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Interactive video is set to become the biggest video content marketing format out there. With the market rapidly growing as 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool. This was 85% in 2020, 87% in 2019, 81% in 2018, 63% in 2017 and 61% in 2016.
Brands who use interactive video can track every interaction that occurs within the content. This means that videos are extremely valuable for evaluating marketing strategies and adapting material to achieve the most engagement and conversions possible. Interactive video can give highly valuable insights to companies that are willing to turn videos into informative pieces of content and include this into their sales funnel.
Here is a convenient list of the top 10 video interactivity tools for 20213
Smartzer's tool shows brands how to make interactive video. It can turn new and existing video content into shoppable material. A interactive overlay is placed over content for brands to tag videos via images, text, product API's, URLs, product feeds or manually. When complete, a viewer will be able to click these tags to learn more, explore the video, customise items, 'buy now', 'book a test drive' or more via calls-to-action. The quick and easy software can increase engagement rates by 40% and increase conversions by 400%. Smartzer also provides a format to create shoppable live streams. Smartzer has helped brands like Missoni, Sephora, Valentino and BMW create interaction videos for campaigns.
Bambuser shows brands how to make interactive video via shoppable livestreams. These streams can be imbedded into brand e-commerce. Users can upload their product links and stream to the site via the app. Video interactivity is supported as customers can ask questions to the host via a chat room and shop products displayed from the carousel. Live shopping brings the benefits of in-person shopping online and helps build customer trust and loyalty. Bambuser's stream offerings include one-to-many or one-to-one videos. This is a great option for businesses looking to bring live shopping directly to their websites and build video interactivity into their content marketing strategy.
The chat bot industry is set to be worth $1.34 billion by 2024. Customers love the way that the technology allows them to connect with brands and gain instant answers to questions. Hero helps to connect brands with customers via their app so that they can make confident and informed purchases.
Customers can text and organise calls with store assistants. This gives a human feel to computer driven bots. Customers can schedule store visits, 1-1 calls, creating a personal channel to connect brands and engage consumers. Hero has worked with ecommerce sites like Size?, Nike, Harvey Nichols, Chloe, Nike and more.
VRCraftworks offers viewers an immersive experience like no other. The virtual reality technology can be applied to online ads like the Royal Caribbean Cruises example above, or it can be applied brand tradeshows. The high-tech company has a range of packages from gamification, training and simulation to story telling. Royal Caribbean Cruises partnership with VRCraftworks created promotional sales tool to help up-sale to existing customers. Each menu 'orb' can be clicked on to visit a 360 degree holiday destination. This successfully transports the viewer to Greece while remaining in the comfort of their own home.
Branching allows you to add clickable decision points in your video that can jump or loop the viewer to another timestamp in your video, allowing them to craft a viewing experience that’s most relevant to them. It’s one of the easiest ways to boost engagement with your viewers and get real-time feedback on their preferences and choices. WIREWAX uses hotspot technology to allow brands input choices for viewers. Time triggers allow brands to set up loops, pause points, skips and more. The viewer can personalise their own experience in the ad, generating a bespoke, one of a kind experience that stays with them. See above for Football Manager's example. Branching videos like the one above can generate a 51% interaction rate with reduced user drop-off as viewers watch for over 71 seconds at a time. This means that the brand becomes more memorable and conversions become more likely.
Vizia used to be an e-learning platform. Now, they have extended their platform to cater for businesses and brands for free! Using Vizia interface brands can insert multiple choice quizzes, polls, short answer questions into their videos and then embed them anywhere across blogging platforms, site builders, e-commerce and more. These quizzes are easily measurable and give a clear insight into the mind of the viewer. End of quiz CTA's encourage higher conversion rates. Videos can be easily shared across social media to achieve virality turning passive viewers into active participants.
Le New Black helps brands to digitalise their wholesale. Through their sales order app for iPad, sales reps are able to capture orders online and offline, scan barcodes, add and sync styles and prices. Brands can showcase and sell collections 24/7 with a 360 degree, virtual, B2B, online showroom. Retailers can conveniently browse linesheets, place orders, reorders and book appointments. Taking inspiration from the 2020 Fashion week responses to COVID, Le New Black seeks to replicate the benefits of browsing collections in person, online through shoppable video. If you are looking to sell B2B virtually, Le New Black is a great solution to any challenge caused by the pandemic.
Spott shows brands how to make interactive videos and images. Although this example isn't explicitly to do with video interactivity, it does show how you can give your images a dynamic facelift. Let your visitors ‘shop the look’ by tagging your products in images. Spott's product recognition software lets brands easily tag images. The product database automatically imports products and keeps offers and prices up to date. Easily embed your interactive images on your website in a couple of clicks. Turn your website into an interactive experience and increase its SEO performance thanks to the interactive metadata.
The Amazon owned gaming platform has extended its reach to interactive events. Here, brands can live stream their shows to thousands of viewers, interacting with them via a chat room and allowing them to shop by uploading product links. Twitch has started to partner with luxury fashion brands to take fashion shows live to audiences in the face of the global pandemic. The unique online experience provides a community feel to online events, bringing together fans and brands virtually. Brands are also starting to take their products live via Amazon Live. Here, gamers, beauty and fashion brands and more are selling items to the masses.
Northfork allows food and culinary brands to create shoppable recipes by providing all the ingredients alongside the tutorial in a shoppable carousel. This makes food shopping easy, entertaining and engaging for customers. The quick add to cart call to actions encourage consumers to buy instantly increasing conversion by 20%.
Each interactive video platform has specific product offerings to help you to create a variety of interactive material. Before choosing, make sure you have considered exactly what video you want to create and where you want you consumers to see and interact with it. If you set out a clear plan and strategy, you can create an exciting, immersive interactive experience to drive engagement and conversion.
