Take a gander at some of our favorite interactive videos and discover why this video styling is like a turbo button for your engagement stats.
What’s happening to video is kind of like what happened to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) after Reese Witherspoon “braved” the frontier in her portrayal of Cheryl Strayed in the 2014 hit movie, Wild. Thousands of hikers flooded the 2,650-mile trail and, what once was a feat that differentiated boys and girls from men and women is now an over-populated bucket list item that everyone’s scratching off.
Like the PCT, video is becoming a beaten path that’s forcing companies to get creative about how they style their content. As more videos are released, the potential for capturing attention is dwindling. Luckily, you don’t need to bushwhack too far from the trail to find ways to re-capture audiences and bolster engagement.
Interactive Video
Interactive videos are digital videos that support user interaction through gestures, voice, touch and clicks. Users interact inside the video itself by playing with game-like experiences, filling out forms, or following along with interactive tutorial.
Here’s a personal favorite by Dos Equis that asks audiences for help finding The Most Interesting Man’s little black book. Intriguing…we know.
Despite being super cool, fun, and highly effective, many companies have yet to catch on to this video styling. Some think it’s too expensive to fit into their budgets, or shy away because the technology seems out of reach. Others are afraid they won’t get the ROI they expect. But the No.1 hang-up is lack of awareness and not knowing where to start.
Allow us to put these reservations to rest. Here’s why interactive video is the next best thing for your brand and your employees:
Interactive Video Delivers a Consistent ROI
Content is branching off into two separate pathways: interactive and passive. According to studies, interactive content converts audiences moderately or very well 70% of the time compared to passive content, which only converts 36% of the time.
HapYak, an interactive video platform, wanted to drive ROI benefits home and analyzed 13 million interactive video views to procure some interesting benchmarks that further prove the value of this technology. They discovered:
61% average click-through rate
45% average navigation rate to chapters
62% average submission rate (surveys, polls, quizzes)
Interactive Video Is Versatile
Interactive video is an obvious crowd pleaser among brand marketers. Clinique produced this awesome interactive video featuring Zara Larsson to showcase the versatility of their “lush” lipstick line. Even Pepsi is in on the inter-action. But did you know internal communications professionals are also using this video technology to create memorable interactions between management and employees? Here are a few ways interactive video is being used for internal communications:
If your organization lacks its own video department, you can partner with a professional video agency to navigate the uncharted territory for you. Video agencies are often more cost-effective than purchasing the equipment and talent in-house. It’s also important to keep in mind — your budget may take a back seat because the results you get with interactive video are that good.
Interactive Video Isn’t Complicated
Shooting high definition video used to be considered complicated. Now every smartphone owner has the technology literally sitting in their purse or pocket. Interactive video is no different. There are numerous platforms (like HapYak) that make creating interactive videos possible for anyone. Furthermore, your interactive videos don’t need to be intricate choose-your-own adventure stories with elaborate set-ups and expensive casting. For example, check out this hilarious yet simplistic interactive video by Skittles.
Interactive Video Is Hugely Beneficial
We already know the core benefits of using video. Using interactive video enhances these benefits to create and even more engaging, lean-in experience for your employees or target audiences.
Link to important documents or information
Improve retention of safety information, procedures or product details
Pique employee/audience interest
Garner longer view times
Collect valuable information about your viewers
Create a memorable experience
Differentiate your brand from other video marketers
Getting Started
Contact a video marketing agency today to discuss interactive video as a part of your online video marketing strategy. Be sure to focus on the main goal of the video. Interactivity or annotations should enhance that goal, not clutter it. Some simple interactions or annotations you can start with include:
Incorporating a clickable brand logo that sends viewers to a landing page or subscription page.
Asking for contact information with a form annotation
Posing a multiple choice question or a short survey relevant to the feature topic
With the right video marketing partner, you can harness the power of interactive video to keep your brand fresh, your employees attentive and your message — seen and heard.
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