Video is everywhere on the web, and it’s getting to the point where those businesses that don’t have it on their web site are lacking a critical element to attract and retain visitors. With so many choices of where to find information, why would anyone waste their time on a site that isn’t engaging, entertaining, or easily browsed? Despite the skyrocketing consumption of video online, many businesses are still struggling to determine the best content and delivery approach.  

We frequently talk to companies that point us to examples of video they’ve produced and posted, but they have no idea whether it was worth the effort or not because there was no or very marginal measurement and reporting underlying the delivery. Content syndication channels such as YouTube are easy to set up and they offer tremendous potential for eyeballs, but they deliver little additional value in terms of controlling who is being reached, or in the behavioral reporting metrics.

As with any kind of media, there need to be criteria for evaluating the success. While video is a relatively new medium, the general principles of any good communications program still apply. After all, what is the purpose of producing and using video as part of a communications strategy if you can’t measure its success in meaningful ways?

Fuel data collection opportunities with interactive video

Video as an individual media element doesn’t offer much in terms of user feedback or measurement. On the other hand, interactive video platforms not only provide better user experiences, they can amplify the amount and type of data collected throughout the program to provide superior post campaign analytics. Platforms that support self-guided discovery can help a viewer solve a problem, find the information they need, gain some emotional benefit from the interaction, and keep them engaged – all important factors that feed into a good brand experience. Interactive video platforms also facilitate data capture in multiple ways to help you understand visitor knowledge levels, interests, and other demographic information that not only helps you analyze your program but also aids in decision making in how to best engage that prospect or viewer.

Develop content to drive measurement

Although it may seem backward, thinking about what you want to learn about a viewer should drive how you think about content development – not the other way around. Since the interactive experience in an on-demand program is not linear, you ought to think about content subtopics as navigation paths. By breaking your presentation down into segments, you can then learn which content (or product for that matter) is of most interest to audiences by analyzing segment-viewing data. This can provide valuable market research about audience preferences, or even insight into purchase intent based on how detailed the chosen topic is. You could also incorporate polling questions into your video program as pre- and post ‘tests’ to identify knowledge gaps or assess buying power. Thinking about how that poll will integrate fluidly with your content becomes central to the way a program is planned and implemented. Hence your first content objective should not be “what content do I want to create” but rather, “what data do I want to extract” from the visitor experience. This data can then be used to guide future project planning, to justify funding, or develop follow-up communication strategies. Now, that’s video with a purpose.

To learn more about creating interactive video that can be measured, contact us.

Please take a few minutes to provide a response to this article, ask a question, or suggest a topic you’d like us to cover in the future. Your response is appreciated.