In this article we explore how interactive marketing strategies can transform your audience from passive viewers to engaged participants. You may remember LEGO’s 2017 social network that was launched for children, for them to share their LEGO creations, take part in challenges and interact with other LEGO enthusiasts in a safe environment.
The shift to interactivity
In today’s competitive market, companies are constantly looking for new ways to engage their customers. Research shows that most website visits last less than 15 seconds. Consumers are expecting more information, in reduced quantity and time. Interactive content is a way in which you can not only capture your audience’s attention but maintain it too. It not only enhances the user experience, but also provides a way in which your brand can demonstrate its value and customer needs to increase chances of connecting with your brand. So what is interactive content? Essentially, interactive content encourages participation, unlike static content such as blogs
Examples of interactive strategies
Here are some approaches of interactive content that you can use to help bring your brand to life:
- Quizzes are fun, competitive and challenging. They are great for entertaining your audience
- Polls are a great way to learn about your audience, especially if you want to research a specific topic
- Gamification could involve problem solving or puzzles as a way of getting your audience to interact with your brand
- AR experiences through people’s smart phones or devices. This can be used to create unique customer experiences
- Calculators are innovative, useful, and engaging types of content that can allow your audience to see how much money they could save, or to help them calculate their body mass index through a simple digital calculator
Creating meaningful engagement
Creating an interactive campaign requires planning, creativity and an understanding of your audiences. In order to begin building your campaign, you must understand your audience by researching their behaviour in order to help you create personas. This will help determine the direction of your campaign. You also want to ensure your content is accessible in design as well as diverse.
Your objectives also need to be clear, e.g. are you aiming for sales, engagement, or awareness. Whichever method you choose, your campaign needs to reflect your brand values and tone of voice.
Next you can begin exploring interactive elements, such as the examples discussed above. Remember to ensure you are personalising experiences and encouraging social media shares to expand your reach.
You can keep your audience engaged further by offering discounts, prizes and exclusive content as a reward and to drive loyalty.
Finally, make sure you are constantly tracking results and adapting in real-time to provide the best experience for your audience.
Examples of interactive marketing strategies
Nike – ‘You’re It’ campaign
Nike used an AR-based game where audiences could ‘tag’ their friends in a virtual game that led to virtual rewards. This helped to increase app downloads, engagement and in-store traffic, as well as increase Nike’s brand identity.
Starbuck’s – Rewards
Starbuck’s created a loyalty programme where customers earnt stars for their purchase and were able to unlock rewards as a result. This resulted in higher app engagement and downloads, repeat visits and customer loyalty for both online and in-store
Conclusion
By using interactive marketing effectively, you can enhance customer experience, increase brand engagement for both short-term and long-term success. Through tailored experiences, brands can increase customer retention and create brand advocates. Innovative and fresh marketing experiences stand out to customers, and by incorporating interactive elements to your campaigns, you can help ensure your brand stands out from competition by creating personalised, memorable experiences.