Everything you need to know about interactive videos

Interactive videos have emerged as a groundbreaking form of media that revolutionises the way we engage with video content. Unlike traditional videos, interactives encourage viewers to actively participate and immerse themselves in the viewing experience. Let's explore the key aspects of interactive videos, their unique features, and their potential to boost conversion rates and engagement - and get you that higher ROI you're after.

What are Interactive Videos? Interactive videos are a dynamic form of media where the audience actively engages with the content instead of being passive viewers. Rather than following a linear narrative, interactive videos allow viewers to interact with the video through clickable elements, hotspots, overlays, and branching paths. This interactivity creates a more engaging and immersive experience for the audience.

The Power of Interactivity: Interactive videos offer several advantages over traditional videos. Research indicates that interactive videos can boost viewing time by up to 47% and increase purchaser intent by nine times compared to traditional videos. Moreover, interactive videos have an average conversion rate of 11%, significantly higher than the 1% typically observed with Google ads. These statistics highlight the effectiveness of interactive videos in capturing and retaining viewer attention, as well as driving customer engagement and conversion.

Shoppable Videos: One popular application of interactive videos is creating shoppable experiences. By integrating interactive elements, viewers can directly engage with products showcased in the video and make purchases in real-time. Brands like Moet Hennessy, Rip Curl, and Vogue have successfully utilised interactive videos to provide immersive shopping experiences, resulting in higher conversion rates than traditional videos. Shoppable videos enable businesses to merge entertainment and shopping seamlessly, leading to a more engaging and rewarding experience for consumers.

Unique Features of Interactive Videos: Interactive videos encompass various unique features that enhance viewer engagement and personalisation. Hotspots are clickable areas within the video that trigger specific actions or reveal additional information. These hotspots can be static, anchored to fixed positions, or dynamically positioned within the video. Overlays are pop-ups that appear when a hotspot is clicked, providing viewers with additional information, data capture forms, external links, or downloadable content. These overlays enrich the viewing experience and enable businesses to deliver more context or capture valuable customer data.

Branching is another compelling feature of interactive videos, allowing viewers to control the narrative by selecting the next scene. This empowers storytellers to create personalised and interactive narratives that captivate the audience, fostering deeper engagement and an immersive viewing experience. By offering branching paths, interactive videos provide viewers with a sense of agency and allow them to explore different storylines or perspectives, resulting in a more immersive and captivating video experience.

Creating Interactive Videos: To create your own interactive video, you'll need to follow a few key steps. Begin by creating a map that outlines the video's branching paths and interactive elements. Next, write a script that considers the different branches and prepares content for overlays and hotspots. Visualise your video through storyboarding, illustrating where interactive elements will appear. Shoot or animate your video and then add the interactive elements using interactive video software.

Interactive videos have transformed the way businesses engage with their audiences, offering a more immersive and personalised experience. With higher conversion rates, increased viewer engagement, and the ability to create shoppable experiences, interactive videos are a powerful tool for businesses. When it comes to interactive video software, Vudoo's SaaS service stands out with its user-friendly interface and powerful features. Harness the interactivity of video and unlock the potential for increased customer engagement and conversion rates with interactive videos. If you would like to learn more about how interactive video can generate more for your content, contact asher@brimful.co.nz