There has been a recent rise in the number of interactive video tool sets which make it easy for marketers to create video content that engages audiences with in-player links, buttons, hotspots and more. These interactive items enrich the video by adding an interactive layer on the video player so viewers can easily click on the video itself to interact with the layer.
As online video is evolving to embrace interactive video and other technologies, so is the production of the video itself. The techniques needed to embrace interactive content are not as difficult as one might think. This article details a few different methods of video production to consider when working with interactive video.
What TO DO with interactive video
Interactive video should not be looked at only as a layer added to a video once it has been published to the web — it should be viewed as a central part of the viewing experience. To effectively make a video interactive, the pre-production phase should incorporate interactive video ideas into storyboarding and scripting. A successful interactive video will give viewers leading actions and design that help anticipate the interactive actions.
For example, if your interactive video is video talking about the different types of bikes, then you would produce that video with an intro menu and splice together clips of each of the different types of bikes. Once the video is uploaded it can be enriched with interactive menus and hotspots that link to specific clips based on the menu item select by the viewer. These very principles can be applied to nearly every type of video, whether designed for training, marketing, or just entertainment.
What NOT TO DO with interactive video
It’s easy for interactive video to easily become distracting if too many interactive actions are placed within the video. Going beyond one or two basic viewer actions in a video can be considered too much. It’s important clearly think through the types of interactivity so that you are driving the viewer down a concise journey. Failure to do so will result in:
- The viewer may not fully understand the video and will drop off
- The viewer will think the brand and message is sloppy and leave
When to use Video Interactivity?
- Marketing Use Cases – Interactive video is best used for in-video calls-to-actions. If there is a specific video or article the viewer to see next, include those in the video timeline where that link is mentioned. It’s bad practice to just add a link to the video without it being referred to in the video.
- Entertainment Use Cases – “Choose your own adventure” videos are perfect for entertainment, although this example is applicable to all types of video. This type of interactive video is engaging and puts the power of the story in the viewer’s hands. However, make sure the video suggests the action to take and don’t make the viewer think about “how to take action”.
- Training Use Cases – Training videos should be used to measure engagement and completion. Consider adding quizzes to the video, quizzes should feel native to the video to be most effective.
Things To Consider
Interactive video is a powerful tool that video marketers should consider and incorporate into their video strategy, it can start with enriching current content or producing new videos. Before venturing into interactive video, consider the points above as guidelines.
To learn more about interactive video, download the 2017 Interactive Video Buyer’s Guide.
