A video on the Visit Greater Palm Springs website takes viewers on a high-flying journey over the California destination, but what makes this video particularly interesting isn't just the beauty of the video itself, despite its dreamlike quality.
The clips are interactive, so viewers can click on the video at any time to see links to more information about the resorts, restaurants and activities shown on screen, including La Quinta Resorts, Omni Rancho Las Palmas and Acme House Company.
Interactive elements transform videos from merely inspirational to inviting.
“The interactive layer we created bridges the gap between content, storytelling and ultimately action,” said Chris Roebuck, CEO of Clicktivated, which produced the video.
Technology brands like Clicktivated, Idomoo and Kerv are furthering their video capabilities, making booking more seamless for travelers and marketing more effective for brands like American Airlines, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Japan Airlines.
“Integrating interactive video technology into Visit Palm Springs’ marketing strategy has been a true game changer,” said Katelyn Greene, marketing director for JNS Next Creative & Media Hub and account lead for marketing operations and video campaigns for Visit Greater Palm Springs.
Green said that for Visit Greater Palm Springs, the immersive storytelling format has proven to foster a stronger connection with audiences and inspire future travel plans, resulting in a 123% increase in interaction rates.
“Clicktivated has allowed us to engage with travelers in a whole new way,” she said.
What is interactive video?
According to Idomoo, which works with American Airlines, Kensington and Celebrity Cruises, interactive video in its simplest form is intended to engage users in a meaningful way, not just watch. The company, which also offers personalized video at scale, calls its interactive videos “Idomoo Interactivity+.” Its offering goes beyond clickable links and shoppable videos to enable interactions that change videos in real time to drive conversions and engagement.
Clicktivated explores the different possibilities and outcomes when producing interactive videos.
“Regarding the application [interactive video applies to] “That includes everything from high-level awareness and education about what they're seeing to potential bookings,” Roebuck says, “so whatever it is that our partners ultimately want to drive, we can help them achieve that directly through their content.”
Powered by artificial intelligence, Kerv uses recognition technology to create interactive videos, giving viewers the opportunity to click and book.
The interactive layer we created bridges the gap between content, storytelling and ultimately the action.”
Chris Roebuck, Clicktivated
“We're identifying different objects and products within the video, which allows for different click-outs for each object or product,” said Jake Williams, regional vice president at Kerv Interactive.
He gave an example: If a cruise line is using Kerv's video product, there may be many different scenes – a pool, a stateroom, a restaurant – but Kerv's technology understands and recognizes those as separate objects.
“In this video, they can click on Pools to learn more about the different pool options on the cruise,” Williams said. “Or they can click on Rooms or Beds to see all the different room options. Or, if they're interested in restaurants, the user can click on the restaurant scene and it will take them to a landing page to learn more about the different dining options on the cruise. And we can set this up… as a primary [call to action] “Instant Book.”
How Travel Companies Can Use Interactive Video
There are many use cases for interactive video.
Typically, travel companies use interactive video to add value to their content and provide a smoother, more action-oriented path for their audience.
“The tourism industry has gotten really good at creating amazing storytelling,” Clicktivated's Roebuck says. “They showcase all the great things you can do in a destination, but the problem is, as an outsider, you see this cool bar, this cool hotel, this attraction… and you don't know where to start.”
When travelers have to search each website separately, it creates a fragmented customer journey and can discourage bookings.
“We are destroying everything [that] “We educate our partners by enabling them to leverage the content they value most,” Roebuck said. “We are the education layer that enables the connections to drive traffic. [and] Get results – and ultimately [we] We're helping our partners get more valuable data and make their content even more valuable.”
Yotam Ben Ami, chief marketing officer at Idomoo, said interactive video can also be used to build loyalty, create destination guides or create “we want you here” messages that allow viewers to incorporate their own media and actionable AI video ads.
Ben Ami pointed out several types of interaction that can be implemented.
- Interactive features within videos include chapter markers and menus that allow viewers to jump to parts of the video that interest them.
- External triggers (elements like CTA buttons or hotspots) can direct your viewer to another website, make a phone call, or print a document.
- Advanced interactivity features include polls and user customization, allowing your audience to interact with your content by adding text, uploading content, answering questions, and more.
Other travel giants are working on similar technology in hopes of making the booking process less frictionless, alongside other marketing goals: Expedia, for example, launched a shoppable streaming platform last year, and many other brands are also working on enhanced video formats, including personalized videos that can be created and distributed at scale.
Is interactive video worth it?
Interactive video is intended to remove friction and improve conversions, provide a more personalized experience to some extent and enable first-party data collection, Ben-Ami said.
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Ben-Ami said in-video calls-to-action convert four times more than landing page calls. On average, 23% of viewers click on an in-video call-to-action, but that number varies widely depending on the use case, he added.
While some travel brands have already begun to embrace interactive video to enhance their marketing strategies, Ben Ami said there is room for others across the industry to adopt the technology.
“I’m not sure why, but I would say that the adoption rate of interactive video in the travel industry is lower than in other industries that we work in,” Ben-Ami said.
For younger travelers especially, this may be a missed opportunity.
Idomoo’s 2024 market research found that consumers are two times more likely to buy from brands that implement advanced video technology such as interactivity, and that 91% of Gen Z and millennial participants are interested in receiving interactive videos from brands.
Early adopters in the travel industry say interactive video is effective.
For example, Princess Cruises uses interactive videos created by Curve to give viewers a “deeper understanding” of features like excursions and wellness experiences, said Sheila Mahadeo, senior media director at PHD Media, which handles the Princess Cruises account.
Mahadeo said that while traditional video marketing can drive awareness, interactive video increases engagement “at every stage of the funnel.” While she couldn't share specific statistics, she said the results from using interactive video have been positive.
“Princess Cruises achieved quality site traffic, low bounce rates, high rates of new customer site visitors, increased time on site and strong engagement rates – all metrics important to their business,” Mahadeo said.
