The term “interactive content” has been discussed a lot lately and it seems to be an extremely effective form of marketing, but what is it? Interactive content consists of content that requires some participation. This type of participation can include answering quiz questions, playing a game, or downloading an eBook.
Interactive content educates, entertains, and engages viewers. It can come in many forms. See if any of the following are familiar to you:
- Whitepaper: Typically PDFs showing you the effectiveness of a certain product or way to do things
- Quizzes: “Which Disney Princess are You Most Like?” or “Which Movie Star Do You Look Like?”
- Calculators: “Calculate Your Loan Interest” or “See How Much A Car Loan Will Cost You”
All the above are examples of interactive content, and there is no doubt that it is successful. It is difficult for viewers to pass up the chance to play or learn. Everyone wants to have fun, be educated, and be involved. Interaction is a great thing for human beings so, of course, it is a great idea for marketing to them.
Below is the results of a study on what content has been used by buyers to affect their purchasing decisions:
Just in: Hard Data Supports the Effectiveness of Interactive Media vs. Passive Content
Interactive vs. Passive
Educating the buyer is one of the goals in marketing. The following graph shows the difference in effectiveness between interactive and passive content in this area:
https://elementthree.com/blog/why-interactive-content-is-key-to-generating-great-leads/
What Can It Do for You?
There are quite a few benefits of using interactive content to market to potential buyers. The following are four of these reasons:
#1. Attract Attention
When a viewer is scrolling through social media, they are much more likely to pay attention to posts containing more than just a white background with black text. Interactive content, such as infographics, is attention-grabbing because it stands out against the sea of word-only posts. The text is common; it is expected on social media, so viewers pay much more attention to posts that are shaking their feed up a bit. In fact, a report shows that “91% of buyers are looking for more visual and interactive content.”
#2. Increase Brand Awareness
If you can grab the viewer’s attention, you have just made them aware of your brand. Even if you are a well-known brand, it is never a bad idea to remind the public of your existence. Keeping on the mind of potential clients will have them thinking of you when they need what you provide.
#3. Increase Audience Engagement
Interactive content is a way for the audience to engage with your brand. You cannot speak to every single person directly through words, but providing interactive content for them to engage with is almost like a conversation. Once they have “talked” with you, they feel more comfortable and most likely more trusting of you.
#4. Increase Site Traffic and Sales
Increased attention leads to more website visits which lead to more sales. Not every person who sees your product or service will buy, but the more people that see it, the higher your conversion rate will be. Let’s put it into perspective: If your conversion rate is generally 20% and you have 100 visits to your website, that means you will have 20 sales. If, however, you have 1,000 visits, your sales increase to 200. That is a huge difference. The more eyes you have on your product, the higher your sales.
How Effective Can It Really Be?
Still not convinced? Let’s hear it from those who have put it to work. The Content Marketing Institute (CMI) has shared a report on the results content marketing have seen:
Interactive content is king now and will remain so in the future. Buyers want to be entertained, educated and engaged. Almost 80% of marketers are planning on using more interactive content in the following years. Start putting together your interactive content strategy now to stay in the game.
Looking for ways to make your content more interactive? Visit OnlineWhitepapers.com today and get your whitepaper content in front of thousands of viewers.
