In this interactive video from Philips, users click on the facial hair style to select a story path. Photo via Forrester Research
Tech and marketing pundits have predicted for years that interactive video would become prevalent. It now seems its moment has finally arrived. The exponential growth of online video, increasing broadband capacity, and consumers’ growing preference for control over online media has combined to create a near-perfect environment for interactive video.
Viewers of interactive videos can perform functions within the video itself. They can complete forms, take interactive tutorials, participate in game-like experiences, take part in surveys or simulations, or explore related video material. Viewing an interactive video can sometimes seem more like playing a video game than watching television.
For old-timers, online interactive video very much resembles interactive multimedia programs on laser videodisc or CD-ROM for interactive learning, simulations, product demonstrations and professional training. The online versions have additional benefits: They are more interactively sophisticated, less costly to produce and are easily accessible by a worldwide audience. The online versions, however, sometimes still are not as responsive as the disc-based interactive programs because of bandwidth latency. That short-coming is being resolved quickly.
As a long-time producer of interactive multimedia programs, I applaud the growing use of online interactive video for marketing and training. Based on results from the days of laser videodisc (R.I.P.) and CD-ROM, interactive video has proven to achieve exceptional marketing and training results. The advantages of online distribution to a worldwide audience should make interactive video a marketing winner. The big hits will be those interactive video programs that entertain while educating or marketing.
People Want More Control Online
A recent survey by Rapt Media highlighted consumers’ preference for choice and interactivity over interruptions and a passive experience. Consumers now want greater control over ads they see, what brands send them emails, and the types and frequency of the email updates and offers.
The Rapt Media survey reveals that 89% of consumers want control over ads they view online, 68% want to be able to control offers and updates they receive from brands via email, 60% have turned off notifications on Facebook from apps, and 56% have changed their privacy settings in the past year.
Although consumers now demand a greater amount of choice and control in their online experience, most online content remains passive. Brands use push marketing to mass produce content that they hope or think their target audiences want to see.
People also want more choice when viewing videos. Sixty-one percent want to be able to skip sections of videos they don’t find interesting. Despite consumers’ growing preference for control, most videos only allow viewers to go forward, go back, pause or leave the page. As a result, video provides marketers very little data about consumers. It only gives information about clicks, views and bounce rates when it could be revealing much richer behavioral data and insights.
Choice can have a substantial impact on marketing. According to Rapt Media, 64% of consumers are more likely to spend more time watching video if they have more options to interact with it. Videos with choice can have three times the viewing times, two times the conversions, and 14 times the click-through to-purchase rates.
Don’t Sit Still
Rapt Media is certainly not the only organization pointing to the importance of interactive video. Forrester Research analyst Anthony Mullen previously emphasized its benefits in his report Move Beyond Awareness with Interactive Video. Online videos improve SEO performance, achieve impressive user engagement and attain better ROI for business objectives.
Mullen recommends that marketers move some of their budgets for online display ad videos into interactive video and develop richer interactive video experiences display, websites of selected publisher, and their own websites.
“Marketers should not sit still with their existing approach to video and instead should begin to embrace the new interaction design possibilities with IV,” Mullen advises. “Innovative brands will hone their skills now, earn kudos and higher engagement with their consumers, and be in a better position to capitalize on the increased usage of this new medium later.”
Developers of online interactive video programs can look to the older disc-based programs for inspiration and templates of effective interactive approaches for learning, training and marketing. Once again, what’s old is new – this time, in a new package that offers noteworthy advantages.
Bottom Line: Experts tout interactive video as the next big thing in marketing and consumer education. Its time has arrived due to the growing popularity of video and consumers’ desire to control media. Interactivity proved effective in laserdiscs and CD-ROMs. Online interactive video has the major advantages of low-cost production tools and ease of distribution. With its advantages, interactive online video is likely to become pervasive in many different marketing applications. Early adopters are likely to attract outsized attention and competitive advantage. Creative programs that entertain while marketing will be the biggest hits.
William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.
