Interactive video is bringing new levels of engagement

If interactive video is the future, then the future has arrived. But maybe you’re wondering whether it’s worth the investment. Is it going to directly benefit my business? Will your target audience interact with your video? In short, the answer’s yes.

Let’s consider some facts. Interactive video content generates twice as many conversions as passive content (Kapost) and 4-5 x more pageviews that static content (LinkedIn).

Adding interactive elements such as links, buttons, quizzes and forms to videos can dramatically increase conversion rates.

Why? Because audiences are no longer passive. They crave emotional connectivity. In the same way good websites involve viewers, so can video.

Interactive video piques the curiosity of the viewer. It offers a way of capturing and keeping your audience interested in what you have to say. It leans forward into your content rather than passively watching and listening.

Interactive video increase engagement

The competition for your audience’s mental bandwidth is always growing. And it’s not just restricted to B2C. Far from it. 91% of B2B buyers prefer to consume interactive and visual content (DemandGen Report).

Interactive video can take many forms. Simply put, it’s a digital video that supports user interaction through clicks, touches, or taps. It is video that goes beyond “play” and “pause.” Users engage with content, navigating the storyline and revealing their choices to you, the content creator.

Interactive video gives audience choice

What matters is the viewer is in control. Control creates relevance for the viewer, which results in impactful content for the company. Interactive video is not about attracting eyeballs. Instead, interactive video drives viewers to take specific actions within their journey.

What are the features?

Among other features, you can

• Draw attention to salient points with beautiful branded graphics; pop-up boxes, chapter markers, speech-bubbles and labels
• Encourage viewers to act with in-video hyperlinks
• Measure perception and educate with a quiz
• Enable the viewer to decide how they want your video story to unfold

What are the key applications?

Marketing:

According to Adobe, over 50% of marketers worldwide have named video as their best performing asset in terms of ROI. It offers marketers the opportunity to:

• Engage with prospects and consumers
• Gain insights into preferences and trends

People management:

Smart recruiters seek out every opportunity to engage with candidates. An interactive video will give them a strong idea of what it’s like to work in your organisation. It can also assist with:

• Recruitment and training of new employees
• Compliance training
• Ongoing learning and development
• Identification of skill gaps (through interactive feedback)

Sales training:

Where video and text are on the same page, 72% of people prefer to use video to learn about a product or service (Wyzowl, 2018). Interactive video takes this one step further in:

• Skills and safety training
• Sales leadership coaching
• Industry updates

Customer experience:

According to a Brightcove survey, interactive video is even more effective than physical events and webinars when it comes to educating customers. For product onboarding, it’s often used in:

• Product how-tos & education
• Product selectors

Conclusion

This year, video is likely to make up more than 80 percent of all internet traffic (CMO.com). It’s no surprise then that video marketers generate 66% more qualified leads per year (Optimonster, 2019). In this competitive landscape, interactive experiences will help set companies apart. Companies may still be somewhat unsure about interactive video, but that’s quickly changing. As they begin to see results from interactive video, this particular type of content will grow in popularity.

If you’re wondering where to start with interactive content, have a look at our pilot.

Let us create something amazing that will engage with your audiences. Contact us on 01787 378422 or send us a message here to get started.