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How to Add Interactive Elements to Your Videos on Vidyard

It was a cloudy afternoon last March when I found myself wrestling with a tedious video project for work. Lily, my cat, was perched on my desk, batting at my keyboard with purpose. I was drowning in a sea of monotonous clips that desperately needed a splash of magic. You know, those moments when you realize that a simple play-and-pause video won't cut it anymore. That's when I stumbled upon something that not only saved my project but changed how I think about video altogether—Vidyard's interactive elements. That discovery—mind-blowingly transformative, yet surprisingly accessible—forms the backbone of what we're about to delve into together.

Falling into the Rabbit Hole of Interaction​

Picture this: You've got an audience, but they're yawning. Your eloquent pitch slides by unnoticed. What if your videos could give a cheeky nudge to viewers, stir them from their digital slumber, and invite them to engage right there in the moment? Enter Vidyard and its arsenal of interactive tools. Let's dive right into the juicy bits, like friends sipping on coffee and swapping stories about the wild nights of college. Shall we?

Step 1: Embrace the World of Vidyard​

Before we jungle gym our way across video interactivity, we first need to throw open the doors to the Vidyard realm. If you haven't already signed up, do so like you're claiming a free ice cream on your birthday. Go to Vidyard and follow the straightforward sign-up prompts. Lily was still skeptical about the whole thing, but curiosity killed the cat—or in her case, intrigued the cat—and I was soon immersed in Vidyard's landscape of possibilities.

Step 2: Upload Your Video​

Once inside the Vidyard campus, it's time for video conscription. Hit the "Upload" button like it owes you money. From there, choose your video file, and while you're watching the upload progress bar crawl like a lethargic snail, start envisioning how exactly you'd like this video to sing with interactivity. Oh, the possibilities! But don't daydream too hard or your coffee will spill, trust me.

Step 3: Navigate to the Edit Page​

With your video lounging comfortably on Vidyard's plush servers, let's slink over to the 'Edit' page. The syncopated rhythm of clicking through menus feels oddly satisfying, like flipping through an old LP collection. Now that's where the heartbeats of your interactive video will begin to thump. Simply find the video in your library and click on the "Edit" button. This is where the magic begins.

Adding Interactive Elements: Your Creative Playground​

Here's where we start dressing up our video like it's going to prom. Interactive elements are the life of the party, and Vidyard makes it easy to sprinkle them in effortlessly. I remember Lily, swishing her tail lazily yet decisively, much like the way we’re about to deftly add interactivity—effortless but purposeful.

Interactive CTAs: Moment of Engagement​

Imagine your viewer like a squirrel on a high wire—a bit distracted, a bit excited. Adding a Call-to-Action (CTA) is akin to offering them a tasty walnut right there on the wire. In Vidyard, adding an interactive CTA is a breeze:

  1. From the 'Edit' page, choose "Add Chapter or Action."
  2. Select “Add Action,” and brace yourself for the options.
  3. Pick "Call-To-Action" and decide what alluring morsel you want to dangle in front of your audience—a button, a link, a form? Oh, the conundrum!
  4. Customize your CTA with text, colors, and when exactly it should pop up. The bowties and blinkers of your video dialogue, if you will.

Quizzes and Polls: Sparking Curious Conversations​

Adding quizzes or polls is like inviting your viewers onto a lively dance floor, challenging them to strut their stuff, to join the rhythm of your narrative. Vidyard makes your job here as easy as a pie—which is admittedly not that easy:

  1. Back on the 'Edit' page, select “Add Action.”
  2. Choose “Quiz” or “Poll.” Polished, aren't we?
  3. Draft your questions like you’re crafting a clever riddle. Multiple-choice works wonders to gauge sentiment or understanding.
  4. Set when and where the quiz or poll appears—timing, after all, is everything.

Step 4: Preview and Adjust​

By now, our concoction is brewing and bustling with interactive layers. It's time we take it out for a spin, like putting on a new pair of shoes and strutting down the street. Hit "Preview" to bask in the immersive experience you’ve orchestrated. The interactive elements should flow like the frothy foam atop a perfect latte. Tweak as necessary, like perfecting a secret family recipe.

Step 5: Publish and Share​

The final act: release your creation to the world. Publishing is as simple as hitting the "Share" button once you’re content with your adds and edits. Just like freeing a message in a bottle into the vast ocean, see where it travels, who it reaches.

Reflecting on the Journey and the Impact of Interactive Videos​

Thinking back to that day, I realize it wasn’t just about adding buttons and quizzes to a video. It was about creating connections, sparking engagement, fostering deeper understanding. The kind of understanding that makes someone pause, think, and act. It's a refreshing reminder that videos can be an interactive dance between creator and viewer, where both have roles to play. Lily didn't understand the nuances, but she purred nonetheless in the warmth of my realization.

Conclusion: The Joy of Discovery​

So, the next time you find yourself swamped with mundane video projects, remember that Vidyard holds a world of interactive potential right at your fingertips. Adding these engaging elements could be as satisfying as a well-told story shared among friends. Our journey with Vidyard—much like any adventure—is filled with laughter, discovery, a couple of mistakes, and a dollop of joy.

And if Lily approves, then surely, we’ve done something right.