Q & A with Rajat Paharia, founder of Bunchball & 2011 Social Media Week panelist

As a follow up to our gamification post, we’re bringing you a Q & A with Rajat Paharia, founder of Bunchball and a 2011 Social Media Week panelist.  

What was your social media eureka moment?
When I first dialed into a BBS with my 300 baud modem and realized that there was a whole world of content and people inside my 128k Mac.
 
What do you use on a daily basis and how?
Skype for a company-wide chat room
Facebook for seeing what my friends and family are up to
Twitter for gamification news
Techmeme for tech news

What is hot and what is just hype?
Hot: Mobile, Android
Hype: Check-ins for _____ (TV, Music, Wine, E-commerce, etc.)

What do you see as being the next big thing at next year’s conference?
Location-based group-micro-blogging.

What is the one takeaway you hope everyone gets from your panel?
That gamification satisfies user desires, while driving business value.

Since their launch in 2005, Bunchball has helped numerous brands create gamified consumer experiences, ultimately building loyalty and increasing engagement. Most recently, Bravo TV teamed up with Bunchball to gamify their Top Chef All-Stars TV show.

For more insights from Rajat, register for next week’s Social Media Week panel on Gamification and be sure to download Bunchball’s Gamification 101 white paper.