Interactive videos are one of the newest forms of media that have created a whole new level of how digital content can be used to engage audiences on a personal level and help a company achieve its marketing goals.

The concept was popularized by the standalone film “Bandersnatch” from Netflix’s sci-fi anthology series Black Mirror. For the first time, viewers were able to enjoy a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style video. Users were presented with different possibilities of what the character could do and, depending on their choice, could get up to five different endings.

Soon, some marketers began to explore the potential of interactive for 360 video brands to establish a new benchmark for entertainment and contact with potential customers.

Even before the launch of Netflix and to this day, interactive videos have proven how effective they can be. However, this type of video marketing is still new. An interactive video player is needed to play the videos, as more and more marketers recognize the potential of this futuristic form of media and invest in interactive videos.

What is interactive video?

The simplest definition of interactive for 360 video is that it is a video production technique that allows user interaction. An interactive video allows users to interact with the video and make their input by clicking or touching the video screen.

Let’s say you have more control over a given situation. Would this please you and increase your engagement and attachment to the story and brand? That’s exactly what interactive videos do.

You may be wondering what interactive means in the context of a video.

Interactive videos transform a linear story into multiple levels and story arcs, giving viewers the opportunity to live their own adventure and make decisions that influence the course of the story and change its direction. With interactive videos, you give users some control over how they interact with the videos and offer potentially limitless combination possibilities for the story being told.

By giving your viewers quizzes, clickable menus, interactive storylines, control over their perspective and fun content, you allow them to experience and enjoy a unique adventure with every choice they make.

As a marketer, you can use interactive video marketing to allow your viewers to simply choose one of the options that personalize content based on their choices. Or you can use the fantastic features of technology and give your audience more control over all the action.

Interactive videos are one of the newest forms of media that have created a whole new level of how digital content can be used to engage audiences on a personal level and help a company achieve its marketing goals.

The concept was popularized by the standalone film “Bandersnatch” from Netflix’s sci-fi anthology series Black Mirror. For the first time, viewers were able to enjoy a “Choose Your Own Adventure” for 360 video. Users were presented with different possibilities of what the character could do and, depending on their choice, could get up to five different endings.

Soon, some marketers began to explore the potential of interactive for 360 video brands to establish a new benchmark for entertainment and contact with potential customers.