It is time to discuss the future of content marketing, and that future is interactive. When considering the phrase on its own, interactive content, it brings to mind the hologram of Jaws 19 from Back to the Future II. Well, that took place in 2015, which means that it’s outdated, as well as not actually being interactive.
Confucius: I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand.
If you want readers to really retain the information, it is advantageous to have them do more than just click on the link. The impetus behind content marketing, is a basic exchange of services between the poster and the reader. One builds trust and gathers information; the other gets to learn something and be entertained. According to the principles of Action Learning and Experiential Learning, the general consensus is that the more people participate, the more they learn.
So, in the words of Elvis Presley, another great thinker, “A little less conversation, a little more action.”
But there are so many types of this new form of marketing, it can be hard to choose which is right for your strategy. With traditional content marketing, there are fewer options to consider, predominantly led by blogging. With interactive content, there are many more alternatives, and we will go through some of the most important of them:
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There are other types of interactive content, each with their own advantages or special niches. Among them are interactive magazines, data visualizations, biographies, articles, interactive emails, eBooks and many more. It is worth exploring these options to find out which one is the right one.
While it seems like the world of online marketing is evolving in an interactive content direction, there remain a few problems, the biggest of which is the pricing. On average, the cost of signing up for a business account on the main interactive content websites is about $3000 per month. That is significantly higher than traditional content, especially considering that low prices are often the most appealing aspect of content marketing. However, these prices will probably drop as the marketplace becomes more crowded with competition in the near future.
Content marketing, whether static or interactive, still isn’t an exact science. According to CMI research, 55% of B2B marketing professionals are unclear of what type of content is most effective and what kind of impact they carry. However, there seems to be a consensus that, while the past few years have seen the rapid growth of content marketing, 2016 will be the year of interactive content.
Are you looking to attract, convert, close, and delight your customers?