Static content is easy to create but it’s also easy for people to ignore. Audiences tend to skim static content and bounce. Then they forget it even exists. On the other hand, interactive content can turn casual readers into participants. By asking them to click, watch, calculate, or answer questions, you’re creating experiences that stick.
Adding interactive elements to your content creation plan doesn’t require a massive budget or even custom development. With some simple tools and strategies, you can transform boring blog articles into engaging experiences that drive results.
1. Use screen recordings as interactive tutorials
Screen recordings do more than just explain something. They allow your audience to follow along in real time. When you walk users through processes like workflows, dashboards, or product features, you’re creating an engaging experience that feels personal.
Apply this to your content by recording yourself solving common problems and tell users they can pause the video, rewind it if needed, and replicate your solution. But the benefits don’t stop there. These helpful recordings can be reused as onboarding content, embedded in blogs, or added to your FAQ section.
If possible, add captions and clickable chapters to your videos to make them even more interactive and easy to use.
2. Add polls to encourage participation
Interactive content generates 52.6% higher engagement rates compared to static content. Out of all your options, polls are one of the simplest ways to turn passive readers into active participants. A single click from a poll can give you valuable insight while making users feel heard.
To create a good poll, keep your questions short. Provide one or two clear options to get more responses. More options will generate fewer responses. Once you have your polls, embed them into your social media posts to catch users when they’re ready to engage. To close the loop, share your poll results.
3. Create quizzes and assessments
Quizzes can be entertaining and educational, but they’re also a good way to capture valuable data. The reason quizzes work is because people love learning something about themselves, even if they could have figured it out in another way. For example, people enjoy taking quizzes like “What’s your marketing style?” and even “What kind of vampire are you?” According to Outgrow, interactive quizzes generate double the conversions compared to static content.
The key is to provide personalized feedback for each quiz. Tailor the results so that users gain insights about themselves. And make sure to position your product or service as the next logical step.
Since people love sharing content on social media, make your quizzes easily shareable with just one click for each platform.
4. Build an interactive calculator
Calculators solve real problems in seconds. Whether someone wants to calculate ROI, percentages, savings, or price estimates, calculators give users the exact results they need – something static content can’t do.
To create a calculator your audience will use, pick pain points to solve that matter. Only offer calculations for what your audience truly needs. Then keep the inputs simple. The fewer fields people need to fill out, the more they’ll use the tool. When you display the results, include a call to action that offers tailored solutions from your business.
5. Use interactive e-books and whitepapers
Instead of sticking with flat PDFs, create interactive e-books by embedding videos and clickable sections. This makes a document more engaging and more likely to be read.
You can’t go wrong by embedding videos, charts, and animations that guide the reader toward the next action step you want them to take. Even in a whitepaper, having clickable menus will help readers find what they’re searching for. When you do this, you’ll get more engagement and better quality leads.
6. Experiment with interactive landing pages
Landing pages that react to user input feel more like experiences, and depending on your industry, that might increase conversions. Personalized results and gamified interactions make users stay longer and can increase conversions.
Include personalized, dynamic CTAs when possible and adapt your offers based on user choices. Add animations that get triggered by scrolling and use interactive cues to guide visitors down the page.
You can do all of this with premade templates or no-code tools. The positive ROI in engagement and conversions might surprise you.
Engagement doesn’t have to be costly
Making interactive content doesn’t require a massive budget and months of development. With the simple tools and strategies outlined in this article, you can transform static content into a dynamic experience on any budget.