Earndit is a new fitness check-in site that makes it easy for you to get rewarded for staying in shape. Their simple system acts as a great motivator and encourages you to keep a routine and rewards you for living healthier. Link your account to existing apps, Nike+, Garmin Connect, EveryTrail or Foursquare – this saves you from having to visit Earndit to check-in every time. You can earn credit by simply continuing to use apps that you’re already using! Earndit will credit you 10 points for every mile you go by foot, 3 points for every mile you go by bike and 15 points for each check-in at a gym. (You can also go by skate, paddle or skateboard!) These points can be redeemed for prizes such as a box of custom energy bars from ElementBars, gift cards from Bonobos and shoecrush.com or even a one-on-one web consult with personal trainer and company adviser, Jesse Schwartzman.
There are other bonuses as well, like virtual trophies and getting extra points for check-ins if you’re the mayor of your gym on Foursquare. Just for signing up, you get a free “Hammie the Hamster” gift! You can get points for “bragging” on Twitter or Facebook when you’ve unlocked a reward, Earndit has a dual-leaderboard system that shows where the user ranks during the given month, and the other can vary to show where the user ranks amongst different groups like your followers or people who live in your state.
Clearly, the system works. Co-founders Andres Moran and Harry Kautzman report memberships increasing by 20% every month and that 55% of members who have accrued at least 1,000 points have redeemed for a reward. That means that these members are not idle in any sense of the word. They are working out, checking-in and using their earnings. Andres Moran gets real feedback from users that shows their level of dedication. He says, “Users really do care about their points. If for whatever reason they don’t see their points show up for a workout, they immediately reach out to the company to inquire about the issue. They also really care about trophies. Often times after receiving a trophy, a user will email the company commenting on how much they like the design and name of the trophy.”
Earndit might want to consider adding on more options as time goes on. If users are this concerned about points now, what if they could join teams composed of friends or coworkers & compete for special prizes or once-in-a-lifetime trophies with their collective earnings? Maybe a calorie counter can be added on to increase the amount of leaderboards and ways you can reach the top. In any case, Earndit is a great web app that successfully uses game mechanics to help people to live better!
