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What is an Interactive Video? Definition and Example Uses | WeVideo

Written by WeVideo | Jan 1, 1970 12:00:00 AM

What is an Interactive Video?

An interactive video is a video that lets viewers actively participate and make choices while watching, rather than simply viewing content passively. Interactive elements can appear during playback, letting viewers click, answer questions, navigate to different sections, or explore additional information. Examples of interactive video features include:

Clickable buttons or hotspots
Polls and surveys
Quizzes and knowledge checks
Branching scenarios
Navigation menus

Interactive videos drive engagement in educational, professional, and creative environments.

Why Interactive Videos Matter

Interactive video creates a video experience that lets viewers interact with content as they watch, creating a more engaging and personalized experience than traditional video. It transforms passive viewers into active participants, leading to higher engagement, better learning outcomes, and more meaningful experiences. Other benefits to interactive video include:

Increased engagement
Improved learning and retention
Personalized experiences
Immediate feedback
Heightens participation
Makes content more memorable

Interactive videos boost engagement, improves learning, and personalizes learning experiences.

Example Use Cases for Interactive Video

  • Education: Educators use interactive videos to embed questions throughout lessons, insert multiple-choice after math concepts, or branch learning to segment beginner, intermediate, or advanced practice exercises.

  • Businesses: Businesses use interactive videos to foster product simulations for employee onboarding, compliance and safety training, and to create personalized content paths for sales and marketing.

  • Content Creation: Creators use interactive videos to insert quizzes after key techniques in tutorials. Viewers vote on future content topics or outcomes to boost audience engagement. Viewers select preferences in interactive videos to receive tailored product recommendation suggestions.