PRESENTED BY
Industry Report
As demand for exceptional digital content grows, we explore what separates the companies that embrace a strategy of visually engaging material from the ones that do not. This report assesses the current state of immersive content and examines how creativity, risk, and a deep appreciation for design pave the way for truly engaging digital experiences.
Immersive Content
The Embrace of
describes content—words, charts, data visualizations, quizzes, et al.—that a reader interacts with or experiences, rather than merely reads passively, as they would a static piece of content such as a PDF or white paper. See also: interactive content, experiential content, rich digital media.
Immersive content
immersive content?
What exactly is
First things first,
42.4%
U.S.
17.0%
U.K.
16.5%
Canada
21.1%
Australia
11.9%
New Zealand
17%
U.K.
11.9%
New Zealand
16.5%
Canada
12.1%
Australia
42.4%
U.S.
Country
32.4%
Large (1,000+)
28.5%
Mid-size (250-999)
39.2%
Small (50-249)
39.2%
Small (50-249)
28.4%
Mid-size (250-999)
32.4%
Large (1,000+)
Company Size
TK%
B2C
TK%
B2B
TK%
Nonprofit
TK%
Government
TK%
Other
11%
Other
17%
Nonprofit
15%
Government
45%
B2C
41%
B2B
Company Type
75.2% Manager
11.7%
Individual
10.5%
Director
2.6%
Other
10.5%
C-Level
2.6%
Owner
5.4%
Other
3.8%
Owner
4.6%
C-Level
16.2%
Director
45.4%
Manager
24.7% Individual
Seniority
2.6%
Editorial
10.5%
PR
11.7%
Design
75.2% Marketing
Role
42.4%
U.S.
17.0%
U.K.
16.5%
Canada
21.1%
Australia
11.9%
New Zealand
17%
U.K.
11.9%
New Zealand
16.5%
Canada
12.1%
Australia
42.4%
U.S.
Country
32.4%
Large (1,000+)
28.5%
Mid-size (250-999)
39.2%
Small (50-249)
39.2%
Small (50-249)
28.4%
Mid-size (250-999)
32.4%
Large (1,000+)
Company Size
TK%
B2C
TK%
B2B
TK%
Nonprofit
TK%
Government
TK%
Other
11%
Other
17%
Nonprofit
15%
Government
45%
B2C
41%
B2B
Company Type
75.2% Manager
11.7%
Individual
10.5%
Director
2.6%
Other
10.5%
C-Level
2.6%
Owner
5.4%
Other
3.8%
Owner
4.6%
C-Level
16.2%
Director
45.4%
Manager
24.7% Individual
Seniority
2.6%
Editorial
10.5%
PR
11.7%
Design
75.2% Marketing
Role
More than 1,000 marketing, PR, and design professionals took our extensive survey. They represent a mix of companies—40% are B2B, 43% are B2C, while there were a handful of government and creative agencies—spread evenly between small, mid-size, and large companies. All of them are, in one way or another, in the business of content creation.
See for yourself.
survey?
Who did we
Publications
Interactive
more likely to produce
300%
289%
459%
161%
133%
Games
more likely to create
200%
289%
459%
761%
133%
PDF e-Books
likely to publish
LESS
ESSL
SLES
LSSE
ESLS
Significantly
Visualization
Data
more likely to use
200%
989%
459%
261%
133%
Nearly
Calculators
more likely to build
60%
89%
45%
61%
13%
Publications
Interactive
more likely to produce
300%
289%
459%
161%
133%
Games
more likely to create
200%
289%
459%
761%
133%
PDF e-Books
likely to publish
LESS
ESSL
SLES
LSSE
ESLS
Significantly
Visualization
Data
more likely to use
200%
989%
459%
261%
133%
Nearly
Calculators
more likely to build
60%
89%
45%
61%
13%
Very Effective Marketers Are:
poll participants identified as producing "very effective" content used more interactive types of content. In fact, when compared to companies whose content was described as “less effective”, they were 60% more likely to use calculators, more than twice as likely to use data visualizations and are three times more likely to employ interactive publications. Fewer than one quarter of the companies our poll-takers described as “very effective” published PDF e-books.
The brands our
immersive content.
admire most favor
The brands they
Our customers are basically coming from spreadsheet land. It's graphs, tables, facts, and figures. They get a ton of that, so if we're trying to stand out, creating a solid experience is incredibly important. I try to make our experiences as simple as possible, as fetching as possible, and as clean as possible."
“
Ken Cadieux
Web Designer III Marketing Operations, Thermo Fisher
Experiential content is definitely the way to go. It just makes people feel more engaged and gets them to pay more attention. People can get bogged down with static content. Giving them the opportunity to interact with something goes a long way."
“
Allison Vajda
Global Marketing Communications, Frette
Average Content Output
Static
Interactive
48%
41%
89%
15%
45%
76%
61%
29%
13%
97%
33%
56%
89%
15%
45%
76%
61%
29%
13%
97%
Actual
Desired
Actual
Desired
surveyed say they continue to produce blog posts, while only 13% say they create calculators, for example; 28% publish PDF e-books while only 16% create quizzes and even fewer conduct polls. So while there’s broad agreement that immersive content is, in fact, more engaging and the majority of people we polled expressed a desire to do more interactive, those same people say they are still more likely to produce and share static content.
Half of those
than interactive.
more static content
currently producing
...and yet most are
performs better...
create an experience
Content designed to
90% agree:
An overwhelming number of survey respondents believe content that is designed to encourage active participation and/or a higher level of engagement is more effective.
Content Works
Immersive
Section 1
of design.
underestimate the value
Companies still
Fact:
I believe my company’s
content is boring."
“
1 in 3 Respondents Agree
My company produces
too many PDFs."
“
Say 52% of those Polled
Getting
Leadership
Buy-in
23%
Lacking
In-house
Skills
36%
Securing
Budget
52%
*According to respondents who report immersive content
as a “moderate priority” or “low priority” at their companies.
Top 3 Hurdles
*
different, of course, but companies with outdated content strategies tend to be outdated in the same ways and limited by the same things. Of the people we polled who said interactive content was a low or medium priority at their companies, more than half (52%) pointed to a lack of budget, a little more than a third (36%) blamed a lack of in-house skills, and nearly a quarter (23%) cited a lack of support from company leadership. The main commonality these companies share? They all underestimate the value of design.
Every Company is
effective content?
teams from creating
What prevents
What factors obstruct marketing and creative teams from adopting an interactive content strategy? Let’s get specific.
Content Creation
Immersive
Barriers to
Section 2
preoccupied with connection. They don’t just want eyeballs; they want to leave a lasting and positive impression. Which is why they embrace immersive content and why they grasp the importance of design. 95% of respondents reported that their marketing teams value visual design as part of the creation process.
Marketing teamS are
doesn't just engage,
emotional response
to content that
good design leads
Marketers know
Participants said: my marketing team...
32.4%
Large (1,000+)
28.5%
Mid-size (250-999)
39.2%
Small (50-249)
2%
Not Valued
43%
Moderately Valued
55%
Highly Valued
Highly
Valued
55%
Moderately
Valued
43%
Values Visual Design
2%
Disagree
13%
Neutral
41%
Agree
44%
Strongly Agree
Strongly
Agree
44%
Agree
41%
Values Creativity
32.4%
Large (1,000+)
28.5%
Mid-size (250-999)
39.2%
Small (50-249)
2%
Not Valued
43%
Moderately Valued
55%
Highly Valued
Highly
Valued
55%
Moderately
Valued
43%
Values Design
2%
Disagree
13%
Neutral
41%
Agree
44%
Strongly Agree
Strongly
Agree
44%
Agree
41%
Values Creativity
At Getty, we have fantastic content. We have a huge library, but it's imperative that the interaction our customers have with that content creates a positive experience.”
“
Kirstin Benson
VP of Global Entertainment, Getty Images
I think quality of the
work is better if you have design involved from
the beginning. It opens up paths or ideas that you might not have otherwise thought of."
“
Ashley Karr
VP of B2B Marketing, CarGurus
other company stakeholders, marketers understand the struggle to get their customers’ attention and the importance of keeping them engaged. They report that the biggest threats to marketing itself are, predictably enough, social media fatigue (43%), a changing marketing landscape (32%), and burnout (32%). Considering the obstacles they face, marketers know the content they create has to stand out.
More than Any
Marketing design
content.
interactive and immersive
published more multimedia,
I wish my company
81% agree:
When your team’s effectiveness relies on keeping audiences engaged, you tend to advocate for the most immersive, emotionally compelling designs available.
Change Agents
Teams as
Marketing
Section 3
humans prefer immersive content—especially humans who are in the business of engaging other humans! People now expect their digital interactions to stir emotion and provide the kind of experience that only immersive content can. But creating that level of content requires the right tools—design talent, technology, creative freedom—and a company willing to provide them. The companies our respondents most admired (even envied) were the ones that committed themselves to creating content that captures and keeps their audience’s attention, the companies that gave their marketers the tools to win.
The short answer:
learn here?
So what did we
in talent (more than half feel they have the creative skills they need to be successful), they’ve proven they value design (close to three-quarters say their teams strongly value creativity) and half say their companies reward risk-taking. Across the board, it’s clear that these teams have achieved this “immersive content ideal” because their companies invested in people, products, and practices that allowed creativity and design flourish.
These companies invested
distinguished between companies who developed a sophisticated, immersive content strategy and those who still had a long way to go. But rather than focus on what sets these companies apart, it may be more instructive to see what the companies that routinely created rich and engaging content—we’ll call them “the masters”—have in common. Here are a few factors we found across each of these organizations.
Our poll respondents
their company values.
say it's because of what
company's content
People who value their
You have to foster a culture where it’s not only okay to make mistakes;
it’s celebrated. If your quarter-end results are
all great … it may mean
you weren’t aggressive enough with your
goals or didn’t take risks."
“
Ashley Karr
VP of B2B Marketing, CarGurus
We definitely want our users to have a memorable experience. If they read the exact same content on a competitor’s site, we would have that creative edge that makes them want to come back to us."
“
Madison Sullivan
Senior Specialist, Visual Design, West Monroe
marketers face.
biggest risk
Playing it safe is the
7 in 10 agree:
of respondents, whose companies routinely produce digital content so engaging it elicits an emotional response, have a completely different relationship to their company’s content than the group at the other end of the spectrum. Our poll reveals a sharp contrast to how each of the groups viewed their content and the company itself.
The lucky top 16%
extremes: working
where content is
‘close to ideal’ vs.
Let’s look at the
were asked to imagine a company which had achieved “an immersive content ideal,” one that regularly publishes content that elicits an emotional response and connection while creating a clear brand impression. They were then asked how far their own companies were from that ideal. Of more than 1,000 creative stakeholders polled, only 16% described their organizations as being “very close.”
The survey’s participants
The immersive ideal
16%
38%
32%
11%
4%
Far From Ideal
Very Near Ideal
Is your company ideal?
Who is doing it right, and what can we learn from them?
The Masters
Learning From
Section 4
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Introduction
What is Immersive Content
Section 1
Immersive Content Works
Section 2
Barriers
to Immersive Content Creation
Section 3
Marketing Teams
as Change Agents
Learning From
The Masters
Section 4
So What Did We Learn Here
Conclusion
The Embrace of Immersive Content
The Embrace of Immersive Content
Industry Report: The Embrace of Immersive Content
it elicits an
common values
ideal” share
“immersive content
have achieved an
Companies that
Get help now
This report was made in
This report was made in
Immersive Content
Immersive Content?
Immersive Content?
Content Works
performs better.
performs better.
performs better.
than interactive.
Colton Kegley
Frette
Our customers are basically coming from spreadsheet land. It's graphs, tables, facts, and figures. They get a ton of that, so if we're trying to stand out, creating a solid experience is incredibly important. I try to make our experiences as simple as possible, as fetching as possible, and as clean as possible."
Ken Cadieux
Thermo Fisher
immersive content.
Content Creation
Content Creation
effective content?
I believe my company’s
content is boring."
1-in-3 Respondents Agree
My company produces
too many PDFs."
Says 52% of those Polled
of design.
of design.
of change.
content.
content.
content.
content.
content.
Marketing Design.
“
I think quality of the
work is better if you have design involved from
the beginning. It opens up paths or ideas that you might not have otherwise thought of."
Ashley Karr
VP of B2B Marketing, CarGurus
At Getty, we have fantastic content. We have a huge library, but it's imperative that the interaction our customers have with that content creates a positive experience.”
Kirstin Benson
VP of Global Entertainment, Getty Images
Response
Response
The Masters
The Immersive Ideal
have in common?
marketers face.
marketers face.
marketers face.
marketers face.
“
You have to foster a culture where it’s not only okay to make mistakes;
it’s celebrated. If your quarter-end results are
all great … it may mean
you weren’t aggressive enough with your
goals or didn’t take risks."
Ashley Karr
VP of B2B Marketing, CarGurus
We definitely want our users to have a memorable experience. If they read the exact same content on a competitor’s site, we would have that creative edge that makes them want to come back to us."
Madison Sullivan
Senior Specialist, Visual Design, West Monroe
their company values.
their company values.
their company values.
their company values.
their company values.
Learn Here?
Their company
rewards risk-taking.
Very near Ideal
50%
far from
ideal
18%
Their team strongly
values creativity.
Very near ideal
70%
far from ideal
23%
They feel pride of ownership for content.
Very Near Ideal
65%
far from ideal
17%
They have the skills required for success.
Very Near Ideal
54%
far from
ideal
19%
Their company
rewards risk-taking.
very near ideal
50%
far from ideal
18%
Their team strongly
values creativity.
very near ideal
70%
far from ideal
23%
They feel pride of ownership for content.
very near ideal
65%
far from ideal
17%
They have the skills required for success.
very near ideal
54%
far from ideal
19%
*Results reflect a composite of a series of questions about published content
Always giving design a seat at the table.
A relentless pursuit of creativity and pride and ownership over the content.
Encouraging and rewarding risk.
Hiring and training skilled talent.
Always giving design a seat at the table.
A relentless pursuit of creativity and pride and ownership over the content.
Encouraging and rewarding risk.
Hiring and training skilled talent.
Value Design
Foster Passion
Embrace Risk
Nurture Talent
Top Traits for Success:
*results reflect a composite answer from a series of questions
where it's ‘far apart’.
Their company
rewards risk-taking.
Very near Ideal
50%
far from
ideal
18%
Their team strongly
values creativity.
Very near ideal
70%
far from ideal
23%
They feel pride of ownership for content.
Very Near Ideal
65%
far from ideal
17%
They have the skills required for success.
Very Near Ideal
54%
far from
ideal
19%
Does my company reward risk-taking?
very near ideal
50%
far from ideal
18%
Does my team strongly value creativity?
very near ideal
70%
far from ideal
23%
Do I feel pride of ownership for content?
very near ideal
65%
far from ideal
17%
Do I have the creative skills for success?
very near ideal
54%
far from ideal
19%
*Results reflect a composite of a series of questions about published content
in common?
Experiential content is definitely the way to go. It just makes people feel more engaged and gets them to pay more attention. People can get bogged down with static content. Giving them the opportunity to interact with something goes a long way."
Content
Content
Immersive
Immersive
of
of
Embrace
Embrace
The
The
Industry Report
PRESENTED BY
AS
demand for exceptional digital content grows, we explore what separates
the companies that embrace a strategy of visually engaging material from the ones that do not. This report assesses the current state of immersive content and examines how creativity, risk, and a deep appreciation for design pave the way for truly engaging digital experiences.
Content
Content
Immersive
Immersive
of
of
Embrace
Embrace
The
The
Industry Report
PRESENTED BY
AS
demand for exceptional digital content grows, we explore what
separates the companies that embrace a strategy of visually engaging material from the ones that do not.
This report assesses the current state of immersive content and examines how creativity, risk, and a deep appreciation for design pave the way for truly engaging digital experiences.
