Good marketing is all about great content, and it doesn’t get much better than a well-presented, relevant and engaging video. If a picture is worth a thousand words then a video is worth a million – it’s a bold statement but it does have some substance. YouTube is now, and has for some time been, the second most popular search engine online behind Google, which is testament to the popularity and power of video content.
By now marketers are familiar with the benefits of incorporating video into websites, such as enhanced search engine performance, increased brand awareness and much higher user engagement, but how can we take it even further? The next step is interactive video, putting the customer in control for a truly immersive experience.
Interactive video can take many forms but one thing is certain, content needs to be shareable, immersive, and most importantly effective, helping you to stand out from the competition. It’s no longer enough to be the best at what you do; you need to offer something unique and interactive video is the future.
With the continual development of web and mobile technologies as well as the accessibility of high speed broadband, the barriers are being broken down at an alarming rate. It certainly hasn’t taken long for marketers to start to experiment and push the boundaries.
Interactive video can create an extremely powerful, immersive experience for the user by placing them into the storyline, allowing them to interact with the environment in the video itself, as we have seen in several music videos recently. Done well, it’s almost a certainty that the video is going to go viral – it’s the kind of content that people can’t resist sharing. Something that gives everyone a unique experience, what could be better than that? It’s the Holy Grail of putting the customer in control and it’s time that more brands started following these rules to really relate to their audience.
Equally, interactive video is more than just a pretty gimmick to show off how innovative you can be; it can be an extremely effective sales and marketing tool. Video, by it’s very nature is an immersive and emotive medium and over 52% of customers say it reassures them and affects their purchasing decisions. This means interactive video can play an integral role in converting browsers into buyers.
Imagine a video ad showing your latest products that lets a customer buy direct from the video: one click, no searching, catch them in the moment and convert there and then. Or a virtual tour of your hotel or spa resort that lets the customer navigate themselves and book a stay or a treatment directly from the video when they are most excited about visiting – no barriers, no distractions. With full analytics behind these interactive videos it not only improves conversions but provides valuable insight into what really appeals to your audience about your products – and what doesn’t – to help you to refine your offer.
It might all sound like a bit of a pipe dream but with interactive video, it’s certainly a reality and much less costly than you might think.
By Adam Blenkinsop, head of digital at r//evolution.
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