In this current digital age, the novelty of consuming digital media is definitely starting to wear off. That’s not to say that the general population isn’t still living on the internet – because they are – but to say that it’s wayyy more challenging to capture and keep an audience’s attention nowadays.
It’s not a secret that attention spans are shrinking across the board, a phenomenon largely due to the increased use of the internet and digital devices. Where people used to be more content to sit with a piece of media for a while and just look at it, now people tire easily of these plain, static pieces of content.
For many, the times of gaining pleasure just from passive scrolling on socials are waning, if not already long gone. Now, designers are looking to stand out through more creative methods, like interactive designs. Interactive design encourages user participation and actively engages and involves the audience.
This can mean that every user has a different experience with the content based on how they choose to interact with it. Interactive designs turn users into active participants rather than plain old observers, leading to increased engagement and retention rates.
With endless content at users’ fingertips, it’s crucial to design content that stands out and sticks with people. Technology is advancing alongside these trends, making it easier than ever to incorporate some of this new tech into your content. From interactive graphics and websites to AR and VR, the possibilities are endless; truly, the only limit is your imagination.
Think of Instagram’s use of polls and quizzes, hair care companies that let you take a quiz to find the best shampoo for you, glasses companies that let you see how a pair of frames will look on you through uploading a selfie, and the rise of UGC (user-generated content). All of these are examples of interactive design.
That meaningful connection that brings the user in and allows them to interact with the content is what makes interactive design so unique. Making the audience feel like they’re a part of something rather than just observing it from the outside can leave a lasting impression and ensure that your content isn’t overlooked and forgotten.
Turn up the creativity and increase the active interaction your user can have with your content!
