ENGAGEBUD

PRODUCT CASE STUDY

25%

AVG. ORDERS VALUE

INCREASE

25%

AVG. ORDERS VALUE

INCREASE

25%

AVG. ORDERS VALUE

INCREASE

MOBILE

MOBILE

MOBILE

2$ Million

Valuation

2$ Million

Valuation

2$ Million

Valuation

AVG

2.1 GAME

SESSIONS

AVG

2.1 GAME

SESSIONS

AVG

2.1 GAME

SESSIONS

GAMIFICATION

GAMIFICATION

GAMIFICATION

Introduction

In the digital era, where user attention spans are fleeting and competition for this attention is fierce, traditional engagement and data collection methods have shown significant shortcomings. Engagebud emerged as a groundbreaking solution aimed at transforming how brands interact with their audience, turning passive visitors into engaged participants.

Duration

March 2022 - Feb 2023

Team

Me - Founding Designer and Design Lead

Sufyan Qureshi - Junior Product Designer

Projukta Mandal - Junior Product Designer

Abhinav Rai - Co-Founder & CEO

Aman Kumar - Co-Founder & CTO

Aditya Mittal - Product Engineer

Kabir Rai - VP Marketing

Main Responsibilities

UI / UX / Brand / Graphics

The Challenge

Businesses across various sectors faced a trio of interconnected problems that hindered their growth and customer understanding:

Subpar Email Capture Rates:

The traditional methods of collecting customer data, primarily through sign-up forms and pop-ups, were increasingly ineffective. Users often ignored these intrusive attempts at engagement, resulting in poor email capture rates and a lack of valuable customer insights.

illustration of annoying popups
illustration of annoying popups

Brief Website Visits:

Brands noticed that a majority of their website visitors left without meaningful interaction. This behavior pattern indicated a failure to capture user interest, making it difficult to convey the brand's value proposition and deepen user engagement.


illustration of man emoji leaving a website
illustration of man emoji leaving a website

Challenges in Encouraging Repeat Business:

Establishing customer loyalty and encouraging repeat transactions were significant challenges. The absence of engaging and memorable interactions meant that brands struggled to differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace, leading to lower customer retention rates.

illustration of loyal brand fans
illustration of loyal brand fans

Understanding the Problems

Through careful analysis and direct feedback from businesses, it became evident that the digital landscape's traditional engagement strategies were no longer resonating with users. The need for a novel approach was clear—one that would captivate users' attention, encourage active participation, and collect valuable data in a non-intrusive manner.


Engagebud's Approach to Problem Identification: The team at Engagebud, led by innovative designers and strategists, embarked on a journey to dissect these challenges. Through a combination of data analysis, user behavior studies, and market research, the team identified key areas where traditional methods fell short:

  • Engagement lacked the element of fun and personalization that modern users craved.

  • Data collection methods were seen as a nuisance rather than a value exchange.

  • Brands were unable to create memorable experiences that fostered loyalty and repeat business.

Crafting Innovative Solutions

Revolutionizing Engagement and Data Collection

Engagebud responded to the identified challenges by developing a suite of innovative solutions tailored to enhance user engagement, improve data collection rates, and foster lasting customer relationships. This section delves into the core features and strategies that define Engagebud's unique approach to solving the digital engagement conundrum.

A Spectrum of Interactive Experiences

Engagebud introduced an array of pre-built and customizable games, ranging from classics like spin the wheel and quizzes to immersive games like Match-3. Each game was designed with the dual purpose of maximizing user engagement and seamlessly integrating brand elements, allowing for a highly personalized interaction that resonated with users on a deeper level.

  • Customization at Its Core: Beyond mere color and theme adjustments, Engagebud empowered brands to embed their products and messaging within the games, creating a unique blend of entertainment and brand exposure. This customization capability ensured that each engagement felt genuine and closely aligned with the brand's identity.

illustration of a match 3 game on plums website with the icons to be matched being plum products
illustration of a match 3 game on plums website with the icons to be matched being plum products

Strategic Engagement Through the Customer Journey

Recognizing the importance of timing in customer interaction, Engagebud's platform enabled brands to strategically place games at crucial points along the customer journey. Whether it was capturing the interest of a new website visitor, enhancing the post-purchase experience, or re-engaging a lapsed customer, Engagebud ensured that each touchpoint was an opportunity for engagement.

  • Multi-Channel Integration: Engagebud's solution was not confined to websites alone. It extended to email, SMS, WhatsApp, and push notifications, allowing brands to maintain a consistent and engaging presence across all user touchpoints.

image of a spin the wheel game on snitch clothings's shopify checkout store
image of a spin the wheel game on snitch clothings's shopify checkout store

Incentivizing Participation

To motivate users to engage with the games, Engagebud introduced a variety of incentives, including coupons, discounts, and exclusive rewards. This approach not only increased participation rates but also drove higher conversion rates as users were more likely to make a purchase when incentivized with a tangible reward.

  • Rich Data Collection: The engaging nature of the games naturally encouraged users to provide their email addresses and other valuable data. This data collection was further enriched by insights into user preferences and behaviors, captured through their interactions with the games.

image of collected data of user engaged
image of collected data of user engaged

A Design-Driven Approach to Solving Problems

Integrating Design Thinking into Solution Development

Engagebud's success in redefining user engagement and data collection was not by chance but the result of a meticulously applied design-thinking approach. This section explores how design principles guided the problem-solving process, from identifying user needs to implementing highly effective engagement solutions.

Embracing User-Centric Design

At the core of Engagebud's strategy was a commitment to understanding and prioritizing the user's experience. This user-centric approach was evident in every aspect of the solution development process.

  • Empathetic Understanding: The initial step involved deeply understanding the user's challenges and motivations. Engagebud's team engaged in comprehensive user research, including surveys, interviews, and behavior analysis, to empathize with the users' experiences.

  • Defining User Needs: Armed with insights from the empathetic understanding phase, the team clearly defined the user needs. This definition went beyond superficial desires, focusing on the underlying reasons users sought more engaging and less intrusive ways to interact with brands.

image of a google meet conducted for user testing purposes to make engagebud more user-centric
image of a google meet conducted for user testing purposes to make engagebud more user-centric

Iterative Prototyping and Testing

With a clear understanding of user needs, Engagebud adopted an iterative approach to design and development. This process allowed for rapid prototyping of games and engagement strategies, followed by testing and refinement based on user feedback.

  • Rapid Prototyping: Engagebud's design team developed prototypes for various games and engagement tools, enabling quick evaluation of concepts.

  • User Testing and Feedback: Each prototype underwent rigorous testing with real users. Feedback was meticulously collected and analyzed to identify what worked, what didn't, and why.

  • Refinement and Iteration: Insights from testing were used to refine and iterate on the designs. This cycle of prototyping, testing, and refinement continued until the solutions met the high standards set for user engagement and satisfaction.

image of various iterations of a trivia game hosted by sleepyowl made with engagebud on mobile devices
image of various iterations of a trivia game hosted by sleepyowl made with engagebud on mobile devices

Personal Favorite Design Solutions

Two major design challenges exemplified Engagebud's problem-solving prowess:

Enhancing the Click-Through Rate (CTR) of the Floating Action Button:

The initial design of the floating action button garnered a modest CTR of 3.2%. Recognizing the potential for improvement, we innovated a "Nudge" feature, incorporating dynamic movement and animation to the Floating Action Button to catch the user's attention without being intrusive. This redesign propelled the CTR to an impressive 19%.

image of a overlay saying spin for 10% off - play now
image of a overlay saying spin for 10% off - play now

Overcoming Email Capture Obstacles:

The team identified a design flaw where the "Play Now" button blended into the background on some themes, reducing visibility and conversion rates. By adjusting the background color to increase contrast and relocating the button to a more prominent screen area, the conversion rate surged from the lower than average 13% to 48%.

images of a email form with the try your luck button camouflaging into the background on one side and standing out after a change in color on the other side
images of a email form with the try your luck button camouflaging into the background on one side and standing out after a change in color on the other side

Leveraging Design for Strategic Engagement

Engagebud's design-centric approach extended to the strategic placement of engagement tools across the customer journey. By designing for context, the team ensured that games and incentives appeared at moments when users were most receptive, thus maximizing engagement and data collection opportunities.

Measuring Success and Impact

Realizing Vision Through Tangible Results

Engagebud's innovative approach to enhancing digital engagement and improving data collection has yielded significant results for brands across various industries. This section highlights the key achievements and the measurable impact of Engagebud's solutions, culminating in a valuation peak of $2 million, a testament to its progress.

Impact on Engagement and Conversion Rates

The deployment of Engagebud's gamified engagement tools led to remarkable improvements in key performance indicators across the board:

  • Increased Email Capture Rates: Through engaging games and strategically placed incentives, Engagebud significantly boosted email capture rates for its clients. On average, businesses saw a 9-20%+ lead ratio, far surpassing traditional pop-up methods.

  • Enhanced Website Visitor Retention: By offering a spectrum of interactive experiences, Engagebud managed to extend the duration of website visits. Users not only stayed longer on the sites but also explored more deeply into the brands' offerings, thereby increasing the chances of conversion.

  • Fostering Repeat Business: Engagebud's solutions played a pivotal role in encouraging repeat transactions. By creating memorable and enjoyable interactions, brands witnessed improved customer loyalty and repeat business rates.

an image of bella vita's fun zone hosting multiple games
an image of bella vita's fun zone hosting multiple games

Quantifiable Success Stories

Several case studies underscore the effectiveness of Engagebud's approach:

  • Plum Goodness: The skincare brand utilized Engagebud for their birthday month campaign, resulting in an 11% lead generation, a 25% increase in Average Order Value (AOV), and an overall enhanced user engagement reflected by an average gaming session per user of 2.1.

  • boAt Audio: By gamifying their customer engagement, boAt saw a 17% click-through rate on their customized floating widget, an 80% engagement rate, and a 15% lead generation, showcasing the power of a well-executed gamification strategy.

  • Perfora Care: Leveraging Engagebud's gamified approach during their "100-Hour Shark Tank Sale," Perfora Care achieved an 11% lead generation rate and a 375% higher conversion rate for visitors who engaged with the game.

an image on boAt audio's website of a engagebud made spin the wheel
an image on boAt audio's website of a engagebud made spin the wheel

Value Creation and Market Recognition

Engagebud's innovative solutions not only delivered outstanding results for clients but also earned the platform a peak valuation of $2 million. This valuation reflects the market's recognition of Engagebud's ability to solve fundamental digital marketing challenges through design and technology.

  • Industry-Wide Recognition: Engagebud's success stories and the measurable impact of its solutions have garnered attention across the digital marketing and tech industries, establishing it as a leader in gamified engagement solutions.

  • Future Growth Prospects: With its current valuation and proven track record, Engagebud is well-positioned for future growth. The platform's ability to adapt to changing market demands and continuously innovate its offerings promises further success and value creation.

An image of EngageBud's Crunchbase Page
An image of EngageBud's Crunchbase Page

Conclusion

Engagebud's journey from identifying pervasive digital engagement challenges to implementing groundbreaking solutions has fundamentally transformed how brands interact with their customers. The tangible results achieved—reflected in improved engagement metrics, customer loyalty, and a significant $2 million valuation—underscore the effectiveness of Engagebud's design-driven approach. As the platform looks to the future, its potential to shape the digital marketing landscape remains vast, with ongoing innovations and strategic expansions poised to further elevate its impact and value. Engagebud stands as a compelling case study of how innovative solutions, grounded in user-centric design and strategic implementation, can achieve remarkable success in the digital age.

Find me online.

Thoughts, Tips, and General Life Updates.

© Darin Menezes, 2024

ENGAGEBUD

PRODUCT CASE STUDY

25%

AVG. ORDERS VALUE

INCREASE

MOBILE

2$ Million

Valuation

AVG

2.1 GAME

SESSIONS

GAMIFICATION

Introduction

In the digital era, where user attention spans are fleeting and competition for this attention is fierce, traditional engagement and data collection methods have shown significant shortcomings. Engagebud emerged as a groundbreaking solution aimed at transforming how brands interact with their audience, turning passive visitors into engaged participants.

Duration

March 2022 - Feb 2023

Team

Me - Founding Designer and Design Lead

Sufyan Qureshi - Junior Product Designer

Projukta Mandal - Junior Product Designer

Abhinav Rai - Co-Founder & CEO

Aman Kumar - Co-Founder & CTO

Aditya Mittal - Product Engineer

Kabir Rai - VP Marketing

Main Responsibilities

UI / UX / Brand / Graphics

The Challenge

Businesses across various sectors faced a trio of interconnected problems that hindered their growth and customer understanding:

Subpar Email Capture Rates:

The traditional methods of collecting customer data, primarily through sign-up forms and pop-ups, were increasingly ineffective. Users often ignored these intrusive attempts at engagement, resulting in poor email capture rates and a lack of valuable customer insights.


illustration of annoying popups

Brief Website Visits:

Brands noticed that a majority of their website visitors left without meaningful interaction. This behavior pattern indicated a failure to capture user interest, making it difficult to convey the brand's value proposition and deepen user engagement.


illustration of man emoji leaving a website

Challenges in Encouraging Repeat Business:

Establishing customer loyalty and encouraging repeat transactions were significant challenges. The absence of engaging and memorable interactions meant that brands struggled to differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace, leading to lower customer retention rates.


illustration of loyal brand fans

Understanding the Problems

Through careful analysis and direct feedback from businesses, it became evident that the digital landscape's traditional engagement strategies were no longer resonating with users. The need for a novel approach was clear—one that would captivate users' attention, encourage active participation, and collect valuable data in a non-intrusive manner.


Engagebud's Approach to Problem Identification: The team at Engagebud, led by innovative designers and strategists, embarked on a journey to dissect these challenges. Through a combination of data analysis, user behavior studies, and market research, the team identified key areas where traditional methods fell short:

  • Engagement lacked the element of fun and personalization that modern users craved.

  • Data collection methods were seen as a nuisance rather than a value exchange.

  • Brands were unable to create memorable experiences that fostered loyalty and repeat business.

Crafting Innovative Solutions

Revolutionizing Engagement and Data Collection

Engagebud responded to the identified challenges by developing a suite of innovative solutions tailored to enhance user engagement, improve data collection rates, and foster lasting customer relationships. This section delves into the core features and strategies that define Engagebud's unique approach to solving the digital engagement conundrum.

A Spectrum of Interactive Experiences

Engagebud introduced an array of pre-built and customizable games, ranging from classics like spin the wheel and quizzes to immersive games like Match-3. Each game was designed with the dual purpose of maximizing user engagement and seamlessly integrating brand elements, allowing for a highly personalized interaction that resonated with users on a deeper level.

  • Customization at Its Core: Beyond mere color and theme adjustments, Engagebud empowered brands to embed their products and messaging within the games, creating a unique blend of entertainment and brand exposure. This customization capability ensured that each engagement felt genuine and closely aligned with the brand's identity.

illustration of a match 3 game on plums website with the icons to be matched being plum products

Strategic Engagement Through the Customer Journey

Recognizing the importance of timing in customer interaction, Engagebud's platform enabled brands to strategically place games at crucial points along the customer journey. Whether it was capturing the interest of a new website visitor, enhancing the post-purchase experience, or re-engaging a lapsed customer, Engagebud ensured that each touchpoint was an opportunity for engagement.

  • Multi-Channel Integration: Engagebud's solution was not confined to websites alone. It extended to email, SMS, WhatsApp, and push notifications, allowing brands to maintain a consistent and engaging presence across all user touchpoints.

image of a spin the wheel game on snitch clothings's shopify checkout store

Incentivizing Participation

To motivate users to engage with the games, Engagebud introduced a variety of incentives, including coupons, discounts, and exclusive rewards. This approach not only increased participation rates but also drove higher conversion rates as users were more likely to make a purchase when incentivized with a tangible reward.

  • Rich Data Collection: The engaging nature of the games naturally encouraged users to provide their email addresses and other valuable data. This data collection was further enriched by insights into user preferences and behaviors, captured through their interactions with the games.

image of collected data of user engaged

A Design-Driven Approach to Solving Problems

Integrating Design Thinking into Solution Development

Engagebud's success in redefining user engagement and data collection was not by chance but the result of a meticulously applied design-thinking approach. This section explores how design principles guided the problem-solving process, from identifying user needs to implementing highly effective engagement solutions.

Embracing User-Centric Design

At the core of Engagebud's strategy was a commitment to understanding and prioritizing the user's experience. This user-centric approach was evident in every aspect of the solution development process.

  • Empathetic Understanding: The initial step involved deeply understanding the user's challenges and motivations. Engagebud's team engaged in comprehensive user research, including surveys, interviews, and behavior analysis, to empathize with the users' experiences.

  • Defining User Needs: Armed with insights from the empathetic understanding phase, the team clearly defined the user needs. This definition went beyond superficial desires, focusing on the underlying reasons users sought more engaging and less intrusive ways to interact with brands.

image of a google meet conducted for user testing purposes to make engagebud more user-centric

Iterative Prototyping and Testing

With a clear understanding of user needs, Engagebud adopted an iterative approach to design and development. This process allowed for rapid prototyping of games and engagement strategies, followed by testing and refinement based on user feedback.

  • Rapid Prototyping: Engagebud's design team developed prototypes for various games and engagement tools, enabling quick evaluation of concepts.

  • User Testing and Feedback: Each prototype underwent rigorous testing with real users. Feedback was meticulously collected and analyzed to identify what worked, what didn't, and why.

  • Refinement and Iteration: Insights from testing were used to refine and iterate on the designs. This cycle of prototyping, testing, and refinement continued until the solutions met the high standards set for user engagement and satisfaction.

image of various iterations of a trivia game hosted by sleepyowl made with engagebud on mobile devices

Personal Favorite Design Solutions

Two major design challenges exemplified Engagebud's problem-solving prowess:

Enhancing the Click-Through Rate (CTR) of the Floating Action Button:

The initial design of the floating action button garnered a modest CTR of 3.2%. Recognizing the potential for improvement, we innovated a "Nudge" feature, incorporating dynamic movement and animation to the Floating Action Button to catch the user's attention without being intrusive. This redesign propelled the CTR to an impressive 19%.

image of a overlay saying spin for 10% off - play now

Overcoming Email Capture Obstacles:

The team identified a design flaw where the "Play Now" button blended into the background on some themes, reducing visibility and conversion rates. By adjusting the background color to increase contrast and relocating the button to a more prominent screen area, the conversion rate surged from the lower than average 13% to 48%.

images of a email form with the try your luck button camouflaging into the background on one side and standing out after a change in color on the other side

Leveraging Design for Strategic Engagement

Engagebud's design-centric approach extended to the strategic placement of engagement tools across the customer journey. By designing for context, the team ensured that games and incentives appeared at moments when users were most receptive, thus maximizing engagement and data collection opportunities.

Measuring Success and Impact

Realizing Vision Through Tangible Results

Engagebud's innovative approach to enhancing digital engagement and improving data collection has yielded significant results for brands across various industries. This section highlights the key achievements and the measurable impact of Engagebud's solutions, culminating in a valuation peak of $2 million, a testament to its progress.

Impact on Engagement and Conversion Rates

The deployment of Engagebud's gamified engagement tools led to remarkable improvements in key performance indicators across the board:

  • Increased Email Capture Rates: Through engaging games and strategically placed incentives, Engagebud significantly boosted email capture rates for its clients. On average, businesses saw a 9-20%+ lead ratio, far surpassing traditional pop-up methods.

  • Enhanced Website Visitor Retention: By offering a spectrum of interactive experiences, Engagebud managed to extend the duration of website visits. Users not only stayed longer on the sites but also explored more deeply into the brands' offerings, thereby increasing the chances of conversion.

  • Fostering Repeat Business: Engagebud's solutions played a pivotal role in encouraging repeat transactions. By creating memorable and enjoyable interactions, brands witnessed improved customer loyalty and repeat business rates.

an image of bella vita's fun zone hosting multiple games

Quantifiable Success Stories

Several case studies underscore the effectiveness of Engagebud's approach:

  • Plum Goodness: The skincare brand utilized Engagebud for their birthday month campaign, resulting in an 11% lead generation, a 25% increase in Average Order Value (AOV), and an overall enhanced user engagement reflected by an average gaming session per user of 2.1.

  • boAt Audio: By gamifying their customer engagement, boAt saw a 17% click-through rate on their customized floating widget, an 80% engagement rate, and a 15% lead generation, showcasing the power of a well-executed gamification strategy.

  • Perfora Care: Leveraging Engagebud's gamified approach during their "100-Hour Shark Tank Sale," Perfora Care achieved an 11% lead generation rate and a 375% higher conversion rate for visitors who engaged with the game.

an image on boAt audio's website of a engagebud made spin the wheel

Value Creation and Market Recognition

Engagebud's innovative solutions not only delivered outstanding results for clients but also earned the platform a peak valuation of $2 million. This valuation reflects the market's recognition of Engagebud's ability to solve fundamental digital marketing challenges through design and technology.

  • Industry-Wide Recognition: Engagebud's success stories and the measurable impact of its solutions have garnered attention across the digital marketing and tech industries, establishing it as a leader in gamified engagement solutions.

  • Future Growth Prospects: With its current valuation and proven track record, Engagebud is well-positioned for future growth. The platform's ability to adapt to changing market demands and continuously innovate its offerings promises further success and value creation.

An image of EngageBud's Crunchbase Page

Conclusion

Engagebud's journey from identifying pervasive digital engagement challenges to implementing groundbreaking solutions has fundamentally transformed how brands interact with their customers. The tangible results achieved—reflected in improved engagement metrics, customer loyalty, and a significant $2 million valuation—underscore the effectiveness of Engagebud's design-driven approach. As the platform looks to the future, its potential to shape the digital marketing landscape remains vast, with ongoing innovations and strategic expansions poised to further elevate its impact and value. Engagebud stands as a compelling case study of how innovative solutions, grounded in user-centric design and strategic implementation, can achieve remarkable success in the digital age.

Find me online.

Thoughts, Tips, and General Life Updates.

© Darin Menezes, 2024