Making the Shift to Interactive Content Marketing

Have you ever taken a quiz to identify the perfect solution or product specifically for your needs? If so, you’ve participated in interactive marketing, likely without even knowing it. Rather than just giving out information, interactive marketing uses visuals or videos to encourage audiences to engage with a company’s content. It invites consumers to take part in a memorable and personalized experience that will influence their decision-making and create brand recognition. Interactive marketing doesn’t only boost personalization; it also increases engagement. In fact, interactive content sees 52.6% higher engagement than static content.

The digital era has made these interactions more efficient, allowing interactive experiences to happen at the touch of a screen. This type of content has shifted the way companies retain their customers, allowing them to engage in a more personalized and intimate way.

The Shift to a New Era

Experiential and interactive marketing has evolved over the past 125 years. What started from tactics like guerilla marketing to promote products in a cheap and efficient way, has evolved to create immersive brand experiences at major events like the Super Bowl and SXSW, which offer pop-up opportunities that give brands the chance to showcase their products in a space for a limited time. While these experiences and tactics are all staples of today’s experiential marketing, many consumers have found preferences in engaging with online content that is promoted by their favorite brands.

Static content was previously the norm for social media, but brands have realized that this type of content does not grab the attention of their audiences as it used to. Consumers instead have gained impactful and memorable experiences from the interactive content that brands post. In fact, 81% of marketers agree that interactive content is a is a low-cost, high-impact marketing strategy that attracts buyers. This approach gives brands a way to transform the content they might already have on their channels and repurpose it to create something new for consumers. The active participation required for interactive content builds a deeper connection between brand and consumer, leading to stronger brand loyalty.

Types of Content that Work Best

Embedding interactive content into overarching brand strategy also helps to collect data, allowing businesses to tailor experiences to their customers’ preferences. Quizzes, polls, surveys, and interactive infographics engage users more effectively while also collecting insights on how companies can cater to their demographics in an efficient manner. By utilizing real-time feedback offered by interactive content, businesses can tailor their messaging and experiences to better align with the needs and expectations of consumers.

Some of the most popular types of interactive content include:

• Quizzes are straightforward ways to gather insights about your audience and provide personalized feedback in an enjoyable way. Quizzes can also serve as helpful tools to move the consumer through the buyer journey to the decision stage at a quicker rate by giving them a way to identify what product or service is best for them.
• Polls and surveys also serve as an efficient data collection tool when implemented on websites or social media. Making a poll or survey quick and concise keeps consumers wanting to truly give their feedback without having to worry about losing engagement due to lengthy questions.
• Infographics can help to generate engagement when the goal is to get eyes on essential data. Though creating interactive infographics involves more time and effort than static graphics, making a graphic interactive creates excitement and can increase engagement.
• Interactive videos present the opportunity for brands to push boundaries to deliver experiences that combine storytelling and audience engagement. They allow viewers to make choices, explore different outcomes, or dive deeper into a product or service through interactive elements. Instead of passively watching, users are part of the experience, increasing engagement and brand recognition.

Connection = Conversion

Customer retention is critical, and brands that build meaningful engagement with their audience are more likely to see lasting loyalty. Static content is often overlooked, but incorporating interactive elements across your website or social media channels can significantly boost consumer engagement and deepen their connection with your brand.

Repurposing static content gives users a new way to engage with brands and allows them to experience something new. When content seems to fall flat, making the shift to videos, polls, and infographics can increase active participation from the user.

Interactive and experiential content is more than just a marketing tactic – it’s a powerful tool to nurture connection with consumers and increase brand loyalty. By evolving past static content, businesses can create a space for active participation, personalization, and experiences that create a lasting impact on their audience.

By Emily Castro

Photo by Tara Winstead via Pexels