6 Amazing Examples of Interactive Video in 2025

Video isn’t passive anymore. When viewers can click, choose, and interact with what they’re watching, everything changes: engagement goes up, conversions improve, and people actually remember your content.

At VideoQi, we’ve spent years helping brands create interactive videos. In this article, I’m sharing six real-world examples that show what works, why it works, and how you can apply these approaches to your own content.

1. Netflix’s Bandersnatch: when choices drive the story

Netflix’s Black Mirror: Bandersnatch remains the benchmark for interactive storytelling. The 2018 film puts viewers in control of a young programmer’s decisions, from mundane choices like breakfast cereal to life-altering ones that affect the entire narrative.

What makes it work isn’t just the branching paths. The story is about choice and free will, so the interactive format reinforces the theme rather than feeling tacked on. According to Variety, viewers spent an average of 90 minutes with the film, far exceeding typical watch times.

What you can learn from this

When I talk with clients about branching video, the first question is always “how complex does it need to be?” The honest answer: less than you think.

Even two decision points create meaningful variation. The key principles:

• Make choices matter. If two options lead to the same result, viewers feel cheated. Every branch should deliver something different.
• Align interactivity with your goal. For Bandersnatch, the goal was immersion. For a product demo, it might be guiding prospects to relevant features based on their use case.
• Test before scaling. Start with a simple two-path video to gauge audience response before investing in complex productions.

2. Shoppable videos on Instagram and TikTok

Social commerce has transformed how people buy. Shoppable videos let viewers tap on products and purchase without leaving the app, cutting the path from inspiration to checkout down to seconds.

Sephora’s makeup tutorials let you buy the exact products being demonstrated. Nike drops sneakers through TikTok where you can purchase directly from the video. According to McKinsey, social commerce is projected to reach $2 trillion globally by 2025.

Why this works so well

Traditional advertising asks viewers to remember a product, open a browser, search for it, and complete a purchase. Each step loses people. Shoppable video collapses that entire journey into a tap.

Our customers report that shoppable videos convert 3-5x better than standard product videos. The friction reduction makes the difference.

For e-commerce teams implementing this:

• Keep product placements natural. A DIY tutorial where you can buy the tools being used feels helpful. A video that screams “BUY THIS” feels pushy.
• Invest in visual quality. Products need to look accurate. Returns kill your margins.
• Test the entire flow. Click through from product tag to checkout on every device. One broken link destroys conversion.

For more on optimizing your store, check out our Shopify conversion rate optimization guide.

3. Khan Academy and Coursera: interactive learning that sticks

Education platforms figured this out early. Embedding quizzes and questions directly into video transforms passive watching into active learning.

On Khan Academy, math tutorials pause to ask you to solve a problem. Coursera courses check your understanding before moving forward. This “test-as-you-learn” approach catches confusion immediately rather than letting students discover they’re lost at the end of a lecture.

Applying this to your training content

When I tested this approach with a client’s product onboarding videos, completion rates jumped from 34% to 71%. The interactive checkpoints kept people engaged and identified where content needed to be clearer.

Research from Computers & Education shows that interactive video improves learning outcomes by 25% compared to passive viewing.

What makes educational interactivity effective:

• Tie questions to specific learning goals. Don’t add quizzes for engagement metrics. Add them where understanding genuinely matters.
• Give meaningful feedback. “Wrong” isn’t helpful. Explain why an answer is incorrect and guide learners to the right concept.
• Use branching for personalization. Struggling learners get additional explanation. Those who grasp the material quickly move ahead.

More on this approach in our online learning best practices guide.

4. 360-degree and VR video experiences

Sometimes the interactivity isn’t about choosing a path. It’s about controlling your perspective within an environment.

360-degree video lets viewers look in any direction. The New York Times used this for “The Displaced,” putting viewers inside refugee camps. National Geographic transports audiences to remote locations. Real estate companies like Matterport create virtual property tours that let buyers explore homes from anywhere.

When 360 makes sense

This format excels at creating presence and empathy. You’re not watching a place; you’re in it. That feeling of being there is something traditional video can’t replicate.

For brands considering 360 video:

• Use audio to guide attention. Spatial audio, where sound comes from specific directions, helps viewers know where to look without forcing their perspective.
• Choose stable positions. Constant camera movement causes motion sickness. A well-placed static viewpoint often works better.
• Test across platforms. The experience differs significantly between VR headsets, phones, and desktop browsers. Make sure it works everywhere your audience will watch.

5. Branching scenario training

For skills that involve judgment and decision-making, branching scenarios provide practice without real-world consequences.

Medical training uses these to simulate diagnostic decisions. Customer service teams practice handling difficult conversations. Leadership development programs let managers work through complex personnel situations. Each choice leads to realistic consequences, building practical judgment that lectures can’t develop.

Building effective training scenarios

At VideoQi, we’ve found that the most effective branching scenarios share a few characteristics:

• Grounded in real situations. Work with subject matter experts to base scenarios on actual workplace challenges. Generic situations don’t build transferable skills.
• Consequences that teach. Wrong choices should show realistic negative outcomes with clear explanations of why they failed. The learning happens in understanding the consequences.
• Planned structure. Map your decision tree before production. A flowchart helps ensure the logic makes sense and every path delivers value.

If you’re evaluating tools for this, our branching video software comparison covers the options.

6. Interactive music videos

Music artists have turned videos into explorable experiences. Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” interactive video lets viewers channel-surf through 16 TV channels where characters lip-sync the lyrics. Arcade Fire’s “Just a Reflektor” integrated webcam and mobile device input.

Lessons for brand storytelling

These videos work because the interactivity serves the creative concept. For “Like a Rolling Stone,” channel-surfing reflects the song’s themes of social observation. The mechanic isn’t a gimmick; it’s part of the art.

For brands adapting this approach:

• Match the interaction to the message. Don’t add interactivity just because you can. It should enhance what you’re trying to communicate.
• Reward exploration. Hidden content and multiple paths encourage repeat engagement and longer viewing times.
• Keep controls intuitive. Innovative interfaces are exciting, but confusing ones frustrate users. Test with people who haven’t seen it before.

Putting this into practice

Across all these examples, one pattern holds: successful interactive video shifts viewers from passive observers to active participants. That shift captures attention, generates useful data, and guides people toward your goals.

If you’re ready to try interactive video, here’s where to start:

1. Pick one specific problem. High cart abandonment? Low training completion? Unclear product features? Start with a focused challenge.
2. Design a simple interaction. You don’t need dozens of branches. A video with two or three meaningful choice points can dramatically improve results.
3. Measure what matters. Track completion rates, click patterns, and conversions. Let data guide your next iteration.

Interactive video isn’t just for Netflix-sized budgets anymore. The tools have matured, and the format works across marketing, education, and sales.

---

Ready to build your first interactive video? VideoQi helps marketers, educators, and sales teams create interactive experiences without code. Start with a template or build from scratch.