Brands have been using video for decades to reach audiences – think product placements in blockbuster films and TV ads. Unlike these traditional approaches, interactive videos posted on digital channels allow two-way communication and engagement.
Viewers are prompted to click, swipe, share and play, not just watch. Thanks to this interaction, brands are able to receive instant feedback, measure results through analytics and have one-to-one conversations with members of their audiences.
With interactive video, viewers can choose to go down one path or another, to click through to further information, to have a different experience based on their responses to a quiz, to share on social media.
For example, the kids section of the current blockbuster Andy Warhol, Ai Weiwei exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria features an interactive photo booth that is so much fun, the adults are swarming over it.
In the booth, participants are encouraged to make a range of faces, which are recorded, and produced into a one-of-a-kind pop art style video – branded, ready to share, and sent direct to the email address of your choice! You can see an example here.
When it comes to consumer brands, the interaction usually takes the form of a clickable static invitation to purchase, run in tandem with the video demonstrating an item’s attributes (or an alternative way to buy such as a phone number).
Internationally, The Guardian collaborated with the National Film Board of Canada in the interactive film The seven digital deadly sins, with an invitation to interact as follows:
It has been 25 years since the invention of the world wide web and more than 2 billion people now connected. How does this information revolution affect us personally, socially and morally? Jon Ronson, Bill Bailey, Billy Bragg, Josie Long and others reveal their sinful online behaviour. Find out what pride, lust, greed, gluttony, envy, wrath and sloth mean in the digital world – and cast judgment on the guilty. Will you absolve or condemn them?
Viewers are able to tailor-watch the stories that they’re most interested in, and of course, share it with others.
What are the benefits of interactive video?
Increased Engagement
Interactivity makes videos more engaging and immersive. According to Demand Metric, marketing professionals that were surveyed indicated that the top benefits of interactive video are more engagement and longer viewing time. For example, adding clickable links, telling stories and creating sharable games. Brands provide interesting stories, engage their audience, and gauge audience’s needs.
Shareable
All brands want to reach broader networks while giving audiences an experience worth sharing. Interactive video with interesting and entertaining information encourages audiences to share via different social media platforms, so they multiply the number of social networking profiles that can be reached.
Trackable
Using digital analytics, brands can track audience interactions. They can understand what viewers clicked, when they clicked, what platform they clicked from and just as importantly, what they ignored. This data helps better understand who the target market is and what they want.
What are some of the challenges?
On digital platforms, viewers have the ability to share their opinions with a global online audience in a matter of seconds – and when they spread negative comments, this can be a risk for brands. Maintaining a strong reputation all the time, not just when a crisis hits, is crucial for minimising brand damage if something does go wrong.
Producing an interactive video and integrating it with other platforms can be a time-consuming and costly process. Having a clear objective is important for measuring ROI and maximising the efforts and resources required.
So, how can you develop interactive videos that are an effective part of the marketing mix?
Establish objectives
Before creating an interactive video for your brand, it’s crucial to make sure you know what you want to achieve so there is a clear direction and call-to-action. Maybe it’s increasing the number of followers on Facebook, generating online sales, or repositioning the brand with a new image. Without identifying objectives, it’s almost impossible to measure the results.
Tell a story
In a few-minute video, you need to tell a story to attract the audiences’ attention. Focus on what your viewer wants to watch, not what your brand wants to say. Sometimes the story could be touching, entertaining, or even surprising – emotional appeal works. Think stories, not sales.
Plan smart distribution
Your interactive video needs to be easy to find, and easy to share via social media. Choose your host site/s accordingly and plan which social platforms will work best for your particular content. Facebook is best for short, visual videos (the auto-play feature mutes sound), whereas vimeo is great for something more in-depth.
Be mobile
Audiences will likely watch your video on mobile, so make sure it has the functionality to be optimised for all devices.
Interactive video provides an effective way for brands to better engage and communicate with audiences – and we think this tool is here to stay.
