Interactive VR: How hotspots drive engagement

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At OmniVirt, we believe in the power of immersive content to help brands tell better, more compelling stories. Interactive VR is one proven way to drive engagement, especially through the use of hotspots.

What is a hotspot in interactive VR?

A hotspot is a clickable ‘button’ within a 360° experience that can redirect to a variety of content: a presentation card, another 360° experience, a URL, etc.

Hotspots help guide the user to content, which can help drive even more engagement with 360° experiences. With a 360° photo or video, users have the ability to discover and explore content. Compare this to a typical 2D “fixed box”, where the director guides 100% of the viewer’s eye. Instead of giving total viewing control to the user (which may not make for the best storytelling experience), directors can guide where users look, almost as a suggestion. Hotspots hold a hand out, and from what we’ve seen, users take the hand.

Read how to create interactive VR hotspots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=doR6swJPcOA

Watch the video above to see how OmniVirt powered Cathay Pacific’s 360° campaign using hotspots.

What are the best uses of hotspots in interactive VR?

Some of the best hotspot examples we’ve seen take advantage of URL redirects, well-designed presentation cards, and other 360° content. Each has a worthy goal.

• URL redirects work well when a brand wants to drive a user directly to its website, moving straight from brand awareness in the 360° VR experience to a pre-determined Call To Action (purchase/checkout page; newsletter sign up, etc.)
• Presentation cards help provide more detail of a particular point/object in a given 360° scene (which by nature, includes a lot of content!). Imagine a 360° photo of a restaurant and a hotspot linking to a menu.
• Other 360° content is great for crafting a longer narrative. We’ve seen it used particularly well in tour use cases, when hotspots are placed in a door to encourage the user to explore another room or space.

Contact OmniVirt to launch your interactive 360° campaign or sign up and upload your content.