If we take a quick glimpse into the crystal ball, we see a future of content marketing less about the impact of words and more about the experiences created for the consumer. Traditional content has flooded the Internet and is starting to feel stale. Admit it – how often do you find yourself briefly skimming an article only to move on within seconds to something new?
Brands are coming to terms with this reality, fostering tools that engage their audiences in an activity – answering quizzes, watching clips, or exploring scenarios. It’s the perfect way to capture the audience’s attention from the get-go. It can challenge individuals to think and respond – snoozing is no longer the preferred option.
Let’s take a look at these interactive content tools that promise to engage the socks off your audience.
1. Apester
Interactive content, such as tests and quizzes, keeps users hooked. It also enables you to provide more content to your target audience and encourages participants to share their outcome with their nearest and dearest.
Apester offers brands the ability to create polls, surveys, personality tests, and video quizzes, which they can embed into articles to get readers involved. Apester is revolutionizing the age-old custom of storytelling via a digital experience, allowing readers to help shape the content delivered to them.
There are dozens of ways brands can use Apester to interact with their target audience.
Frito-Lay sponsored a contest, Lay’s Do Us A Flavor, in which it invited people to submit ideas for a new chip flavor. AOL posted an article about the winner and used Apester to embed a quiz asking users, “Which flavor was your favorite?” Readers who clicked on their favorite could immediately see the results of the poll and received links to related content. Naturally, the quiz got tons of shares from readers who ultimately marketed Lay’s new chip flavor to their friends.
The Weather Channel hosted an Apester-created video quiz, The Extreme Weather Driving Challenge. The six-question quiz hosted by The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore seeks to engage and educate viewers and reinforce the message that The Weather Channel is the go-to resource for all things weather related.
2. Zaption
In an era when video engagement rates can make or break a brand, Zaption helps brands ensure that their videos are as engaging and captivating as possible. The platform enables brands to add images, text, questions, and quizzes to any video, effectively transforming passive videos into interactive learning experiences. Although Zaption is used primarily by educators and instructors, brands will find value in this platform for solidifying their message and ensuring that viewers fully retain and understand video content.
For example, Zaption created a training video for potential customers, explaining its key features and how to get the most out of the platform. Along the way, Zaption stops the video and adds a quiz or question to ensure that the viewers understand what they are reading and seeing. Zaption also adds notes on the side, making it easier for users to follow along.
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3. WebyClip
Videos also can allow users to participate in the experience. With WebyClip, viewers can interact with items they see in a video – taking purchasing to a whole different level. eBay offers this service – as items appear in the video, the “related product” pops up in a listing on the right. Viewers need only click on that product and they’re taken to the site where they can buy it. The personalized experience and innovative features make this tool a necessity for engagement with potential customers.
4. Mapme
Users join the conversation with Mapme, a socially influenced mapping tool. Brands can create maps based on their own designated interest or one from Mapme’s list and share it with their audience. Users then can add new locations and sites of interest to that map – it’s crowdsourcing for locations of interest.
For example, the Chilean government uses the platform to track start-up growth in Chile, Pride of Place uses it to understand LGBT impact in England, and AccessNow utilizes Mapme so that its users can easily discover nearby accessible places.
Conclusion
Your audience will love feeling a part of the action and interactive content makes this attainable. It also has a longer lasting impact. These three tools offer just a glimpse of how you can empower your audience and give them every reason to engage with your brand for years to come.
Looking for more ways to maximize the impact of your interactive content? Get practical insights, advice, and answers in our 2018 Guide to Essential Content Marketing Tactics.
Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute
Please note: All tools included in our blog posts are suggested by authors, not the CMI editorial team. No one post can provide all relevant tools in the space. Feel free to include additional tools in the comments (from your company or ones that you have used).
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