When it comes to video marketing, time is of the essence. Every second that you get to spend with your audience is priceless. But data shows that you only have 8 seconds to reach, capture, engage, and then convert your audience. How well are you using your 8 seconds? Or would you prefer a way to increase the time you have with your target audience? One way to cut through the noise is to make the viewer an active participant in the viewing experience through the use of interactive video marketing.
What Is Interactive Video Marketing
Interactive video marketing takes video from a linear, passive medium and turns it into an active, multimedia experience allowing the viewer to determine the direction of the video by choosing which action to do next. For example, there might be a choice within the video to choose A (taking you to an external website) or choose B (continuing with the video to learn more). Instead of just telling the viewer about your product or service, the video becomes an actionable, interactive tool.
Interactive video allows the viewer to choose their journey, increasing audience engagement, maintain interest, and organically presenting direct call-to-action(s) without interrupting the flow of the video.
Interactive Video Driving ROI
How does interactive video marketing drive ROI? Think about it this way: as a business or a marketer, you are always trying to tailor your message to appeal to a specific audience. But for many companies, they have multiple audiences and audiences that have a variety of interests and perspectives. Traditionally, to speak to all these unique audiences requires the creation of a wide array of content tailored to meet the individual attention of each audience. To do this, you are investing time and money into redundant content development and management process.
With interactive video, in a single execution, the very person you are hoping to target in the first place is tailoring the message for you. They are creating their personalized video, making them that much more likely to stay engaged and make a purchase decision. With each click, they are taking themselves on a journey suited just for them. When viewers feel they are in control of their journey, 64% are more likely to spend more time watching that video compared to a traditional video. And they are more likely to make a purchasing decision. According to a report by Rapt Media, “videos with choice can have three times the viewing times, two times the conversions, and 14 times the click-through-to-purchase rates”.
While interactive video is still an emerging sales and marketing tool, Rapt Media, a provider of interactive videos tools, has witnessed different ways business are leveraging interactive video including Recruiting, Tutorials, Education & Training, Lead Generation and Building Tours.
Here at Oswego Creative, we began using this tool in 2015 in our work with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). The IBEW was looking for a unique way to recruit recent college and high school graduates to their apprentice program. We developed a first person, POV interactive video that allows prospects to discover the benefits of the apprentice program compared to a more traditional career path.
Oswego Creative has taken our extensive video production knowledge and applied it to this new technology. We understand the creative and production requirements necessary to develop a compelling interactive video and the technical know-how to build the interactive elements.
If your business is looking to increase engagement, create more meaningful interactions with your audience, and improve your bottom-line ROI, consider entering into the future of video marketing.
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