How many times have you come across an ad or brand message that was entirely skippable? Today’s content often feels like a one-way street, where brands blast messages “at” us rather than engaging in a genuine, two-way conversation.
To stand out amid the digital noise, businesses must explore fresh ways to connect with their audience. Luckily, Personalized Interactive Video steps up to the plate. Think of it as the powerful blend of personalization and interactivity — a dynamic solution that brings the best of both worlds to your video marketing strategy.
But what exactly is Personalized Video? What’s Interactive Video? And what’s the big deal with combining the two? We’ve got the answers. This blog is your go-to guide, answering your questions and sharing loads of ideas and tips for leveraging Personalized Interactive Video. Let’s get started.
What Is Personalized Video?
Ever felt like your name was just slapped onto a generic message, like some sort of digital Mad Libs?
“Hi Joe.”
“Hi Jane.”
“Hi [insert name here].”
Well, no worries. That’s not what we’re talking about here.
Personalized Video is so much more than just flashing your customer’s name on the screen; it’s curating dynamic scenes tailored to each viewer’s unique situation. After all, a one-size-fits-all message isn’t going to resonate with every single customer.
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Pro tip: While video personalization goes beyond merely inserting basic info, don’t underestimate the impact of addressing viewers by their first name. It’s still a powerful way to capture their attention and instantly establish a connection.
Let’s say you’re a bank. If your customer has a modest $50 in their account, bombarding them with investment options definitely wouldn’t be the best approach. Instead, why not provide useful overdraft protection tips? On the flip side, if someone’s sitting on $500,000, you could serve up personalized recommendations for wealth management and investment opportunities.
The sky’s the limit here. Any detail, whether it’s their balance or how long they’ve been a customer, could be used strategically to craft a message that resonates. It’s all about making each video truly personal and relevant to each viewer.
So what are some good opportunities to use Personalized Video? Consider scenarios where you want to nurture connections without being pushy over a call to action. Sometimes, you just want them to sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Try using Personalized Video to:
- Welcome. Greet new customers with a Personalized Video that introduces your brand’s personality and makes them feel valued from the start.
- Celebrate. Toast to significant milestones, whether it’s anniversaries, birthdays or hitting a certain loyalty level. Make them feel appreciated!
- Educate. Personalization makes onboarding videos or tutorials much more engaging and tailored, allowing you to explain complex concepts and highlight features that matter most to each individual viewer.
- Update. Keep your customers in the loop with personalized updates on their accounts, achievements or exclusive offers.
Year-in-review videos are a great use case. Sending personalized recaps of your time together helps remind customers of the great moments, savings or benefits that you offer. Not to mention, this kind of video content is highly shareable. Just think about the popularity of campaigns like Spotify Wrapped. People love showing off their personal stats. Let them do so with recaps like the one below.
What Is Interactive Video?
With interactivity, your audience’s involvement goes beyond the play button. As the name suggests, Interactive Video allows viewers to directly interact with the video, turning a passive experience into an engaging one.
Clickable call-to-action buttons that link to an external page are one popular interactive element you could add to your videos. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It’s also possible to integrate your Interactive Video with different tools, apps and data sources and allow for certain interactions to trigger events, such as sending an SMS.
Quick fact: With Idomoo as your Interactive Video platform, you can call on any external API using JSON interface or a simple HTTP GET interface.
Another cool feature is in-player user customization, in which viewers can update the video in real time by inputting their own data or selecting certain options. It’s like those classic choose-your-own-adventure stories but in video form. In other words, the nature of Interactive Video naturally invites engagement, keeping viewers hooked from start to finish.
While not every video needs to deliver an interactive experience, when customer engagement is key, it could be the hero your marketing strategy needs. Here are a few ways you could leverage Interactive Video:
- Lead capture. Engaging Interactive Videos on your site can be used to capture leads and deliver a tailored experience — even when true personalization isn’t quite on the table yet. Whether it’s a video calculator that produces a custom quote or a fun game that unlocks a discount, feel free to get creative.
- Onboarding and explainer videos. Interactive Videos are also perfect for guiding viewers through complex steps. The form-filling feature, for instance, makes it possible for you to walk customers through entering their information directly in the video using visuals, voiceover or both.
- Surveys and feedback. Want to know what your audience thinks without making them fill out lengthy surveys? Send out Interactive Video surveys that let you gather insights and feedback in a way that’s fun and engaging for your viewers.
- Training videos and tutorials. Transform the learning experience from passive to participative with Interactive Videos where viewers can click for additional resources, test their knowledge and immerse themselves in the training.
Take a cue from Lancôme, whose employee training video is a fantastic example of how interactivity can enhance the training process. Employees can engage in simulated scenarios, make selections within the video and receive immediate, tailored feedback based on their choices.
Personalized Interactive Video: The Best of Both Worlds
Now let’s get to the star of the show, which combines both types of videos into one ultra-powerful tool. Personalized Interactive Video seamlessly blends both personalized and interactive elements, creating a video experience that’s irresistibly relevant and engaging.
One stellar example comes from American Express, with its onboarding video for new Business Gold Card Members.
Right from the start, the video addresses “Christine” by name, setting the stage for a personal connection. It then dives into the relevant benefits of the card, allowing Christine to decide which perks to explore further. From cashback incentives to making payments easier, the viewer is always in control, ensuring that every second of the onboarding experience adds value.
The versatility of Personalized Interactive Video allows businesses to break free from the one-size-fits-all approach, opening up a world of possibilities. Here’s a glimpse at some industries where it could elevate communications.
- Education: Imagine a student receiving a college acceptance video. Not only does it personally welcome them but it also provides clickable options: accept admission, explore campus life or connect with future classmates.
- Telecommunications: Give the upgrade offer an upgrade of its own. Create videos that allow customers to explore the latest phone models or even compare them to what they currently have.
- Gaming: For gamers, a personalized recap video takes on a whole new level when they can customize it. Let them choose their favorite stats, relive epic plays and share a tailor-made highlight reel on social media.
Let’s wrap things up with another example you can try for yourself. This time, you’re navigating the end of a mortgage forbearance. The Personalized Interactive Video below provides relevant details about the forbearance, such as the amount owed, but also features clickable options, allowing you to pick the information you want to hear more about or skip ahead.
Want more details about repayment options? Click. Prefer to skip to the section about refinancing? It’s no problem, thanks to the handy chapter markers. With personalization and interactivity, a potentially complex process is transformed into a user-friendly and tailored guide.
Your Next Move
No matter what industry you’re in, the ability to combine personalization and interactivity is a game-changer. As engaging customers grows more challenging by the day, the question isn’t whether to embrace Personalized Interactive Video but how creatively we can leverage it to captivate, inform and truly connect with our audiences.
Ready to try it for yourself? Our Next Generation Video Platform makes crafting immersive, tailor-made experiences for your audience effortless. Get in touch and we’ll walk you through how our solutions can work for your business.
