Bingo has catapulted from a physical entity into a virtual reality – with online bingo one of the most popular and successful industries to date. However, while many players are familiar with the real-life aspects of the game, reflecting this within a digital capacity is somewhat difficult.
Not only do you have to recreate the gaming experience and social aspect of bingo, you also need to make sure that this translates successfully from a physical environment to an online scenario. So how can bingo sites and apps ensure a successful transition? By following these five golden rules:
- Offer instant play. When people set foot in a bingo hall, they know they have instant access to bingo play – but with many bingo sites requiring registration or apps needing to be downloaded, it can be off-putting for potential players. Minimise the time it takes from landing on a bingo site to playing the game and receive maximum customer retention and loyalty simply by developing an efficient user journey.
- Make it tech-friendly. While many online-savvy people will have a good working knowledge of installing software updates etc, there’s still a large majority of people unaware of these type of tech issues. If the site requires any updates, ensure this is explained as easily as possible so as not to scare off any potential players,
- Appearance is everything. Having an eye-catching design is one thing, but cluttering the site or app with nuisances such as pop-ups can be extremely distracting. Not only can this lead to some serious lagging (resulting in a stuttered gaming experience) but this can also confuse the player – so ensure you invest in A/B testing to see what type of navigation is most effective for the user.
- Content is king. Sure, it might be an overused phrase but while design is key for bingo sites, it’s more about content when applied to mobile gaming. This is because users who play via mobile devices are generally constrained for time (as they are more likely to use their smartphones/tablets when on the move), so if you’re offering a wide variety of popular games, make sure the user can locate and play them as quickly as possible.
- Making it personal. One of the key benefits of playing online is offering a personalised experience for the player. Not only does this make them feel valued, but it also makes it easier for the player to know both the when and whereabouts of their favourite games using the ‘recently viewed’ category.
Once you have mastered these rules, then you can easily strike a successful balance between the two mediums with the three E’s: engagement, economics and ergonomics. Where desktop users can be economical with their time (ie spend as long as they like on their computer) compared to mobile users needing an ergonomic solution (ie requiring a convenient format that allows them to play bingo on their device anytime, anywhere), despite the different UX journeys, be sure to maintain the same level of engagement. From mobile bingo to other games, why not take a look at the various designs and see which mobile game provides the best UX for you? Check all this out and more by joining Wink Slots today!
Photograph by Skitterphoto