Advances in web technologies have opened up new vistas for content developers. One underutilized opportunity that is poised for explosive growth is interactive content.
What differentiates interactive content from the rest of the static content on the web? Simple – interaction. While the user is a passive information absorbing entity when faced with static content, the same user becomes active when coming into contact with interactive content, taking initiative to know and find out more about the subject matter.
Engaging the target audience in activities like exploring circumstances, answering quizzes, playing games and figuring out calculations is a great way to capture attention. They are made to think more as inputs are required, and their interests are heightened as results, based on their contributions, are displayed.
Source: BuzzFeed
Games and Interaction
So, why is interactive content poised for growth? While the fun of interaction is one thing, another major factor that contributes to its growing popularity is the familiarity of usage. Children start interacting with electronic devices like phones and tablets from quite a young age; playing games and using various apps. The level of interaction they’ve come to expect is heightened in later years when they browse content to learn and understand.
Games consist of problem-solving and rewards. As such, interactive content using this framework gets popular readily because of the familiar patterns. Different from static activities like reading books, people are becoming more accustomed to higher levels of interactivity with content. Businesses will do well to deliver on user expectations. Here is a sample of interactive content types:
Source: SnapApp
A simple example of such a popular interactive content is the various quizzes that appear on websites like BuzzFeed. One of the quizzes, titled “What City Should You Actually Live In?” was a runaway hit and generated more than 18 million views. Would so many people have visited and shared the content page if it was just a write-up? Probably not. Why? Because part of the charm of such interactive quizzes lies in the fact that you discover new knowledge as you keep making decisions and clicking on the buttons. And this feeling is something a passive write-up will never be able to generate.
Businesses and Clients
For a business, the purpose of any piece of content they put up on the web is conversions, whether it is to acquire a paying customer for one of their products or any other specific goals. Until a business converts a visitor, all content production and marketing activities become unprofitable and rather useless.
And this is where interactive content shines. Interactive content has been shown to generate two times the conversions when compared to passive, static pieces. With such a clear advantage, it should be a no-brainer for any marketing specialist to understand why they need to incorporate interactive content into their websites.
So, what’s in it for the customers? Simple – they will now enjoy an engaging interaction with information rather than having to sit idly, read and scroll. Keep in mind, we’re built to interact and that is the fastest way to learn, understand and associate with a concept, product or brand.
This is why people learn faster about how to repair a motorcycle when they actually handle it themselves, rather than by reading a thick book on motorcycle maintenance. With constant interaction, people enjoy the learning process. In short, interactive content is beneficial for both the business and customer. Customers and visitors also tend to stick around longer where there is interaction.
What’s Next For Interactive Content?
Latest market research suggests that interactive content is being lapped up by businesses in a bid to gain an edge over its competitors. “One of the core ways advanced marketers are differentiating campaigns with more conversational efforts is through the increased deployment of interactive content,” a survey report by Demand Gen says.
It also goes on to add that about 62% of B2B marketers are already using interactive content in their marketing strategy, and this figure is expected to grow significantly within the next two years. 1 in 10 B2B marketers also predicts that interactive content will make up at least 10% of their content in the near future.
Should You Invest in Interactive Content?
An interactive piece of content has essential elements that are vital for businesses. These critical components can:
- Attract an audience
- Increase engagement
- Boost site traffic
- Improve conversion rate
- Add value for prospects
According to SnapApp, B2B marketers using interactive content see a 30% click-through rate, 85% of users complete the entire content experience, and convert on lead forms at a 45% submission rate.
Source: SnapApp
In summary, the old saying “content is king” is fast changing to “interactive content is king.” As businesses shift to an interactive content strategy and achieve improved business results, the question you need to ask is whether your business can risk continuing with mere passive content.
Post originally published at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-interactive-content-becoming-future-elaine-mikesell