Interactive Shoppable Content: The Future of Online Buying Experiences

Introduction

Interactive Content was once limited to quizzes & polls; however, now you can engage in an interactive experience that allows you to view, click and buy all from within that experience. This is the magic of Shoppable Interactive Content as it facilitates active shopping rather than passively scrolling through vast amounts of information with no deviation or taking your eyes off the screen until you’ve completed the action.

To better understand how this is going to change the face of eCommerce and Digital Marketing, allow us to breakdown the reason why this is one of the fastest-growing trends in the industry right now and provide examples of why this should be part of your marketing strategy moving forward.

What Is Interactive Shoppable Content? A Simple Explanation

Interactive Shoppable Content is any digital content (videos, images, live stream or articles) that allows a user to click on products and purchase directly from that piece of content with no page jumping/no searching again; just tap and buy!

You can think of it as your content being a store window, where everything is touchable.

How Interactive Shoppable Content Differs from Traditional Non-Interactive Media

Traditional content tells a user, “Here’s a product; now go find it.”
Shoppable content tells a user, “Here’s a product; if you want it, grab it now.”

The difference may seem small, but the difference in conversion rates is very large.

Why You Should Start Using Interactive Shoppable Content
New Forms of Buyer Behaviour

There is no longer enough time for customers to put up with delays in the purchasing process. The average consumer has a much lower attention span, has many more shopping alternatives available to him or her, and is also not nearly as willing to wait for something.

Consumers are unlikely to continue looking for your product after initially seeing it, if they have to look again. Therefore, Shoppable content can help eliminate this loss of potential customers.

The Increase In Mobile Shopping

Mobile consumers want to be able to make their purchases quickly and simply. Therefore, Shoppable Interactive formats were created specifically for tap, swipe, and instant decision making. Therefore, this is a great match-up with how mobile consumers typically use their devices.

If your follow-up action is to simply be able to “like” the product after seeing it, you would make an “add-to-cart” type of decision much easier.

Three Characteristics of Shoppable Interactive Content
Clickable Tags

Clickable tags allow viewers to click on the tags in the image or video to obtain a comprehensive product description (including price, size, colour, and “add-to-cart” functionality).

Seamless Checkout

With some experiences, you can leave the environment you are currently in, and complete the purchase transaction, resulting in a smooth transition from the Shoppable Interactive experience to making your purchase.

Dynamic Product Detail Information

Using Dynamic Overlays allows for displaying Dynamic Stock/Inventory levels, Dynamic Pricing, Dynamic Discount Offerings, and Dynamic Product Variance, which can increase the urgency of making a final decision.

The Different Forms of Interactive shoppable content

Shoppable video – The viewer will see your product while the video is playing. The fashion, beauty and technological demonstration videos work extremely well when in motion.

• It’s like a show where every piece you see can be purchased directly from the video.

Shoppable Image (high resolution) – Very high-quality photographs with clickable tags on the product inside the photo. These have been very popular in the fashion, home décor, and lifestyle brand categories.

• It’s like you took the pages of a magazine and turned them into a cash register.

Shoppable Livestream – Live commerce shows are on the rise and hosts present the audience with various products via live video feed, allowing viewers the ability to click a purchase link immediately. The entire live shopping event combines both entertainment and retail commerce.

• It’s basically QVC for the social media generation.

Interactive lookbooks – These digital catalogs feature each product as “clickable” allowing viewers to interact with the items within their collection quickly.

• They provide an organized, visual way for the consumer to shop.

How Interactive Shoppable Content operates behind the scenes

• Shoppable content acts as an interface connecting multiple media to multiple product databases. Each tag you click is going to link you directly to a specific SKU, pricing system and inventory feed.
• Shoppable content will continue to grow and evolve along with both content creation and commerce infrastructure.

All systems of shoppable content integrate with various e-commerce platforms including Shopify, WooCommerce and custom stores. In addition, all social media platforms now offer their own built-in framework for in-platform shopping experiences.

• Without integration, the “Click to Buy” experience would not be possible.

Brand/Business Benefits
Increased Conversion Rates

When users can purchase on the spot, they are less likely to abandon their journey. Greater ease of use means that they convert at a higher rate.

Improved Engagement Metrics

Interactive content gets users to click, interact, and stay engaged for longer. The time spent by users is longer while they engage with interactive content, and the bounce rate is lower.

Faster Customer Journey

The discovery and purchase process occur simultaneously, which creates a much shorter funnel.

Customer Benefits
Faster Purchase Decisions

There is no need for users to search or guess where to find the products; everything they want is available for purchase, enabling them to make a purchase while they are still interested in the product.

Reduced Friction

When you remove steps from the buying process, it is similar to removing speed bumps from a road. The smoother the road, the more vehicles will get to their destination.

Interactive Shoppable Social Media Content
Instagram and TikTok Shopping

Shoppable short videos generate high conversion results; consumers already know these applications are a great source of inspiration and are capable of purchasing without leaving the application.

Where entertainment meets instant checkout.

YouTube and Live Commerce

Video descriptions, overlays, and live tags enable creators to monetize their content by selling the products featured in their videos.

Consumers can shop while watching.

Incorporating Interactive Shoppable Content into E-Commerce Stores
Product Pages

Create more engagement by including interactive demos, clickable product features, or usage videos. Let your customers interact with your products instead of just reading their descriptions.

Analytics and ROI Measurement

Key Metrics

Measure the Click-thru, interaction, conversion and average check from clicks on your interactive elements.

Explore behaviour, view data & behaviour

A/B Testing

Test your placement, timing and style of your call to action buttons – small changes can have 100% increase = $

Optimisation is where profit lies.

Future Trends

AR/VR Shopping Experiences

Use of augmented reality for creating an interactive shopping experience for consumers. Example using AR to touch and see a couch you tap on in a video in your living room.

AI Personalised Interactive Experiences

AI will learn how to personalise what products to make click on based on customer behaviour and past purchases.

Content can be changed to act like a smart sales person.

Conclusion

Interactive shopping experiences are more than a fad; they represent a paradigm shift in the way we buy goods digitally. They eliminate barriers to purchasing, combine entertainment and commerce, and convert passive viewers to active buyers. The early adopter brands will get a greater competitive advantage by providing their customers with exactly where attention is being captured.Homepage Interactions

Showcase shoppable video hero banners and interactive collections to create a more engaging shopping experience. Turn browsing into shopping by using interactive components.

Best Practices for Creating Interactive Shoppable Experiences
Keep It Simple

Multiple tags can feel overwhelming for users (like pop-ups everywhere). Focus on key products.

Tell Stories

People generally buy stories, not products. Tell stories about how the product fits into their lives.

Be Mobile Friendly

The majority of interactive experiences occur on cellular devices, so start by testing all experiences on a mobile device.

Biggest Mistakes to Avoid
Placing Too Many Tags

When everyone is clickable, they don’t stand out or get noticed. Help guide customers to the product you want them to see.

Ignoring User Experience

Speed is a critical component since slow loading times are the greatest causes of lost opportunities. Optimize media files and scripts to ensure a smooth user experience.

Platforms and Tools That Help Create Shoppable Content
Video Platforms

Interactive video platforms can allow you to tag products, create overlays, and add purchase buttons directly into the video.

E-Commerce Plugins

Most e-commerce platforms offer plugins that allow for shoppable media to automatically sync with your product catalog.

Select a tool that integrates smoothly with your e-commerce software (no duct taped solutions).