How can you benefit from using interactive digital publishing?

Technology in this field has boomed and for people like me who started out with just a notebook and pen struggling to make deadlines is no longer a problem anymore. This digital way is fast and very efficient. Learning all these new digital AI gadgets, well it is a bit trying at times but I find it a lot of fun. Never boring and the sky is the limit. I'm anxious to see what comes out next!

In my experience, the use of interactive digital publishing in the current sea of competitive eyeballs can potentially make your content stand out by enhancing reader engagement, thereby increasing your brand's value.

Interactive digital publishing brings books to life! Through multimedia elements like videos, animations, and interactive graphics, readers are no longer passive observers but active participants in the story. This engagement fosters a deeper connection with the content, making it an ideal choice for educational materials, children's books, and immersive storytelling.

I think we might distinguish formats such as animations, video and audio that enhance the user experience in consuming content by making it easier to understand - think of a 3D model of a new kind of device - but also more engaging. I would not call such an informative use "interactive" if users are just consuming the content. The moment they will get active by giving feedback (e.g. in a poll), taking exercises or do quizzes, manipulate 3D-objects or make their own proposals, you will reach interaction or even co-creation where consumers start to be prosumers (producers + consumers) and you might start a fruitful dialogue with your target group.

Interactive digital publishing is not new, but it is only recently gaining traction. Gamification used to be the buzzword for increasing engagement, and it was one of the most potent content marketing strategies for a time. Gamification is still used in interactive digital publishing today to make content more engaging and interactive. For instance, a gamified educational module on a website offering study guides and practice tests could use points, badges, and leaderboards to motivate students to learn. A gamified marketing campaign, on the other hand, could use rewards to stimulate sharing on social media and other platforms.

Do not forget Interactive digital publishing not only expands the horizons of traditional digital media but also cultivates a sense of community engagement. By seamlessly weaving animations, videos, quizzes, polls, and audio into the fabric of content, this medium transforms into a shared experience that fosters connections among users. Thus enabling audiences to become an integral part of the narrative. It goes beyond the conventional realm of digital media by creating content that encourages collaboration, conversation, and shared exploration. By leveraging multimedia elements, it crafts an environment where individuals are not passive consumers but active participants, united by a common journey of discovery.

It simply leaves a more lasting impression when more than one sense of your audience is engaged + you're more likely to have them stick around and engage with your content longer, especially when it's interactive. For example; a funny video will engage your audience's sight, reasoning, hearing, and, at times, speech - this beats the hell out of a static image.

There are plenty of reasons why one might use interactive digital publishing depending on goals and roles. Some of the most common include engaging and retaining users, educating and informing users, promoting products and services, and building brand awareness. One of the least talked about reasons for using interactive digital publishing but certainly one of the most interesting in popular culture is its use in entertainment. The holo-novel of science fiction is nearly reality with virtual reality and augmented reality. There is also interactive fiction, the modern-day Choose Your Own Adventure books beloved by the youth of yesterday.

One thing I’ve found useful about this is showcasing insight and diverse aspects of thinking to consumers that are looking to learn, understand better engagement.

At the end of the day, we compete for attention! Though interactive digital publishing represents an exciting frontier, it's important to use this technology thoughtfully. While it can enhance engagement, we must ensure that the content produced does not overshadow the core message or become a distraction.

One great example of a prestige publisher using interactive digital content is The New York Times’ “The Hunt” column. In this real estate lifestyle feature, a new couple or family is featured each week, and their journey to purchasing a new home or property is documented. However, to learn which of the described properties they ultimately purchased, the reader must answer a short two-question poll, consisting of which property they would personally choose, and then a guess as to which was ultimately selected. This approach is great not only because it utilizes the inherent benefits of interactive digital content, but it also gamifies the reading process, further driving engagement and reader interest.