How to make an interactive video to boost sales & engagement (for beginners)
Video has traditionally worked as a one-way communication towards the viewer; it starts at point A and ends at point B no matter the format or level of engagement from the viewer.
Interactive video turns this linear “monologue” into a dialog, offering the viewer the ability to impact and interact with the content.
Let’s go through how you can make an interactive video for your business landing pages or store to increase conversion and attract new audiences.
The basics
Interactivity is built upon the fundamentals of traditional video, with the main difference being that it’s enhanced by an interactive layer added “on top” of the footage.
With Qbrick this is achieved by first uploading your video to the Qbrick Video Platform (QVP). In the QVP you can access the Interactive Manager app where the interactive layers are superimposed on the original footage. The interactive layer is based on html code which unlocks new playback features along with commandos stretching outside the current video.
See the video: What is interactive video?
In-video CTA
The most basic form of interactivity is adding an interactive element at a certain point in the timeline which performs an action while being clicked. It can be a call-to-action button where the viewer is sent to another webpage or a link to downloading a document related to the video, in other words basic actions that can be applied to any type of video (even those who weren’t created with interactivity in mind.)
Planning ahead for true interactive projects
While this type (interactive CTA) of straight forward, single purpose interactivity certainly has its merit, a more common practice is to build interactive projects from the ground up, containing multiple branching pathways.
When building these types of interactive projects, the key success factor is planning ahead.
Establishing a roadmap with a defined end goal lays the foundation for a positive user experience and, in the end, a more successful video. Similar to how traditional film makers work with storyboards to visualize concepts and identifying potential pitfalls, sketching out a complete roadmap of an interactive project allows the creator to envision every need. Depending on the scope of the video the form of visualization can vary.
No matter the size though, they all share the same purpose – avoiding trouble later in the process and therefore optimizing the interactive viewer experience.
Non destructive editing
When the ground work’s done, the act of assembling the interactive video is very similar to the previous example; at a certain point in the timeline an interactive element is added and given specific attributes.
The attributes can be “jump to another part of the video” (navigation) or “Go to website” (CTA) among many others.
As all elements in the Interactive Manager are based on code they’re “non-destructive”, meaning that one can add as much interactive actions as possible without the risk of ever “ruining” the core video. Given this, the elements (and their attributes) can compound, allowing for more ambitious projects to be created.
Branching videos
These “advanced” interactive projects can be split into two main categories, branching videos and non-linear videos.
As the name implies branching videos offer multiple choices than subsequently funnels down into an end point. The viewer still starts at A and moves along a pseudo-linear timeline but instead of always ending up at B, they can end up at C, D, E or F depending on their choices.
An example of this could be a clothing retailer asking the viewer of their fashion preferences ultimately ending up with an outfit suggestion based on the answers. The final prompt could then be whether to add the product to a shopping cart, creating a symbiosis between branching and CTA.
Non-linear videos
Non-linear video differs in the aspect that the chronology isn’t moving along one axis.
This type of video can instead be compared to an ecosystem which the viewer can navigate without having a defined end point, looping around and coming back to previous parts.
It could be in the form of a chart displaying the structure of a company, providing a great onboarding tool for new employees. I could also be an e-commerce solution where the company displays their product catalog through video and the viewer is able to both browse and shop directly inside the video.
Hybrid solutions
While these definitions can be good for conceptualising projects, they aren’t necessarily exclusive. An interactive video can have elements of both linear, branching, and non-linear video depending on your needs.
No matter how you define your project, interactivity is always a great tool to engage and create value for the viewers. Through preparation and proof of concept testing the interactive creator can make sure of a great customer journey regardless of what path the viewer takes. Ensuring a positive experience is vital as it helps spark curiosity and incentive to explore the video further.
Boost sales & engagement
Interactive videos are proven to increase viewer attraction, attention, engagement and finally conversion. That’s why it’s a new favourite among video marketers. You’re taking an already effective marketing tool: video, and embedding custom CTAs and conversion methods within it. Want to know more about how you can create an interactive video of your own? Contact us for a personal demo and custom offering today.
See an example
Want to see what an interactive video can look like? Here’s an example of an interactive sales funnel video.
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Author
Andreas Bard
Video editor and content creator
Andreas Bard (Qbrick Production Team) is a video editor and content creator based in Stockholm.
