What is Interactive Marketing?

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Published: Mar 02, 2020
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You've mastered all the marketing basics by now: content marketing, search engine optimization, email, and social media. Now, how do you move from precursory clicks into conversions? By upping your game through interactive marketing.

Interactive marketing is a method of customer-focused marketing that encourages businesses to connect with potential customers on a more personalized level. It's the cool older sibling of standard content marketing—more experienced, nuanced, and clever. This technique takes a hard look at target audiences to determine what exactly they're looking for and deliver it in innovative ways. It factors in customer behavior and interests for a better overall user experience that drives conversion.

As the internet expands to include new media and an ever-growing list of community hubs, standing out amid competitors is vital for brand survival. Creating compelling interactive content isn't easy, but it is effective.

The Advantages of Interactive Marketing

Using content marketing to become an authority in your field is an excellent first step toward building consumer trust in your brand. You can take that trust a step further by showing customers that you understand their interests and needs.

If customers are short on time, they may be looking for bite-sized content they can digest quickly and easily. Perhaps they need a simple method of selecting the product that's right for them.

Uncovering the most effective way to convey information about your brand is a tough job. With the right amount of creativity, you can make it work in your favor. Do the legwork to find your target audience and brainstorm ways to deliver the content they want.

<div class="tip">It's not just B2C companies that can make use of interactive content—so can B2B organizations. Check out these examples of interactive content from B2B companies.</div>

5 Types of Interactive Marketing

The definition is all well and good, but how exactly does interactive content look? Let's dive into five different types and interactive marketing examples.

1. Giveaways & Contests

There's nothing more reliable for driving user engagement in a product than a contest or giveaway. They're simple and quick. Everyone loves a freebie, particularly if the product is desirable.

Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty typically does weekly giveaways on their Instagram account, as pictured below. This is an excellent example of multidimensional interactive marketing, combining both video and a giveaway. Fans get to see the prize they're competing for and must interact with the brand page to enter, increasing its reach.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

What is it Wednesday is back! Name this Thinking Putty for a chance to win it. We'll choose one lucky winner tomorrow (01/30/20). HINT: The Thinking Putty is NEW and smells delightful! Correct answer required. #contest #thinkingputty

A post shared by Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty® (@thinkingputty) on Jan 29, 2020 at 8:31am PST

2. Blogs & Podcasts

Niche blogs are having a resurgence, so it's the perfect time to jump on board. You'll establish yourself as an expert in your field and find a highly relevant audience. Once you've covered the basics, you can gauge audience interest to create quality content that speaks to them.

Once you've established your brand's expertise, you'll want to branch out into adjacent subjects that will draw more eyes. You can choose to diversify your interactive marketing even further through podcasts. They require more technical skill and personality, but the benefits are well worth it.

A 2019 review of digital marketing statistics from Engenius Web indicates that podcasts are not only on the rise, but 69 percent of podcast listeners are made aware of a new product or service through podcast ads.

Fashion brand Jordandene is well-known for its geek girl aesthetic. The podcast team uses the appeal of fandom to their advantage with subjects like what to wear to conventions. They smoothly tie these topics back to their brand while providing fresh content to their audience.

3. Immersive Content

Think outside the box and incorporate your product into desirable content. What do you tend to search for online? Recipes? How-to guides? Create your own. Jacobsen Salt Co. creates their own recipes featuring their honey and salts. The dishes not only sound divine, but they also bring in customers who find an excellent recipe and decide to purchase the product so they can give it a try.

4. Quizzes

Customers love taking a clever quiz that tells them something about themselves. If you're creative, you can figure out a way to factor in your product or service. Let them choose the answer that funnels them into a specific recommendation that fits their needs.

Beauty brand Sephora offers numerous quizzes to their customers. Shoppers are able to find everything from their perfect perfume to the best face lotion for their skin.

5. Video

Video is one of the most challenging types of interactive marketing on the list, but done well, the conversion rates are excellent. In fact, studies indicate that users spend 88% more time on a website with video content than one without. You need equipment and scriptwriting skills, but if you're willing to put in the work, you'll see incredible return.

Buzzfeed created an advertising juggernaut through interactive marketing, particularly quizzes, videos, and listicles. Marketers regularly use the Buzzfeed platform to promote content with a unique spin. At the link, you can see a video promoted by Duncanville, an animated series.

Take Your Content to the Next Level

When you're ready to level up your content, the advantages of interactive marketing are clear. Give existing and potential customers engaging content that feels personal, and watch your conversion rates climb. Creating this type of content is challenging, but the results are worth the effort.

This article was written by Compose.ly writer Stephanie Wargin.

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