Interactive features boost video effectiveness

By Trey Caldwell

Videos have become a major part in social media branding for business. It is an easier way of showing information visually and quickly without losing the attention of viewers. However, there are times that videos are not enough: there is still a connection missing between the viewers and the videos. Interactive videos can fill that gap.

Interactive videos are a newer phenomenon, but there are several examples  of use to make it feel more personal and let the audience be a part of the process. “What’s effective about this approach is that it drives engagement with the audience,” Moore writes.    

A good example of interactivity would be online quizzes used by companies like Buzzfeed, which engage their audiences in the conversation, while also giving them immediate feedback. Moore says because of these quizzes, Buzzfeed gets more than 75% return from its social media efforts. 

Fighting content fatigue

But how do you  get viewers to want to click on videos? Interactivity is not what draws them in, rather it keeps them there and helps them remember their experience. 

With so many videos being produced, it is forecasted that soon, 74% of all Internet traffic would be video content Brenner writes.  This content overload means that it's hard to make a lasting impression. Users watch a video and then move on to the next one. 

Interactivity breaks the auto-pilot and forces viewers to engage with the content. When users can give an opinion ( a quiz), they become more invested and want to know more or continue to watch. Now that videos are becoming standard for social media branding, it is important that companies find ways to make their content stand out from the rest.

User-centric or data-driven marketing? Or both?

 By Jon Wilkinson

The proliferation of big data and machine learning have allowed content strategists to know more about their customers than ever, leading some to say data science is the sexiest job of the 21st century. 

At the same time, it seems that a user-centric approach to connect with the audience t also shows no signs of slowing. In fact, UX designers now make more money than some software engineers. 

UX researchers rely heavily on qualitative methods, so it seems odd that both data driven and user centric approaches are both growing. What are the strengths and weaknesses and appropriate means to use both?

Data Driven Strategy

Pros

• Social media and search analytics have allowed marketers to have more knowledge about their audience’s preferences than ever.
• Data driven marketing tends to be less resource intensive than user centric marketing because analytics tools are cheaper and faster than extensive user testing. 

Cons

• There is a shortage of marketers with true machine learning skills. 
• Strategists at companies with more data and computational resources have a major advantage over  those who work at smaller companies. 

User-centric marketing 

Pros

• Can make more of an emotional connection with users they  frequently interact with. 
• Can help identify new market segments. 

Cons

• User research is more resource intensive. 
• Qualitative research can fail to be representative of the target audience. 

So what do we do? It’s best to separate what computers are good at from what humans are good at. Computers are better at data driven marketing. Humans are better at qualitative research. Include both methods to be effective. 

Strengths and weaknesses of interactive video

The Pros and Cons of Using Interactive Video

Interactive video is becoming increasingly popular as marketers look for innovative ways to make their content stand out; offering something a little different may be just what it takes to grab a customer’s attention. Companies like Maybelline, Warner Brothers, and Deloitte are just three examples of companies that have taken advantage of this tool.

Interactive video is a type of digital video that supports user interaction. Interactive videos are viewed like normal videos but include clickable areas, or "hotspots," that perform an action when you click on them.

Although interactive video has been on the rise, it still comes with limitations. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons.

Pros

Engage Your Audience More

Interactive video gives users additional options of interaction with a video apart from just watching it. Now, viewers can be immersed in the video and choose how they watch your content. Some videos even leave the storyline entirely up to the viewer to keep their attention. If your video is longer than 90 seconds, brief interactive elements can actually encourage engagement.

Tailor Content to Fit Your Audience

By asking customers a few questions about themselves, you can present them with information that caters to their specific needs. Example: asking viewers which type of ad they would prefer to watch; Hulu does this on occasion. 

Collect Data

Asking viewers a few questions while they're watching a video is a quick way to gain insights and collect data on your target audience.

Cons

Harder to Use on Mobile

Some mobile devices' operating systems may interfere with interactive elements, so it’s best to view interactive videos on a desktop. We’re not always on our laptops, which makes watching interactive videos a challenge when viewers are on the go. In fact, Americans spend an average of 87 hours per month browsing content on their mobile device and 48% of millennials view video solely on their mobile device.

More Tedious to Make

Making an interactive video is different from making a normal video. You have to create different paths for the viewer to watch. The difficulty of the video will depend on how many options you want your viewers to have.

Can Look Cheap if not Designed Properly

Are you using a high-quality camera? Are you adding in transitions? If not, your interactive video could look sloppy and turn your viewers away.

Before you decide to make an interactive video, ask yourself these questions: Is it right for my audience? Does it match my brand image? Will it reach who I want to reach?

5 ways digital culture has changed literature

by Tip Taylor

5 Ways Digital Culture Has Changed Literature

Technology has influenced arts and culture, and that has changed literature. Digital culture is about more than technological advances, but people's relationship to the ever-changing media ().

Below are five ways digital culture has changed literature.

Blogging

Before there were blogs, carefully shaped websites were the way you found out about individuals and news sites taught about the news. Now, more than ever, blogs have become a reliable information source. 

Electronic Readers

Electronic readers, like the Kindle or the Nook, have also changed literature.  E-readers can be a path into books in places where physical books in the appropriate language are scare.  Publishers make electronic books with links to the author’s personal pages or links to the publisher’s website and with other multi-media features and books are now available instantly.

Encyclopedias

Before there was Wikipedia and Google search, there was Britannica Online and Encarta Encyclopedia Online. And before that, physical encyclopedias made by Britannica and World Book gave you all the information there was about a particular subject. Digital media has created a culture in which people don’t not need to have the physical book stored on a shelf in order to get information. Open source sharing has contributed everyone being able to add to Wikipedia, for better or for worse. 

Magazines

Magazines were an early convert to digital formats. Loyal readers still look for information under a magazine's brand, but it is easier to access. Subscriptions can now be digital or you can still get the physical magazine. The electronic form offers more for readers with options to click on links that accompany certain articles.

Bible Apps

For many years the Bible has topped best-seller lists. Now, with the help of digital culture the Holy Bible is an accessor at the fingertips. YouVersion, one of the most popular Bible apps has helped people around the globe access the biblical canon for free—any version, any language. 

Linked In leaps out of the box

Interactive Video Yields High Employee Engagement 

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By Gardy Swengbe

Successful corporations engage with their employees to ensure fair practices to safeguard the brand and increase productivity.

Interactive Video Promotes Critical Thinking  

Human error in the corporate world can cause financial declines and negative dents in the mind of target audiences. As a result, companies establish policies and procedures to outline the responsibilities of both employees and employers. Often times, lengthy handbooks and manuals are disseminated, but employees neglect to thoroughly read them.

Employers are producing interactive videos to help engage employees and foster lasting behavior change. Jen Carniero, Principal Learning Experience Designer at Linkedin, supports 12,000 employees including approximately 2,000 managers. In 2012, she designed and developed multiple award-winning, interactive videos with focus areas on diversity and inclusion.

Carniero used HapYak, an interactive software, to create live-action video scenarios of various challenges employees may face. Branching or “choose your own adventure” options allowed participants to go back and remake their decision if they didn’t like what they saw – complete with simulated ‘rewind’ sound as they replayed the decision and made a different choice.                                          

“These aren’t play-it-and-forget-it experiences. The live-action scenarios really resonate with employees. With HapYak, we make culture building come alive,” Carniero said in the linked article

Interactive video allows LinkedIn’s employees to experience multiple sides of the same situation, depending on their role. For example, after hearing a personal story from a character, the participant can choose to see what to do as an ally, a manager or the person experiencing the situation.

It’ll be interesting to see how corporations use interactive videos to combat other internal issues such as harassment or gossip. Click here for tips on how to increase employee productivity.

Enhancing your brand with Instagram videos

Some businesses are less focused on taking the perfect Instagram picture, but rather making 60-seconds of greatness. The video feature on Instagram allows users to make 60-second videos that can be that boost your business needs. It’s a great way to further brand yourself, stay relevant, or for general marketing purposes. If done right, your video can even go viral and attract a lot of attention.

Here are a few Instagram accounts that have used the video feature to their advantage in order to gain traffic and to boost their business. 

Food Network

The Food Network, @foodnetwork, is a one-stop television network for all things food. For those who do not have cable or watch TV every day, Food Network has found a way to stay relevant through the use of Instagram videos. Their videos gather several 100,000 to a million views per post. They start with an enticing cover image that makes viewers want to stop and watch. After they have sucked viewers into watching their mouthwatering recipes, they provide a link in their bio to get the full recipe on their networks website.

Epic and Sony Music Record

Record labels Epic and Sony Music, @epicrecords or @sonymusicglobal, also use the video feature to their companies advantage. They use these Instagram videos in order to promote new records, music videos, or singles from artists under their label.  While getting viewers to listen to snippets of upcoming singles or music videos, they hope to entice viewers to go buy the song in order to listen or view the full version.

Anthony Cuts

Big name companies aren’t only using this feature. Hairstylist and makeup artist Anthony Cuts,@anthonycuts, uses it too. He may be a small business, but he has gained a substantial following of  1.9 million thanks to his strategic use of social media and Instagram videos. Each of his posts have several 100,000 views of him transforming women’s looks through hair and makeup. These videos have become the trademark for his brand, gaining him a large clientele of everyday women to celebrities. He’s mastered this feature so well that he even offers social media lessons.

Reminder

Instagram users appreciate videos that they can relate to or that directly interest them. They’re not like your average TV commercials or ads on YouTube, because they are typically more authentic and relatable. 

Furthermore, it is important to add links and tags that will lead users to other various parts of your business such as a website or email for bookings.

If those weren’t enough examples, here’s a list of brands that utilize Instagram Video by Ashley Zeckman on toprankblog.com.

A Brilliant Twist to Watching Movies: Interactive VR Films are pioneering a new medium

By Gardy Swengbe

Novelist Phillip Pullman once said, “after nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” 

Immersive Storytelling

Interactive filmmaking is both an aesthetic and technological challenge, since the audience is an active participant in creating the narrative. Verdugo and colleagues note that the medium has a lot of potential, when the audience can find alternative stories.

In 2017, at the acclaimed Tribeca and Cannes film festivals, writer Alex Vlack alongside directors Alon Benari and Tal Zubalsky debuted their short film, Broken Night.

Broken Night takes viewers on a psychological journey to uncover the truth of what transpired in a woman’s past.

Editors  used interactive video software from Eko Studios to affect, control, and influence thenarrative. The film takes VR to a new level of immersion and engagement: viewers simply turn their heads to the left or right to affect what happens in the story. 

Research Kristen Johnson writes that one of the challenges is to offer interactive choices that don't distract from a sense immersion in the story. Broken Night used challenge-based immersion , where viewers are focused on discovering the narrative content through their interactions.

Defining User Experience Design

by Juwan Johnson

User Experience (UX) Design is an emerging field between engineering, psychology and communication that serves to make sure that the users of a specific product, service or interface have a pleasant experience. Users should be able to accomplish their goals using what they think is a easy-to-use and intuitive interface. See a short video explaining the ins and outs of user experience design here. Hosts John and Chris  explain how the relationship of user experience design and visual design in the context of challenges that the user could possibly face.

Where did it come from?

The field is relatively new. Simplifying complex structures has become a priority of those designing for the Internet because of new features and functions that the medium affords. Researchers have discovered how customers like to interact with products, and  businesses have noted of how beneficial customer-focused products can be. This GoDaddy job listing describes a potential User Experience Designer as a ‘team player that takes a customer-obsessed view’.

Where is it going?

The field of user experience design is rapidly growing, and more educational institutions offer  degrees in psychology and communication with concentrations in the field. Good UX  can mean maximizing profits, but it's not just a business issue. If you want to promote change in the world, UX Design is a good way to make the world a much simpler and enjoyable place.

Virtual and Augmented Reality: The Future of Interactive Story Telling

by Dexter Jenkins

The way we tell stories has changed with technology. Yesterday's folk tales find new life as podcasts, movies and television shows. There's potential for even more. So, what emerging technologies can truly help get consumers fully engaged, feeling that they are actually in the middle of the story? Augmented and virtual reality. 

A New Reality 

Story telling just got a lot more intuitive with the development of virtual and augmented reality. Virtual/augmented reality essentially allows the user to enter into a new existence or space. With its vast area for improvement VR/AR projects have been conducted and embraced as a new form of storytelling. In “International Storytelling with AR: An Interview with Asad J. Malik” Lars Schonander showcases AR documentary about the Muslim experience in America. Using this type of platform for a topic as delicate as this one puts you face-to-face with the subject, as if you were the interviewer.

Virtual Reality Goes Mainstream

At this year’s Sundance festival,  20 VR Projects were presented and CityLights paid $1.4 million for one of them.  This price is unheard of for a VR project; which should tell you the direction of where the film industry is going. Although consumers have been slow to adopt VR, it is increasing. TExperts expect that 1.5 million standalone VR headsets will be shipped in 2018.

With applications in education, entertainment and marketing, storytelling is more visual and interactive than it has ever been before. 

4 Trends Shaking Digital Culture

By Mara Frontera

Whether it’s the new iPhone coming out with facial recognition features, or a social media platform like Instagram, humans are consistently finding ways to connect with each other through digital means. According to Digital Culturist, digital and electronic culture is shaping the way we live and interact as a community. 

Is technology changing culture for the better by facilitating access to information and providing entertainment, or is technology is pushing us further apart from our loved ones and the natural world . Either way, we are becoming more interconnected; an idea can spread like wildfire.

Here are some trends in spectrum of digital culture that are transforming the digital age:

Viral Apps 

The live trivia mobile application called HQ launched in 2017 by the creators of Vine has gained widespread popularity. Although users report bugs and delays, users call the game is said a TV show, mobile game and advertising platform all in one. 

3D Printing 

Although 3D printing isn’t necessarily new, advancements in the technology are creating a 3D printing revolution in which anyone can print anything. What happens when hobbyists decide to use the technology to print untraceable guns?

Cryptocurrency 

Digital currency is definitely in the news, shaking the economy and lessening the government's influence on financial transactions. 

Net-Neutrality

The laws in place to enforce freedom of speech on the internet will soon no longer protect us from broadband service providers controlling the content users have access to.

 For the next couple weeks, my posts will dive deeper into these trends and their impacts.

Why Marketers Need to be Using Interactive Video

by Kyndall Dysard

It's known that online video content is remarkably popular. You’ve probably seen one, whether you remember it or not -- but just in case, here’s a refresher on what they are. 

Interactive video combines video content with user input -- allowing viewers to participate in a wide range of actions while watching. It turns a monologue into dialogue, moving from a passive to an active viewing experience.

Viewers can click areas of the screen to define their own journeys, answer questions, complete forms, buy products, download content and more -- often without leaving the video itself. 

Let's look at some examples: 

Education

An interactive video for distance education, for example, could let students choose between multiple channels to learn more, as they move through the presentation. Interactive educational videos could also teach viewers about what to, or not to do, in emergency situations. See it here, where the UK Resuscitation Council uses an interactive video to educate viewers about safe, effective CPR.  

E-Commerce

An interactive video can connect the user to an external website, or idemonstrate a product long with  hot links that take users to the vendor's website to learn more or make a purchase. In this example, Maybelline New York uses an interactive video to promote “Big Eyes” mascara.

Entertainment

Interactive video content for gaming allows the viewer to make selections that determine the storyline of the game. Warner Brothers promotes their movie Focus by creating an interactive video Focus on the Con, where viewers can step into the shoes of a con artist and test their skills through a series of interactive scenarios.

In future weeks, come learn more about how these videos are made. 

In the Era of Web 2.0, We Need Professional Travel Bloggers More than Ever

By Chandler Cates-Wessel

Anyone can claim the title “blogger” and from the beginning, users have been writing blogs about anything that interests them. Some even get paid. Professional travel bloggers have piqued my interest lately. How and why are these professionals so important to an evolving travel industry?

The Need for Travel Bloggers

According to the Professional Travel Bloggers Association, “Over 80% of travel planning is through the internet, with 33% of US travelers using travel blogs for travel advice." The audience is growing. The influential blogger, though, has come under scrutiny as more users choose to express themselves through social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and other User Generated Content (UGC) sites. This explosion of information has forced users to question the content creator credibility, as practically anyone can write whatever they please, whether it be true or false.

Some blogs have become credible and influential, but most have not. Professional travel bloggers can change this perception though, as they brand themselves as verified sources who write about their travel experiences as a career,  not just another tourist on vacation or marketing firm masquerading as impartial. 

My next post will dive a little deeper into what it takes to actually become a part of this elite class of bloggers.

Topics are in

Content will start next week, as we cover what's new and important in interactive media. Here are the topics we are working on:

• Twitter stories
• Instagram video
• Interactive video
• UI design
• Immersive storytelling
• Interactive video
• Photography
• Interactive design
• Podcasting
• UX design
• Digital and electronic culture. 

You can meet the bloggers here.