.webp)
INTERACTIVE VIDEO: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Learn what interactive video is, what you can do with it, and how Smartzer helps you turn videos and live streams into experiences viewers can explore and act on.
WHAT IS INTERACTIVE VIDEO?
Interactive video lets viewers take actions within a video experience instead of simply watching. They can click or tap hotspots, open additional information, choose a viewing journey or follow a link to take the next step. Depending on the experience, that step could be discovering a product, making an enquiry, booking a service or shopping.
WHAT IS SMARTZER?
Smartzer is an interactive video platform for creating, publishing and measuring interactive videos and live shopping experiences. It provides the tools and video player that connect video content with clickable information, choices and actions. Experiences can be published on hosted pages or embedded into websites, with SDK and API options for developers.
IS INTERACTIVE VIDEO ONLY FOR SHOPPING?
No. Shoppable video is one application of interactive video. Interactive experiences can also help viewers explore information, discover services, choose between video journeys or follow links to enquiry and booking pages. The right interaction depends on what you want viewers to discover or do.
HOW DO I MAKE AN EXISTING VIDEO INTERACTIVE?
With Smartzer, you start with your existing video and add interactive elements to relevant moments. These can include clickable hotspots, information overlays, links or branching choices. You then publish the experience and use analytics to understand how viewers interact.
WHAT INTERACTIONS CAN I ADD WITH SMARTZER?
Smartzer supports clickable hotspots, information and product overlays, calls to action, shoppable links and branching video journeys. Live shopping experiences can also include live chat, competitions and giveaways, and clickable product cards. The available setup depends on the format and implementation you choose.
WHAT IS BRANCHING VIDEO?
Branching video lets viewers choose what they see next. Rather than following a single fixed sequence, viewers select options that lead to different video content. This can help people explore the information or story that is most relevant to them.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEK INTERACTIVE AND SHOPPABLE VIDEOS?
Interactive video is the broader category: video experiences that respond to viewer actions. Shoppable video is interactive video designed around product discovery and purchasing. It connects products shown in a video with details, shopping links or supported add-to-cart functionality.
DO I NEED CODING SKILLS TO USE SMARTZER?
YOU can create and publish hosted interactive video experiences without writing code. Embedding an experience into an existing website may require access to your website editor or help from your web team. Smartzer also offers SDK and API options for projects that need a custom integration.
CAN I PUBLISH AN INTERACTIVE VIDEO WITHOUT CHANGING MY WEBSITE?
Yes. Smartzer offers hosted landing pages for interactive video experiences. You can share the page link through email, social channels, campaigns or your existing website, giving viewers a destination without building a new page in your own website.
CAN I EMBED SMARTZER VIDEOS ON MY WEBSITE OR APP?
Smartzer provides an interactive video player that can be embedded into websites, with integration options for apps. Developers can use the JavaScript SDK and APIs to configure and integrate the experience. The best approach depends on your website or app and the functionality you need.
CAN A LIVE STREAM BE INTERACTIVE?
Yes. Smartzer supports interactive live streaming experiences, including live shopping with clickable product cards and live chat. These features let viewers explore featured products and participate while watching the broadcast.
HOW CAN I MEASURE PERFORMANCE OF MY INTERACTIVE VIDEO?
Smartzer provides analytics to help you understand how viewers engage with your interactive video experience. Depending on the setup, reporting can include views, interactions, engagement rates and click-through activity. Define the actions that matter to your campaign before launch so you can evaluate performance against your objectives.
HOW DO INTERACTIVE VIDEOS WORK WHEN SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
You can share a link to a Smartzer interactive video experience through social posts, profiles and campaigns. Viewers follow the link to a hosted page where they can watch and interact. Sharing a link does not make the video interactive inside the social platform’s native player. Interactive advertising options depend on the platform and placement.
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN AN INTERACTIVE VIDEO PLATFORM?
Choose an interactive video platform based on the actions you want viewers to take, how easily your team can create experiences, where you need to publish them and what you need to measure. Check supported interaction types, branding options, mobile usability, analytics and integration requirements. Smartzer combines interactive video creation, hosted pages, an embeddable player and developer integration options.
CAN I ADD INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS WITHOUT FILMING AGAIN?
Yes. Smartzer adds an interactive layer to existing video, so you can introduce clickable hotspots, information and links without filming the content again. This lets you turn existing brand films, product demonstrations, interviews and campaign videos into experiences viewers can explore and act on.