You’re a content creator. How can you use interactive media to tell a story that captivates your audience?

Interactive media is a form of media that allows you to interact with others through text, graphics, video, and sound. We can use interactive media for storytelling.

To make your stories super interesting for everyone, you can use fun things like quizzes, polls, and clickable adventures. It's like inviting your audience to join the story and decide what happens next!

Creo que los medios interactivos nos ayudan a digerir mejor el contenido que consumimos. Como creador de contenido apelo a estos recursos para que mi audiencia se sienta más atraída y atenta a lo que les estoy comunicando.

Because interactive media has great potential to help you achieve different storytelling goals like trust building, attraction, emotions, attention, building special relationships with your audience

Think of your recent ad that you recollect . DO you see a character along with the product ? Do you think you would have watched if it had only product? DO you see the character involved in using/supporting the product? The moment you answer this , will also know WHY? Thats it ...mic drop ... Another key reason is to have brand elements and make it registered in your MIND with emotions

To create successful interactive media for storytelling first, you need to understand what you want, your purpose, and who your audience is. Before you start make sure and clear what message you want to convey and who is your audience.

Creating interactive media starts with a clear vision of the story you want to tell and an understanding of how interactivity enhances it. I begin by outlining the narrative arc and identifying key moments where audience participation can deepen the engagement. This might involve choosing paths, solving puzzles, or contributing content. I then select the appropriate technology—a website, app, or interactive video—to bring this vision to life. Throughout this process, user experience is paramount; the interactivity must feel seamless and integral to the storytelling, not just a gimmick.

A great example of interactive media is a poll-based social media post that throws out a generic question to an audience with a set of options and then offers useful knowledge or a solution to a common, relatable problem that your audience may be seeking. Carousel type posts on Instagram/LinkedIn that encourages the audience to scroll or swipe right or left engages in visual storytelling also generates more engagement than the same story told in a more, traditional textual format.

The podcast is one example that is used for storytelling. By podcast, you can explain and tell your story to the audience and answer the generic questions of your audience.

Interactive Websites and Web Experiences: These can guide users through a story with clickable elements, hover states, and scroll-triggered animations, allowing for a personalised journey. Interactive Videos: These allow viewers to make choices that affect the storyline, leading to different endings. Platforms like Eko have specialised in this. Virtual and Augmented Reality: These technologies offer immersive experiences where users can enter a story, explore environments, and interact with elements or characters. Social Media Stories: Platforms like Instagram and Snapchat offer interactive features like polls, questions, and quizzes that can be woven into storytelling.

Keep the User in Mind: Always design with the user experience at the forefront. The interactivity should enhance the story, not complicate it. Start Small: Begin with simple interactivities, like branching narratives or quizzes, before moving on to more complex technologies. Use the Right Tools: Tools like Twine for interactive storytelling, Unity for VR/AR experiences, and Adobe After Effects for animations can be beneficial. Test Extensively: Iterative testing with real users is crucial to refine the experience and ensure the story flows as intended.

When creating interactive media, it’s important to keep accessibility in mind. Ensure that the content is inclusive and can be enjoyed by people with different abilities. Additionally, consider the longevity and adaptability of the content. Interactive media often requires more resources to create and maintain, so plan for future updates and compatibility with new technologies. Lastly, always keep the purpose of the interactivity in mind. Every interactive element should deepen the audience's connection to the story or characters, offering a more memorable and engaging experience than passive media could.