A high interaction rate is the foundation of high reach and therefore a prerequisite for a strong brand presence. To generate as much interactivity as possible, some companies rely on interactive videos. We show you what you can do with interactive videos and what different forms there are.
For companies, interactivity is an important building block of successful marketing. When people interact with your content – texts, images and videos – you not only generate reach but also create a positive image and strong customer loyalty.
The most important thing for a high interaction rate online is the right content – all the texts, images and videos you publish on your social networks and website. If you look at the most successful companies, it is original, high-quality content that makes the difference.
One form of video marketing that is currently very popular, with companies and consumers alike, is interactive video.
An interactive video is a type of video in which users can actively interact, take part and have a say.
Pathfinder Studios Filmproduktion
The interaction doesn’t always have to take place in complex branching decision trees. A video can already be interactive if it can be commented on under a social media post. Videos in which viewers can click within the video have a higher degree of interaction.
Compared with an ordinary video, an interactive video turns the viewer from a passive observer into an active participant and even co-decision-maker. This not only makes your brand more memorable; the interaction also leads to greater reach and a higher conversion rate. Loosely after Confucius: “Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand.”
So it’s no surprise that many interactive videos are found in e-learning in particular. Explainer videos are also often offered in interactive form.
Because there are many forms of interactive video, we take the time to look at each of them more closely. There are suitable formats for B2C as well as B2B and many different industries.
Interactive videos: actively involving the viewer
360° videos
A well-known and frequently used option for interactive videos is 360° video, in which viewers choose the image section themselves and can, for example, look around a virtual room. Both Facebook and YouTube support watching interactive 360° videos. At the time of writing, the format was still used mainly for outdoor activities, real estate and events, but with a little creativity it can be used in a targeted way in other areas too.
Videos with two image or sound tracks
Switch between two video tracks with a simple click while the video keeps playing. A format that lets you get really creative and is sure to stand out online. For example, promote your product with a story told from two perspectives, switching between day and night, or even switching between the same scene with and without your product. This lets you show the benefits of your product interactively.
One example of such a video is the music video by Major Lazer in which you can switch between reality and daydream. Click here to watch.
Customer videos (user-generated content)
Advertising through user-generated content (e.g. videos/photos uploaded by users themselves) means that your customers film short videos related to your products and send them in. The best videos are then edited into one “big video” and published. A form of interactive video with very great potential for success, because it strengthens customer loyalty and gives people an incentive to engage with your company and your products.
The most successful example of user-generated content is the action camera manufacturer GoPro. Every year it awards prize money to everyone whose video makes it into the promotional video for the latest camera. To take part, you have to own the latest model. This marketing campaign is very popular every year and boosts sales of the product, because so-called influencers (private users with a large reach) often take part themselves and so indirectly advertise it. The resulting video has already achieved over 3 million views on YouTube.
E-learning with multiple-choice options
In e-learning and knowledge management in particular, interactive videos are an excellent way to convey knowledge even more effectively than with conventional methods. Instead of classic explainer videos, companies can create interactive videos that not only provide information but also ask questions at certain points and can be clicked interactively. Questionnaires, multiple-choice and “yes/no” options, for example, can be built into a video.
Interactive video stories
An interactive video story means that users can help decide the content of your videos. With a vote at the end of a video, for example, your viewers can decide what happens next. This tells you what your customers would like to see and increases interaction on your videos.
For example, link your product to a story whose course your viewers can help decide. Or ask what kind of videos your viewers would like to see.
Videos with interactive decisions
Particularly popular and even more interactive – but also more work – are videos with different storylines, in which viewers can decide at several points how the story continues. Netflix already has several such films and series in which viewers can make decisions and actively shape the course of the story.
Some companies have already used this method, on a smaller scale of course, to generate a higher interaction rate. A positive side effect: viewers watch the same video more often because/if they want to experience all the answer options and storylines.
The following example from Lenovo shows what such a video series for companies can look like; at the end of each video, viewers can choose between two storylines:
Livestreaming
Answer your customers’ questions in real time or present a new product. There are many ways to generate a high level of interaction with a livestream. For example, you can broadcast an event in which viewers can switch between different camera angles and chat with each other. Polls, questions and comments can also be generated live and, with a little technical effort, even integrated into the running video signal.
Clickable videos
Another form of interaction in a video is the option to click on certain objects during the video. This lets you add further information about a product, a person or a location, for example. Viewers can then decide for themselves whether they want to read the additional information or carry on watching.
Information doesn’t come across as intrusive, and the interactive feature makes for an entertaining user experience.
We will certainly see more interactive videos from companies in future. This innovative and entertaining form of video marketing meets with a very positive response from consumers and demonstrably increases customer loyalty.
Yvonne Schwalowski ist Marketingberaterin und strategische Filmproduzentin bei Pathfinder Studios sowie mehrfache Belletristik-Autorin u.a. beim Piper-Verlag. Mit 18 Jahren Berufserfahrung und erfolgreichen Multimedia-Projekten für 450+ Kunden ist sie eine erfahrene Marketing-Expertin für europäische Unternehmen – vom Tech-Startup über Hidden Champion-Industrieunternehmen bis zu Konzernen wie MAN, Miele und Audi. Ihre Werbefilme und Kurzfilme haben mehrere internationale Auszeichnungen gewonnen, ihr erster internationaler Kinospielfilm ist derzeit in Fertigstellung. Wikipedia – Portfolio – LinkedIn – IMDb
Yvonne Schwalowski ist Marketingberaterin und strategische Filmproduzentin bei Pathfinder Studios sowie mehrfache Belletristik-Autorin u.a. beim Piper-Verlag. Mit 18 Jahren Berufserfahrung und erfolgreichen Multimedia-Projekten für 450+ Kunden ist sie eine erfahrene Marketing-Expertin für europäische Unternehmen – vom Tech-Startup über Hidden Champion-Industrieunternehmen bis zu Konzernen wie MAN, Miele und Audi. Ihre Werbefilme und Kurzfilme haben mehrere internationale Auszeichnungen gewonnen, ihr erster internationaler Kinospielfilm ist derzeit in Fertigstellung.
Wikipedia – Portfolio – LinkedIn – IMDb
