Your online content is solid. You’ve got knowledge to share, personality to showcase, and valuable ideas to explore. So why aren’t you getting the engagement you’re looking for?
The good news? It’s not your content’s fault. The better news? It isn’t your audience’s fault either.
It would be easy to believe that your web and social engagement rates are suffering due to the rapidly shortening attention span of the average online consumer — which according to recent studies, is just slightly shorter than that of a goldfish. Aim high, humanity!
But, before you call the capabilities of your audience into question, you might want to ask yourself whether or not it’s your content formats that are actually falling short. Your online users are still out there, and they’re still hungry for quality content, but perhaps their tastes have developed more than we give them credit for. Maybe those run-of-the-mill content formats aren’t doing it for them anymore because they’re searching for something more. Something... different.
Enter: interactive content.
Even if you don’t recognize the term, if you’ve been on or around the internet at any point in the past decade or so (we’ll go ahead and safely assume that you have, since you’re here right now), then you’ve undoubtedly encountered interactive content in one form or another.
What Is Interactive Content?
Interactive content holds true to its name. Simply put, it is content presented in formats like videos, quizzes, clickable features, animations, or anything else that encourages and relies on direct participation from the user.
Audiences, especially now, are craving more unique and immersive experiences. Interactive formats help combat declining engagement rates by creating more experiential, enjoyable, and valuable resources for online users. And frankly, they are just more fun.
How Does it Help?
When brands employ interactive formats as part of their content strategy, they not only honor their audience’s preferences and reward their participation, but they earn higher levels of engagement from users who are truly invested. As a result, those same users (and potential customers) are now more likely to spend time on a site or platform and more inclined to come back looking for more later on.
Once interactivity is in the game, there are few aspects of your brand and marketing strategy that won’t reap the benefits. Whether you’re looking to increase engagement across the board, amplify your brand awareness, improve conversion rates, or strengthen and expand your audience to identify new leads, interactive content is an ally that you don’t want to underestimate.
What Does it Look Like?
We’re glad you asked. If you’re looking to give interactive formats a test run, here are a few you should definitely consider:
Video - When it comes to quick, informative, and entertaining content, video is king. Video gives you an opportunity to provide a wealth of information and resources in quick, effortless, and easy-to-digest pieces.
Quizzes - Who doesn’t love a good quiz? Not only are quizzes an effective way for you to capture valuable marketing data, they are also terrific interactive elements that can easily be incorporated on your website, landing pages, or deployed on social media. Quizzes put your online users in control by providing them with more personalized content and allowing them to consume and participate with it at their own pace. Turn your next blog, article, or email into a quiz and see just how much it can impact your user participation (“The results may SHOCK you!”)
Infographics - They’re colorful. They’re jam-packed with useful information. And they’re just so darn cute! Infographics offer a plethora of interactive and design options — from scrollers and sliders to zoom capabilities and clickable elements. That, and they are a fantastic way to offer your audiences a tremendous amount of information in bite-sized formats that are visually appealing and fun to explore.
Clickables & Animations - While these interactive elements are arguably some of the most subtle, their effect is no less impactful. Simple animations and clickable features like scrollers, sliders, or buttons are an easy and effective way to add some interactivity to more static content pieces like digital ads, blog posts, or landing pages. Even these tiny, quirky little touches can be potent boosters of engagement. And again, they are just more fun.
If interactive content has caught your attention and you’re looking for even more ways to create engaging content or to diversify and liven up your marketing strategy, we’re here to help! Take a look at the branding and creative services our team has to offer or connect with us directly.
