Interactive Media: The Types and Career Opportunities
Interactive media is here to stay. To prove this, over 75% of the world’s population, above the age of 13, use social media. All of these users, whether they know it or not, are engaging with interactive media. This has made interactive media an exciting and sustainable profession to pursue. For those not interested in tweets and likes, don’t worry. There are plenty of other interactive media career opportunities to dip your toe in. We’ve made your decision a lot easier by creating a list of all the interactive media types available and jobs you can do in this field. Are you ready to design your future? Let’s go!
Interactive Media Defined:
What are the 12 types of interactive media:
The world of interactive media is vast, with lots to explore. Because of this, South Africa is currently facing an IT skills shortage. To fully understand interactive media, and to make your career choices easier, we’ve broken down the different types of interactive media:
Common Interactive Media Examples:
1. Social Networking:
Breaking limbs for the perfect selfie, drinking the contents of a snow globe, and taking videos of popping pimples, people do weird things to get recognition on the internet. However, social media has blown to such a large scale that it’s become a common part of our everyday lives. This popular form of digital technology uses excessive amounts of interactive media in the form of graphics, videos, digital text, and more. Aside from making you do weird things, social media has given us the opportunity to connect better with others, share our experiences online and make followers along the way. Common types of social media platforms you’ll find in any Zoomers phone are Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube, and Snapchat.
2. Games
Perhaps one of the most entertaining forms of interactive media, games use a variety of interactive elements to complete tasks and enhance the user experience. A game is defined as an activity that involves skill, knowledge, or chance, in which you have to follow a set of fixed rules to win against a component or solve a puzzle. Interactive media can be found in both online and offline digital games. This is because they both use moving images, videos, and digital text that the user interacts with to move forward. Common examples of games include Angry Birds, FIFA, and Candy Crush Friends Saga.
3. Application Software
Major business executives, primary school teachers, and maybe even your techie gran all use some form of application software. This is because it is an effective way to reach goals and achieve specific outcomes. Application Software is defined as a computer program that performs a specific personal, business, or educational function. Overall, the main aim of the software is to help users complete a specific task. This may be to improve productivity, communication, or creativity. That’s why it comes as no surprise that software development is one of the most in demand IT jobs in South Africa. Examples of application software are Trello, Microsoft Excel, Spotify, and WhatsApp.
Many businesses may take this a step further and include integrated software into their business operations. This is a system that incorporates a number of software applications together into one product. The advantages of integrated software applications are increased productivity, better decision making and improved data storage and security.
4. Mobile Apps
A mobile application, or mobile app for short, is software that is designed specifically for mobile and tablet devices. Mobile apps perform the same purposes as application software but differs by being smaller and more limited. Each app is usually tasked with performing an isolated function such as calculating numbers, checking the weather, or making lists. Examples of popular mobile apps include Duolingo, an app to learn different languages, Tinder to find a potential partner, and the ABSA banking app to send money online.
5. Virtual Reality
When we think of interactive media, virtual reality is easily top of mind. This is because virtual reality presents a new reality to its users that is highly interactive. Participants wear virtual reality glasses or helmets to interact with a 3D-simulated environment. Aside from creating fun and exhilarating gaming experiences, VR is also used to solve everyday business problems. It has been implemented in the medical field to train medical students without endangering real-life patients, manufacture cars, and help buyers experience a home without being in its physical location. This is why virtual reality is known as one of the leading technologies to transform the future of business.
Other types of Interactive Media:
6. Pervasive Games
Back in 2016 people were getting stuck in trees, mistakenly crossing the U.S border, and even finding dead bodies all because of a famous pervasive game. Yep, Pokemon Go was so immersive that many of its users found themselves in weird situations or ventured into places they wouldn’t usually go. In order to qualify as a pervasive game, users need to be shown a new reality on top of the current world they already live in. Inspired by the legendary Pokemon cards, players are shown a wild Pokemon on their mobile device as if it was standing in front of them in real life. These types of games are usually multiplayer and involve players having to physically meet up to complete various tasks. Additionally, it’s likely that you’ll bump into other players while you’re out and about playing the game.
7. Interactive Video
While still a fairly new concept, some marketers have started adapting interactive videos into their content strategies. An interactive video differs from a linear video as it allows a viewer to interact with it. You can click, drag, scroll, hover and gesture to interact with the video’s content. An example of this in action is with hotspots. This means a viewer can click a button in a video and it will take you to another website or reveal more information. Another popular interactive video is 360 views. This gives the viewer the ability to drag the screen in a video frame and see the content in different directions. And last but not least, some videos have started incorporating quizzes at the end of the video. Viewers can answer questions by clicking various buttons which creates a personalized result.
8. Interactive Advertising
Bring on the IKEA’s, Volkswagon’s and Reebok’s of the world. With so much global recognition and pressure for excellence, it’s common to see the frontrunners in business come up with new and exciting ways to interact with their target audience. This not only makes them stand out but also forms connections with their target audience in a meaningful way. Interactive advertising encourages a customer to engage and interact with an ad. This type of advertising takes on many different digital and non-digital mediums.
For example, IKEA created IKEA Place. This is an app that allows users to virtually place furniture in their homes before they purchase it. Another example is when Reebok installed a speed cam and a shoe display in the middle of a town in Sweden. They encouraged people passing by to run past the cam as fast as they could. Those that ran over 17km/h would receive a free pair of Reebok running shoes.
9. Digital Magazines
Out with the old, in with the new. By now, most magazines have made the leap toward digital publication. With over 64% of people reading digital magazines a month, brands are trying to come up with new, creative ways to reach their target audience. Enter interactive magazines. These are digital publications that require actions from their readers. These actions include swiping, clicking, or touching to perform different functions. Actionable elements readers can interact with include videos, links, photo slideshows, buttons, lead forms, and more. This form of interactive media forms better connections with the target audience, creates more website clicks, and improves the brand image.
10. Interactive Film
11. Interactive Art
For the creative at heart, interactive media has set out to engage art enthusiasts in new and exciting ways. Interactive art moves away from the main focus being on the artist and instead includes the viewer as a collaborator in the piece. One of the main advantages of this form of interactive media is that it diversifies in its application. Observers may interact with a three-dimensional installation or digital system, view digital art, participate on the internet, or physically by making a sound or movement. The artwork then responds to its user. This means the artwork’s purpose is only complete with the participation of an audience.
12. Interactive Theme Parks
Disney’s Avenger’s Campus and Universal’s Super Nintendo World are just two examples of amusement parks that are taking the theme park experience to a whole new level. Many rides now include elements of interactivity and gamification to wow and excite visitors. For example, a ride in Belgium called Challenge of Tutankhamon does this by creating different outcomes based on the shooting skills of the user. If you earn a low score the ride would end in a certain way but if you scored higher you are transported to a different scene for a different ending. Those with exceptional scores would make it to a different room with its own unique experience. This concept made the ride extremely popular; some players would want to do the ride again and again to better their score or to see the different outcomes.
The importance of Interactive Media:
Now that you know more about interactive media, it’s time to unpack why it’s an important part of our daily lives. We’ve simplified this into 3 main reasons:
1. It improves communication
Interactive media has paved the way for the creation of platforms that give us the ability to communicate with others better. The most common example of this is social media. Without social media, you wouldn’t be able to create user generated content. This includes updating your friends on your Instagram page about what you’ve been up to, sharing your thoughts on various topics, and informing others about what media you’ve been consuming lately. Additionally, interactive media creates more communication opportunities between companies and customers. The digital landscape has made it easier for brands to reach out to consumers they may not have had the chance to before. These messages can be personalized to specific target groups, fulfilling specific customer needs and creating long-term relationships.
2. Creates memorable experiences for customers
In today’s day and age, people crave more personalized experiences. When a user actively engages in any form of interactive media, they play a part in the outcome of the interaction. This makes the experience more engaging and memorable for the user which will make whichever brand, company, or location top of mind for the user when it’s time for them to make a purchasing decision. This tells users that the brand wants to be an active part of their daily lives, which builds customer loyalty.
3. It can be cost-effective
Certain forms of interactive media can actually be cheaper on your wallet. Greater Good SA suggests that it can cost around R150 to R350 to print one copy of a magazine in South Africa. Depending on your quantity, this price may be lowered based on discounts the printing company may be willing to give you. By moving online, companies can significantly reduce this printing cost. Similarly, many advertising efforts have turned digital. This is because it is cheaper to advertise on social media or a company website than through printing efforts. Another positive to this is that it is a lot easier to track engagement and effectiveness than it is with physical print.
Interactive Media Jobs:
As you can imagine, getting involved in the interactive media sector can be an exciting and rewarding adventure. As this is an extremely creative and innovative sector it does require you to harvest some creativity and problem-solving abilities of your own. This is because interactive media jobs are often set in the landscape of advertising and marketing. Below we uncover five of the most common interactive media jobs for you to choose from:
1. Social Media Specialist
If you know the ins and outs of the social media landscape this could be the perfect job for you. As a social media specialist, you are in charge of creating and implementing various social media strategies and social media content for the business or agency that you work for. Your main goal is to improve brand awareness, build a community, create consumer trust, and ultimately sell to your customers. Social Media specialists use interactive media to engage with the brand’s target audience in various ways. In order to determine the effectiveness of their efforts a social media specialist will make computer-generated reports on increases in engagement, new followers, and more.
2. Video Editor
The attention span of humans has dropped significantly over the past few years. In 2000 our attention space was 12 seconds but in 2015 it dropped to 8 seconds, 1 second lower than a goldfish. Therefore, it’s no surprise that video has become one of the most commonly consumed forms of media worldwide. Video helps customers consume important or engaging information in a short space of time. Each social media platform supports different video types, meaning that videos can vary in length in order to be effective. TikTok for example is most effective with 30-second videos while 15-second to 2-minute videos are better for Facebook.
Companies are in need of video editors that can create content that is engaging and can stand out from the noise. To be a professional video editor you need to be up to date with the industry-standard editing software, tools, and techniques. Video editor jobs can be remote, work as a freelancer, on a contract basis or full-time for an agency, or in-house at a company.
3. User Interface Designer
Currently, the Apple App Store has over 1.96 million apps waiting to be downloaded while the Google Play Store has over 2.87 million. This statistic shows the excessive demand for mobile apps and how they have infiltrated our day-to-day lives. In order to make an app that is easy to navigate, and meets customer needs while being aesthetically appealing, we need User Interface Designers, also known as UI designers. These digital creatives are responsible for making user interfaces intuitively interactive and responsive. UI design can also branch out into web design, by making sure these websites are visibly and functionally suitable for their users.
4. Game Designer
For the avid gamer, a career in game design and development may be where your heart feels happiest. As a game designer, you’ll be responsible for conceptualizing an entire game from scratch or be responsible for a specific sector of the game development process. Designers usually meet in teams to bounce ideas off each other and create one cohesive vision. Common everyday tasks may include producing game graphics, creating characters, storylines, and other important features.
5. Digital Marketer
If you lack the practical creative skills needed in the design industry but you have the best creative ideas, digital marketing may be a better option for you. Digital marketers are responsible for carrying out digital marketing strategies for one or multiple brands. Marketers use interactive media in their strategies and marketing campaigns to appeal to customers and convey their messaging effectively. Digital marketing jobs are everywhere. This is because every business is in critical need of a creative professional to win the hearts of its customers with effective advertising media.
Next Steps:
Now that you know more about interactive media, there may be a career opportunity that you can’t wait to get started on. Luckily, we have just what you need to get started. Edge ICT is a MICT SETA-accredited training provider that offers a wide range of qualifications within the information technology sphere. Our Interactive Media course has all the foundational elements you need to take the first step in your new career. We’ll cover the visual and design components of interactive media, navigate audio-visual and technical interactive media solutions, how to manage a business in the interactive media space and so much more! To get started, reach out to one of our representatives today.