Quick Guide to Interactive Content

"Content is king" is a common phrase in the marketing world, but new research suggests that a specific type of content may be taking the crown.

According to the Content Marketing Institute, interactive content is better at attracting attention and engaging consumers. Although 53 percent of content marketers are already using this content type, 75 percent plan to increase their use this year. 

If you are among the content marketers looking to amp up your interactive content initiatives, check out the quick guide below prior to getting started.

Consider Interactive Content Types

There are a variety of interactive content types - from quizzes and contests to polls and augmented reality. This is why it is a good idea to create a strategy that addresses the type of interactive content your brand wants to produce.

Buzzfeed, for example, is perhaps one of the best examples of a brand leveraging interactive content to increase consumer engagement. The company does this by regularly creating and sharing interactive content quizzes. To keep its audience interested, the publisher also varies its quiz types, with some requiring users to select from multiple choice answers, complete a checklist, guess the correct answer for a single question or fill in the blank.

On the other hand, some brands have been dabbling in augmented reality to create interactive content for their audience. Beauty retailer Urban Decay, for instance, recently unveiled that users can leverage its app to virtually try on lipstick shades. The shades that a user "likes" are saved and the user is able to share those images with friends to get feedback (see image). The images can be shared via social, email and text. Not only does this type of interactive content help the retailer increase the time spent in its app, but it also helps create user-generated content and word-of-mouth marketing for the brand.

Look for Technology

Once your brand has an idea of the interactive content it would like to market, it is time to look for technology that will help you in the creation process.

Companies like Riddle and Qzzr, for instance, can help with brands that want to create quizzes and polls. Qzzr even offers a lead generation tool to help brands capture leads and question data with their content quizzes.

Outside of quizzes, apparel retailers can tap the augmented reality world by leveraging virtual fitting room technology like Fits.me, which enables shoppers to virtually try on clothes while shopping online. Conversely, beauty retailers can leverage face visualization technology like Modiface to allow their shoppers to virtually try on makeup before making a purchase (see image).

Maximize Engagement by Sharing

After generating interactive content for your brand, it is important to share it in the right places to maximize engagement and increase the chances for success. In addition to sharing the content in your brand's most popular social channels, make sure to spread the word other places too, including with email marketing and prominently on your website. What's more, don't forget to add social sharing buttons to your interactive content. Doing so will make it easier for your audience to share the content with their friends, which increases the content's potential to go viral.