I am putting together a scavenger hunt here in SW Missouri and am trying to figure out ways to convert PGO players into playing our game as well. We have received some great feedback from our target demo, but I am still trying to figure out a few core issues (adoption, platform, structure of the game, etc.) I am looking for an expert to bounce some ideas off of and streamline the project. What would you do to convert PGO players?
Some ideas:
- Have Pokemon stuffed toys as things that are found on the scavenger hunt. Or have them as prizes, or have Pokemon 'currency' as a prize.
- Set up Pokemon 'lures' through the app. They attract Pokemon and are used by businesses that want to bring traffic. You could place the lures at places along your scavenger hunt trail.
- Find a local Pokestop (or whatever the places are called where they Pokemon cluster), and put a sign on a lamp post there advertising your scavenger hunt, and the features mentioned in the list above.
Hi!
I think the scavenger hunt idea is great. Getting people active and outside, hopefully learning about their surroundings is huge in a world of distraction.
I used to play PGO, but I fell off because I lost interest after a while. No new content was available, and I was catching the same thing.
I think your biggest challenge with this idea is the adoption of your scavenger hunt. The reason PGO was so popular was because of the pokemon brand. But if you take the brand away... how many people do you think would actually stick with the game? It's awesome to go out and use AR to catch pokemon on the sidealk in front of your house.
But what's your value prop for your scavenger hunt and what makes it unique?
I would go straight to Pokemon Go players and start digging for answers using broad sweeping questions such as, "What do you like about PGO?" and beginning to narrow from there. The book "Ask" by Ryan Levesque is the perfect tool for this research.
As an outdoor educator I know how difficult it can be to get people to unplug and engage in outdoor activities. Geocaching is a hobby exactly halfway between PGO and traditional treasure hunts. Participants use GPS enabled devices to hide and located "caches" usually in the outdoors where they can record their finds and swap trinkets from the cache.
You might do well to approach both populations of users and find out what draws them to each. Then, using that information, form your copy and platform in a way that uses their own language, problems, and excitement to convert them.
Let me know if you'd like to chat more, I'm always happy to help.
I would use social media by running a Facebook ad that compares your scavenger hunt to PGO. You could say something like, Like PGO? come check out our new scavenger hunt! and then those who you get that come to your website you could use the FB Pixel to retarget them and create a look alike audience, then add in the look alike audience all of your key words that would suggest people who like PGO. Then Voilla you are right in your target market. If you need help, contact me and I can get it set up pretty easily if you have a website and access to the coding for it.
I'll keep it short, simple and pretty useful.
Hang out with the Pokemon Go players for a couple of days. Understand what makes them love the game so much. Understand what makes them excited to play the game everyday. And then subtly point the similarities or even better experiences in Real Life Scavenger hunt.
Converting Pokemon Go players to play your real-life scavenger hunt for cash and prizes requires careful planning and execution. Here are some steps you can take to attract Pokemon Go players to your scavenger hunt:
Identify the audience: Determine the target audience for your scavenger hunt. Since you are targeting Pokemon Go players, you should focus on younger audiences who are likely to be interested in gaming and scavenger hunts.
Highlight similarities: Showcase how your scavenger hunt has similarities with Pokemon Go, such as the exploration aspect, competition, and rewards.
Offer attractive rewards: Offer cash and prizes that will appeal to the Pokemon Go players, such as rare Pokemon, gift cards, or other rewards that can be used in the game.
Promote on social media: Promote your scavenger hunt on social media channels where Pokemon Go players are likely to be active, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit. Use hashtags and join groups to reach the targeted audience.
Partner with influencers: Partner with social media influencers who are popular among Pokemon Go players to promote your scavenger hunt. This can help you reach a wider audience and build credibility.
Organize a pre-hunt event: Organize a pre-hunt event where participants can gather and meet each other. This can create excitement and encourage participants to invite their friends to join.
Leverage gamification: Incorporate gamification elements into your scavenger hunt, such as time limits, leaderboards, and challenges. This can make the hunt more engaging and competitive.
Simplify participation: Make it easy for participants to join and participate in your scavenger hunt. Provide clear instructions, rules, and guidelines, and use an intuitive and user-friendly platform to manage the hunt.
By following these steps, you can increase the chances of converting Pokemon Go players to play your real-life scavenger hunt for cash and prizes. It is essential to constantly evaluate and improve your strategies to ensure the success of your scavenger hunt.
Here are some ideas for converting Pokemon Go players to your real-life scavenger hunt game:
Structure the gameplay similarly; have locations players need to visit to find clues or complete tasks. This will feel familiar to PGO players.
Incorporate an augmented reality/GPS element if possible. Let players use their phones to locate clues or complete digital tasks at locations.
Offer collectible badges, trophies, or rewards for accomplishing certain goals or finding hidden items. PGO players love collecting.
Promote exclusive in-game items, like wearables or customizations, that can only be earned by playing your game. Tap into their competitive nature.
Partner with local businesses and attractions to host clues or tasks. PGO players are used to exploring new places.
Leverage community and social features if your game has an app. PGO players enjoy interacting and forming teams or groups.
Promote special timed events or competitions with leaderboards. PGO players love limited events that push them to play more.
Consider sponsoring a local Pokemon Go community group to help promote signups. They can tap their existing networks.
The key is meeting PGO players where they're at with gameplay that feels familiar but also introduces a new challenge or experience to keep them engaged. Focus on collection, exploration, and social and competitive elements.
