- UI
- 10.25.2024
The Importance and Future of User Interactivity
The Importance and Future of User Interactivity
We believe we are still in the dark ages when it comes to user interactivity. We feel that many of our digital advertisements & websites are still a digital version of a brochure with limited user activity.
Everyone is competing with users to do one thing - click here to learn more.
We are more focused on the company/brand and not the user. What are we doing that benefits them beyond information gathering?
Interactivity in Digital Ads
What are the key aspects of using interactive ads:
Improved engagement: One of the main goals is to draw the user’s attention and keep them engaged for longer periods.
Standout from the competition: When users are used to seeing static ads with one CTA, an ad that they can interact with that provides additional content would stand out.
Measure the interaction: You can see how a user interacts with the ad and know what’s working and what can be improved for future campaigns.
What are ways you can improve your display ads.
An interactive display ad could include animations and videos. One of the main goals is to capture the user’s attention. On a static webpage, movement will attract the user and ultimately lead to engagement. Also, by leveraging animations and videos, this allows the brand to display more content than it could on a static ad.
Quiz / Poll Ads
Quiz and poll ads let the user feel that they are participating in the conversation. They are able to voice their opinion on a topic or quickly gather information through answering a series of questions.
Video Ads
This is where a company has a lot of freedom to bring their brand to life for the user. Through video, the brand is not limited to a single image or a single message.
Improved conversion: 27X Higher click through compared to static ads
Improved retention: 95% of a message is remembered when watched compared to 10% when read
Increased user intent: Positive video experience increases user’s purchase intent by 97%
Playable Ads
Let’s have some fun. These work because they give pause to what that the user was just doing - scrolling, reading, etc. Now they are able to take a break and have a little fun. A truly effective playable ad could inform the user on aspects of the brand.
Increased engagement: 32% more memorable compared to static ads
Increased engagement: 47% more user attention compared to static ads
Increased conversions: 3X higher conversion rate compared to static ads
AR/VR Ads
AR & VR advertising is still fairly new. AR advertising is becoming more popular, especially with users getting familiar with QR codes. VR still needs to be adopted by a larger portion of the population for brands to put time, energy and money into advertising initiatives.
Current usage: 171 million people worldwide use virtual reality in some form
Current issues: 26% of businesses polled said main barrier to VR adoption is poor user experience
Audio Ads
Audio ads offer a new way brands can engage with an audience. The user is able to trigger the ad through a CTA and the audio will start.
User attention: 25% Increase in brain activity triggered by audio ads compared to traditional ads
Websites
Right now, I would say 99% of websites are online brochures. They are talking to the user, not asking what the user wants. They are deciding what information to display regardless of who the user is and what their specific needs may be.
Augmented reality and virtual reality
AR experiences are becoming more common with the help of QR codes. Since only a tiny portion of the population has adopted VR headsets, that experience is limited. But there are still creative ways brands are interacting with consumers.
Future of interactivity
With these advancements, this will improve several key factors:
Brand appreciation: Users are aware of when a brand takes the effort to create engaging and personalized experiences and content.
Brand loyalty: Along with appreciation, that would also include users to be more loyal to specific brands making the effort.
Increase in conversions: With an improvement in personalized content, the efforts will lead to higher conversions.
Where we’re headed
With the adoption of AR, VR, AI and the improvement of computing power, we will be engaging in Extended Reality (XR).
What is extended reality?
Extended reality is the combination of augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality.
To take a step back, what is augmented reality?
What is it: Digital elements added to your real-world view.
How it works: You see the real world, usually through a smartphone or smart glasses, with digital information or images overlaid on top.
Examples: Playing Pokémon GO via your phone, or using a phone app to see how furniture
would look in your room.
What is virtual reality?
What is it: A fully immersive digital environment.
How it works: You are immersed in a computer-generated world.
Examples: You're a digital representation of an environment. Like taking a virtual tour of a museum.
What is mixed reality?
What is it: Blends the real and digital worlds more interactively.
How it works: Digital elements are not just overlaid but can interact with the real world. This often involves more advanced sensors and smart glasses.
Examples: A holographic dog is sitting next to you on your real sofa in your actual apartment, visible through smart glasses.
What is extended reality?
What is it: A term that includes all of the technologies (VR, AR, and MR).
How it works: It covers any technology that modifies your reality by adding digital elements to it or creating a new digital reality.
Examples: Extended reality has the ability to be used for joint effort in the workplace, training, educational purposes, therapeutic treatments, and data exploration and analysis.