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If you think of your website as a digital sales rep (as you should), static content sprinkled with lead forms is akin to a sales rep who hogs the conversation, sounds like a broken record, and delivers the same tone-deaf pitch to any prospect that crosses his path. That’s what interactive content can deliver.

Examples of interactive content include:

Appointment Scheduler 
Assessments 
Calculators 
Chat 
Custom Path/Promos 
Instant Check
Instant Win 
Interactive Infographics 
Pay with a tweet/social share 
Quizzes 
Story Microsites 
Trivia 
Video 

If interactive content is so versatile, powerful, and immersive, why don’t all content efforts incorporate these techniques? For starters, interactive features can be more expensive and time-consuming to produce than their static content counterparts. Yet, this isn’t always the case: For example, some interactive elements – like quizzes, polls, or heat maps – can easily be generated with the help of online software tools and templates.

In addition, some of the most innovative or tech-forward interactive techniques may require specialized coding and design expertise to develop and deploy or specific equipment to create and manage – resources that not all marketers have at their disposal. Again, third-party software and services may be able to shoulder some of this burden; so brands looking to “go big or go home” should carefully consider whether it will be best to build or buy the capabilities required.

Then there’s the user side of the equation. Interactive features often have longer load times than simple text or static images do, which can suck up more bandwidth than your audience may wish to devote to your content. Not to mention that some features may need to be optimized for use on a specific browser, device, or platform, which can create a frustrating or disappointing experience for users who are accustomed to accessing content in any way they choose.

Today’s guest post comes courtesy of Seth Lieberman, CEO of SnapApp, a marketing platform used by companies to create interactive content to generate leads and drive revenue across the web, mobile, social and email.

The good news is that there are things you can you do to increase your email effectiveness and boost your email marketing metrics. Specifically, embedding interactive content—such as surveys, personality assessments, quizzes and even contests — directly in your email templates can dramatically improve open and click through rates — to the tune of 10x.  Considering using interactive content in your next email campaign to:

1. Make Your Content More Compelling

2. Enhance Lead Qualification & Scoring

3. Measurable, Value-Based Calls to Action