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What are interactive videos?

The growing rise of videos on the internet has led to the need to evolve the way in which videos are presented to the audience.

At a time when Internet users are faced with large doses of information from different media, it is necessary to present information in a creative way that generates attraction in an audience that feels somehow personalized.

And it is in the face of this need for personalization of information that the interactive videos.

This type of audiovisual content allows the user to actively participate in the story that is unfolding, making decisions on the road ahead, delving into the information that is being presented, moving elements, and even making online purchases without having to go to another website.

Thus, like major brands in the world, they have ventured to incorporate this type of striking and attractive technologies.

Companies such as Honda, Deloitte, Maybelline and Warner Bros. have developed this type of audiovisual content, placing themselves at the forefront of digital communication on the internet.

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Interactive videos and education

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Other very interesting applications are the use of these videos, to even immediately evaluate and qualify learning in educational institutions, since it can include accountants and other types of data capture.

Other applications that have been developed are linked to journalistic content, through these novel technologies, it is possible to enhance the consumption of information, known means such as Washington Post, Newsweek, The New Yorker, among others, have experimented with this type of audiovisual tools.

Interactive videos and JOURNALISM

Although making an interactive video sounds quite complicated, the reality is quite different, once you are clear about the function and purpose of your interactive video, you can choose the type that best suits your needs.

The main thing should be to think about the user experience, the UX must be designed to guide the user along a path, through the different interactions, that is easy to navigate and explore.

Interactive Success Stories

Despite this being a trend with little time in the market, we can mention some cases of interactive videos that have been very successful in their audience.

SKIP (Unilever)

Unilever I create a advertising video really attractive interactive, in which female dancers are shown following some dance steps. The user has the opportunity to click on the screen and choose the different costumes that the dancers will wear. In addition, when selecting a clothing style, while the spectator sees how the characters wear the chosen clothes, they can also see some care tips for that type of fabric.

The process of creating this video was quite complex, since instead of relying heavily on post-production work, most of the work was done in front of the camera; with the dancers performing the different dance steps with each of the costumes, for this a total synchronization in lighting, facial expressions, and body movements was necessary.

The first step was to design the choreography, and once decided, a motion capture process began to record the steps, the location of the dancers and the lighting. In this way, synchronization errors are avoided.

Puss in Boots (Netflix)

Last year Netflix released a new series, under a very creative new format. The fact is that it is an interactive series that allows users to choose between different options to develop the story. Although this experiment was designed primarily for children, the great acceptance it has had in the audience could have an impact on the production of more series of this type.

The length of the episodes varies depending on the decisions made by the participants, ranging from 18 to 39 minutes. Each episode gives the viewer two options, which in turn are unlinked into 4 possible endings depending on the viewer's choice.

Here's everything you need to know if you're considering using interactive videos for your next project.

Phases or stages of the interactive video

Regardless of the intention of your interactive video, there are 4 phases, or functions that your video must perform to engage the user and fulfill the purpose initially stated.

• ATTRACT: The first step for your video to fulfill its purpose is to generate interest in the user, attracting them to the video. Happening like this unrecognized The user passive.
• INVOLVE: once attention has been captured, it is necessary to offer them a motivating element, which invites them to participate, thus becoming a user active.
• CONNECT: when the user already feels identified and decides to actively participate in the video, it's time to establish a connection through the content presented, so that they feel this way involved in the process.
• Convert: Finally, in this last phase we have a user captivated for the information presented and you are ready to follow the CTA included in the final part of the video.

Objectives of interactive videos

It is vitally important to be clear about the objective that you expect to achieve with the video, which will depend on the type of video to be used.

A video whose purpose is to attract customers cannot be the same style as one that seeks to publicize certain information or one that is designed for branding.

Depending on the intention of the video, we can organize it into 5 functions:

LEAD GENERATION:

The conversion of new customers is an element of great importance within any company, and the strategies to achieve this must be increasingly creative and adapted to the reality of the environment. Here are the types of interactive videos that are ideal for this feature:

❖ INTERACTIVE VIDEO QUIZ:

Through this video, users have the opportunity to answer a series of questions and, based on the answers given, they go to an end with a rating. At the end of the video, users receive a kind of reward, usually emotional, but in some cases it could also be material.

❖ INTERACTIVE VIDEO GAME:

With this type of video, users must place different elements, words, objects, characters in the video, and at the end of the video they receive a rating based on their skill, and a respective reward.

❖ INTERACTIVE VIDEO LEAD:

These types of videos are ideal for expanding the information that users have about a certain product or service interacting with a hotspot. This additional information can be displayed as part of the same video, or by directing the user to an external website or landing.

The main objective of these videos is to capture leads through the forms included at the end of the video, guiding users through a call to action.

BRANDING:

Making a brand known, and the corporate values that integrate it, is of vital importance to grow in an increasingly competitive market, so the strategies to be used for this purpose must meet consumer demands. The use of interactive videos is ideal for this purpose, since in an attractive and captivating way, it presents information to users, inviting them to take an active part. The videos used as part of branding strategies are:

❖ INTERACTIVE WEB VIDEO:

The user browses the video as if it were a web page, clicking on the different sections and choosing the content they want to see within what is presented. By offering him the power of choice, he is giving him an active role in user-brand interaction.

❖ INTERACTIVE VIDEO STORY:

This type of video presents a story, with different development options, and it is the user who will decide how the events unfold, thus becoming the protagonist of the video. One of the great advantages it offers is that it engages the viewer with the brand in an organic way, increasing dwell time and repetitions.

This type of video seeks to publicize the brand, and integrate users with what it has to offer.

Presenting information in such a way that the audience is in control of what they want to see, a connection is established that will have a positive impact on the relationship that the user has with the brand.

FORMATION

When it comes to teaching online courses, sharing knowledge and knowledge, there is a wide variety of platforms and media, however, through interactive videos, the participant is given a leading role in the learning process.

❖ INTERACTIVE VIDEO LEARNING:

It combines resources, videos and even tests that help participants measure their knowledge on a certain topic. This tool is ideal for the e-learning process since it integrates the different elements necessary to present information in a complete, interactive way and adapted to the participants. Equally, by giving them an active role, it allows them to develop a meaningful learning process.

❖ INTERACTIVE MEMORABILITY:

Technology has even improved the way we relate to each other and keep memories of special moments. Interactive videos are an original way to preserve important occasions in our lives for the future.

RECOGNITION:

Sharing a documented story using an interactive video turns the viewer into an active protagonist, exploring and discovering according to what they want to know about the narrative.

INTERACTIVE DOCUMENTARY:

With this type of video the user actively participates throughout the content, choosing which parts or chapters they want to view. In addition to having additional information about objects, characters or places of interest.

Benefits of Using Interactive Videos

Among today's wide variety of communication strategies and techniques, interactive videos stand out thanks to the great benefits they can bring to a website.

It is important to mention that the growing number of users who watch online videos and mobile videos positions this strategy among the main ones when it comes to reaching an audience.

Let's look at the benefits of using interactive videos:

● Exposure time:

Unlike a regular video, the user spends up to twice as much time on the website, browsing the different parts that the video offers. Thus, having a longer time of exposure to the brand in an unconscious way.

● Engagement:

By actively participating in the video, making decisions and choosing what information to view, generates a quality connection between the user and the brand, thus increasing engagement.

● Loyalty:

By offering the user the opportunity to make their purchases within the same video, it increases compulsive buying, together with the interest in maintaining contact with the brand.

Interactive video technology is undergoing explosive development and promises to be the perfect mix between web interactivity and valuable audiovisual content.

This is why it is expected that in a short time we will see content generators interacting in real time with their followers through a mix of video streaming and personalized web platforms directly on the websites of each brand and not just on social networks as is the case today.

In this way, through video content, of value to users, it can be segmented according to the particular tastes and interests of each person and not in such an impersonal way as is the case with linear video.

If we add to this conversions, segmentation and ROI metrics in real time, it undoubtedly becomes a dream for all those who monetize through internet content and who want to obtain interactions with people from any device anywhere in the world just by watching videos.

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What will your next video talk about?

To learn more about how Interactive Videos can help your company gain more presence on the internet and improve communication with your target audience, request a FREE advice HERE and we can help you.

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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:

Cristián Aracena Stübing He is Co-Founder of Antidote 56 visual studio. An expert in post-production and video technologies, he is currently developing new projects with tools such as Digital Video Marketing and Interactive Videos.

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