On the subject of video, we entrepreneurs typically focus the dialog on short-form video — no shock, given this may be essentially the most participating format. No matter size, for me personally, a few of the most impactful advertising content material I’ve seen has been in interactive movies.
Regardless that the medium could be traced again to the decades-old “Select Your Personal Journey” board sport format — I LOVED these video games rising up — it nonetheless feels comparatively novel within the advertising world. I ponder if that’s why we don’t see a lot interactive video advertising? In any case, I’d wish to see extra of it on the market.
Should you’re curious, I’d love you to maintain studying as I share what interactive video is, learn how to create one, and eight examples from manufacturers which can 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 permits viewers to have interaction 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 utilize 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 selections.
- Hotspots. These clickable areas inside a video enable viewers to find one thing new within the content material.
- Polls and quizzes. You may have interaction 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.
- Dwell 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. Additional, HubSpot surveyed over 500 global video marketers to be taught extra about 2024’s high methods and alternatives in video advertising.
The outcome? Over 70% of survey respondents discover video advertising efficient in serving to them attain their firm’s broader enterprise targets.
Relating to interactive movies particularly, the largest motive to make use of this format is the excessive return on funding — aka reaching a vital, however typically illusive, enterprise goal. Don’t imagine me? Let’s take a look at the info.
At 52%, HubSpot’s video advertising report revealed that interactive content material provides the fourth-highest ROI. For context, this landed behind product-related, fashionable, and humorous movies at 66%, 55%, and 53%, respectively.
On the subject of lead era, round 50% of video entrepreneurs place hyperlinks to touchdown pages on video adverts through social media. These hyperlinks are sometimes added to interactive components like buttons or swipe-ups. To high it off, entrepreneurs cite this as probably the most efficient methods to generate leads through video content material.
Interactive video can be among the best performers on the engagement entrance. For instance, reside movies — the place the viewers is commonly invited to ask questions — are within the high three video sorts that get essentially the most viewer engagement.
This video kind may also depart a deeper impression on its viewers. With so many manufacturers preventing for our consideration, one method to preserve them engaged longer is thru interplay. Doing so may 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 embrace a quiz in your video. Not solely do you get insights from the video itself (views, time watched, and many others.), however you additionally be taught extra about your viewer’s preferences by quiz outcomes.
So, by interactive video marketing, you get extra knowledge by a single piece of content material.
Easy methods to Make an Interactive Video
In keeping with Wyzowl, 89% of customers wish to see extra movies from manufacturers in 2024 and past.
Nonetheless, you understand it, and I do know it: As entrepreneurs, we should justify our inventive efforts with outcomes. One of the vital important outcomes decision-makers wish to see is a return on funding.
As I shared above, HubSpot knowledge suggests interactive video content material ranks extremely for this metric. So, I needed to share just a few steps that can assist you make your individual.
1. Brainstorm your idea.
Earlier than you create your interactive video, it’s a must to construct an idea. What’s going to the video be about? What’s the journey you wish to take viewers on?
Your advertising targets ought to drive your solutions to those questions. In any other case, making a profitable idea that positive aspects buy-in from stakeholders exterior of selling will probably be difficult.
Upon getting that sorted out, how will you have interaction the viewers? Given the varied 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 targets to decide on in your video content material? No worries. I counsel taking inspiration from video advertising execs. HubSpot data signifies that video entrepreneurs prioritize the next three metrics:
- Growing model consciousness and reaching new audiences (52%).
- Growing on-line engagement (38%).
- Growing income and gross sales (36%).
2. Select your video platform.
The platform you select will rely upon the kind of content material you’re creating and what you wish to accomplish.
Fashionable interactive video platforms embrace:
Should you’re operating an interactive reside video or webinar, take into account platforms that assist this format. For context, YouTube, Fb, Instagram, and LinkedIn — all of which cater to reside video — are essentially the most broadly used video advertising platforms. The truth is, 90%, 86%, 79%, and 76% of video entrepreneurs belief these platforms, respectively (Wyzowl.)
As soon as you choose the best platform, it’s all about placing the items collectively, making a draft, reviewing it, and re-editing till you might have a fantastic last model.
Professional tip: Whether or not you’re a video professional or utterly new to the medium, I extremely advocate HubSpot’s Clip Creator. Clip Creator’s AI options will let you remodel text-based directions into watermark-free skilled movies in just a few clicks.
3. Analyze outcomes.
As soon as your video goes reside, the laborious work isn’t completed. It’s now time to evaluate its efficiency.
Throughout your idea section, 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 anticipate 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, around 30% of video marketers use A/B testing to check video components or structural modifications.
Need assistance determining what to check? Round 26% experiment with the positioning or wording of CTAs. An additional 21% evaluate the efficiency of various movies in opposition to each other.
8 Interactive Video Examples
Should you want inspiration, I’ve gathered eight examples of interactive videos to get your inventive juices flowing.
1. Mile 22
To advertise the 2018 motion film “Mile 22,” the advertising staff 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 attention-grabbing 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” model development naturally engaged me all through. I needed to maintain clicking to seek out out what occurred subsequent, and earlier than I knew it, I had labored my method by what was primarily a complete film trailer.
2. Candy Digs
Normally, if you wish to catch the newest episode of Candy Digs, you head to YouTube. Nonetheless, with the assistance of Eko, Refinery29 determined to change issues up with an interactive video as an alternative.
Sweet Digs x eko: Interactive Home Tours
On this interactive video, viewers get a tour of somebody’s dwelling, as normal, however this time, they get to make guesses as they watch about prices, designs, and extra.
What I like: I believe this video format is an effective way to convey some freshness into a longtime sequence and preserve viewers engaged. The present makes use of interactive components cleverly, even permitting watchers to enter design solutions alongside the way in which. Then, on the finish of the episode, viewers get to see if their design solutions have been used.
If inside design is an curiosity of yours, I can think about this format would preserve you entertained from begin to end.
3. Boursin
Ever surprise what a fridge filled with Boursin merchandise appears like? With this interactive video, you’ll be able to. This model reimagines what a meals industrial appears like by providing viewers a 360 digital expertise by a fridge.
What I like: I like how the gold carpet guides viewers by the fridge. In consequence, the viewer sees numerous Boursin merchandise naturally positioned all through. I additionally love how the viewer can transfer the mouse to see different gadgets within the fridge. I believe this can be a actually enjoyable method 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 very personalised person journey.
The interactive components create an attractive and immersive expertise. I don’t find out about you, however “participating” and “immersive” aren’t two phrases that I’d often use together with reserving a gathering or appointment!
What I like: Like all new expertise, interactive video might need began as a kind of fringe expertise 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 e-book 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” model of commercial. Every video clip provides the viewer a distinct 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 somewhat than passively consuming content material.
6. The Jungle Guide Interactive Video
Forward of its 2016 launch, Disney partnered with Wirewax to supply a behind-the-scenes look at how the live-action model of The Jungle Guide was created. The video permits viewers to make use of a slider to check the filming stage to the top scene.
What I like: Other than an interactive slider, the video additionally makes use of hotspots. I like how Wirewax has integrated this interactive characteristic. 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 checklist once more with its That Moment When interactive video sequence. The sequence follows a girl named Jill, who faces awkward moments in the beginning of every episode. Your job because the viewer is to assist her survive each.
Within the example pictured above, it is advisable assist Jill navigate that point when she vaguely remembered somebody who appeared to know her rather 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 like how this present as soon as once more places Eko on the forefront of interactive video. In Eko’s signature model, it’s relatable, hilarious, and extremely participating.
8. Useless Lonely
Useless 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 is not going to be upset.
Like Wallace & Gromit, Rooster Run, and Shaun the Sheep, Useless 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 along with his misplaced love, Barbara.
What I like: I like how inventive this interactive video is. Regardless that the storyline appears harmless sufficient, loads of morbid however enjoyable moments preserve viewers entertained. General, I believe that is an instance of one thing exterior of selling that would encourage inventive content material inside of selling.
Stand out From the Crowd With Interactive Video Advertising
Our knowledge 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 an even bigger manufacturing finances.
Right here’s the factor, although: Sure, you will get inventive with this format, which generally calls for extra finance and tech-wise. However it’s also possible to 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 components like viewers questions and polls. Plus, YouTube, Fb, and Instagram readily assist reside streams, and you can begin one on any of these platforms without cost.
Both method, I believe interactive video advertising is one thing to check out for your self, particularly with so few others doing so.
Editor’s Notice: This put up was initially revealed in Could 2017 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
