Ambassify Blog Posts

Understanding Ambassify’s point system

Written by Elise Breban | October 02, 2024

In Ambassify, the point-based gamification system offers plenty of opportunities to create an engaging experience for your ambassadors. I’ll dig a bit deeper into how to optimize your reward strategy to enhance engagement and motivation, and, ultimately, help you maintain an active and motivated community.

The cost per point

The default cost per point in Ambassify is set at €0,02. This provides a simple value indicator for each point and serves as a guideline for managing your reward system. While it’s possible to adjust this value, we generally recommend keeping it at the default rate for consistency and ease of calculation.

Lifetime points vs. regular points 

Lifetime points (identified with a golden star icon) are the total points an ambassador has earned since they joined your community and don’t decrease when your ambassadors claim rewards. Usually, the lifetime points are also used to rank ambassadors on the leaderboard(s). 

The regular points, instead, will decrease when your ambassadors claim rewards. If you have custom leaderboards in your plan, it’s up to you to decide if you want to use lifetime points or regular points to rank your leaderboard(s).

Setting points for campaigns and interactions

Ambassify allows you to assign points for various user interactions, giving you flexibility in rewarding your audience.

For example, in a social sharing campaign, ambassadors receive 5 points per share by default. If the campaign enables two sharing platforms, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, the ambassador can earn 10 points for engaging with both channels.

Planning your campaigns 

By determining how many campaigns you intend to run in a given month, you can estimate the maximum number of points ambassadors might earn. This allows you to gauge when rewards will likely be attainable.

For instance, if you plan to run multiple campaigns with different interaction types (e.g., forms, shares, referrals), ambassadors engaging in all of them will accumulate points faster. This gives you a clearer timeline of when rewards can be claimed.

Allowing flexibility

Keep in mind that not every ambassador will engage in all campaigns. This gives you some flexibility and margin in your calculations. While the point system provides structure, engagement levels can vary, and it’s beneficial to have a plan that accommodates varying levels of participation.

Increased points for key campaigns

For important campaigns, temporarily increasing the point value can significantly enhance engagement. For example, offering double points for a week can have several benefits:

  • Higher point values can motivate ambassadors to be more active in the campaign.
  • Ambassadors can accumulate points faster, leading to quicker rewards and increased satisfaction.

Calculating rewards based on points

Understanding the point value helps you estimate how many points an ambassador needs to accumulate before they can claim a reward.

For instance, if you offer a reward worth €40, your users will need to collect 2000 points (40 / 0,02 = 2.000). This isn't a strict rule but more of a guideline for structuring your reward system.

Balancing low and high-value rewards

It’s a good practice to include rewards that require a relatively low number of points. These rewards serve as quick wins for ambassadors and encourage continued engagement. Typically, rewards with a point value of about 150-250 points are ideal. Common examples of low-value rewards include:

  • Company merchandise: branded keychains, stickers, and USB sticks
  • Small gadgets: handy tools or accessories 

In addition to low-value rewards, offering higher-value rewards can be a great way to incentivize long-term participation. These rewards usually require more points, reflecting their greater value. Examples include:

  • Gift vouchers: for popular retailers or online stores
  • Professional endorsements: such as a LinkedIn recommendation
  • Charity sponsorships: donating on behalf of an ambassador to a charity of their choice

For these rewards, aim for a point range between 1,500 and 2,500. This range strikes a balance between desirability and achievability, ensuring that ambassadors are motivated to work towards these larger goals without feeling overwhelmed.

Setting a maximum point limit

In general, it’s advisable to keep your rewards system within a maximum point threshold of 10,000 points. Rewards that require fewer than 10,000 points are more attainable and can keep your ambassadors engaged without creating a sense of unattainability. Higher point thresholds might discourage participation if the rewards seem too far out of reach.

Temporary rewards

Temporary rewards are a great way to boost engagement and keep ambassadors motivated. These rewards can be linked to specific seasons, events, or major campaigns. Examples of temporary rewards include:

  • Seasonal gifts: special merchandise or gadgets themed around a holiday or season.
  • Limited-time offers: exclusive discounts or unique rewards available for a short period.

 

Remember that it’s not all written in stone and that you can still evaluate your points and rewards system as your ambassador program evolves. 

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