The newest form of media used in digital marketing is interactive video ads. Marketers already understand the value of linear, or traditional, video in their digital marketing strategy. However, interactive video offers a number of benefits above and beyond those of traditional videos. For example, consumers actually watch interactive videos for 44% longer than traditional videos. Additionally, 32% of viewers found interactive videos more memorable than traditional videos. Both of these facts point to the value of this growing media form in your digital marketing strategy, but what is it exactly and what other benefits can your brand enjoy from its use?
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Interactive Video Examples
As the name suggests, interactive video ads encourages viewers to engage with the content as they’re viewing it rather than simply watching it from start to finish. Traditional videos have only play, pause, rewind, and stop buttons available as “interactions.” Interactive video, by comparison, takes user control to a new level by offering them different options to engage with the content while watching the video. The following are common examples of interactive video in action:
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Hotspots: these are clickable areas within the video content that encourage viewers to click on a particular item and doing so takes the user to a separate landing page or reveals unique content within the video itself.
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360-degree views: interactive videos with 360-degree views prompt the user to twist and turn their mobile device or drag their mouse to view the entire scene around them in the video, rather than just a singular point of focus.
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Branches: the inclusion of branches prompts users to interact with the video and take it in different directions to view different products, learn about different services, or skip right to pricing information.
These are just a handful of examples of interactive video in action. In the end, interactive video is much more effective in creating engagement and boosting conversions. Not convinced? Let’s dig a little deeper.
Benefits of Interactive Video
Beyond longer viewership and leaving a lasting mark on the viewer, interactive videos are better than traditional videos at generating impressions/engagement and boosting conversion rates. First of all, most consumers today are not looking at just one screen at a time. The average consumer may be sitting at their work desk during the day looking at their computer screen while also viewing your interactive video on their smartphone. You have to compete for their attention, and interactive video is far more effective in this environment than traditional video formats. 87% of viewers are using more than one device at a time, but interactive video can overcome the distraction. These types of videos have shown to boost user activity by 591%!
Greater attention and the push to engage directly with the video is great, but at the end of the day, you want more conversions. Engagement is great, but conversions are the overarching goal for your digital marketing strategy. Interactive videos encourage viewers to make choices while also providing greater entertainment at the same time. This combination results in conversion rates over 11%, which far exceeds the conversion rates common with banner ads and Google display ads (1%).
As you embrace interactive video in your digital marketing strategy, remember to keep the content engaging. Make the viewer feel as though they’re in control of more than just starting and stopping the video.
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