Video marketing has become one of the biggest and growing trends of recent years, and it’s showing no sign of slowing down.

Video is one of the biggest ways consumers can engage with a brand, and its rise can be attributed to several things. Most notably, the use of social media and subsequent ease at which video can be viewed on these platforms using native view as well as the improved quality of device screens allowing us to view in HD and more increasing 4K on the go using faster WiFi speeds.

We’ve already seen a huge shift in the way brands approach video content. Long gone are the product-driven this is our beer/handbag/TV service/supermarket – now go buy, type of approach. Instead, we’re experiencing #allthefeels with thought-provoking and heart-wrenching stories, there’s influencer and self-generated video content and video as a form of entertainment to drive engagement and awareness rather than purchases.

Video is so much more than the final thing itself. Its use on landing pages can increase conversion rates, and the mere mention of the word in an email subject line increases open rates. It’s no wonder that it underpins a huge part of many brands marketing strategies.

53% of consumers report that they engage with a brand after viewing one of their videos on social media (SmartInsights) and that it helps them to make buying decisions. But it’s the next developments in video that will see consumers wanting more from the content and to engage with it on another level, over and above just watching it – enter interactive video! 

What is interactive video?

Interactive video is a move from the traditional linear video format, which has a start and an end, and the only way to move through this content is to pause, rewind or fast forward it. Interactive video is a way for the viewer to get more involved in the content, change the reality or story, find out more information and take a wider view – there are so many options!

How are brands using it? 

Below are two brilliant examples of interactive video content; bear in mind – they are pricey solutions, but if you’re interested in having a play and seeing where interactive video could go you should definitely take a look. 

In their campaign, The Other Side, Honda used two videos overlaid to portray the dual realities of one driver, allowing the user to choose their own story. In one, a carpool Dad is collecting his kids from school at the end of the day, and on the other side, the same Dad is a Jason Statham, Transporter-style, getaway driver. Those interacting with the video had to press R on their keyboard (a reference to the car the Civic Type R) to view the other reality in realtime.

The results for Honda were great, their website traffic doubled, and users spent around three minutes engaging with the video. Take a look at the video here, to see the carpool dad and his alternate reality! 

Dulux worked with the same interactive video company as Honda to create a video in which viewers can hover over any colour in the video to get information on the paint colour used and alternative colours in the range, as well as a link to their website to purchase a tester pot. Its best part – the use of Pinterest posts related to the paint colour used in the video as suggestions on how the viewer could use it. 

How can I use interactive video?

Platforms such as Verse and Videotier provide some low-cost options should you want to test interactive video content. It is quite handy to know some of the terminologies when it comes to interactive video, as a quick Google of any of these will no doubt bring a selection of cost-effective, easy to use platforms to get you started! 

Clickable links: Add links to your video to send viewers to your website, online shop or to your social media channels. Links used to appear quite clunky; however, you can add them behind an image, piece of text or a button graphic to make it look a lot better!

Hotspots: These are a much better version of links. Hotspots identify a thing in the video and track it throughout, making it an interactive link. There’s no need for an additional button, text or images. What this can do is make your link look a more natural part of your video content.

Branches/Branching: Is a technique wherein the viewer can choose the story they want to view. This is truly interactive, but be aware – time-consuming! This technique will require real storyboarding, planning out the different branches the viewer can take, not to mention the additional content that will need filming and editing.

Integrations: A lot of CRM systems now will allow you to integrate quizzes, calls to action and polls into your video. What’s more, webinar software also allows you to add in slides, additional images and polls. 

360/3D view: A great way to immerse your viewer so that they can see a great location or product from all angles. What’s more, they’ll be able to manually drag their way through your video, change their view and take their own tour.

As you can see, there’s a lot going on with interactive video, and there’s so much more to come. As techniques become more well-used, the number of platforms and options you’ll have will also increase. Now is the time to plan your interactive video content and see where what journey your customers will choose to take.