How Does Interactive Video Work?

Interactive video (IV) is basically a kind of digital video that supports user interaction.  These types of videos will just play like the customary video files, however, they include hotspots or clickable areas that users can take advantage of to perform an action. These videos are popular on YouTube and they allow one to choose one or more options when the video is still playing. After making your choice, the new video will open and it will offer more information regarding the character that you selected. You can also have card tricks where you choose your own interactive tutorials and adventure videos.

How it Works

With interactive videos, there are elements or areas where the user can tap or click to get access to different or more information and even change the storyline of the video. Instead of the user having to leave a video to navigate to other available videos or information, they can do all this within the context of the interactive video. This means that most of the interactions that one is able to perform on webpages are possible within interactive videos.

Unlike the traditional linear videos where the only options that users have are pause, play, or rewind, interactive videos offer viewers the ability of interacting and controlling content as though they are playing video games. By incorporating the latest tools, videos can now be manipulated using simple motions such as dragging, clicking, hovering, and scrolling.  Interactive videos have many features including the following:

• Clicking specific areas of the video to disclose hidden content and information
• Dragging the screen within the video frame to turn the camera to 360 degrees in any desired direction
• Live data inputs and questionnaires within videos for delivering customized outcomes and results
• Selecting between alternative narrative options to personalize a story

Interactive videos totally transforms how individuals experience videos by making them more engaging, interesting, fun, and memorable. Unlike linear videos, users have continuous experience with interactive videos. By having multiple videos one can maintain a continuous viewing experience without having to break the users’ emotional engagement.  Interactive videos are easier and quicker to navigate because the user does not have to leave the video.  These videos open up a wide range of possibilities for companies that want to reap big with video marketing.

Video is expected to make about 80% of all the internet traffic in the next few years. In such a competitive landscape, an interactive experience is what will set companies apart. Although some companies are still unsure of the huge potential of interactive videos, this is quickly changing as they discover its tremendous results. This means that the popularity of this type of content will continue growing.

Reference: Explainer videos and storytelling: Concepts on the same track