Content Marketing is on everyone's lips. But as more and more companies integrate engaging content into their marketing mix, it is becoming harder and harder to draw attention, generate leads, and achieve conversions with it. Is content still king? Yes, but only on the condition that it is interactive.
Faced with an avalanche of content marketing instruments such as webinars, white papers, ebooks, and infographics, users are becoming increasingly selective about the type of content for which they are willing to reveal information about themselves. Today, there are dozens of infographics and white papers for almost every topic online. The conversion rates for content that tends to be passive are either stagnating or falling. This does not mean that these instruments have become ineffective. Nevertheless, content marketing is evolving.
As often, the USA lead the way in establishing new trends: companies are increasingly turning to interactive content to increase awareness, engagement rates, traffic, and conversions. There are a few startups in the US that drive this development by offering marketers tools that facilitate the creation of interactive content.
How advanced is your content marketing?
Why interactive content marketing pays off
You probably know from personal experience that you process information better if you have actively engaged with it. This is the first major strength of interactive content: users experience information in their own, personalized way. Not only does interactive content leave a lasting impression, it also emotionalizes the brand that provided that content. Because users are more involved in interactive content, they also spend more time on it. Commitment (66 %) and education (63 %) are also high on the list of things content marketers are looking for in interactive content. Interactive content offers another important advantage over static content, for which users often have to register first: rich interaction data.
Interactive content also increases service quality. For one of our clients, a provider of due diligence services, we have implemented a digital decision support that helps customers select the right service. The company offers its customers, usually large, multinational companies, subscription packages, integrity and compliance checks of individuals and businesses. The company approached us with the following problem: some customers are spread across so many sites and affiliates that many are not aware that they have access to the due diligence service. In addition to developing a strategy to increase awareness for the service itself, we have also designed an interactive service selection support that customers can use to choose the right services from the subscription. On the one hand, they receive information about the services offered. The core, however, is a virtual questionnaire, at the end of which the appropriate service for the respective requirements is suggested. This service can then be booked directly.
Other than providing a great customer experience, the due diligence services provider also receives information about the needs of its customers from the interaction data. The business can use this knowledge to further develop their services. Users benefit from services that are tailored precisely to their problems.
When users feel involved and entertained, or get some other kind of added value, they are happy to share information about themselves. This works equally well in B2C and B2B. Other contents that generate valuable interaction data are configurators, cost calculators or assessment tools. They provide information that goes deeper than what is possible with online forms. These include data on users' needs, interests and preferences. These insights can be leveraged to optimize product development and planned marketing campaigns. At the same time, leads are also generated via this content by offering users to send them in-depth information by e-mail.
Another benefit of interactive content is that it can be distributed better because users prefer to share it. They recommend content they find entertaining and informative AND freely accessible rather than content that is restricted in access.
The benefits of interactive content at a glance:
- You strengthen brand awareness
- You receive valuable interaction data
- You get more conversions
- You increase traffic
Our service: W4 will gladly assist you in developing and creating interactive content. From creation to realization, you receive all services from a single source. Contact us.
Read more: Content Marketing.
