Interactive videos are exploding in 2023.
But why should you bother with them? Why not just stick to the standard video format?
The short answer is that they are proven to generate greater engagement than traditional linear videos. This is because they allow your viewer to immerse more deeply in the experience by having more control over it.
But don’t just take my word for it. Let’s have a look the facts:
According to Mobile Marketer, interactive videos boost viewing time by a whopping 47%.
Not only this, they according to Mobile Marketer increase purchaser intent by a massive 9 times!
And having produced numerous interactive videos here at Spiel, we have noticed a significant increase in conversion rates when comparing interactive videos to more traditional linear ones.
So if you’re interested in a new way to boost engagement and grow your sales…..keep reading!
An interactive video allows the viewer to interact with the content. This is done through the use of hotspots and branching. Hotspots are clickable areas which lead to more information being revealed whilst branching allows the viewer to choose the direction of the narrative.
To find out exactly how effective interactive videos can be, we carried out two detailed surveys.
The first survey involved interviewing a total of 73 business professionals who had already created at least one interactive video to understand how it had impacted their businesses.
The second survey involved interviewing a total of 100 consumers learn what they thought about interactive videos.
You can check out all the results of our interactive video survey here.
Check out the video below that we created that also summaries the results of our interactive video survey:
Below are some of the key finding of our interactive video survey that involved interviewing a total of 170 participants:
87.7% of businesses that incorporated interactive video into their sales strategy noted that it resulted in a growth in their sales revenue.
78% of businesses said that interactive videos depvered superior results for them when compared to standard videos.
75% of consumers said that when they were initially introduced to a new product, they preferred learning about it through an interactive video rather than from a sales person.
86.2% of businesses that created an interactive video said that based on its success, they were looking to create more of them in the future.
So as I mentioned above, there are certain distinct features that result in a video being interactive. Let’s now go through each one in more detail:
Clickable Hotspots: These are basically areas on the video which can be clicked on to reveal more information. There are two distinct types of hotspots.
According to the interactive software platform WireWax, sticky hotspots can generate as much as 9 times more engagement than static hotspots. So whenever possible, you should try and use sticky hotspots over static ones in your videos. Later in the article, I will show you how you can do this.
Below are three examples of great ways that you can use hotspots in your videos:
Overlays: This is basically the additional information that appears on the screen once a hotspot is clicked on. Sky is really the limit as to what you can include in your overlay. This includes data capture forms, detailed information on the concerned scene or product, downloadable content, URL’s, contact forms and more.
360 Degree Experiences: Merging 360 degree video visuals with hotspots and overlays to give a more immersive experience is a another common feature of interactive videos.
To learn more about all the features I’ve just mentioned above, check out the video below. In this video that we created here at Spiel, you’ll see real life examples of hotspots and overlays which will give you a clearer understanding of exactly what they are and how to use them.
“Research by Mobile Marketer shows that interactive videos can increase viewing time by a massive 47%”
So now I’ve successfully convinced you of the benefits of using interactive video, and you’re keen to try it out….but what will be the best way to do so for your business?
In other words, how can you use your interactive video in a way that will deliver the best return on your investment?
Do you want people to buy more of your products once they land on your website?
Most people are still relying on the standard approach of relying on text and images alone to showcase their products.
In comparison, have a look at Ted Bakers’ interactive video.
Rather than just relying on the conventional approach, Ted Bakers’ interactive video allows viewers to shop directly for clothes that they see the models wearing in the video.
Through seamlessly combining video with the ability to purchase clothing using cool, trendy footage, Ted Baker really bring the shopping experience to life.
And gain an edge through creating a much stronger connection between their viewers and their clothing.
And the result…..you guessed it…..a boost in sales!
Looking at the video….you may be thinking that it looks great…but that you simply don’t have the budget to create such high quality footage.
So how could you make this work for your business?
Well, the short answer is that you don’t necessarily have to spend big to get great results.
Simple videos of your products being displayed or used combined with interactive features can in most occasions deliver a significant boost in sales. So don’t be disheartened.
It goes without saying that interactive videos are a much more immersive way of showcasing your product compared to standard linear videos.
Below are some actionable tips to take into consideration when producing an interactive demo video:
Interactive videos are rapidly growing in popularity as an educational tool as the number of distinct benefits over stand linear videos.
These include:
Gathering customer feedback and engaging in consumer research is more important than ever if you want your business to succeed. Interactive videos are one of the best ways of getting this feedback, as it’s easy, fun and far less dry (or irritating!) than a standard survey.
Think of clever ways of building computer game-like stories around your product that includes customer feedback in a natural way. For example, let them choose where they want to focus their attention in order to see where their interests lie so that you can focus on those areas in the future.
But the possibilities are endless!
As a recruitment tool, interactive videos can save a lot of time, hassle and worry.
For instance, you could simulate a first-person ‘day in the life’ of someone working in the position advertised. This would give potential recruits a chance to see what some of the work would entail and give them an idea of the company environment.
You could also use your video as a tool to ask some preliminary pre-interview questions. This could help you select which applicants you’re going to progress to the interview stage.
With the right video, by the time you’re sitting down at the interview both you and the interviewee can be confident that they would be a good potential fit for your team.
Social media is a great platform for interactive videos. Whatever your business, websites like Twitter and YouTube are perfect places to post your
Let’s take a look at the steps you’ll need to take in order to make a great interactive video.
Before you start, outline what you’re expecting to achieve from your video.
Be as specific as possible: if you want to increase your sales, what figures are you (realistically!) hoping for, and over what time frame? If you’re looking to improve brand awareness, how do you intend to measure this?
Having a clear goal will help your team stay on the same page, and you’ll know how to measure the performance of your video once it goes live.
You should have a clear vision of what you want your video to look like. What makes your idea stand out, and how do you want to incorporate interactive elements into your video?
Next, create an outline of the interactive features you want to include in your video.
Ask yourself the following questions:
If you’re using branching in your video, creating a map is essential. The more options you include, the more branches you’ll create. Having a clear map to refer back to will help you keep track!
Here’s an example of an interactive flow map that I created recently:
“Don’t make your script too lengthy – you want the viewer to interact as much as possible with your video.”
Now that you have an outline, you’re ready to start writing your script.
Remember that the basic principles of creating a video still apply. You want your video to be engaging and memorable for your audience. If you only focus on the interactive elements and forget about the actual content, your video will appear gimmicky, which is definitely not what you want!
Consider all the possible pathways a user may take. Each option should be equally strong – think of what you’re writing as several standalone scripts.
This stage will bring all the parts of your vision together.
Combine your initial map with your script so that you can easily read through each version of your story.
You also need to decide where the interactive elements will appear on the screen. Do you want them to be static, or move along with the image? Do they all lead to different parts of the story, or do some serve a different function (e.g. further information or the ability to click and purchase an item within the ad)?
Now it’s time to shoot your video! Whether your film is live action or animated, make sure you’re happy with each of the branches of the story and that you haven’t left any key elements out. Unless you have the resources to shoot your own video, you may wish to commission an agency – I’ll tell you more about what you should be looking out for below.
The final – and arguably most important! – step is to edit your video and add the interactive elements to the footage. If you plan on doing this yourself, you’ll need an interactive video software. There are a number of options available at different price points – in Chapter 6, I’ll guide you through some of the best tools on the market today.
Before you upload your video, make sure you’ve tested out each of the different branches on your storyboard, and clicked on every interactive element to check it’s working correctly. Once you’re sure you’re happy with all of them, your ad is ready to go live!
If you or a member of your team have the technical know-how required to produce an interactive video, you may wish to invest in a subscription for interactive video software. However, it may be far more time and cost-effective to commission an agency.
Before you take the plunge, make sure you do your research. Look for a company that has a proven track record of producing high-quality interactive content. Take a look at some of the videos they have made for other clients to see if you like the quality of their work.
The agency should take time to listen to your needs and make sure you’re on the same page creatively. They should also be transparent about cost and timing, and shouldn’t pressure you into a quick sale.
With the rise of the technique, new and better interactive video software tools are constantly coming onto the market. So, now more than ever it’s easier for non-professionals to make their own high-quality videos and publish them on popular interactive video platforms.
Here are three of my favourite interactive video software packages and platforms currently available:
Rapt Media’s cloud-based software is a great all-round tool that allows you to build interactive experiences with their ‘composer’, publish videos to their ‘player’ platform and measure them with their ‘analytics dashboard’.
No need for computer coding, you can simply drag-and-drop clickable hotspots and story branches into the video.
Prices available upon contact to suit your requirements.
WIREWAX is the most comprehensive and capable interactive video software available anywhere today. Their self-serve Studio platform allows you to add hotspots (static or motion-tracking) to your videos along with a host of other features including branching, pulling in live data feeds and even connecting your video to your site via their iframe API.
They offer different tiers of pricing based on user requirements, ranging from $999 / month for a Small Brand through to Enterprise levels for their most robust offering. You can see their complete pricing here.
Verse is a full-service multimedia platform that leverages the latest adaptive streaming, video compression and CDN optimization technologies to deliver great interactive experiences.
Unlike many other interactive video technologies, which include limited navigation features to seek through a single video file, Verse allows truly seamless navigation between any number of individual video assets, offering greater freedom for both viewers and content creators.
Users can upload media assets to their accounts and construct interactive experiences with their videos and images using the platform’s interactive video editor.
Key features within the editor include:
Other features include support for vertical and 360-degree video; multi-lingual closed captioning; third-party analytics integrations; developer APIs; offline project delivery; white-labeling services; ad delivery; and custom player styling options.
Completed Verse experiences can be published and embedded on third-party websites and apps through the platform’s interactive media player application.
“86.2% of businesses that have used interactive videos say they are looking to create more in the future.”
Here is a demonstration of how YouTube’s built-in tools can be used to make videos with alternative story branches:
And here is an example of a creative 360-degree interactive video hosted by Vimeo:
As well as the biggest video platforms, some of the world’s biggest social media companies are also getting in on the action.
For instance, in June 2018, Facebook announced ‘a set of new tools — polling for Live and on-demand video and gamification for Live — that will give creators the power to create fun, unique and interactive content for their fans.’
So, there’s no doubt that interactive video is destined to be a hugely popular and important tool for marketers in the coming years.
If you would like a simple guide to shooting video by yourself, take a look at my infographic on the topic here.
Enough detail!
The cost of your interactive video will depend on a number of factors.
But basically, it can be split into two categories:
The cost of producing your video will really depend on the kind of video you have in mind: will your video be animated or live action? How ambitious do you want to be – will it require special effects or shooting in multiple locations?
In order to add the interactive elements, you’ll need to purchase an interactive software package. Most providers charge an annual fee to use their platform and prices can vary significantly from provider to provider…..from a few hundred dollars to thousands annually. So you’ll need to shop around!
Another thing to consider is that good interactive agencies should already have an interactive video software platform that they regularly use to build create their videos.
So, they should be able to help you avoid purchasing an interactive software platform just for your video…saving you thousands! And this is exactly what we do here at Spiel.
Also, before setting your budget, it’s a good idea to work out your potential return on investment (ROI) that you can achieve from your video.
We’ve created an in-house ROI calculator to help you do this – check it out below:
So in a nutshell, pricing will vary greatly depending on the agency you choose to work with, the type of video you want to create and how you wish to include your interactive elements.
However, to give you an a more tangible idea of cost, as a ballpark, our interactive video prices start from around $3,000.
So feel free to get in touch if you would like our help!
Children’s congenital heart disease charity Mended Little Hearts created this moving interactive video titled Give a Fuller Life. The video follows a day in the life of a boy called Max with a heart condition.
The purpose of the interaction in this video is all about getting people to donate. The more you pledge to give, the fuller the world around Max becomes, transforming from empty and white to full of colour and life.
It is a great metaphor for the charity’s work and is used to powerful effect with beautiful 3D animation.
By sincerely depicting how your work can make a difference in people’s lives is a far more effective way of encouraging viewers to donate than with a passionate plea.
This interactive animated music video is for late singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley’s heartfelt cover of Bob Dylan’s Just Like a Woman. With 73 different clickable cells, it gives the audience (literally) countless ways to change the narrative of the love story.
The viewer’s selections can also influence the music itself. While it begins with just Buckley’s voice and guitar, it has the potential to end with an entire choir and orchestra arrangement – 16,000 musical combinations in total.
The 4-and-a-half-minute clip shows the enormous possibilities of interactive video. If your art reflects something as complicated as the highs and lows of human relationships, perhaps it’s the perfect format to present it through.
Multinational professional services network Deloitte created this gamified interactive recruitment video for their office in New Zealand. Titled ‘Will You Fit into Deloitte?’, it’s a first-person experience introducing the viewer to the company culture as well as educating them about what is expected of employees.
This interactive video is so great because it removes the stress of entering a new environment by portraying just how welcoming and supportive it is.
Through a number of real-life office dilemmas, like a printer breakdown, the audience can choose what course of action to take and see the consequences of those actions play out. The video has been widely shared on social media and the average viewing time is over 5 minutes.
When it comes to recruitment, interactive video would certainly make the decision to apply for a role at your company a lot easier.
British luxury clothing brand Ted Baker created this interactive video for their website landing page.
It depicts a fashionable man and woman strolling through the woods with ‘click to shop’ tags pointing at their various items of clothing and accessories. When the viewer clicks on one, a pop-up appears with a description of the item, its price and a link to purchase it.
This is a great example of modern interactive marketing video. It makes it infinitely less effort for customers to find the items they see advertised on screen, guaranteeing more sales.
Interactive video advertising is an easy way to take people straight to the products they want without even having to pause the ad.
For the launch of the 2016 remake of the classic Jungle Book movie, Disney released this stunning interactive video to show how it was made.
The clip has a movable split screen that plays shots from the actual movie alongside the pre-CGI behind the scenes filming of the same shots. As well as that, there are multiple clickable hotspots revealing hidden information about the story and interviews with the cast.
This is an amazing example of an exciting big budget interactive video made to build anticipation and excitement around a major animated feature film.
It may not be feasible for the average interactive video customer, but it really does demonstrate that even major companies in the entertainment industry are seeing the entertainment value of it.
Major American makeup brand Maybelline New York made this interactive tutorial video to educate their customers about achieving signature looks tailored to their individual mascara preferences and needs.
Narrated by stylist Kelly Framel, the video goes through some of the biggest mascara fashion trends by asking the viewer to select between things like day and night, modern mod and avant garde, club tropicana and rebel chic.
Maybelline knew their customer base was increasingly purchasing online on mobile devices and needed a new way of launching their products specifically for them. Interactive video was the perfect solution and made their click-through rate 14 times higher than the industry average.
Before making your interactive video, know exactly how your audience wants to consume your content.
The Resuscitation Council, the body responsible for setting central standards for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and related disciplines, released this ground-breaking scenario-based interactive video.
It throws the viewer into 4 intense situations in which crucial decisions must be made in order to save a person’s life. The aim is to teach people essential life-saving skills in the most engaging manner possible.
The high production value, dramatic sound design and convincing dialogue and acting really make it feel like you’re in a movie. And with the clock ticking, the pressure is on to react to the situation at hand.
This is a perfect example of an interactive educational video, scenario-based interactive video that makes people take notice. If you have important information for public consumption, gamified interactive videos are the best way to get it across.
For the launch of their Gear VR, Samsung created this interactive 3D surfing video that immerses the viewer in the heart of the action. Narrated by professional surfer Ian Walsh, it gives us a realistic, slow-motion perspective of what it feels like to be inside the barrel of a wave and live a day in the life a pro surfer.
Given the extraordinary setting of this video, the 360-degree perspective makes people want to watch it multiple times in order to see every detail and angle. And, by telling the story of someone who’s job places them in such unique positions, it does what all great advertisements should: make us forget we’re watching an advertisement.
Tell a fascinating first-person story using 360-degree virtual reality to engage an audience with your interactive video.
The world’s first lifestyle sock brand Alfredo Gonzalez created this interactive video as a demo and not as part of a campaign. However, it is still a great example of how interactive video can be used to gather customer data and teach viewers about your brand.
It uses a series of questions and images interposed between video clips to allow the audience to input various information about their personal style preferences and contact details.
Knowing as much about your customers as possible is vital for any business strategy, but forcing surveys and questionnaires on them can be a nuisance. That’s why interactive video is such a great new tool for gathering data in a way that, when done right, can actually be fun.
Game developer Nicky Case makes animated interactive games and videos to educate people about complex issues in an easy to understand way.
This video is a basic 2D visualisation of how neural connections can lead to anxiety (Hebbian Learning) and how we can go about unlearning those connections (Anti-Hebbian Learning). By allowing the viewer to interact with individual neurons, they can get an idea of how the pathways are formed and unformed.
Interactive video is a great tool for educating people of all ages on complex subjects, because, instead of turning them off with difficult-to-follow text, it gives them a simple visual representation they can play as if it were a game, actually making the experience enjoyable.
“Compared to static hotspots, sticky hotspots generate up to 9 times more engagement.”
Folding glass door manufacturer LaCantina created these interactive product demonstrations to show off their various doors for indoor/outdoor living in many different environments and from many different angles.
It allows viewers to choose a video based on individual features, such as configuration, glass, operation, etc., and each helps them to find the option best suited to their specific environment. As well as that, the audience can flick between different views of the same scene in order to get a thorough picture.
This is a perfect example of how to demonstrate a customisable product with an interactive video. It breaks the many features into small, easily-digestible parts that go a long way towards driving sales.
Advertising organisation The Interactive Advertising Bureau made this interactive video to help explain the digital advertising ecosystem.
This is a great example of an interactive marketing video using basic 2D animation. It creates a simplified view of the marketplace with 6 rings, from ‘brand’ in the centre to ‘business intelligence’ on the outside, that the viewer can explore in their own time.
If describing a complex system, it’s far more effective to break it up into its main components and explain each of them separately than trying to cram it all into 1 linear video. Interactive video is definitely the best way of achieving this.
British online fashion and cosmetic retailer Asos created this interactive YouTube video example back in 2014.
Featuring a track by the band Juce titled The Heat, it portrays Asos as a fun and fashionable brand and shows off their ranges by allowing the viewer to toggle between 5 different colour themes. If yellow is selected, for example, the entire scene, from clothes to instruments to props, changes to that colour.
This is an excellent example of a creative interactive marketing video made to build a certain image around a company. It’s fun and it’s not forcing their product and service on the audience.
How could you build your brand’s image in an effortlessly fun way?
Australian multicultural and multilingual broadcaster SBS made this brilliant, multi-award-winning voice-activated animated interactive video titled ‘My Grandmother’s Lingo’.
It follows an Aboriginal woman, Angelina, fighting to save Marra, a dying language in remote Northern Australia. After the deaths of her grandparents, there are only 3 people left who can speak it and, with time running out, Angelica is determined to learn.
With an estimated 1 language lost every 2 weeks and with 90% of Australian languages critically endangered, the message couldn’t be more poignant. Interacting through the computer microphone is just another creative example of how you can engage your audience.
Alaskan rock band Portugal. The Man created this politically charged interactive video for their Grammy Award-winning song Feel It Still.
It encourages viewers to click on pop-up hotspots inside the video that add ‘resistant tools’ to your toolkit. They include things like elect women, combat climate change, fund planned parenthood and understand your protest rights, all with links for further information.
This is another good example, not only of how interactive video can be used for entertainment, but also how it can transform regular videos into something completely different.
In the digital world, there might be no more effective way of communicating your agenda than with interactive videos.
If you would like to learn about explainer videos, another amazingly engaging video style, you can take a look at my definitive guide here.
If you would like to discuss an interactive video for your business, you can get in touch with our interactive videos company on 0208 798 2507.
This is a worth reading blog. Thanks a lot for sharing a detailed blog.
Extremely intetresting. What you seem to imply, though, is that there is no software available for private use yet (or, if there is, it is extremely expensive)
Extremely interesting. What you seem to imply, though, is that there is no software to make such videos on your own so far (or, if so, they are damn expensive…)
This article explained so many things that I didn’t know at all. Thanks Darren for such in-depth information.
Thanks Shalaka
Thanks Shalaka. You’re welcome!
Thanks for sharing.
It’s really a nice and helpful piece of info interactive videos.I’m happy that you shared this helpful information with us.Please keep us up to date like this.Thanks for sharing.
Thank you
Great article, thanks! I’m a teacher trainer on multimedia applied to the teaching of English as a foreign language, and I found your post really useful.
Glad you found the post useful.