Understanding Interactive Content and How to Integrate it

Leveling up your marketing? One way to get ahead of the game and give your brand a competitive edge is by integrating interactive content. Here’s why: Consumers no longer engage with passive content the way they used to. Content trends ebb and flow, and right now, consumers want something that captures their attention and impresses them. Not only is it fun, but it increases engagement and skyrockets your conversions. Interactive content is shaping the future of marketing, and the time to start is now. Keep reading to learn more about why interactive content is shaping the future of marketing and some examples you can start incorporating.

Why Static Content is Losing Impact

Not sure what interactive content is? That means you currently have static content, which is rapidly losing its impact on consumers. Static content refers to content that never changes. Things like traditional blog posts, banner ads, static videos, news articles, and more. While the output of information is important when it comes to having a website, the way you do it matters.

Rather than sifting through boring, static content, audiences are craving experiences rather than just information. For example, the controversial Chinese shopping app, Temu, owes a lot of its success to interactive content.

An article by the BBC states:

“Temu is as addictive as sugar,” says retail analyst Neil Saunders. “The experience and cheap prices give consumers a little dopamine hit and keep them coming back for more.” Regular promotions increase engagement, he adds, and the chaotic interface of the website creates the illusion for consumers that they can “dive in” and rummage around to discover a great deal – especially finding them if they move quickly.

How can a simple shopping app completely take over the market in seemingly no time flat? It is all thanks to interactive content, social proof, and gamification, among other things. Want to be part of the trend? We’re here to help.

The Power of Interactive Websites

Interactive websites aren’t just fun and interesting, they offer a ton of benefits for brands. First, they provide proven higher conversion rates, a better user experience, more data collection, loyalty, and a reputation boost. Incorporating simple elements such as dynamic scrolling effects, animation, hover interactions, forms, quizzes, 3D visuals, chatbots, and more can help you accomplish it all.

Want to see some examples of interactive websites in real-time? Check out Nike, Tesla, and Airbnb as just a few examples of interactive websites that offer a more unique, interactive experience rather than a simple, static one.

Still not totally convinced? Here are some interactive website stats you need to see:

1. 88% of marketers say interactive content helps brands differentiate themselves
2. 79% say combining interactive content with other content types improves message retention
3. Over 96% of people who start quizzes on Buzzfeed finish them
4. Far more online visitors will watch a video than read content
5. 43% of consumers prefer interactive video to standard video
6. Most B2B marketing pros include interactive infographics in their strategies (or plan to soon)
7. A majority of consumers prefer AR-assisted shopping when available
8. Interactive content is twice as likely to engage a visitor as static content
9. A majority of marketers say going interactive is an effective way to repurpose existing content
10. Recent interactive content statistics support specific options for each level of your sales funnel

Interactive Video: The Next Evolution

If you offer a product or service that requires an explainer or multiple choices, this is for you. Interactive video is a huge new trend in marketing where, instead of passive watching, users can make choices within videos. Whether you need consumers to choose a color, size, shape, build a package, or otherwise make a decision, they can do so immediately, right within a video.

Whether you are looking to increase conversions or educate your consumers, interactive video is a much better decision than regular, static videos. While static videos are important and can offer value, giving your consumers the next level will give you the competitive edge to have them choose you over them—immediately.

Here are some examples of interactive video elements you can incorporate:

• Decision-making options that allow purchases within the video
• Polls
• Drag-and-look 3D environments for offices, clinics, showrooms, and more
• Links to internal pages that answer questions within the video, such as blog posts or service pages
• Interactive timelines

Gamification in Marketing

In what is probably the most surprising and interesting trend as of late, gamification in marketing is one of the most effective tools you can employ these days. Adding game-like elements to your website, such as quizzes, rewards, leaderboards, wheel spins, and more, increases engagement and keeps users coming back for more. For example, incorporating a quiz to recommend the perfect product or adding a pop-up with a wheel to spin for a percentage off are just a few of the ways you can gamify your website.

Gamification is a great way to drive up sales, sign-ups, or content sharing. Rather than such an in-your-face gamification method as Temu, other brands have found more subtle ways to gamify their consumers. Starbucks uses a loyalty program in which its customers earn stars for every purchase and can, in turn, use their stars to purchase drinks, bakery items, or more. But—be warned! Stars expire, so make sure you come back as soon as you can! McDonalds uses a similar model.

Not sure how to incorporate a loyalty program? You can go even simpler with gamification by creating a quiz that gives customers real-time results. Whether that is a percentage off, a BOGO deal, or a gift with purchase, consumers are more than happy to complete a short, simple task if there is a reward at the end. They get savings or other value, and you get valuable data and a hot lead—it is a win-win.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

If your services or offerings require a visualization for the customer, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are going to be your new best friends. These forms of interactive content create a completely immersive experience, allowing consumers to picture exactly how something might look and feel if they make a purchase.

Some examples of AR and VR for successful interactive content include:

• At-home try-ons for clothing or shoes
• Seeing how certain furniture, paint colors, or other decor might look in their space
• Test out a new lip color or hairstyle

This type of interactive content isn’t just limited to what the customer can do. Brands can offer AR and VR content for other examples, such as:

• An interactive showroom
• Interactive walk-through of a home, hotel room, or other experience
• Interactive tour of your office or clinic

User-Generated Content & Engagement Tools

Another form of interactive content that you may already be employing is user-generated content and engagement tools. People love knowing they are not alone in their choice—reading reviews, seeing other happy customers, and participating in activities with other customers always tend to drive up sales and engagement.

Examples include:

• Polls
• Surveys
• Live Q&A sessions
• Reviews
• Social posts
• Social sharing
• Case studies
• Testimonials
• Webinars
• Podcasts
• Blog posts

Here are some statistics surrounding user-generated content, thanks to Business:

• Advertising based on UGC can result in a 400 percent increase in click-through rates
• 8.5 percent increase in conversion rates for website visitors that are served UGC ― and a 100.6 percent conversion lift if they interact with the UGC
• Featuring UGC across your site can result in a 20 percent increase in returning visitors
• 72 percent of consumers trust peer reviews and customer testimonials on a brand more than the brand’s advertising messages
• 62 percent of consumers believe that UGC is a key way of enhancing brand authenticity, vital for effectively telling your brand’s story

Need some user-generated content? Here’s how to encourage it to happen:

• Ask for reviews. There are a ton of rules when it comes to asking customers to write a review. You can’t incentivize them in any way, but there is no rule against simply asking them! Make sure you encourage users to provide you with a positive review, citing how important it is for your business growth.
• Encourage sharing. Customers actually want to be featured on their favorite business pages! Take advantage of this by having an active social media presence, encourage sharing, and re-post content they create.
• Engage with your customers. Nobody likes talking to a wall, so don’t make your customers feel this way online. Engage with people who talk about you online, and make sure you reach out to your loyal customers to thank them for their support.
• Credit and protect your creators. If you repost content that was created by another user, make sure you credit them and encourage others to visit their pages. Incorporating phrases into your social media captions such as, “Thank you @NavazonDigital for the awesome testimonial! Go visit them for your marketing needs!” can make a huge difference.

Personalized Interactive Content

Ever seen the show on Netflix called Black Mirror: Bandersnatch? It lets users choose their own story, and you can do the same with your own content. Taking advantage of AI-driven marketing automation tools such as chatbots, product recommendation quizzes, dynamic emails, smart forms, and much more will help improve your customer’s experiences.

Customers love a personalized experience. A brand that remembers their size, color preferences, birthday, or other simple details? Priceless. Personalized interactive content can be achieved through AI automation tools to help make your life easier. Simple examples of personalized interactive content include:

• Signing up for an email list that offers savings, birthday promos, and abandoned cart reminders
• Calendar apps that allow you to directly book an appointment by choosing an open slot
• Forms to sign up for events, participation, or to request more information
• Calculators and other tools to help customers choose the right size, color, or shape of a product
• Chatbots that are pre-loaded with answers to frequently asked questions and help guide users to the solutions they need

Get Interactive with Navazon Digital

The future of marketing belongs to brands that create immersive, interactive experiences. Whether you’re ready to completely gamify your website or simply add in a few personalized touches, it is time to bring your website up to date with the latest trends and skyrocket your conversions.

Navazon Digital helps businesses implement cutting-edge interactive strategies to engage their audience through data-driven marketing that expands opportunities and reduces risk. As marketers and entrepreneurs, we understand the value of developing a memorable brand through creativity and consistency. This is accomplished through targeted graphics, videos, and websites that reflect our proven, time-tested methodologies and detailed analytics. It is an approach that’s proven effective for companies of all sizes, from start-ups and medium-sized businesses to large firms with an international presence.

We are content creators who listen to our clients so that we can formulate ideas and strategies based on your unique goals and philosophies. Thinking through those goals with our analytics-based approach, we study not only your tendencies but those of your competition and the market as a whole.

Equipped with this knowledge, we develop a powerful plan, test it, and then roll it out on a modest scale. Once we arrive at the winning formula, we can scale up rapidly to meet even the most optimistic growth projections.

At Navazon, we do not believe in “one size fits all.” Every part of the marketing plan is customized to address your unique niche and positioning strategy. It’s how we excel. It’s why we succeed.

Schedule a free consultation with us now! Visit us at navazondigital.com for more information.