Interactive content is the new king of digital marketing. Modern shoppers want dynamic and engaging experiences, with 90% expressing a desire for more visual and interactive content. Interactive content outperforms static content by engaging users more effectively, prompting them to compete, compare, and consume information quickly.
93% of marketers find interactive content highly effective for educating prospective customers. From quizzes to interactive infographics, this blog post explores 12 types of interactive content with real-life examples to elevate your digital marketing strategy.
What is Interactive Content?
Interactive content is a type of digital content that actively engages users by allowing them to participate in the content experience rather than passively consuming information.
Unlike traditional static content, which is consumed in a linear fashion (like reading an article or watching a video), interactive content requires the user to take some form of action to engage with it.
This interactivity can take many forms, including clicks, swipes, input of information, and other user-driven interactions.
12 Types of Interactive Content and Inspiring Examples
In a world of content overload, interactive content stands out for its ability to captivate and engage audiences.
Here are 12 types of interactive content, each paired with an inspiring real-world example to spark your creativity:
- Storyly Stories
- Quizzes
- Polls and Surveys
- Interactive Infographics
- Interactive Videos
- Calculators and Tools
- Interactive Ebooks and Whitepapers
- Games
- Augmented Reality (AR) Experiences
- Interactive Email
- Interactive Webinars and Live Streams
- Interactive Maps
1. Storyly Stories
Engaging users can be challenging, nowadays, but Storyly transforms this challenge into an opportunity. Bringing the beloved interactive content format from social media directly into your apps and websites, Storyly revolutionizes the way brands interact with their audiences. With Storyly, you can create immersive, full-screen experiences that captivate and engage users like never before.
Storyly’s dynamic format combines video, images, and text to craft compelling narratives that users can follow effortlessly. This blend of multimedia elements allows brands to reveal products and deliver personalized messages in an engaging manner. The interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, and CTAs (Call to Actions) further enhance user engagement by encouraging active participation.
For instance, Airtime Rewards leveraged Storyly’s capabilities to boost user engagement and transactions. By integrating interactive content, they created a seamless way for users to explore new features, participate in polls, and enjoy personalized offers. This approach increased the time users spent on their platform band also significantly enhanced user satisfaction and loyalty.
Moreover, Storyly's integration is easy which makes it accessible for brands of all sizes. Its studio simplifies content creation, enabling you to produce high-quality interactive content without needing extensive design resources. The Smart Sorting feature ensures that users see the most relevant content first, optimizing their engagement and making each interaction more meaningful. It even increases the open rate of Stories by 15%. Whether you want to promote a new product, gather customer feedback, or simply entertain your audience, Storyly offers an adaptable and effective solution. By incorporating Storyly into your digital strategy, you can create memorable and impactful interactions that keep users coming back for more.
2. Quizzes
Quizzes, like those from BuzzFeed, are a prime example of interactive content that captures user interest. BuzzFeed reports that 96% of users who start its sponsored quizzes complete them, illustrating the high engagement potential of this format.
Quizzes are enjoyable and highly shareable, encouraging participants to share their results and challenge their friends.
Creating quizzes is straightforward with tools like Quiz Maker and Survey Monkey. By integrating quizzes into your website or social media, you can boost user engagement, gather insights about your audience, and provide personalized feedback.
For instance, a quiz can help users determine which product best suits their needs and offer tailored solutions upon completion.
Example: BuzzFeed Quizzes
BuzzFeed is renowned for its extensive array of entertaining quizzes. Users can spend hours testing their knowledge on various topics, from movie trivia to zodiac signs.
One particularly popular quiz garnered over 22 million views, demonstrating the immense potential of interactive content to capture and retain audience attention. BuzzFeed quizzes are often quirky, highly specific, or even a bit controversial, but their engaging nature keeps users coming back for more.
3. Polls and Surveys
Polls and surveys are among the most commonly used types of interactive content, especially on social media. They are quick to set up and can collect valuable information from your audience, such as:
- Feedback on content, products, services, or customer service
- Audience insights, including names, addresses, location, interests, etc.
- Purchasing preferences, like industries, favored brands, item categories, or pricing
To clarify, a poll consists of only one multiple-choice question, while a survey contains multiple questions. On websites, polls are typically situated in discreet locations, requiring minimal interaction and allowing for quick completion. Surveys, being more complex, require greater interaction from users.
As one of the oldest interactive content types, polls and surveys have stood the test of time due to their unobtrusive, enticing, and fun. However, it’s important not to ask too much, as this can deter participants and result in lower response rates.
Interactive polls and surveys are essential for marketing research, understanding customer preferences, and gaining insights into your target market. For instance, restaurants can ask customers about their favorite meals, while eCommerce stores can find out what products customers like best through surveys.
Example: Hilton Hotels Surveys
Hilton Hotels sets a benchmark for effective survey practices. Their surveys are designed to gather comprehensive feedback from guests regarding their stay experience. Following each survey submission, Hilton conducts a detailed analysis of the feedback received. Based on this analysis, Hilton implements strategic changes aimed at enhancing guest satisfaction and improving overall service quality.
4. Interactive Infographics
Today, 43% of marketers consider infographics as the best visual format for audience engagement, surpassing videos, presentations, and data visualizations. This shift indicates the increasing demand for interactive and engaging content.
Creating interactive infographics requires more time and effort, but the payoff is substantial. These content pieces attract more attention, generate more social shares, and establish brands as authorities in their fields.
Interactive infographics have a low barrier to entry. Tools like Canva make it easy to create visually appealing designs even without an in-house designer.
Example: The Guardian's Interactive Infographic
The Guardian's interactive infographic on dog breeds exemplifies the potential of interactive content to engage users and showcase expertise. This infographic allows users to explore the relationships between different dog breeds by scrolling and clicking on images.
This interactive approach not only educates users but also establishes The Guardian as a trusted source of information in a captivating and enjoyable manner.5.
5. Interactive Videos
While interactive videos may not always be budget-friendly, they present an opportunity to push boundaries and deliver immersive experiences that put users in control.
With 85% of marketers now utilizing video as a key marketing tool, its effectiveness in engaging audiences is undeniable. Interactive videos, in particular, hold the power to maintain viewer attention and drive significant user activity. There’s a whopping 591% increase in engagement when viewers interact with the content.
With the advancement of technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), the potential for creating interactive film and video experiences is expanding rapidly. Marketers should be exploring these possibilities to enhance their content strategies and stay ahead of the curve.
Example: Thomson Holidays Northern Lights Interactive 360 Video
Thomson Holidays transports viewers to Iceland's northern lights in this interactive video. Users can virtually experience the awe-inspiring phenomenon and explore the Icelandic landscape from the comfort of their screens.
6. Calculators and Tools
Calculators and online tools serve as powerful assets for driving audience engagement, generating leads, and enhancing digital PR efforts. Not only are they fun, entertaining, and useful, but they also offer a flexible format that can give your brand a competitive edge by addressing specific needs within your target market.
Similar to quizzes, interactive calculators empower businesses to customize products or services based on their customers' needs. By providing personalized recommendations and simplifying decision-making processes, these tools contribute to enhanced customer satisfaction. For instance, a nutrition website can offer a calorie calculator, enabling users to input their dietary preferences and goals to receive customized meal plans and nutritional recommendations tailored to their individual needs.
Example: NerdWallet Mortgage Calculator
NerdWallet's home affordability calculator is a prime example of how calculators can engage users while offering valuable insights. This handy tool enables users to input various financial parameters, such as income and down payment amounts, to determine how much house they can afford.
By encouraging users to spend more time on their website and enticing them to sign up for additional tools and content, NerdWallet effectively drives engagement and fosters brand loyalty.
7. Interactive Ebooks and Whitepapers
Interactive ebooks and whitepapers, though not as flashy as infographics or videos, offer a wealth of information in a condensed, digestible format. However, in an age of instant gratification, the traditional text-heavy approach may seem outdated.
Yet, these content formats still hold significant value. According to the Content Marketing Institute, white papers rank among the top three channels for lead generation and sales for 50% of B2B marketers. Additionally, 76% of buyers are willing to exchange their information for access to a white paper.
By incorporating interactivity into ebooks and whitepapers through multimedia elements like videos, clickable links, and interactive infographics, brands can breathe new life into these long-form content pieces. They serve as powerful tools for education, storytelling, and presenting complex information in a compelling and easy-to-understand manner.
Example: CodinGame's Interactive White Paper
White papers often suffer from a reputation for being dry and dull, especially when dealing with highly technical subjects. However, CodinGame defies this stereotype with their interactive white paper. Through the use of animated charts and a sleek design, CodinGame transforms dense information into an easily readable and inviting document.
8. Games
Games represent the pinnacle of interactive content, offering unparalleled engagement and potential for various goals. However, their development often requires significant investment due to custom design and production.
Despite the cost, games can deliver impressive results, including increased engagement, press coverage, social media buzz, and valuable user data. For brands with compelling ideas and the resources to execute them, games offer a unique opportunity to differentiate themselves in the market.
Example: JustPark's "How Old Are Your Reactions?"
JustPark's interactive game challenges players to test their reaction times by clicking on a moving target within a set timeframe. This engaging experience not only entertains users but also promotes the brand effectively. Through simple yet captivating gameplay, JustPark demonstrates its commitment to innovation and user engagement in the digital realm.
9. Augmented Reality (AR) Experiences
Extended Reality (XR), a growing trend in technology that's here to stay. Marketers are increasingly leveraging XR technologies to engage audiences in innovative ways.
There are three types of XR:
- Virtual Reality (VR): Users wear special headsets to dive into entirely virtual worlds.
- Augmented Reality (AR): Graphics are layered onto the real world, enhancing what users see.
- Mixed Reality (MR): It blends VR and AR, offering interactive experiences users can control.
Example: Sephora Virtual Artist
Sephora's AR tool revolutionizes the beauty shopping experience by allowing users to virtually try on makeup products from the comfort of their homes. With layered graphics superimposed on real-world environments, users can see how different makeup products will look on their faces before making a purchase. This interactive AR experience not only enhances user engagement but also empowers consumers to make more informed buying decisions.
10. Interactive Email
You might be surprised to see email on a list of top interactive content. After all, isn't email old news in the era of flashy tech? Not really.
Email allows direct communication with individuals on a one-to-one basis, unlike the broadcast nature of social media. This inherent intimacy gives email an enduring edge in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Despite its flaws, email remains a powerful tool. By incorporating interactive elements like embedded videos, polls, charts, and games, email campaigns can significantly enhance open rates and engagement.
According to Campaign Monitor, interactive email content can boost the click-to-open rate by up to 73%, with videos alone increasing click-through rates by as much as 300%.
Example: Tom Raffield’s Furniture Designer
Tom Raffield's interactive email employs gamification by inviting recipients to participate in a guessing game. With the prompt "Can you guess where we are going?" and provided clues, recipients can interact by hovering over each clue with their mouse and submitting their guess. This interactive approach not only engages recipients but also makes the email experience enjoyable and memorable.
11. Interactive Webinars and Live Streams
Statistics show a surge in streamed content consumption by nearly one-third. While video isn't inherently interactive, you can jazz it up with live webinars.
Platforms like Zoom and GoTo Webinar enable hosts to conduct interactive sessions by accepting live questions from attendees, creating dynamic and participatory experiences.
Example: Pluspige Live Shopping
Pluspige, a Danish clothing brand catering to curvier women, exemplifies the success of live shopping events. These events, held multiple times a week, have propelled Pluspige to extraordinary revenue heights, totaling nearly 3 million euros in a single year. The brand's emphasis on community engagement has fostered a loyal following, with customers actively participating in product sharing and interactions during livestreams.
12. Interactive Maps
Maps have long been a favored content format for visualizing locations and routes. However, static maps come with limitations, as different users may seek different information. Making maps interactive allows audiences to engage with personalized content, enhancing their experience.
Interactive maps offer dynamic exploration of geographical information, allowing users to navigate locations and access additional details through various interactive features. These features include zooming and panning, clickable points of interest, filtering and layer toggling for focused information, customization options, and route planning.
There are several ways brands can leverage interactive maps. For businesses with multiple locations, interactive maps can display hours, addresses, phone numbers, and other location-specific information upon hovering. Alternatively, brands can create maps related to their industry or offerings. For example, a food brand could develop a map showcasing the most popular food in each state.
Example: Travel Supermarket’s ‘Where the World Wants to Go on Holiday’
Travel Supermarket created an engaging interactive map titled "Where the World Wants to Go on Holiday." This map allows users to explore popular holiday destinations worldwide. By clicking on different countries, users can see which destinations are trending and preferred by travelers in real-time.
Best Practices for Creating Interactive Content
Creating engaging and effective interactive content involves careful planning and execution.
Here are some best practices to guide you:
Know Your Audience
Understanding your audience is the foundation of creating successful interactive content. By knowing who your audience is, what they like, and what they need, you can tailor your content to meet their expectations and solve their problems.
Understand Your Audience’s Needs and Preferences
Conduct thorough research to understand your audience's demographics, interests, and behavior. Use tools like surveys, social media analytics, and customer feedback to gather insights. This understanding will help you create content that resonates with them.
Create Personas
Develop detailed personas to represent different segments of your audience. These personas should include information about their challenges, goals, and what type of content they prefer. Tailoring your interactive content to these personas will make it more relevant and engaging.
Set Clear Goals
Before creating interactive content, it is crucial to set clear, measurable goals. These objectives will guide your content creation process and help you evaluate the effectiveness of your efforts.
Whether your aim is to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or boost user engagement, having specific goals will keep your strategy focused and aligned with your overall marketing objectives.
Define Your Objectives
Clearly outline what you want to achieve with your interactive content. Your goals could include increasing brand awareness, generating leads, boosting engagement, or educating your audience. Having specific objectives will help you measure success and guide your content strategy.
Align Content with Goals
Ensure that every piece of interactive content you create aligns with your objectives. For example, if your goal is lead generation, include forms or CTAs that encourage users to provide their contact information.
Focus on Quality
Quality is paramount when it comes to interactive content. High-quality visuals and seamless functionality can significantly enhance user experience and make your content more compelling. Investing in professional design and ensuring technical excellence will help you create content that stands out and effectively engages your audience.
Invest in Professional Design
High-quality visuals and a professional design are crucial for making a strong impression. Consider hiring a professional designer or using high-quality design tools to create polished and aesthetically pleasing content.
Ensure Technical Excellence
Your interactive content should function smoothly without glitches. Test your content on different devices and browsers to ensure compatibility and a seamless user experience.
Make It User-Friendly
For interactive content to be effective, it must be user-friendly. This means designing content that is intuitive and easy to navigate, ensuring that users can interact with it without frustration. Accessibility is also a key consideration, as it ensures that all users, including those with disabilities, can engage with your content.
Intuitive Navigation
Design your interactive content to be easy to navigate. Users should be able to understand how to interact with the content without needing instructions. Use clear buttons, labels, and prompts to guide users.
Accessibility
Ensure your content is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Use alt text for images, provide captions for videos, and ensure your content is navigable via keyboard.
Encourage Engagement
Interactive content should actively engage users, encouraging them to participate and interact. Incorporating elements like quizzes, polls, and clickable hotspots can make your content more engaging and enjoyable. Promoting social sharing can also extend the reach of your content and increase user interaction.
Interactive Elements
Include features like quizzes, polls, sliders, and clickable hotspots to make your content interactive. These elements encourage users to engage with your content actively rather than passively consuming it.
Social Sharing
Add social sharing buttons to your interactive content. Encourage users to share their results or experiences on social media, which can increase your content’s reach and visibility.
Provide Value
For your interactive content to resonate with your audience, it must provide value. Whether through educational insights, entertaining experiences, or useful tools, your content should offer something beneficial to the user. Providing valuable content will help build trust and loyalty with your audience.
Educational and Informative
Offer valuable information or insights that your audience can benefit from. Whether it’s industry insights, tips, or how-to guides, ensure your content provides meaningful value.
Entertaining
Make your content enjoyable and engaging. Use humor, storytelling, and visually appealing elements to keep users entertained and interested.
Test and Iterate
Testing and iterating on your interactive content is essential for continuous improvement. By gathering user feedback and analyzing performance data, you can identify areas for enhancement and make necessary adjustments. Regular updates and refinements will ensure your content remains relevant and effective.
User Testing
Before launching your interactive content, conduct user testing to gather feedback. Observe how users interact with your content and note any difficulties or areas of confusion.
Continuous Improvement
Use the feedback from user testing to make necessary adjustments. After launching, continue to monitor performance metrics and user feedback to identify areas for improvement. Regularly update and refine your content to keep it fresh and effective.
Promote Sharing
Encouraging users to share your interactive content can significantly extend its reach and impact. By integrating easy sharing options and fostering social engagement, you can increase the visibility of your content and attract a broader audience.
Easy Sharing Options
Integrate social sharing buttons within your interactive content to make it easy for users to share on their social networks. Highlight the sharing options to encourage users to spread the word.
Encourage Social Engagement
Create content that prompts users to share their results or experiences. For example, quizzes that reveal personality traits or fun facts can prompt users to share their results with friends and followers.
Conclusion
Interactive content is revolutionizing the digital marketing landscape, providing a powerful tool to captivate and engage audiences. By incorporating various forms of interactive content such as quizzes, polls, interactive videos, and more, brands can create memorable and meaningful experiences that resonate with their audience. These interactive elements not only enhance user engagement but also provide valuable insights, foster brand loyalty, and drive conversions.
As we’ve explored in this blog post, the potential for interactive content is vast and varied. From the engaging quizzes of BuzzFeed to the innovative AR experiences of Sephora, real-world examples demonstrate the effectiveness of interactive content in capturing audience attention and driving user action.
To stay ahead in the competitive digital marketing space, it’s essential to embrace interactive content and incorporate it into your strategy. By understanding your audience, setting clear goals, focusing on quality, and encouraging engagement, you can create interactive content that not only stands out but also delivers tangible results.
Start experimenting with different types of interactive content today and watch as your digital marketing efforts transform, leading to increased engagement, deeper connections with your audience, and ultimately, greater success for your brand.
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