The expectations for search engine optimization are consistently changing. Search engine crawlers observe the users’ behavior and value content based on users’ preferences.
With so much content at their disposal, users are prioritizing authenticity and engagement. Consequently, creativity is a necessary factor in crafting content that users will like and search engines will value.
How to provide authentic and engaging content to the users? The answer lies in interactive content.
Great interactive content wields incredible power over viewers. This is why interactive content is considered to be the future of content marketing. The dynamic nature of interactive content manages to keep users’ attention and get them to perform a certain action.
Do you want to learn more about interactive content and how it can improve your SEO strategy? Then, just keep reading.
What is Interactive Content?
Interactive content is content with an open communication channel that allows users to engage with content rather than just passively read it. It enables users to perform some actions and therefore, keeps them entertained.
As William Comcowich, CEO of CyberAlert, put it, “Content marketing is becoming less about the words you put on a page and more about the experiences you create for the consumer.” Interactive content is all about the experience which is why it is becoming more and more valued in the marketing community.
Interactive content comes in different forms. Some of the types of interactive content are:
- Quizzes
- Webinars
- Polls
- Interactive emails
- Calculators
- Infographics
- Interactive videos
- Social media live sessions
- Interactive maps
To give you an example of effective interactive content, take a look at the following interactive map for The Solutions Project. The map provides data when the users hover-over and click-through, thus, giving users the freedom to decide how much they’ll explore the map.
What makes interactive content powerful is its ability to retain users’ attention. In fact, 81% of CMI Survey participants agreed that interactive content grabs attention more effectively than passive content.
People’s attention span is shortening and the variety of content is growing. Therefore, keeping users’ eyes on the screen is much easier when they can be a part of the story you are sharing.
“Marketers succeed when their audience not only consumes content but also enjoys and acts upon it. Understanding this principle, more and more content marketers are stepping-up their static content to create content customers can interact with,” shared Neil Patel, one of the most influential marketing bloggers, best-selling author, and the co-founder of NP Digital and Subscribers.
The reason why users navigate towards interactive content is clear. But what does interactive content has to do with SEO?
The answer is actually quite simple. Interactive content increases users’ dwell time, brings more traffic to your website, and boosts click-through rate. All of that shows the importance of your content to search engine crawlers and gives you points.
Moreover, interactive content allows you to collect information from users. That information can help you create new content that your audience will love.
Now, let’s take a deeper dive into the advantages of using interactive content as a part of your SEO strategy.
Benefits of Using Interactive Content in SEO Strategy
The success of your content determines the effectiveness of your SEO strategy. Interactive content can boost content’s effectiveness on several levels which is why it plays an important role in optimization.
The following benefits of interactive content will give you a clearer idea of why such dynamic content is relevant for SEO:
Increased audience engagement and involvement
Google loves content that users love. That’s what influences their decision in ranking pages and websites. The entertaining nature of interactive content will bring you a higher engagement rate. And a higher engagement rate will elevate SEO.
Gathering of valuable data
Within the interactive content, you can collect users’ thoughts on their likes and preferences. Based on their input, you can direct your content creation strategy towards attracting more traffic and boosting sales.
Noam Korin, the Global VP of Brand Partnerships at PlayBuzz shared that “By giving readers an active role and encouraging them to share their thoughts and personal preferences, brands can answer customers’ need to be listened to while gaining insights regarding their target audience. Content formats that manage to engage users making it easier to ask questions and encouraging readers to share information they might otherwise be reluctant to expose.”
Unique content that stands
Interactive content allows you to make unique content. You can experiment with different types of interactive content and add your brand’s personality to the mix. Considering that unique content has become a rarity, you’ll be able to attract more organic traffic.
Increased conversion rate.
The correlation between interactive content and conversion is extremely impactful. Interactive content converts 2x better than passive content.
The personalized experience and users’ gratification for entertaining content will motivate them to take the desired action.
Improved mobile experience.
Interactive content needs to available on all devices. You need to make your interactive mobile-friendly as a lot of users will interact with the content on their phones. Consequently, the responsive format of interactive content will improve users’ mobile experience.
Higher click-through rate.
Users’ excitement due to interactive experience boosts their readiness to take action. Campaign Monitor reported that interactive email content boosts the click-through rate by up to 73%. Additionally, adding videos can increase the click-through rate by as much as 300%.
Increased brand exposure.
Considering that interactive content will attract more users to your page, your brand will be in the spotlight. Interactive content can help you maximize your brand exposure and reach a wider audience.
Jeff Bullas, a digital marketing expert and one of the top influencers of Forbes’ Chief Marketing Officers said that “By using interactive content, you can engage audiences to enhance your brand awareness. Once people start noticing your business, you will have a better chance of earning credibility.”
Reduction of bounce rate.
With static content, users can read a sentence or two, lose focus, and leave the page. Hence, static content can have an uncertain outcome in terms of bounce rate.
On the other hand, interactive content retains users on the page. Since users are compelled by the interactive content you provided the bounce rate will be reduced.
Greater social engagement leads to increased share rates and referral traffic.
Interesting content that users enjoy will encourage them to share and recommend that content to others.
The personalized results are more fun to share than generic content. Once the users share their experience with your interactive content, their followers and friends will be intrigued to check it out themselves.
There it is. The advantages of including interactive content in your SEO strategy. The influence of interactive content on optimization is undeniable. It works to improve SEO on so many levels that improvements are inevitable.
The choices are endless in terms of crafting interactive content for your brand. So, how to create interactive content that will bring you all the above-mentioned SEO benefits? Let’s find out.
Tips for Improving Your SEO Strategy with Interactive Content
Adding just any interactive content to your website won’t do the trick. You need to carefully choose and plan out the right content if you want to boost SEO.
The following tips aim to give you guidance for your interactive content creation process. Use these tips as a reminder or a checklist for essential characteristics of effective interactive content.
1. Create content that serves a purpose
What do you want to accomplish with interactive content? Set your goals before you decide on the type of interactive content and the topic. Your goal will determine how you approach the creation of interactive content.
For example, if you want to increase the sales rate you can create a quiz that leads users to their ideal product from your new collection. On the other hand, if you want to build awareness of your new environmental project, you can come up with an informative and interactive infographic.
2. Opt for trendy and timeless
There are two types of topics that work best – trendy and timeless. Trendy topics will make sure that your interactive content comes up in popular searches. While timeless content will repeatedly bring you more traffic.
Incorporating trendy or timeless topics is more difficult than choosing a random topic. Why? Because they are more specific. For that reason, you can collaborate with writing services such as TopEssayWriting and TrustMyPaper. They can help you come up with compelling text for the topic you want to cover.
3. Experiment with different forms
Don’t settle for a single form of interactive content. Maybe you find it easier to create quizzes, for example, but diversifying content will bring you more traffic and shares.
In addition, trying out different forms of interactive content will tell you more about the audience. You can find out what type of interactive content suits them best.
Not to mention that different types of interactive content serve different purposes. Some can simply entertain the users, while others can be used to gather data.
4. Adapt the theme to users
Your target audience should determine the theme you’ll cover. Do thorough research on the likes, dislikes, and preferences of your target audience. This type of information will help you create personalized interactive content.
For example, shoppers can calculate the price, students can pitch essay ideas as a part of the assignment interactive experience, and marketers can learn more about industry trends with interactive infographics. The characteristics of your target audience need to be aligned with the nature of interactive content.
5. Connect the content with your brand
To drive relevant traffic to your website, you need to create content that is related to your niche. What’s the point of making interactive content about clothing if you sell candles?
Present the information that will spark the users’ interest in your products and services. You don’t need to mention your product directly. However, you should find a way to connect your niche with the content you create.
6. Make sure that the content is credible and trustworthy
The information you use in interactive content needs to be credible. Use only reputable sources to surface stats and data you’ll include in the content. Otherwise, you can hurt your brand’s reputation. Not to mention that the effort you put into creating the content will be in vain.
Wrapping Up
Creating interactive content is a demanding process. Is it worth your time and effort? Absolutely! The benefits that come out from using interactive content will compensate for the effort you invest. Not only will the interactive content boost your SEO strategy, but it can also help you create a more meaningful relationship with your potential customers.
