with the media?

One bold answer may come from the online gaming industry.

Badgeville, a Palo Alto-based startup, applies game mechanics and design principles to help web publishers foster community engagement. On the most basic level, this happens by rewarding users for certain behaviours --reading one hundred finance articles, for instance - with virtual badges. Badges can be sponsored, and they can even unlock special offers and discounts.

Badgeville clients Philly.com (the online arm of The Philadelphia Inquirer) and online magazine BlackBook are rolling out their Badgeville-enabled sites soon. But what will the punters say?

Read the full article on www.memeburn.com.

Source: Memeburn

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