#Gamification: How @Pandora_Radio can create loyalty amongst it's users

**This post was originally titled ‘I ❤ U @Pandora_Radio -but you better #Gamify quick!’ -but the “<” was creating problems on some sites -so I’ve adjusted.  😉

How many  fans out there? I was an early adopter of Pandora myself back in the day, before iPads and iPhones (makes it sound like a long time ago, huh? lol). However, as cool as Pandora was -it wasn’t the only place I went to online. I would still stream music from various other sites and radio stations about equally as Pandora.

Then one day while streaming Pandora on my desktop I received a sudden message from Pandora.com. I had gone over my monthly allotment in free music streaming. In order to continue listening to music selected by (no matter how they try to promote their algorithm) Pandora -I had to cough up some of my real cash. You wan’t to charge me for something I’ve expected for free since day one? Nope, not gonna happen, sorry. Pandora web developers hadn’t read “Drive” by Daniel Pink yet…  😦

And that’s too bad, because Pandora did not hear back from me for a very long time after that, not until my first iPhone 3GS did I remember the old streaming algorithm radio station and wondered if they had an app. With the launch of the iPhone 4, which allowed users to stream Pandora while running multiple apps -the user usage for Pandora took off overnight -and Pandora was back in the spot light!  😀

Unfortunately, instead of focusing on the auto industry -Pandora should be paying attention to what made them in the first place. Pandora, I initially liked you because you suggested music that you thought I would like based on my input –because back then my friends weren’t all connected this well and sharing socially. However, you should realize that no matter how good your music suggestions are -music suggestions from my REAL friends will always get a better response from me.

Pandora devs -heard of Facebook and Twitter yet? Of course you have -you have your own Twitter page with 40K+ followers -but why don’t you allow those same followers and millions more to share your own site on these great platforms? Do you really think your algorithm is cooler than the voices of  500+ million?

And while your algorithm is pretty awesome -that’s not enough, and that fact has lost it’s marketing buzz a long time ago. Pandora, you simply never created any loyalty from me -you always thought you were cooler than I was. But there are too many choices out there for me to pick from nowadays. Even more so, more and more folks out there are becoming aware that their time, opinions, and everything they do online is valuable -even listening to music. Why should I open my ears to you Pandora -when I know I can listen to other sites out there that will reward me for my time in doing the exact same?

So, what’s the answer for Pandora? How can they increase user loyalty in today’s ever expanding digital universe and choices so that their stock investors aren’t so worried? How can they keep me coming back and once again looking at their home page again? (which I hadn’t done since buying an iPhone!!!) Easy… with the right mixture of gamification….  😀

By rewarding Pandora mavens and loyal brand followers -Pandora can reap the benefits of social media organic mentions on Facebook newsfeeds and more. Through a cool mix of badges, points, and rewards -Pandora could gamify their site to allow users more social music interactivity with friends.

Furthermore, by rewarding Pandora users with points for their sharing and opinions -Pandora would essentialy be creating a virtual currency -which through an API could be tied to larger synchs and retailers. All of a sudden, Pandora would have incredible leverage with their advertisers and negotiations. What if with your Pandora experience points -you could redeem them for real .mp3 downloads? What if with sufficient Pandora user points -Pandora suprised those same mavens with concerts and tickets? The opportunities are endless, but they better hurry -their “non-IPO’ing” (and probably more focused) competition is already doing it!  😀