Storytelling is the key to developing our identity. It’s the basis for our electrochemical brain activity.
No wonder marketers use it as a marketing strategy. Their main goal is to capture people’s attention so that the brand message can be delivered properly.
But relevant information alone is not enough. Engagement is needed, and interactive material can play a role.
Interactive storytelling is one of the best practices in content marketing and works well in diverse scenarios.
This article will explain how this strategy can be beneficial to your business.
What is Interactive Storytelling (I Storytelling)?
Interactive Content is digital content that engages an audience in a unique experience that depends upon their actions.
It’s simple: we deliver content, gather data, and people find the answers they are looking for.
It can be used to enhance a storytelling strategy by adding more engaging tools. This will bring people closer. A simple Quiz or an interactive Calculator can capture the audience on a new level.
ROI calculators developed with ION allow users to calculate the ROI for their marketing campaigns.
What are the advantages of Interactive Storytelling?
People are giving you free information to help you understand your customers. Through the interaction, they will also be more open to listening to what you say.
According to a report by the Content Marketing Institute, marketers use 63% more infographics and images today than they did in the past.
Interactive content is a great way to enhance storytelling because it creates multiple experiences using multiple senses.
You will learn how to use this strategy in the following sections!
What is Interactive Storytelling, and how can it be used?
Microsites
In 2011, Forbes dubbed the Elf Yourself campaign as “the greatest digital holiday execution of all times.”
Office Max created a microsite that took advantage of the community feel to engage users in a shared, engaging experience.
You can create a group photo of elves if you visit the website around Christmas time. You can upload as many images as you like, but no more than five!
In the first instance, you need to complete a form with your personal information before you can access the content. It sounds simple.
As expected, the results showed that 51% of users engaged with the unrestricted content while only 15% completed the form.
The conversion rate for the ungated version was between 20.4% and less than 15 of visitors to the gated version.
The data of users still has value and is the main objective of marketing. How do you proceed?
Storytelling has a unique benefit: It does not have to be delivered immediately or in full.
You can do it gradually or in small doses, as Channel+ has done with their interactive video series based on the entertainment they have created.
The characters made jokes as they encouraged users to sign up for the newsletter.
Customers tend to behave much better when they are allowed to interact with them, as opposed to when forced to.
Personalized Pitch
In certain situations, the sales pitch is useful. However, its aesthetic can often block the mood that storytellers are trying to create in people’s heads.
The audience is interested in the benefits of the product, not just the price and where to buy it.
L’Oreal Paris is also a case in point. The marketers wanted to encourage customers to download the company app but realized that a static catalogue would just be a list of products.
This may be true when customers are looking for your product, but it was the exact opposite in this case. How did they overcome this challenge? Another app!
Makeup Genius allows customers to experience digital makeup. Anyone can add eyeshadow and lipstick to their face in a matter of seconds.
The brand’s offerings were presented to the public through a “try-before-you-buy” virtual experience. The takeaway is not app development.
The technology plays a key role in the integration of interactive content and storytelling.
Do we have to spend a lot of money on our marketing efforts? Not necessarily. Interaction can add a new layer of satisfaction to our content.
Metrics can also be used to monitor results. Every innovative strategy, especially when it comes to people’s behaviors, needs constant improvement. You can improve your automation system by using KPIs.
You can also do this with interactive content. Personality tests and surveys can be used, but you need to plan first how they will fit into your story.