With regards to video, we entrepreneurs typically focus the dialog on short-form video — no shock, given this may be probably the most participating format. No matter size, for me personally, a few of the most impactful advertising and marketing content material I’ve seen has been in interactive movies.
Despite the fact that the medium could be traced again to the decades-old “Select Your Personal Journey” board recreation format — I LOVED these video games rising up — it nonetheless feels comparatively novel within the advertising and marketing world. I’m wondering if that’s why we don’t see a lot interactive video advertising and marketing? In any case, I’d wish to see extra of it on the market.
When you’re curious, I’d love you to maintain studying as I share what interactive video is, the right way to create one, and eight examples from manufacturers which might be actually on the slicing fringe of this format.
Desk of Contents
What’s interactive video?
Interactive video is a non-linear type of media that enables viewers to interact with the video they’re watching. Viewers can click on on hotspots, reply questions, select their very own paths, and different types of engagement.
You should use interactive movies for a number of functions. Many entrepreneurs use it to extend engagement, encourage two-way communication, and enhance conversions.
There are a number of kinds of interactive movies:
Branched tales. This enables viewers to decide on their very own path when watching a video and determine what they may watch. They will additionally decide the storyline by their choices.
Hotspots. These clickable areas inside a video enable viewers to find one thing new within the content material.
Polls and quizzes. You possibly can interact your viewers with questions associated to the content material in your video.
360-degree view. This enables viewers to immerse themselves within the video and get an augmented actuality expertise.
Stay movies and webinars with Q&A sections. This encourages a two-way dialogue between the host and the viewer the place viewers can work together by asking questions and receiving solutions in real-time.
Advantages of Interactive Movies
A 2024 Wyzowl report discovered that 91% of companies use video inside their advertising and marketing. Additional, HubSpot surveyed over 500 world video entrepreneurs to be taught extra about 2024’s prime methods and alternatives in video advertising and marketing.
The consequence? Over 70% of survey respondents discover video advertising and marketing efficient in serving to them attain their firm’s broader enterprise goals.
Concerning interactive movies particularly, the most important cause to make use of this format is the excessive return on funding — aka attaining a crucial, however typically illusive, enterprise goal. Don’t imagine me? Let’s take a look at the information.
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At 52%, HubSpot’s video advertising and marketing report revealed that interactive content material affords the fourth-highest ROI. For context, this landed behind product-related, stylish, and humorous movies at 66%, 55%, and 53%, respectively.
With regards to lead technology, round 50% of video entrepreneurs place hyperlinks to touchdown pages on video advertisements by way of social media. These hyperlinks are sometimes added to interactive parts like buttons or swipe-ups. To prime it off, entrepreneurs cite this as one of the crucial efficient methods to generate leads by way of video content material.
Interactive video can also be probably the greatest performers on the engagement entrance. For instance, reside movies — the place the viewers is commonly invited to ask questions — are within the prime three video sorts that get probably the most viewer engagement.
This video kind may depart a deeper impression on its viewers. With so many manufacturers preventing for our consideration, one technique to maintain them engaged longer is thru interplay. Doing so might help your model consciousness and recognition, serving to you stand out from the competitors.
Lastly, you’ll be able to acquire extra perception into your viewers by interactive content material. Say you embody a quiz in your video. Not solely do you get insights from the video itself (views, time watched, and so forth.), however you additionally be taught extra about your viewer’s preferences by quiz outcomes.
So, by interactive video advertising and marketing, you get extra information by a single piece of content material.
Easy methods to Make an Interactive Video
In accordance with Wyzowl, 89% of shoppers wish to see extra movies from manufacturers in 2024 and past.
Nonetheless, you realize it, and I do know it: As entrepreneurs, we should justify our inventive efforts with outcomes. Probably the most vital outcomes decision-makers wish to see is a return on funding.
As I shared above, HubSpot information suggests interactive video content material ranks extremely for this metric. So, I needed to share a couple of steps that can assist you make your personal.
1. Brainstorm your idea.
Earlier than you create your interactive video, you need to construct an idea. What is going to the video be about? What’s the journey you wish to take viewers on?
Your advertising and marketing goals ought to drive your solutions to those questions. In any other case, making a profitable idea that good points buy-in from stakeholders outdoors of selling shall be difficult.
Upon getting that sorted out, how will you interact the viewers? Given the assorted kinds of interactive content material you’ll be able to have, you’ll want to find out which one will work finest.
Professional tip: Undecided what advertising and marketing goals to decide on to your video content material? No worries. I recommend taking inspiration from video advertising and marketing execs. HubSpot information signifies that video entrepreneurs prioritize the next three metrics:
Rising model consciousness and reaching new audiences (52%).
Rising on-line engagement (38%).
Rising income and gross sales (36%).
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2. Select your video platform.
The platform you select will rely on the kind of content material you’re creating and what you wish to accomplish.
Fashionable interactive video platforms embody:
When you’re operating an interactive reside video or webinar, contemplate platforms that help this format. For context, YouTube, Fb, Instagram, and LinkedIn — all of which cater to reside video — are probably the most broadly used video advertising and marketing platforms. The truth is, 90%, 86%, 79%, and 76% of video entrepreneurs belief these platforms, respectively (Wyzowl.)
As soon as you choose the appropriate platform, it’s all about placing the items collectively, making a draft, reviewing it, and re-editing till you might have an awesome last model.
Professional tip: Whether or not you’re a video professional or fully new to the medium, I extremely suggest HubSpot’s Clip Creator. Clip Creator’s AI options help you remodel text-based directions into watermark-free skilled movies in a couple of clicks.
3. Analyze outcomes.
As soon as your video goes reside, the exhausting work isn’t completed. It’s now time to evaluate its efficiency.
Throughout your idea part, you ideally set some KPIs. If that is your first time creating an interactive video, use your different movies as a benchmark.
This manner, you’ll know what numbers to count on and have a baseline to judge your outcomes.
Professional tip: I like to recommend utilizing A/B testing as a part of your evaluation. For context, round 30% of video entrepreneurs use A/B testing to check video parts or structural adjustments.
Need assistance determining what to check? Round 26% experiment with the positioning or wording of CTAs. An extra 21% evaluate the efficiency of various movies in opposition to each other.
8 Interactive Video Examples
When you want inspiration, I’ve gathered eight examples of interactive movies to get your inventive juices flowing.
1. Mile 22
To advertise the 2018 motion film “Mile 22,” the advertising and marketing crew behind the movie created an immersive, interactive video that allowed customers to decide on their path and get snippets from the film primarily based on their choice.
This video is fascinating as a result of it doesn‘t depend on simply the trailer to construct pleasure. It takes the viewer on the characters’ journey and provides them a peek into how issues play out within the movie.
What I like: I actually like that this interactive video positions the viewer because the lead character. I discovered that the “level and click on” fashion development naturally engaged me all through. I needed to maintain clicking to search out out what occurred subsequent, and earlier than I knew it, I had labored my method by what was primarily a whole film trailer.
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2. Candy Digs
Normally, if you wish to catch the newest episode of Candy Digs, you head to YouTube. Nevertheless, with the assistance of Eko, Refinery29 determined to change issues up with an interactive video as a substitute.
Candy Digs x eko: Interactive House Excursions
On this interactive video, viewers get a tour of somebody’s dwelling, as common, however this time, they get to make guesses as they watch about prices, designs, and extra.
What I like: I feel this video format is an effective way to convey some freshness into a longtime sequence and maintain viewers engaged. The present makes use of interactive parts cleverly, even permitting watchers to enter design recommendations alongside the best way. Then, on the finish of the episode, viewers get to see if their design recommendations have been used.
If inside design is an curiosity of yours, I can think about this format would maintain you entertained from begin to end.
3. Boursin
Ever marvel what a fridge stuffed with Boursin merchandise appears to be like like? With this interactive video, you’ll be able to. This model reimagines what a meals business appears to be like like by providing viewers a 360 digital expertise by a fridge.
What I like: I really like how the gold carpet guides viewers by the fridge. Because of this, the viewer sees varied Boursin merchandise naturally positioned all through. I additionally love how the viewer can transfer the mouse to see different gadgets within the fridge. I feel this can be a actually enjoyable technique to promote a product.
4. Mindstamp
The next interactive video created by Mindstamp is an instance of a sensible method to make use of this video format for appointment reserving.
Viewers can work together with clickable in-video CTAs that hyperlink to exterior pages and discover branching storylines primarily based on their responses all through the video, leading to a really customized person journey.
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The interactive parts create a fascinating and immersive expertise. I don’t find out about you, however “participating” and “immersive” are usually not two phrases that I’d normally use along side reserving a gathering or appointment!
What I like: Like all new know-how, interactive video might need began as a kind of fringe know-how that appeared barely intimidating and inaccessible. Now, that is altering. I like to see this format utilized in a enterprise setting like this, making it simpler than ever for results in guide appointments primarily based on particular calendar preferences.
5. Honda
Honda’s interactive video, “The Different Facet,” makes use of interactive branching to create a “Select Your Personal Journey” fashion of commercial. Every video clip offers the viewer a unique selection or “path,” and every selection determines what occurs subsequent.
What I like: I like how this video invitations viewers to take part within the narrative and have possession over the plotline slightly than passively consuming content material.
6. The Jungle Ebook Interactive Video
Forward of its 2016 launch, Disney partnered with Wirewax to supply a behind-the-scenes take a look at how the live-action model of The Jungle Ebook was created. The video permits viewers to make use of a slider to check the filming stage to the tip scene.
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What I like: Apart from an interactive slider, the video additionally makes use of hotspots. I really like how Wirewax has included this interactive function. On this case, the hotspots enable viewers to open bonus content material, together with a profile and outline of every character.
7. That Second When
Eko makes the record once more with its That Second When interactive video sequence. The sequence follows a girl named Jill, who faces awkward moments at first of every episode. Your job because the viewer is to assist her survive every one.
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Within the instance pictured above, you could assist Jill navigate that point when she vaguely remembered somebody who appeared to know her very well. The hilarious tagline is “Assist Jill bear in mind how she is aware of this man and what his f***ing title is.”
What I like: I really like how this present as soon as once more places Eko on the forefront of interactive video. In Eko’s signature fashion, it’s relatable, hilarious, and extremely participating.
8. Lifeless Lonely
Lifeless Lonely is an interactive zombie romance created by Aardman Animations in partnership with Rapt Media. Anybody who enjoys the four-time Oscar-winning manufacturing studio Aardman Animations’ work won’t be disenchanted.
Like Wallace & Gromit, Hen Run, and Shaun the Sheep, Lifeless Lonely is charming, quirky, and enjoyable.
As for the premise, all through the interactive movie, the viewer is tasked with serving to Fred (a zombie) reunite together with his misplaced love, Barbara.
What I like: I really like how inventive this interactive video is. Despite the fact that the storyline appears harmless sufficient, loads of morbid however enjoyable moments maintain viewers entertained. Total, I feel that is an instance of one thing outdoors of selling that might encourage inventive content material inside of selling.
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Stand out From the Crowd With Interactive Video Advertising
Our information reveals that interactive content material is a number one video format for ROI, however as I discussed in my introduction, many entrepreneurs stay tentative about producing interactive video content material. That could possibly be as a result of sure sorts require extra technical experience and a much bigger manufacturing price range.
Right here’s the factor, although: Sure, you will get inventive with this format, which generally calls for extra finance and tech-wise. However you may as well do one thing so simple as including an interactive ballot or CTA to your video.
Let’s additionally not overlook that reside video streams could be interactive, offering you enable house for parts like viewers questions and polls. Plus, YouTube, Fb, and Instagram readily help reside streams, and you can begin one on any of these platforms at no cost.
Both method, I feel interactive video advertising and marketing is one thing to check out for your self, particularly with so few others doing so.
Editor’s Observe: This publish was initially printed in Could 2017 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
