What is Interactive Content? How to Create It Like A Pro In 2024?

What if your audience could do MORE than just read or watch your content?

Interactive content allows you to do just that. It can engage your target audience and make your content more memorable.

It’s a type of content that allows your website users to participate in something, whether by answering questions, participating in a poll, etc.

In this free guide, you’ll learn what it is, including its types and how to get started with it.

What is interactive content?

Interactive content is ANY content on your website that allows your audience to interact and participate.

Most of the content that we publish on our blogs is static. This means that we create the content, and our audience consumes it after we publish it. 

Aside from responding in the comments or sharing the content on social media, the audience has little interaction with static content.

There’s ONE big problem with static content: it is less engaging than interactive content. Users who interact with content are more likely to remember and share it with others.

Here’s where interactive content comes into play, which makes your blog more engaging and informative for your audience. Here’s an illustration of various types of interactive content (source: NoboruWorld);

Why is interactive content important? Benefits

Did you know that over 60% of marketers already use interactive content? 

According to CMI (Content Marketing Institute), over 77% of marketers said interactive content has “reusable” value regarding repeat visits. Here are a few more latest content marketing stats for you if you’re interested.

That being said, here are some of the major benefits of using interactive content in 2024.

• Firstly, it helps with better user engagement. Search engines like Google give #1 priority to user engagement. So, if you’re looking for a way to engage with your users, interactive content is the way to go.
• Interactive content can help you to convert normal website visitors into leads and leads into customers.
• People are more likely to remember information if they interact with something.
• It can lead to a better understanding and a stronger connection with your brand or products.

Types of Interactive Content

There are many types of interactive content. Some of the widely used types of such content include the following;

• Quizzes: They’re interactive because they allow users to test their knowledge on a particular topic. For example, a quiz about the history of your company could be used to educate customers about your brand.
• Calculators: because they allow users to perform calculations and get estimated quotes. For example, a home loan calculator could be used to help users estimate the monthly payments on a mortgage.
• Polls and surveys: They allow users to share their opinions and feedback. For example, a poll could be used to ask customers what their favorite product features are.
• Interactive infographics: They help your website users to interact with the data and visuals. Also, they make it easy for you to explain complex concepts. For example, an interactive infographic about WordPress plugins could allow users to explore different plugins and their uses.
• Interactive videos: They allow users to interact with the content, such as training, education, and entertainment. For instance, an interactive video about using a tool (such as Semrush) could allow users to watch the video and practice using the software in real time.

How to create interactive content? Best Practices With Examples

Set clear goals

If you’re just getting started with interactive content, define your goals first.

What exactly do you want to achieve with interactive content? Do you want to create awareness about your products, generate more traffic and leads, or increase your website sales? 

Once you clearly set your goals, you can choose the right format and content to achieve those goals.

Also, start small.

If you’re new to interactive content, start with a simple format like a quiz or survey.

Once you better understand how to create interactive content, you can experiment with more formats, such as games, interactive videos, etc.

The key is to start with simple interactive elements that allow you to build a solid foundation from day one. Then, you can gradually move to complex interactive formats that offer engaging experiences for your audience.

Choose the right format

As discussed above, there are many types of interactive content, so it’s important to choose the RIGHT one for your audience. 

For example, an interactive infographic might be a good choice if you want to share a lot of data. Similarly, a quiz might be a good option if you want to educate your audience about a complex topic. 

Here are a few examples of interactive content formats;

Quizzes: You could create a quiz called “What’s your SEO IQ?” and offer a free SEO consultation to everyone who completes it.

Interactive infographics: You could create an interactive infographic showing the different steps in the SEO process.

Polls and surveys: You could create a poll to ask your audience what kind of SEO content they want to read more on your blog.

Interactive videos: Popular platforms like Netflix often use interactive videos to provide better experiences to their viewers. Interactive videos can allow your audience to control the viewing experience and make choices that change the outcome of the video. We’ll show you a real example in the same blog post, so don’t skip reading.

No matter what format you choose, make sure that your interactive content is easy to participate in. 

Try using the content that is already working well for you.

Instead of starting from scratch, you can use your existing content by transforming it into interactive experiences.

For example, if you already have an eBook that’s getting positive user feedback, you can repurpose it by converting it into an interactive webpage. You can try embedding polls and quizzes throughout the content to improve user engagement.

Use interactive content tools

Want to create a wide range of engaging and informative content formats for your website or business? Then, you need access to the right interactive tools.

Here are a few powerful tools you can use to create interactive content in 2024.

Outgrow.co

Outgrow.co is an excellent platform for creating interactive content such as quizzes, polls, surveys, and calculators. If you’re looking for an easy way to engage your audience and collect data, you should check out this platform.

You can also easily Integrate this tool with over 1000 sales and marketing tools, including;

• Google Sheets
• Aweber, Mailchimp, GetResponse
• Marketo
• Hubspot
• Salesforce
• Active Campaign, Drip, and more

Typeform

Typeform is another popular platform for creating interactive content, especially forms, surveys, and quizzes.

It is extremely easy to use, as it offers a drag-and-drop interface that makes creating beautiful and engaging forms simple. Whether you’re looking to get more signups, feedback, or anything else – Typeform is one of the best tools. 

It can also be integrated with all the marketing tools, such as;

• Slack Integration
• Mailchimp Integration
• Klaviyo Integration
• WordPress Integration
• Pipedrive Integration and more

Involve.me

If you’re looking for an affordable toolkit to create interactive content for your website or business, try Involve.me. It offers a free plan, and its premium plans start only at $29/mo.

You can watch their official video to see how to create an interactive quiz;

Here are some of the major types of interactive content you can create using Involve.me;

• Quiz Maker
• Survey Maker
• Form Builder
• Calculator Builder
• Funnel Builder
• Pop-up Maker

You’ll also get access to hundreds of design templates that you can use to create almost any type of interactive content for your website.

Interactive Content Examples

Here are TWO real-world examples of major platforms using interactive content to involve their audience.

Example #1: Netflix’s Black Mirror

This interactive film allows you to make choices that change the story. 

Imagine you’re watching a movie, but instead of just watching what happens, you can choose what happens next. That’s what makes Netflix’s Black Mirror: Bandersnatch so special.

You’ll be given choices as you watch the film at different points. You might be asked to choose which path the main character should take or which decision they should make.  

This makes the viewing experience unique and personalized, as each viewer will have a different film experience.

Example #2: The Washington Post’s 3D model of Notre Dame Cathedral

The Washington Post used a 3D model that allowed its website users to explore the cathedral before and after the fire.

This 3D experience enabled visitors to navigate through the cathedral’s interior and exterior virtually to understand the damage caused by fire.

So there you go. There are so many such examples of major brands using interactive content to engage their audience.

If you think outside the box and come up with creative ideas, you can give an amazing experience to your website audience by creating interactive experiences.

A Handy Checklist for Creating Interactive Content In 2024

Here’s a helpful checklist for those interested in creating interactive content.

• Firstly, find out what exactly you want with interactive content. Defining your goals is the first step to creating epic interactive content. Also, analyze websites that are already using interactive elements.
• Use proper tools to create different formats for interactive content, such as quizzes, polls, calculators, infographics, and interactive videos. You can try platforms like Canva, Typeform, Involve.me, etc to create such types of content.
• Keep it simple. Start with quizzes or polls if you can. Don’t overcomplicate your interactive content, especially when just starting.
• Collect as much data about your website visitors or audience as possible. You can use your email lists or create polls to collect their data such as names, emails, profession, etc. The more information you’ve about your users, the better content you can create.
• Personalize the experience for your website users. Try to collect their names through emails so you can personalize better.
• You can’t ignore promotion. You need more eyeballs on your interactive content to reach a wider audience. You can use social media or paid ads to promote your interactive content.

FAQs on interactive content marketing

Here are some of the frequently asked questions on interactive content.

Final thoughts 

Hands down, interactive content is a powerful way to engage and educate your audience.

If you’re only using non-interactive content (such as blog posts, checklists, etc), NOW is the right time to try interactive content. 

So, what are your thoughts on creating interactive content? Did you find this guide helpful? Let us know your views about it in the comments.