By Ellie-Rose Davies, Content Executive at IMRG

With customer acquisition and retention proving difficult this year, largely owing to cost-of-living pressures in the UK, retailers are foregrounding the customer experience to drive growth. To accelerate growth, many retailers are turning to interactive marketing to attract and convert even their most hesitant shoppers; Interactive marketing is marketing which foregrounds direct connections with customers, encouraging them to actively engage with retailers content. It promotes two-way communication between customer and retailer and the interactions are designed to inspire loyalty. In this article, we reveal how interactive marketing is reshaping the retail industry, providing new avenues for customer engagement. We explore how these three key areas are leading the way:

• Interactive video and social
• Personalised offers
• Post-purchase communication

1. Video and Social: Transforming Online Journeys

It takes more than stagnant product pages, images, and written descriptions to keep customers engaged. Now, customers want experiences that speak to them directly, that infuse fun in each interaction. Video content is one effective way to fulfil these expectations. Kathy Klingler, CMO at Brightcove says that Todays consumers are even more selective with the content they view during their purchasing journey than ever before. In a saturated market, she reflects on the importance of video to cut through the noise. Brightcoves research shows that 85% of consumers worldwide find video essential as they shop online and 71% said videos with interactive features like buy now links are crucial. The higher engagement rate of video helps move customers through the buying journey and complete their purchase, says Kathy. She describes how video is effective at boosting interactivity, showcasing products, differentiating, and bringing brands to life, and 78% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales. Similarly, Andrew Harkness, Head of Marketing at Huboo, reveals the value of video content, specifically when it comes to social media strategies. He says, Perhaps the most significant trend in interactive marketing is the rise of live streaming, with socially-oriented eCommerce brands streaming their product launches and influencer collaborations, giving customers the opportunity to ask questions about the products and build a relationship with the brand. Andrew shares that TikTok's LIVE Shopping Ads have helped brands to tap into the platforms vast community Using this platform, Andrew told us that one of Huboos clients, Worth A Shot Games, sold out their initial product range within days. Online journeys can be transformed by the power of video, as it offers new and exciting content that is worth engaging with.