Quizzes created by the media company BuzzFeed are possibly the most recognizable examples of interactive content. Alex Membrillo, CEO of Cardinal SEO Company, explained that this type of content lets users choose their own path to receive information.
The latest Buzzfeed Quiz offering, an even more interactive. If your brand isn’t already creating interactive content, this is a great way to enhance your marketing strategy. In this article, we’ll show you how to do it right. Here are 10 examples of successful interactive content marketing. Before we jump into the examples, let’s discuss what interactive content marketing is and how it can benefit your strategy.
What is interactive content marketing?
Interactive content refers to any content that a user can engage with and manipulate. Mitchell Kelly, digital marketing director of performance marketing company Pathfinder Alliance, explained that this includes the previously mentioned quizzes, as well as data visualizations, calculators, and infographics. Greg Heilers, co-founder of SEO and content marketing firm Jolly SEO, offered another common example: the free quotes that consumers can get on insurance company websites. “Interactive content presents one of the best ways to engage your audience and enhance the customer experience,” Membrillo added. “Interactive content allows the reader to actively participate, as opposed to passively reading, watching, or listening.”
Why is interactive content marketing effective?
Interactive content is definitely more engaging. For instance, BuzzFeed reported that 96% of users who start their sponsored quizzes complete them.
“Since customers engage more with interactive content, it leads to more views, which boosts brand awareness, and ultimately translates to more customers,” Heilers explained. Samantha Moss, editor and content ambassador of relationship blog Romantific, noted that this form of content helps brands reach the right consumers. “Most of the people who react to your content are likely already interested in your brand,” she said. Kelly mentioned that there’s a lot of excitement about interactive content among publishers due to its potential to generate links, shares, and engagement. “However, I think the potential of interactive content to significantly increase conversion rates for both lead generation and ecommerce websites is being largely overlooked,” he added. This is partly because interactive content can be utilized to gather customer information, said Oli Graham, marketing manager for copywriting company RightlyWritten. “The added benefit of interactive content is that the customer information collected from their interaction with the content … can be used to segment your customers into different personas,” he noted. “This will create higher-converting funnels in the long run.” It’s also a channel that allows users to provide brands with direct feedback. “With this feedback, the marketer knows immediately what’s working and what’s not working,” said Tom De Spiegelaere, founder of digital marketing agency Tom Spicky. Additionally, it offers an experience that can’t be referenced without a link. “For example, let’s say you write an article based on the insights provided by a new interactive map,” Graham explained. “You can’t write that story without linking to the map itself. Therefore, interactive content is highly linkable and becomes a linkable asset on your website.”
Our 10 favorite examples of awesome interactive content
Now that we understand what interactive content is and why it’s effective, let’s explore some impressive examples. There are countless examples out there, but here are 10 favorites among digital marketers that educate and entertain.
1. CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer
This tool from marketing software CoSchedule analyzes headlines to determine their effectiveness. It provides scores based on elements like word balance and character length.
CoSchedule Headline Analyzer “I don’t know a single content marketer who hasn’t heard about this app or used it,” said Malte Scholz, CEO of project management tool Airfocus. “The app simply works, and it’s probably one of the top lead generation methods for their website because you can’t get your results without providing your contact information.”
2. HubSpot’s Website Grader
This free website tool from marketing software HubSpot evaluates websites based on factors like performance, mobile optimization, SEO, and security.
HubSpot’s Website Grader Heilers described it as a “quick, free way to evaluate a website,” adding, “It’s a great way for HubSpot to increase their leads, by offering to provide further advice to website owners with poor ratings.”
3. Allbirds: Why Our Future May Depend on Birds
Nate Nead, CEO of SEO firm SEO.co, highlighted DTC shoe brand Allbirds’ paid post with the New York Times that focuses on how birds impact the environment, how consumers can contribute to bird conservation efforts, and how Allbirds makes “better shoes in a better way.”
The experience features sounds of various bird calls, as well as visuals of the birds and their habitats in motion. “One of the biggest advantages of interactive content marketing is its stickiness factor,” Nead said. “When content is engaging and dwell time significantly increases, so do rankings, conversions, and sales. It tends to have a positive impact across the board.”
4. Function of Beauty’s Hair Quiz
Marketing consultant Olga Tsimaraki highlighted the quiz on the website of DTC haircare brand Function of Beauty, which asks visitors about their hair, goals, and fragrance and color preferences to generate personalized product recommendations. Tsimaraki shared that she appreciates this example because “they’re providing a simpler customer/user experience.” “What people are looking for today is simple answers, and interactive content allows companies to do just that,” she added.
5. Clinique’s Foundation Finder
Makeup brand Clinique’s Foundation Finder provides similar functionality. By answering questions about skin tone, coverage preference, and skin goals, Clinique suggests foundation types and shades.
“You can see images of real women with different skin tones and you just select the closest option to your skin tone,” said Medha Mehta, content marketing specialist at website security firm Sectigo. “It also has images for all the other options to help you choose your preferable coverage, forms, and types of finishes… after that, they suggested not only the closest shade for my skin tone but also the foundation that matched all other criteria.”
6. Nove Bike’s Aero X
Likewise, Nove Bikes offers a customization tool on its website that allows customers to design their ideal high-performance bicycle.
“For any online business selling customizable products, making it easy for your customers to visualize the final product and engaging them in the buying process is crucial,” Kelly said. “While the initial cost to build something like this is high, the impact can be easily measured in terms of conversion rate on product pages.”
7. Disney’s My Disney Experience
According to Membrillo, Disney’s My Disney Experience app demonstrates that the company has “perfected the art of interactive content.” The platform allows visitors to check in to the Disney Resort, locate character greeting areas, make dining reservations, navigate the park, and of course, shop. “Users can select locations on their interactive map to view real-time wait times for attractions and plan their day by building an itinerary,” he said. “Utilizing Disney’s Magic Band technology, guests can also use the My Photo feature on the app to view photos that automatically synced from attractions they were on.”
8. Missy Empire’s You vs. the Kardashians
Aiming for a more shocking approach, clothing brand Missy Empire created a calculator that allows everyday people to input their salaries to see how many minutes it takes members of the Kardashian family to earn their annual income.
Missy Empire’s Calculator “To date, the piece has 127 referring domains,” Graham said.
9. BBC’s Will a Robot Take Your Job?
In 2015, as autonomous machines were first being introduced into the workforce and there was growing concern about job displacement, the BBC published an interactive post that allowed users to enter their job titles to see the likelihood of their jobs being automated within the next 20 years. “This is a more creative example of engaging readers,” said Vinay Amin, CEO of supplement brand Eu Natural.
10. CNN’s Marvel Cinematic Universe Timeline
In 2018, CNN followed suit with an interactive timeline for Marvel’s cinematic universe to prepare viewers for the release of the superhero film Avengers: Infinity War.
“Over the last decade, Marvel has been dropping hints—Easter eggs, along with mid-credit and post-credit scenes—to set up one of the biggest showdowns in Marvel comic book history: ‘Infinity War,’” the site explains. “It’s hard to remember every semi-hidden tip over 10 years, but we’ve got you covered.” Per Heilers, in addition to generating backlinks, it increased user engagement and time spent on the website.
Make interactive content work for your business
These examples showcase the diverse range of possibilities for interactive content that you can create to start acquiring backlinks, attracting website visitors, and achieving other marketing goals. Draw inspiration from these examples and start brainstorming what kind of interactive content would resonate with your target audience – then go ahead and create it!