12 Ways To Create Engaging Interactive Content

Creating interactive content is a powerful way to engage your audience and improve their overall experience. Using interactive elements in your content can make it more compelling, memorable, and effective. Its effectiveness lies in its relevance to your audience and the seamless integration of interactive elements with your story. Experiment with different formats, gather user feedback and refine your interactive strategies to keep your audience engaged and excited. Here are 12 ways to do just that.

1) Quizzes and Surveys

Make quizzes or surveys related to your product or service. Use platforms like Typeform or SurveyMonkey to create user-friendly interactive forms. Give out playful and interesting questions to keep users engaged. For example, you’re promoting a new fitness app. Create a quiz titled “What’s Your Fitness Personality?” with questions like “What time of day do you prefer to exercise?” or “What’s your favorite workout environment?”. At the end, provide personalized workout recommendations based on their answers. This fosters a sense of involvement and encourages a deeper connection with the brand.

2) Polls and Voting

Insert polls directly into your content to gather opinions. Urge users to vote on their preferences, creating a sense of involvement. Share the results online and on socials to foster a sense of community and curiosity. For example, if you have a fashion brand, conduct a poll on social media asking users to vote for their favorite upcoming clothing collection. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of the design process and announce the most popular choice, creating anticipation for the release. This creates a prime sense of exclusivity and value; a hand in the creation of the up-and-coming retail line.

3) Interactive Infographics

Transform boring and static infographics into interactive experiences. Allow users to hover over elements for additional information. Use tools like Piktochart or Visme to create visually appealing interactive infographics. If you’re in the technology business, make an interactive infographic showcasing the evolution of a particular technology over the years. Allow users to hover over milestones to access detailed information, creating an engaging and educational experience.

4) Clickable Hotspots

Use clickable hotspots on images or graphics. Users can explore different aspects of an image by clicking on specific areas. Let’s say you have a travel agency, and use clickable hotspots on an image of a destination. Users can explore different attractions, accommodations, and activities by clicking on specific areas, providing them with a virtual tour of the destination. This approach works well for showcasing product features or explaining a complex concept.

5) Interactive Video Content

Consider including clickable annotations or interactive elements within videos. Create branching videos where users choose the direction of the narrative; just like choosing ones adventures and endings. Platforms like YouTube offer tools for adding interactive elements to videos. Let’s say you’re promoting a cooking brand, try creating a video where users can click on ingredients to access recipes or cooking tips. This interactive video enhances user engagement and offers valuable information in a dynamic format. And it’s much more enjoyable and engaging that way.

6) Interactive eBooks and Whitepapers

Whitepapers and eBooks can be boring. So what can we do to make them more fun and interesting? Try developing an interactive e-book for a software product. Include embedded videos demonstrating features, clickable screenshots for in-depth explanations, and links to related case studies. This transforms a traditional e-book or whitepaper into a multimedia learning experience, keeping readers engaged and providing a more dynamic and engaging reading experience.

7) Virtual Tours or 360-Degree Experiences

For businesses with physical locations, offer virtual tours. Use 360-degree images to allow users to explore a space, much like what Google Earth has been doing. This is perfect for real estate agencies and travel agencies. Provide a virtual tour of a property using 360-degree images. Users can navigate through rooms, zoom in on details, and get a realistic feel for the space without physically visiting.

8) Gamification

Turn your content into a game to boost engagement. Use quizzes, challenges, or interactive elements that reward users for simply participating. This approach is especially effective in e-learning and training materials.  If you’re in the education sector, create a gamified learning module. Users can earn points by completing quizzes, unlocking new levels, and receiving virtual badges for mastering different subjects. This approach makes learning more engaging and enjoyable.

9) Interactive Webinars or Live Q&A Sessions

If you have the skill of public speaking, whether online or offline, by all means, host live webinars where participants can ask questions and provide feedback. Use polls and chat features to make the session interactive. This fosters a sense of real-time connection with your audience. It doesn’t get any more interactive and engaging than this! Plus, it’s done in real-time.

10) Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

Explore AR or VR experiences to immerse users in your content. This is particularly significant for industries like gaming, education, or showcasing products in a virtual space. If you’re in the retail industry, you can develop an AR app that allows users to virtually try on clothing items before making a purchase. This immersive experience significantly enhances the online shopping process. Or you can virtually try out some furniture for your house, just like how Ikea is doing.

11) Interactive Social Media Content

Take advantage of interactive features on social media platforms. Use Instagram polls, Facebook quizzes, or Twitter polls to engage your audience. Encourage users to then share their experiences or results. Launch a Tiktok campaign for a beverage brand asking users to vote for the next flavor. Share engaging visuals and encourage users to comment with their flavor suggestions. This not only gathers feedback but also sparks conversations around your brand.

12) Personalized Experiences

If you’re a music streaming service like Spotify, create personalized playlists based on user preferences and listening history. Use algorithms to recommend new songs and artists tailored to each user’s taste. Implement features that allow users to customize their experience based on preferences or behavior. This leads to a more personalized and relevant interaction.

Remember, When creating interactive content, it’s essential to consider your target audience, the platform you’re using, and the overall goals of your campaign. Experiment with different interactive elements to find what resonates best with your audience and aligns with your brand voice. But most importantly, put yourself in the shoes of the user. Ask yourself, what will make you engage? What will interest you? What will make you stay and linger on? Always analyze the performance of your interactive content to fine-tune and take advantage of future strategies. 

If you need suggestions or a push to get you started, you can bounce off interactive ideas with us! Reach TWLV20 thru our socials or shoot us an email.