There are 5 reasons interactive video is BETTER for you than linear video

Video content can be a powerful tool for sharing information. The popularity of interactive videos has changed the way that we consume video. Interactive video provides a unique experience, which traditional linear videos can’t offer. This blog will explore interactive video, and five reasons why it is superior to linear video.

What is Interactive Video?

Interactive video is any video that allows viewers to interact via interactive elements. This is a nonlinear content that allows viewers to interact by answering questions, taking part in polls, or clicking on hotspots. These interactive videos will add an additional layer of engagement to any content.

Interactive Video Features

Interactive videos have many features that can increase engagement. Depending on the feature, viewers can interact with the video by clicking buttons, making gestures or hovering the mouse.

a. In-video meeting links: You can add in-video meeting links that will enable the users to join or get invited to a meeting.

b. Polls: You can insert a poll in your non-linear video if you want to get an opinion from your viewers. They can simply click on the option that they prefer, and you can view the poll results after the poll deadline has passed.

c. Quizzes: This feature enables the viewers to participate in the quizzes in the video. They can answer one or more questions by typing their answers or choosing an answer from multiple choices.

d. CTA: You can also add clickable Call-to-action (CTA) to your interactive videos that help the viewer understand what the next steps are for engaging with your brand. These in-video CTAs generally contain a link to the login page or other sales-related external pages.

e. Annotations: You can also add one or more notes to the video to explain certain aspects of the video (such as a diagram or an image) to the viewers. This helps them to understand the context of the video in a better way.

f. Branching: With this feature, your audience has the ability to choose their own path in which they want to view the video. This enables the user to take control and personalize the video viewing experience.

Difference between Interactive Video and Linear Video

The main difference between linear video and interactive video is the presence of some specific features in the latter. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Unlike linear videos, creators can insert in-video call-to-actions that can help to boost the performance of the marketing campaigns. Viewers can also have customized narratives and viewing experiences according to their choice in the case of interactive videos. There are many more functionalities of interactive videos that separate them from linear videos. Look at the chart below to understand the differences in detail.

Why Interactive Videos are better than Linear Videos

In general, videos are a great way of delivering information to viewers. However, with the increasing popularity of video content, it is essential to create videos that stand out from the rest of the crowd. This is where interactive videos come into the picture. These non-linear video formats are considered to be superior to linear video formats because of the following reasons:

a. More engaging and compelling

It is well known that video is comparatively more engaging than other types of static marketing content. However, if you allow the viewers to interact with the video, it can help you make the video more engaging and compelling. According to a study, it is estimated that interactivity helps increase the engagement rate of linear videos by 3 to 4 times. This is mainly because interactive videos transform the role of viewers. They are no longer simply passive audiences consuming the content; rather, they are active viewers who can interact with several video features to have a personalized viewing experience.

b. Improved viewer retention

An average person retains about 95% of the information when they watch a video, while they can only retain about 10% of the information after reading it as text. This shows that video content has better retention as compared to text. But research also shows that people will have forgotten 50% of the information presented to them within one hour. And as a brand marketer, your aim is to create a long-lasting impression in the minds of the viewers. Interactive videos can help you combat this problem because these non-linear videos require the active participation of the viewers. This will increase the chances of them remembering all the essential information.

c. Access to trackable data

As mentioned earlier, one of the most important differences between interactive video and linear video is that you can monitor the performance of your interactive video campaigns more effectively. There are various tools that can help you analyze video interaction, such as the number of plays, dwell times, completion rate, conversion rate, engagement rate, etc. Furthermore, analyzing your past video campaigns also helps you plan your upcoming video campaigns in a more efficient manner.

d. Better Conversion rate

People also tend to share video content with their friends and families if they find the information useful or engaging. An interactive video has all these qualities, which encourage the viewers to share it with their peers. Hence, it is much easier to get more views and likes in a short period of time. And as you already know, the conversion rate is directly proportional to the number of views and likes. It is estimated that the click-through rate of interactive videos is about 10 times higher than that of passive videos.

e. Preferred by Viewers

Interactive videos enable the viewers to be actively involved, which transforms the video viewing experience. These non-linear video formats offer valuable information to the viewers and offer a new form of entertainment at the same time. Hence, viewers prefer to engage with these interactive videos rather than linear videos.

How to create an Interactive Video

Now that you know about the benefits of interactive videos, let’s learn about how you can create them for your marketing campaign.

a. Brainstorm an Idea

The first step to creating an engaging interactive video is to develop a concept. You need to think about some basic questions, such as:

What is the subject of the video?What are the types of interactions that you want to include in the video?Who is the target audience for the video?

The answers to these questions must be based on your marketing objectives. Also, your answers will help you come up with a concept on which your video can be based.

b. Select a popular video platform

There are several online video platforms that you can use to create an interactive video. One of the most efficient and user-friendly tools available on the market is Hippo Video. With a range of creative options and simple-to-use features such as a custom poll, a lead generation form, a video playlist, etc., you can make stunning interactive videos that elicit intrigue in your viewers. 

c. Monitor and track video metrics

After your interactive video is online, the final step is to evaluate and track its performance. This step helps you learn from your mistakes and make better videos in the future. While conceptualizing an idea for the video, you can also figure out some metrics or indicators that can help you assess its performance, such as engagement rate, number of views, completion rate, etc.

If you are creating your first interactive video, you can use the performance results of other videos as a reference. This will help you set realistic expectations for the video’s performance.

Create Interactive Videos: Best Practices

Interactive videos offer a great deal more than linear videos. Here are some tips to help you create interactive videos and increase your viewer engagement:

a. Use interactive elements with care

They are fun to watch and even more exciting to make. It is vital that you make the most of interaction. Don’t overdo it and include too many interactive elements. If you have multiple quizzes, links and branches in one video, then your audience may be overwhelmed. Your interactive video could fail if you do this. It is important to avoid confusing viewers by using too many interactions within a video.

Gamify your viewing experience

Interactive videos allow marketers to create a unique viewing experience by gamifying it. To do this, you can create multiple content paths for viewers that allow them to create an unique and customized experience for each choice. This technique is known as branching.

Use reward schemes and other gaming elements to increase viewer engagement. You can add quizzes and weekly competitions to your gaming. Your viewers will enjoy a more wholesome and engaging video experience.

Watch video here

Guide your audience through the video.

You should walk your audience through the experience of watching interactive videos. Here are a few ways you can let your audience know they can interact with a video:

Use narration or voiceovers to guide the viewer through the experience.

The conclusion of the article is:

Interactive video is not a new tactic for outreach. These non-linear formats of video are now mainstream video content. According to estimates, 35% of marketers experienced improved conversion rates and 25% experienced increased sales following the use of interactive videos. Interactive videos allow viewers to interact with them by clicking, hovering over, scrolling or dragging specific elements. You can create interactive videos using branches, quizzes and polls. Hippo Video can help you create interactive videos that are highly engaging to meet your marketing goals.

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