Let’s say you’re on the dating scene and have two romantic prospects. The first talks your ear off, barely letting you get a word in for hours; the second shares personal stories and asks about you with genuine interest, creating a natural, growing connection.
You probably already know who you’re taking on a second date. The best relationships tend to stem from meaningful interactions that prioritize two-way communication—whether you’re single and looking for love or a marketer trying to better connect with your audience.
Like the average dater, today’s consumer wants to feel connected and heard. In your quest to court shoppers, interactive marketing can help make them feel engaged. With so many digital touchpoints, the opportunities to connect with consumers are endless, making interactive marketing both essential and increasingly complex.
Here’s how to get started with interactive marketing.
What is interactive marketing?
Interactive marketing is a participatory advertising strategy where brands engage with consumers across various mediums, including social media platforms, virtual events, livestreams, newsletters, and email. It commonly includes a call to action and prompts consumers to share feedback or interact directly with the ad or creative content.
Compared to traditional one-way communication, like television spots and print campaigns, interactive marketing is a personalized strategy focused on fostering dialogue and building a relationship with consumers, especially online.
Benefits of interactive marketing
Developing strong connections with your consumers has myriad advantages. Here are the major business benefits of interactive marketing:
Increased brand loyalty and conversions
Customers who feel a brand is responsive and attuned to their needs are more likely to buy from that company, translating to more conversions. Community-oriented interactive campaigns—like scavenger hunts or social media photo contests—can further deepen brand loyalty by making shoppers feel part of a larger collective, encouraging them to further engage with your brand.
Better brand awareness
Brand awareness is how well potential consumers recognize your brand. Interactive marketing campaigns like social media contests and user-generated content thrive on shareability, effectively broadening your brand’s reach to wider audiences.
Real-time feedback
By opening up channels for consumer engagement, you create multiple touchpoints to collect and analyze real-time customer feedback on new products or advertising efforts, gathering quantitative and qualitative insights to understand consumer sentiment.
Lower ad spend
Interactive marketing campaigns can often be done more cheaply than traditional one-way communication direct marketing campaigns. For example, a user-generated social campaign costs significantly less than developing and producing a splashy television spot.
Types of interactive marketing
- Interactive videos and livestreams
- Personalized emails and newsletters
- Polls and surveys
- Games and quizzes
- Contests and giveaways
- Augmented reality and virtual reality
- Chatbots
- User-generated content
You can leverage interactive marketing across various platforms. The most popular forms include:
Interactive videos and livestreams
From Instagram Live sessions with brand influencers to branded virtual events on platforms like TikTok or Twitch, you can connect directly with your audience via video. Integrate interactive elements, like clickable links, polls, and CTA buttons to drive engagement and gather feedback.
Personalized emails and newsletters
Personalized emails and newsletters are tailored to individual preferences and behaviors. They might include the shopper’s name and customized recommendations based on purchase or search history, encouraging direct engagement.
Polls and surveys
Polls and surveys help marketers collect feedback directly from consumers. They can be instrumental tools for crowdsourcing everything from the color of your company’s next sneaker to thoughts on the ecommerce shopping experience. You could reward participation with discounts and perks.
Games and quizzes
Custom quizzes, like “Discover which product fits your personality,” can guide consumers in finding the best products while giving you valuable data. A trivia challenge might help boost brand awareness and create positive brand associations.
Contests and giveaways
Nothing delights shoppers like free stuff. Contests build excitement around your brand and encourage social sharing. They also help gather contact information for lead generation, allowing for follow-up and targeted marketing.
Augmented reality and virtual reality
AR and VR technology lets users virtually try on your products—perhaps a new shade of blush or a blouse—from the comfort of their homes. This fosters digital engagement, drives conversions, and provides data on shopper preferences.
Chatbots
AI chatbots can provide a personalized experience for shoppers while making recommendations and driving conversions. This type of conversational marketing makes the question-and-answer experience on an ecommerce site more practical for shoppers.
User-generated content
UGC campaigns feature brand content created and shared by consumers, offering an easy, cost-effective way to authentically connect with your audience.
For example, when legacy clothing brand Belstaff rebranded, its chief brand officer Jodie Harrison still wanted to appeal to the company’s rich heritage while celebrating the retailer’s products and commitment to sustainability. She used UGC to do so, launching the Old Is Good campaign, which shared real stories from community members on social media.
How to create an interactive marketing strategy
- Identify your goals
- Determine your target audience
- Set your call to action
- Develop smart creative and execute
- Improve your approach
How you approach your interactive marketing strategy depends on your company’s needs and goals. Here’s a basic guide to get you started:
1. Identify your goals
Are you looking to grow your audience? Increase conversions from social media? Sit down and make a concrete list of goals and intentions to inform your interactive marketing approach.
2. Determine your target audience
Who are you trying to reach? Research your target audience to make sure your interactive marketing strategy aligns with their preferences and needs.
3. Set your call to action
Identify what you want your audience to do and how you want them to engage with your content. Are you asking them to fill out a survey, respond to an Instagram post, or join a livestream? Clearly communicate the call to action in your messaging.
4. Develop smart creative and execute
Use your audience insights to create engaging interactive content. To pique the user’s interest, you might use interactive marketing techniques like quizzes, polls, and games that resonate with customer preferences. Weave in compelling graphics and narratives that invite active participation and feedback, and make sure your content is easily shareable.
5. Improve your approach
One of the great benefits of interactive marketing is the direct feedback you get from consumers. Compile and analyze this data and use it to improve your marketing, products, and business.
Interactive marketing FAQ
What is an example of interactive marketing?
A direct-to-consumer beauty company might launch a new lipstick collection and create a VR experience on its website. Users can upload a photo and virtually try on shades from home, receive personalized recommendations and suggestions based on their skin tone, and shop directly through the platform.
What is interactive vs. direct marketing?
Interactive marketing is a two-way communication digital marketingstrategy that lets brands engage with consumers on various platforms. Direct marketing is a model in which companies market products directly to customers, without relying on a middleman. To do so, they might use traditional marketing techniques like personal selling and catalogs, and they might also incorporate interactive marketing.
Why is interactive marketing effective?
Interactive marketing relies on personalization and interactivity, which make shoppers feel more engaged with a brand and part of a larger community.
