5 Reasons to use Interactive Video for Training or Educational Content

The Challenge‍

Keeping learners engaged in a time where attention spans have never been shorter.

The Solution

‍Transforming your existing videos into interactive experiences to both boost engagement and ensure comprehension.

If you’ve ever listened to a successful online content creator talk about what it takes to maximize viewership, you’ve probably heard about best practices like: 

• Keeping content short and consumable 
• Using jump cuts frequently
• Maintaining high energy 
• Using effects to visually stir audiences 

But let’s face it - educational content can’t always check those boxes. Oftentimes, educational or training content consists of longer videos with fewer entertainment focused elements. So how do you create educational content that keeps viewers tuned in? How do you ensure comprehension vs. consumption? The answer is interactive video, and below are 5 reasons you should be using this cutting edge advancement in all of your educational content. 

#1: Content can be experienced - not just watched.

Engagement is the name of the game. With interactive video, you can turn an otherwise linear video into a learning experience that lasts with the viewer far beyond the runtime. Gamified videos, dynamic quizzing, and “choose your own adventure” learning modules are only some of the opportunities available with an easy-to-use interactive toolkit. It’s time to put your students in the driver's seat of lessons - learning is not a spectator sport! 

#2: You’re able to meet learners where they’re at.

Interactive video allows you to add questions overtop your content. This allows you to prompt viewers with knowledge checks and ensure they’re retaining the information as they’re being presented with it.

What’s more, some interactive video platforms (including Mindstamp) allow you to take the experience one step further with IF/THEN statements (ie - if the learner answers this way, then do this). This groundbreaking feature enables educators to show a unique end result to each different answer selected! Below are some examples of what IF/THEN logic might look like in an educational video:

- IF student selected option A, THEN show a message that says “Great Job!” and let them continue.
- IF student selected option B, THEN have the student jump back to the beginning of the lesson to rewatch the content before trying again.
- IF student selected option C, THEN display a video-in-video clip of the instructor explaining why that specific answer choice isn’t correct

#3: You don’t have to re-record.

Interactive video is about future-proofing your content - not redoing your content. With Mindstamp, for example, you can easily add clickable elements (buttons, hotspots, etc.) with up-to-date resources and relevant content to your already produced videos. You can also use our “Navigation” interaction to skip content that’s outdated or unwanted in future iterations. 

#4: Increase productivity with in-video tools.

Even if you’re not creating a personalized quiz or a gamified learning video, interactivity can still add tremendous value to an otherwise unchanged experience.

You might add a Magic Menu to a video that lets viewers select which chapter they want to learn about next, download a related pdf directly from the video, or quickly link out to your LMS. You may also allow for comments, so that students can ask questions directly in the video, as soon as they arise.

#5: No two learners are the same!

The problem with traditional video is that it is, in nature, “one size fits all” - but learning isn’t. The same video, watched by the 25 people, will likely be understood, interpreted, and remembered differently in many different ways. To bring the content closer to home and present it in a way that’s custom tailored for each viewer, you can use interactive video. Here are some ways how:

- Using personalization variables to create “conversational videos” with learners.
- Allowing viewers to self-explore by creating a branching experience.
- Offering “explain this” or “get more help” calls-to-action for learners who need more time 

These are only some of the ways that interactivity delivers the experience your learners and trainees deserve. 

Mindstamp is the industry leader in performance and affordability. Click Here to start your free 7 day trial of our drag & drop editor and start supercharging your educational content today!