How Interactive Product Tours Can Increase SEO and Sales

In September, a study released by research and advisory firm the e-tailing group concluded that 54 percent of U.S. consumers who regularly shop on the web research products online before making a purchase, whether they buy in-store, online, via a mobile device or through a call center.

With Google Catalogs and Facebook Gifts, it's evident the e-commerce industry is seeing an influx of industry leaders vying for a piece of the pie. It's also clear that a more dynamic, informative and interactive shopping experience is required long before consumers walk through a retailer's front door. Additionally, today's mobile shopper isn't just looking at your offering; their ability to find the best price is only a few touches away.

Some leading retailers are now integrating dynamic technologies into their brick-and-mortar store experience to both create a sense of excitement and to provide valuable education to shoppers about products and their feature sets. For example, Burberry, the high-end British apparel retailer, is blending the digital world with the physical shopping experience at its flagship stores.

Interactive product tours (IPT) add excitement and extend session times on your website, and there's a direct correlation between longer session times and a higher conversion rate. This rich media presentation consists of a three-in-one light box demonstrating products in 360º spinning imagery, product video, still image galleries and digital catalogs that look exactly like the printed version that arrives in your mailbox, only they're fully interactive.

Once engaged with an IPT, shoppers can spin products to view them at any angle; activate "i-callouts," which highlight specific features and functionality; zoom and pan over images; watch educational videos about the product; and view product image galleries that demonstrate products and apparel on different models or in different settings. When viewing the catalog, shoppers will be able to gather rich media details about every item by simply touching the product or garment depicted. And yes, they can even add to cart. Check out this example from Canon.

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