The Power of Interactive Communications

As an expert in the field of alumni relations, you will in no doubt be routinely communicating with your communities to keep that connection with them active. But how are you doing this, and we’re not asking about the mediums you’re using e.g., email or letters?

The world of communications can be broadly divided into two types of media: interactive and broadcast. Broadcast media is any type which is pushed out to an audience for them to passively consume, without the opportunity for them to input, whereas interactive media allows the user to participate and interact with the content as they consume it.

Alumni relations largely uses the broadcast medium to talk to community members when not meeting them in person, be that newsletters, magazines, or emails, and whilst these are all fantastic ways of keeping people informed, and can create engagement, they are limited in their scope for interaction.

This isn’t to say that broadcast media isn’t a valuable tool in the alumni relations armoury but there are a few key reasons why interactive media is often seen as being more engaging than broadcast media.

Why is interactive media often seen as being more engaging than broadcast media?

1. Interactive media allows users to control their experience. 

At the simplest level, it allows users to interact giving them a sense of ownership which makes them more likely to be engaged, even if they are not actively doing so themselves.

2. Interactive media allows for personalisation.

Interactive media has the unique capability to adapt to the specific interests and preferences of each individual user. This not only increases the likelihood that users will discover content that resonates with them but also increases engagement significantly. For example, empowering users to choose their preferred news topics or a social media platform that gives the ability to personalise the topics they see updates on to their choosing, fostering a more tailored and engaging user experience.

3. Interactive media allows for participation.

As obvious as it may seem, interactive media gives users the opportunity to participate in the content. This participation helps to create a sense of connection and ownership, which makes the material more memorable and meaningful.

4. Interactive media can be more immersive.

Interactive media provides a considerably more immersive experience than broadcast media. This is because it allows users to interact with the content in a way that is more engaging and stimulating. Users feel like they are part of the story or experience, which makes it more engaging.

5. Interactive media is more memorable.

When people are actively engaged with content, they are far more likely to remember it. The active nature of interaction makes it more memorable, people are less likely to be doing something else, like browsing their phone, at the same time.

The personalised nature of interactive media can also help to create a sense of emotional connection, further enhancing memorability. Broadcast media, consumed passively, can easily be forgotten in the overwhelming amounts of information we all receive every day.

6. Interactive media can be more effective at driving action.

Interactive media can be more effective at driving action than broadcast media. This is because it allows users to take a specific desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or donating to a cause. For example, a website can have a call-to-action button that prompts users to sign up for a free trial.

8. Interaction can drive further interaction

Something as simple as user comment functions can drive high levels of user engagement, people are encouraged to return to the media and interact with one another, not just with the content itself.

7. Interaction provides better opportunities to know your audience

Every time a user interacts with your content, it creates a data point, one which can help you to better understand them as an individual, which in turn can allow you to communicate with them more effectively in the future. This data is also valuable at a larger scale where it can be used to analyse what resonates with certain segments of your community, or the group as a whole.

Traditionally people have been put off harnessing interactive media as it has been more expensive and time consuming to produce, which in turn made it more difficult to reach a large audience with, but modern technology has dramatically changed that. Next generation web systems like SocialArchive® enable easy to deploy user interaction and personalisation at a scale which hasn’t been available to many educational institutions previously.

This has created a situation where interactive engagement can in fact save you time and money. By giving your community somewhere, and critically something, around which to coalesce they are driven to engage by the interaction which is happening, rather than through a stream of broadcast material painstaking created by you and your team.

Compare this with broadcast media which requires all engagement to be driven by the content itself; you or your team must write the articles, create the videos, or pull together the news stories with which people engage, all taking time and therefore money.

None of this is to say that you should abandon broadcast communication, email for example remains one of the most effective ways to talk to a large audience in 2023, and some people simply aren’t comfortable with interaction. You should look to create a blended approach, harnessing the best of both mediums to appeal to the broadest possible audience whilst having the greatest effect in the most efficient manner.

Here are some tips for creating engaging interactive media:

• Make sure the content is relevant to the user's interests.

• Personalise the content to the individual user or at least segment your audience wherever possible.

• Be clear and concise, both in language and media, don’t overwhelm your audience.

• Align the content with your broader aims, agenda, and targets.

• Test the content with small groups of users and look at the data outcomes.

By following these tips, you can easily create interactive media that will keep your audience engaged and interested.

SocialArchive® is a user-friendly digital engagement solution for educational institutes, purpose built for you to turn your history into a powerful way to connect to, and drive engagement with, your alumni and wider community. Contact us today to find out more, or to book a demonstration of our platform in action.