- In this video you will learn everything
you need to know about interactive videos,
including how to make them and how to use them
to grow your business.
Interactive video is a new, exciting form of media
that is revolutionizing video as we know it.
Top brands across the world are already using
interactive videos to engage with their customers
and to great success.
And today I will show you how you can join them.
(upbeat music)
Hi, I'm Kev Harris at Spiel Creative.
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Now let's start by going through
what exactly are interactive videos?
Well, in a nutshell interactive videos are
videos where the audience participates
in the viewing experience.
Unlike traditional linear videos,
interactive videos aren't for passive viewing,
but instead they encourage the viewer to engage directly
with it for a more immersive experience.
The technology behind interactive videos
is still relatively new,
but more and more advertisers and content producers
are starting to adopt it.
And for good reason.
According to research from Mobile Marketer,
interactive videos on average boost viewing time by 47%
and increase purchaser intent by up to nine times.
They also have on average a conversion rate of around 11%,
which is significantly higher
than the 1% conversion rate
that is usually seen with Google ads.
Now that you know why you should be excited
about interactive videos,
let's go through some practical ways to use them.
Firstly, we have shoppable videos.
Interactive videos are being increasingly used
to provide more immersive shopping experiences
and the results are supporting this shift,
as interactive videos are proving to generate
higher conversion rates than standard videos.
Ted Baker's videos are a great example of this,
where the viewer can purchase a clothing item
that they view in the video.
So make sure you check them out
if you are interested in creating
a shoppable video for your business.
In addition to shoppable videos,
interactive videos are also fantastic for product demos,
storytelling, data capture and eLearning.
For example, Life Saver used interactive elements
to create an educational video that helped its viewers
learn about saving lives while practicing
their decision-making ability.
Okay, so now that we know what interactive videos are
and how to use them,
let's go through the key features which make them unique.
Key features of interactive videos.
Firstly we have hotspots.
Hotspots are the areas in the interactive video
which are clickable.
When a hotspot is clicked on it will lead
to a specific action such as
more information being revealed.
There are two types of hotspots
that you will find in interactive videos.
The first type is static hotspots.
These are basically hotspots which are anchored
to a fixed position in the video and don't move.
Then we have sticky hotspots.
Now these are hotspots that stick to people or objects
as they move in the video.
Because sticky hotspots are more in sync with the clips
in which they appear,
they tend to look a lot better
than static hotspots in most cases.
And consequently tend to generate
a lot higher engagement than static hotspots.
According to the interactive video platform Wirewax,
you'll see a drastic nine times higher engagement
with sticky hotspots when compared to static ones.
The second feature of interactive videos
that you need to know about is overlays.
Overlays is the name given to the pop-ups which appear
when a hotspot is clicked on.
The overlay can include anything
from additional information,
data capture forms,
links to external websites and downloadable content.
Thirdly, interactive videos often include branching.
Branching basically gives the viewer the choice
to control the narrative by choosing the next scene.
Branching is great for storytelling and if done right
can really boost your engagement levels,
as it can help you provide your audience
with a more personalized viewing experience.
Another great feature often incorporated
into interactive videos is 360-degree viewing.
This basically provides the viewer
with a more immersive experience
where they can change the viewing angle
to any position that they prefer.
So now that you have a good idea of the key features
used to create interactive videos,
you're probably wondering how do you actually make one?
So let's go through that process now.
(bell chimes)
To make your very own interactive video
firstly, you'll have to create a map.
This should include an outline of how your video
will branch out and the different interactive features
that you will use throughout it.
Once you've created the map for your interactive video,
the next step is to write your script
which takes all the different elements of your map
into consideration.
For example, if you're using branches in your video,
this will mean writing scripts
for each branch of your video
and then preparing the content
for all the different overlays and hotspots
that will appear throughout it.
Once you finalize your script,
next it's usually a good idea to put a storyboard together
which clearly shows
where the different interactive elements will appear.
After that you'll be ready to shoot
or animate your video
and start putting it all together.
Once you filmed or animated your video,
the final step is to then add
your interactive elements to the footage.
To do this you'll need to use an interactive video software,
so let's go through the different options you have for this.
(bell chimes)
There are a lot of interactive video platforms
out there to choose from,
so making the right choice can be tricky,
especially since the features and pricing
can vary significantly from one to the other.
One the higher end of the scale you have Wirewax,
Rapt and HapYak.
Alongside allowing you to add interactive features
to your video,
these three tools also give you access
to a comprehensive editing tool that allows you
to complete the whole video production process
on the platforms alone.
Furthermore, Wirewax makes extensive use
of machine learning algorithms to create
sticky hotspots which, as we have mentioned earlier,
have substantially higher engagement rates
than static hotspots.
It can also help automate segmenting your assets
for easier editing, remove duplicate assets
and subtitle videos automatically.
All of these platforms are considered to be
top of the range in terms of what they're offering,
and unfortunately aren't cheap.
Costs can range from between $15,000 to $20,000 per year,
so do require a substantial investment.
If you're looking to go for a more cost-effective option,
you can look into Vixy, HiHaHo and Vidzor.
These platforms are much more affordable
than the high-end platforms
but can still achieve great results.
Expect to pay around $150 to $300 per month,
depending on how many videos you're uploading.
If you want to try it out before you splash any cash,
HiHaHo offers a free trial
where you can play around with the platform
before deciding on whether to purchase.
Another option worth mentioning is Camtasia.
Camtasia is marketed primarily as a screen recorder
and video editing tool,
but it also includes features
that allow you to add interactive elements.
For example, you can use their editing software
to add interactive quizzes and hotspots to your videos.
It also has a similar price tag
to Vixy, HiHaHo and Vidzor
at around $250 per month.
Finally, for a more DIY approach to interactive videos,
you can use Adobe Captivate.
It's a much cheaper alternative that you can use
to create interactive eLearning content in HTML5 format.
All you have to do is create a project and add your video.
You can then use slides as clickable hotspots
by marking them as overlays
and add bookmarks to your videos timeline
to create your own DIY video branches.
It's a little more limited
than the interactive video platforms I mentioned earlier
but you can still create videos with branched scenarios,
randomized quizzes and other interactive elements.
So, that's it folks.
I do hope you've enjoyed the video.
If you have any further questions about interactive videos,
then let us know in the comments below
and we will do our best to answer them.
Also don't forget to subscribe to our channel
for more videos to help you with your video marketing.
And finally, if you do need more help
in creating an interactive video for your business,
or need more help with your video marketing in general,
don't hesitate to get in touch with us here at Spiel,
simply visit www.spielcreative.com.
Bye for now and thanks for watching.