How to Create Interactive Content: Infographics, Quizzes and Interactive Videos

Introduction

The creation of interactive content is a rapidly growing trend in the world of digital marketing. Unlike traditional content such as blog articles or social media posts, interactive content actively engages the audience, encouraging users to participate and interact with the content. Among the most popular interactive content formats are infographics, quizzes and interactive videos.

What is interactive content?

Interactive content is the type of content that requires active participation from the user. Instead of simply reading or watching, the user is invited to take part in a meaningful way. This can take the form of answering a quiz, clicking on different elements of an infographic, or interacting with a video. The aim of interactive content is to provide a more engaging and personalised experience for the audience.

Why is interactive content important?

Interactive content is an excellent way to attract and retain your audience’s attention. It also encourages engagement, since users are more likely to share and comment on interactive content. In addition, it makes it possible to obtain valuable information about your audience, such as their preferences, opinions and behaviour, which can then be used to refine your marketing and content strategies.

html

Why interactivity has become essential in a content strategy

When, in 2012, The New York Times published “Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek”, many saw it as a turning point for digital journalism. The article combined animated illustrations, 3D maps and audio testimonies, generating more than 3.5 million page views in the first week. If this example has become a textbook case, it is not so much for the technical feat as for the emotional engagement created among readers. In the age of Instagram, TikTok and voice assistants, the publics expect more than a text or a simple video: they want to touch, click, choose, test. Interactivity is no longer a “plus” that is superfluous; it has become a driver of retention, conversion and, in some cases, direct monetisation.

The rise of the AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) format, the widespread adoption of Progressive Web Apps and the boom in JavaScript animation libraries such as GSAP or Lottie bear witness to this major trend. Even the most conservative sectors, such as finance or healthcare, are turning to animated infographics and diagnostic quizzes to popularise complex data. Unsurprisingly, HubSpot mentions in its 2023 marketing report “State of Inbound” that interactive content generates 52 % more viewing time compared with static content.

Interactive infographics: turning data into an experience

Understanding the added value

A static infographic, even a well-designed one, remains a finished product. The user skims it, extracts a few figures, and moves on. By contrast, when micro-interactions are added – simple hovers, dynamic filters, animations triggered on scrolling (scroll-trigger) – you give the public the opportunity to manipulate the information. This action, however minimal, makes memorisation easier. Neuroscience confirms that multisensory engagement increases information retention by 30 to 40 % according to studies by Stanford University.

Case study: “How Y’all, Youse and You Guys Talk” (NYT)

The interactive infographic on American regionalisms published by The New York Times in 2013 attracted more than 21 million visitors in ten days. The principle is simple: the reader answers 25 questions about their vocabulary and the algorithm places their dialect on a heat map. The “mirror” effect – seeing one’s own way of speaking represented spatially – creates an immediate emotional attachment. This success shows that a well-thought-out interactive infographic can go viral, while collecting valuable data on users (answers, geolocation, time spent).

Creation process

1. Editorial framing: define a specific question that the infographic must answer. Avoid the temptation to pile up disparate charts.
2. Data collection and cleaning: use Python (Pandas), R or Google Sheets. The more structured the dataset, the less burdensome the prototyping phase will be.
3. Visual prototyping: Figma or Adobe XD are enough to validate the flow. You already integrate the interaction areas (tooltips, filters).
4. Development: D3.js is the reference for data-driven visualisations, but Chart.js, Highcharts, or even a React web app may be suitable depending on the complexity.
5. UX testing: check readability, the relevance of animations and above all mobile performance. The final weight must be under 1 MB to load on 3G.
6. Deployment and monitoring: plug in a custom event in Google Analytics (or Matomo) for each major interaction (hover, click, share).

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overload of animations, which causes a “Christmas tree” effect.
• Lack of an accessible textual alternative (WCAG): screen readers must be able to describe the data.
• No support for touch: a “hover” doesn’t exist on mobile, you need to plan for a tap.

Quiz: engagement catalysts and data collectors

Why does it work?

The quiz matches a fundamental psychological need: curiosity. Psychologist George Loewenstein speaks of an “information gap”: when we perceive a void in our knowledge, we want to fill it. BuzzFeed understood this long ago; its quizzes still account for 96 % of the platform’s most shared content, ahead of lists and videos.

Quiz typologies

• Personal diagnosis: “What type of traveller are you?” (Voyages SNCF).
• Knowledge assessments: “Do you really know the COP?” (Le Monde).
• Fun gamified quizzes: “Which Disney princess is sleeping inside you?” (BuzzFeed).
• Training quizzes with scoring: widely used by LinkedIn Learning and Coursera.
• Conversational quizzes: offered by chatbots (Messenger, WhatsApp) via ManyChat or Dialogflow.

Case study: Duolingo and adaptive learning

The language app integrates mini interactive quizzes into each lesson that adapt to the user’s profile. If the algorithm detects a weakness with irregular verbs, it injects more targeted questions. This adaptive assessment model, based on item response theory (IRT), shows that a quiz is not just a marketing gimmick: it can become the core of personalised pedagogy.

Steps for designing an effective quiz

1. Define the objective: collecting emails, assessment, pure entertainment?
2. Choose the format: Typeform, Outgrow, Google Forms for simplicity; in-house development (React + Node) for advanced CRM integration.
3. Write the questions: clear, between 7 and 10 to avoid cognitive fatigue.
4. Staging the feedback: colours, progress bars, micro-animations when an answer is correct, etc.
5. End CTA: offer a download, a promo code or social sharing.
6. A/B testing: vary the wording of the questions or the visuals to optimise the completion rate.

GDPR and ethics

Collecting data via a quiz requires explicit consent. The Cambridge Analytica case reminded us that seemingly trivial answers can reveal sensitive psychometric traits. Clearly stating the purpose of the use is therefore essential, while storage must comply with the principles of Privacy by Design.

Interactive videos: scripting the user experience

Video consumption in transition

Since “Bandersnatch”, the interactive episode of Black Mirror produced by Netflix, the general public has become aware that they could influence the course of a fiction. Yet, the roots of interactive video go back to DVDs (multi-path menus) and even to “choose your own adventure” books. What’s new: adaptive streaming (HLS, DASH) and JavaScript libraries (H5P, Eko) now make the experience smooth on browser and mobile.

Example: Honda “The Other Side”

This promotional film launched on YouTube made it possible to switch from a daytime scenario to a nighttime scenario by pressing the “R” key. The two narrative threads, synchronised shot by shot, highlighted the duality of the Civic Type R model. Result: a completion rate of 93 % and an increase of 12 % in purchase intent measured via a Google Brand Lift study.

Production methodology

1. Non-linear scriptwriting: define the branches, anticipate the programming logic (story map).
2. Modular filming: film the segments independently to avoid discontinuities when choices change.
3. Encoding and chaptering: each segment becomes a video “asset”. The DASH or HLS manifest specifies the order and potential jumps.
4. Front-end development: use Eko, Wirewax or a custom HTML5 player to manage “click”, “timeupdate”, etc. events.
5. Analytics: track the percentage of users per narrative branch to refine future scenarios.
6. Accessibility: adaptive subtitles, keyboard-only alternatives, adjustable volume.

Indicative budget

• Script and pre-production: €3,000–€10,000 depending on complexity.
• Multi-branch filming: €1,000 per finished minute.
• Post-production and interactive development: €8,000–€25,000.
• High-speed hosting (CDN): €0.05/GB transferred.

Choosing the right technology for each format

The temptation is great to go for the trendiest stack, but the technology foundation must align with your resources:

• Infographics: D3.js for customisation, Flourish for quick no-code, or Observable if you like live-coding.
• Quizzes: Typeform (premium UX), Jotform (lower price), Outgrow (HubSpot integration), or WordPress + ARI Quiz Plugin for CMS-based sites.
• Interactive videos: Eko and Wirewax are leaders, H5P (open source) integrates with Moodle, while Vimeo now also adds “clickable cards.

Let’s not forget infrastructure considerations: a Node or Python server may be enough for average traffic, but a viral quiz will need to rely on serverless (AWS Lambda) to handle request spikes.

Step-by-step creation: common workflow

1. Research and monitoring

Explore platforms such as Awwwards, Information is Beautiful, the sub-reddit r/dataisbeautiful or Articulate’s E-Learning Heroes directory. Save the features that inspire you in a Notion or Miro board.

2. Ideation (Design Thinking)

Empathy phase: interview the target audience. Definition phase: frame the problem (e.g. “Our cart abandonment rate is 70 % ). Ideation phase: use Crazy 8s or brainwriting to generate interactive concepts. Rapid prototyping in Figma or on paper.

3. Interactive storyboard or wireframe

For a video, each branch becomes a panel. For a quiz, sketch the conditional logic (flowchart). Tools like Whimsical or Lucidchart simplify this step.

4. Visual design and copywriting

Colours, typography, tone of voice: interactivity never makes up for mediocre design. Take inspiration from the principles of colour psychology; for example, blue reassures (fintech), red heightens urgency (e-commerce flash sales).

5. Development and integration

Adopt the Atomic Design principle: reusable, versioned components (Storybook). Go for GitFlow or GitHub Flow, CI/CD on Netlify or Vercel for lightning-fast deployments.

6. User testing

5-second method for an infographic (what do people retain spontaneously?), moderated remote tests for a quiz (Lookback.io), or live analytics for an interactive video (click heatmaps).

7. Launch and promotion

Plan a teaser campaign on social media, collaborate with micro-influencers, install a tracking pixel to retarget visitors via paid campaigns (Meta Ads, LinkedIn).

Performance measurement and KPIs

• Infographics: scroll depth, interaction ratio per user, social sharing.
• Quizzes: completion rate, qualified leads, post-quiz conversion rate.
• Videos: most chosen narrative branch, watch time, CTR on hotspots.
• Meta-indicators: cost per interaction (CPI), customer lifetime value (LTV) for generated leads, overall ROI.

Tools such as Mixpanel or Amplitude enable fine-grained segmentation: you will be able to know whether users who hover over at least three areas of the infographic have a higher average basket value, or whether those who choose ending A in your video buy more of product X.

Common mistakes and good practices

Mistakes

1. Trying to make everything interactive: complexity sometimes harms clarity.
2. Ignoring mobile performance: 65% of interactions will happen on the move.
3. Lack of storytelling: a quiz without a narrative or an interactive video without dramatic stakes quickly becomes a gimmick.
4. Botched analytics: publishing without tagging is like flying blind.

Good practices

• Prototype lightly before investing in heavy development.
• Prioritise accessibility: colour contrast, keyboard navigation, subtitles.
• Automate personalisation: content recommendations based on quiz responses.
• Provide a static alternative (PDF, transcript) for SEO indexing and accessibility.

Conclusion: interactivity as a driver of memorable stories

Infographics, quizzes and interactive videos are not merely aesthetic artefacts; they are narrative vehicles that transform the viewer into an actor. In an information-saturated ecosystem, this ability to prompt actions – clicking, hovering, choosing – becomes a major differentiator. Those who integrate interactivity today into a coherent strategy (editorial, technical, analytical) put themselves in pole position to capture the fickle attention of tomorrow's audiences.

You may also be interested in these articles:

Long-form content strategies: Why they can improve your rankings How to create Evergreen Content: Articles that stay relevant over time SEO and Mobile-First Design: How to adapt your website to mobile users SEO and Video Marketing : How to optimise your videos for search engines How to Use Google Analytics to Improve Your Search Engine Optimisation Strategy