Social media marketing has a retention problem. We spend hours crafting the perfect caption and designing the perfect graphic, only for a user to scroll past it in less than a second. The battle isn’t just for eyeballs anymore; it’s for dwell time. We are constantly looking for the “hook” that stops the scroll and forces a user to engage, think, and interact.
In the search for the next big innovation—AR filters, VR experiences, complex metaverse integrations—marketers often overlook the power of the familiar.
Gamification is one of the most effective tools for engagement, and few games are as universally recognized or as psychologically satisfying as Solitaire. It’s a game that requires no explanation. It’s built on order, pattern recognition, and a satisfying “win” loop. By borrowing the visual language and the mechanics of this classic game, brands can create social media campaigns that are instantly accessible, highly engaging, and surprisingly refreshing in a noisy feed.
If you want to increase your engagement metrics, here is how to take the principles of the card table and bring them to your social strategy.
Create a “Spot the Move” Engagement Post
The algorithm loves comments. The more people interact with a post, the more the platform pushes it to new audiences. One of the easiest ways to manufacture this engagement is through a puzzle. Solitaire provides a perfect, ready-made puzzle format that everyone understands.
The Strategy: Post an image of a complex, mid-game Solitaire tableau. The caption is simple: “Red Jack on the Black Queen, or move the 7 to the 8? What’s your first move?”
Why it Works: It triggers the “problem-solver” part of the brain. A user sees the chaotic board and instinctively wants to create order. They stop scrolling to analyze the image. Then, they comment with their move to prove they solved it. You have just turned a passive viewer into an active participant, boosting your dwell time and your comment count in one move.
Tap into “Office Nostalgia” for Relatability
For Millennials and Gen X, Solitaire isn’t just a game; it’s a core memory of early computer usage. It brings back memories of rainy days, dial-up internet, and sneaking a quick game in between tasks on an old Windows 95 desktop.
The Strategy: Lean into this nostalgia. Create content that uses the retro, pixelated aesthetic of old-school computer games.
The Content: Memes or graphics that reference “The original productivity hack” or “Before we had smartphones, we had this.”
Why it Works: Nostalgia is a powerful emotional hook. It humanizes your brand and creates a “we’re in this together” feeling. It connects with the audience on a personal level, reminding them of a simpler time before the endless noise of modern social media.
Use “The Shuffle” for Product Reveals
If you are launching a new product line or a new collection, don’t just post a list. Gamify the reveal using the visual of a card deck.
The Strategy: Use an Instagram Story or a TikTok video to “deal out” your new products.
The Execution: Create a graphic where your products are the “face cards.” You can use the “shuffle” animation to tease the products, flashing them quickly before revealing the “Ace” (your hero product).
Why it Works: The visual motion of shuffling cards is satisfying and familiar. It builds anticipation. It frames your products as valuable, collectible items (like high-ranking cards) rather than just commodities.
Have a “Stack the Deck” Contest
Contests are a staple of social media marketing, but “like and share” is boring. You can use the logic of Solitaire—building sequences and sets—to create a more engaging contest mechanic.
The Strategy: Run a “Collect the Suit” scavenger hunt across your social channels.
The Execution: Over the course of a week, hide different “cards” (images with a specific suit and number) in your Instagram Stories, your Facebook posts, and your email newsletter. The first person to “complete the suit” (find all the images and DM you the codes found on them) wins the prize.
Why it Works: This forces users to look at all your content across all your channels. It rewards your most loyal, attentive followers and turns your marketing into an active treasure hunt rather than a passive feed.
Visualize the Hierarchy With the King, Queen, and Jack
Marketing is about the communication hierarchy. You have a main message, supporting points, and details. The standard deck of cards offers a universal visual language for this that requires no translation.
The Strategy: Use card imagery to categorize your content or your service tiers.
The Execution:
- The Ace: Your top-tier service or your best-selling item.
- The King/Queen: Your core features or team leaders.
- The Jack: The “wildcard” or the surprising benefit.
Why it Works: Humans process symbols faster than text. When a user sees an “Ace” card, they subconsciously understand “this is the best one” before they read a single word of copy. It’s a design shortcut that makes your infographics and carousels easier to digest.
Show a Patience Narrative
Finally, you can use the philosophy of Solitaire as a storytelling device. Solitaire is a game of patience, strategy, and turning chaos into order. These are themes that resonate deeply in the business world (B2B) and the self-care world (B2C).
The Strategy: Write LinkedIn posts or long-form captions that draw parallels between the game and real life.
The Content: “Business is like Solitaire. Sometimes you have to move backward to move forward.” Or, “The art of organizing the chaos: What a card game taught us about supply chain management.”
Why it Works: It takes a complex business topic and makes it relatable through a shared cultural touchpoint. It shows that your brand is thoughtful and capable of finding wisdom in simple places.
Marketing doesn’t always have to be about the new. Sometimes, the most effective way to engage an audience is to give them something familiar, comforting, and fun. By integrating the timeless elements of Solitaire into your strategy, you can pause the scroll and invite your customers to come and play.
