LinkedIn is regarded by many professionals as a vital networking tool, however now AXA has used it to its own advantage - by creating a game to engage a wider audience.

The seemingly simple game of “Snakes and Ladders” educates the player about the different types of insurance, helping small business owners build awareness of the problems they may face.

AXA CEO Commercial Lines, Amanda Blanc, describes it as a light-hearted way of communicating a serious message.

She said: “This online game is designed to encourage small businesses, particularly those just getting off the ground, to think about those risks and just what they need to ensure that their particular business climbs the ladder of opportunity, rather than falls down following unexpected disaster.”

Once signed in through LinkedIn, players are asked questions about different types of business protection, and for each correct answer you win points and advance across the board. The game encourages LinkedIn members to compare scores with online contacts and to discuss factors affecting their businesses.

A similar concept was employed last July by Reckitt Benckiser, who launched a game on Facebook which imitated the working life of a marketing executive. The idea, aimed at graduates, was designed to raise awareness of the company while simultaneously engaging potential recruits.

AXA’s aim, to publicise the importance of business insurance, is a result of an AXA Business Insurance survey conducted in January. This revealed that three in four businesses would struggle to survive a business interruption without the proper cover, and one in four did not know what sort of insurance they needed.