Boosting Engagement & Loyalty

I led the design of Boom Fantasy’s new Loyalty System and developed a promotions program that increased daily engagement by 61% and revenue by 86%.
My Role

Creative Direction

Design Execution

Animation

Research

Strategy

Stakeholder Alignment

Tools Used
Figma, Photoshop, Lottie, ChatGPT, Tableau, Jira, Confluence

Context

At Boom Fantasy, we looked at improving daily engagement and retention. Core players showed limited loyalty, while competitors drew users away with aggressive promotions we couldn’t sustainably match. The goal was to design a feature that increased daily activity and revenue, fostered long-term loyalty, and delivered lasting value at a sustainable cost to the business.

Objectives

01.
Boost engagement
Drive continuous real-money play through activity rewards.
02.
Foster loyalty
Create persistent, non-expiring rewards that retain users.
03.
Enhance gameplay
Deliver meaningful incentives tied directly to progression and play.

Research & Insights

Through competitor analysis, quantitative data, and qualitative feedback, I uncovered:
‍
Low Brand Loyalty
65% of users were brand-agnostic, chasing odds and promotions.

This behavior suggests that promo offers are often the primary driver of user acquisition and retention, outweighing product features or brand reputation. It highlights the challenge of building lasting loyalty and differentiating beyond short-term incentives.
Fixed Budgets
40% of users allocate a set weekly spend.

This means every dollar spent on one platform comes at the expense of another. Key drivers (Odds, Promos, Bonuses) are fundamental in how users allocate their fixed spending, with operators competing for share of wallet.
Retention & Value Over Time
70% of players do not generate a positive ROI

While sign-up bonuses and first deposits feel rewarding, users often complain about limited ongoing incentives. Casual players may burn out or churn after losing without meaningful loyalty rewards or consistent engagement features.
  • • All top 5 competitors offer sign-up incentives (deposit matches, play-to-get bonuses).
  • • 3/5 offer rotating promos for existing users (boosted payouts, free-play vouchers).
  • • Only 2/5 offer meaningful long-term loyalty programs.
  • • Just 1/5 ran structured weekly promotions.
The insights from user research and the competition gap highlighted several different opportunities to distance ourselves from the industry and fill in the gaps for our users' needs.

Ideation & Concepting

To ground the design process in user needs, I developed a set of personas that reflected our target audience and used them as a lens to influence key product decisions. Building on this foundation, I created multiple wireframe variations, experimenting with different layouts and interaction patterns to explore possibilities and identify a strong direction to move forward with.

User Journey Snapshot

Highlights

  • • First Deposit → Get XP instantly.
  • • Gameplay → Earn XP and tokens per entry. Users can receive increased token odds based on their account tier. Ex. Core, Gold, Diamond, etc.
  • • Level Up → Unlock game-specific perks and progression rewards.
  • • Promotional Events → Consistent daily promotions schedule complemented with special events

Solution: Gamification + Consistent Promos

The solution was to design a multi-layered rewards system combining persistent XP levels and dynamic promotional tokens and implement a unique daily promotion schedule that includes one-off promos.
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Token System

Profit Boost Tokens
Pre-determined % payout boost on wins
(Pick ’Em, Pick & Spin)
Risk-Free Tokens
Refund entry fee in bonus funds on losses
(Pick ’Em, Pick & Spin)
Super Coverage Tokens
Pays out the original amount without adjusted odds for 3/4 Coverage picks correct.
Super Wheel Tokens
Exclusive wheel slice with extraordinary multipliers
(e.g., 1000x)
Pick & Earn Tokens
Limited-time boosts tied to player projections
Jackpot Tokens
Entry into $5,000 giveaway jackpots is tied to certain play types
Profit Boost Tokens
Pre-determined % payout boost on wins (Pick ’Em, Pick & Spin)
Risk-Free Tokens
Refund entry fee in bonus funds on losses (Pick ’Em, Pick & Spin)
Safety Tokens
Protects multi-pick entries; pays out original odds even with one miss
Super Wheel Tokens
Exclusive wheel slice with extraordinary multipliers (e.g., 1000x)
Pick & Earn Tokens
Limited-time boosts tied to player projections
Jackpot Tokens
Entry into $5,000 giveaway jackpots tied to certain play types

Leveling System

  • •  Global Level – Earn XP across all real-money entries, unlocking tokens and rewards.
  • •  Game Levels – Each game mode (Pick ’Em, Pick & Spin, Squad Ride) has its own progression and XP-driven perks.

Daily Promo Schedule

We implemented a consistent “Unique Daily Promotion Schedule”, ensuring users had fresh, engaging incentives to return each day. This created weekly anticipation, drove daily activity, and encouraged long-term retention.
‍

Benefits to Users

Feature
User Value
Persistent XP & rewards
No loss of progress; strong retention driver.
First deposit XP boost
Immediate value for onboarding.
Win bonuses
Clear incentive tied to success.
Tangible excitement and progression.
Pick & Spin upgrades
Visual progression
Personalized, gamified experience.
Flexible promos
Freshness without undermining long-term rewards.

What Got Shipped

Analysis & Impact

To maximize impact, we structured the initiative into two projects—Tokens and Leveling—delivered in phased rollouts to validate, refine, and scale effectively.

Month 1

Profit Boost Tokens were launched

We completed our second-best month ever for our North Star Metric:
Core Users up (+70.8%) All Users up (+58.1%)

+32%
Total $ Entries /YoY
+30%
User Entries /YoY
+25%
Revenue /YoY

Month 2

Launched additional tokens

Total Entries (+43%) and Total Amount Deposited (+84%)

+21%
Daily Active Users
+37%
Entry Fees /YoY
+50%
Revenue /YoY

Month 3

Global Level loyalty system launched the first week. Daily promotions schedule released.

+61.6%
North Star Metric
+141%
Entry Fees /YoY
+95%
Revenue /YoY

‍

Completed the best month in Boom Fantasy's history. We recorded all-time highs in All User Metrics, Core User metrics, Total Entry Fees, Gross Revenue, Net Revenue, and Money Deposited.

Month 4

More Tokens released & daily promotions adjusted and refined

+61%
North Star Metric
+177%
Entry Fees /YoY
+112%
Revenue /YoY

Growth by Quarters

Q1
Q2
Entry Fees
+1%
+87%
Revenue
+12%
+86%

Opportunities & Iteration

Following a successful launch, I coordinated with the product and the marketing teams for a few weeks, analyzing usage and trends. The analysis revealed that token rewards were overly generous, negatively impacting profitability. We corrected course by recalibrating token frequency and promotion types, reducing costs while sustaining user delight and driving towards long-term, profitable growth.

Summary

Four months post-launch, the new leveling loyalty system and promotions proved a major success. There were significant gains in engagement, retention, and revenue.

‍This was a high-visibility, cross-functional initiative spanning Design, Product, Marketing, and Engineering. I partnered directly with the CEO, CFO, and senior leadership to strategize, design, and deliver a system that boosted daily engagement, fostered long-term loyalty, and established a competitive advantage in the market.

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