08/27/2019

How Easter Eggs Improve Engagement

By Tyler Corwin

When it comes to a website, it may be challenging to figure out how to improve user experience. The internet is fully integrated in our daily lives, finding a way to create features in your website that stray away from a mundane and straightforward experience can help a business set itself apart from competitors and feel more human (and fun!). So, what better way to make a site feel more personal than to add in some surprises.

Google Search Do A Barrel Roll Gif

What is an Easter egg when talking about a website, you ask? They’re jokes, features, or messages hidden by developers within a website. They’re implemented for the sole purpose of creating a serendipitous discovery for the viewer. Google has become the  leader in hiding Easter eggs from within their searches – try googling “askew” or “do a barrel roll”. But why would a developer dedicate hours and hours creating a feature that has nothing to do with generating sales or increasing functionality? Well, these quirky jokes do actually have a place when planning your digital marketing and content development.

 Let’s take a look at some reasons why adding an Easter egg might be beneficial to your company’s goals.

Why Should You Consider Using an Internet Easter Egg?

Just like frequent flyer miles, or loyalty punch cards at your favorite coffee shop, frequent visitors to your website want to feel like they’re “insiders” and “part of the club.” Surprising your users with a digital Easter egg can make their workday feel more fun, especially if your website is otherwise lacking interactivity, and can even increase user retention. If two identical services had similar websites, but one implemented a quick moment of surprise and fun, which site would you stay on longer? Maybe it even entices you to spend more time on the site to find more surprises.

Your 404 page is a great example of how an Easter egg can turn what would be frustrated visitor into an engaged customer. Check out some great examples of companies that successfully customized their broken links into personalized user experiences. 

An Easter egg helps humanize your brand.  When users are interacting on an online platform, they still want that human connection that makes them feel as though a real person is behind the brand. Letting your users know that you have a sense of humor will make them want to engage more with the people hiding behind the curtain. Because at the end of the day, people want to do business with people, not companies.

Okay, What Can’t an Easter Egg Do?

Although there are many different uses for an Easter egg that can improve your business’s exposure and website engagement, there are several things that an Easter egg cannot do for your company. 

Simply having an Easter egg on your site will not help boost sales or conversions. While, yes, they do spur engagement that your company may not normally receive, their purpose is to entertain your users and showcase your company’s personality. This type of interaction should not be linked to any kind of call-to-action (CTA) you’ll risk making the Easter egg come across as inauthentic.  

Additionally, Easter eggs should not be your sole form of content that is seeking to bridge the gap between your company and your users. Easter eggs can only be used so much before they reflect on your brand as unprofessional. They also cannot replace quality content for SEO purposes or for advertising. You should seek to create your Easter eggs based on how your consumers will react to your brand’s personality, not with the idea of generating revenue. Just like gift giving, think of both your company’s personality and your target audience’s personality to determine how many Easter eggs are appropriate for your brand.

Sending Your Users On a Hunt

Overall, Easter eggs are fun for users to find and interact with when browsing your website. Despite being originally developed for “techies,” digital Easter eggs are becoming more popular for everyday consumers. For example, almost everyone has found the dinosaur game on the Google Chrome browser when they have lost internet connection. 

We’ll let you in on a secret. At Figmints, our own website has some hidden Easter eggs. If you’re interested you should check out our about page, and John Travolta may even make a sneak appearance if you type in an unrelated search on our blog page. Happy hunting. 

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