Interactive content is any content readers engage with by entering information or making choices, and which responds with a result specific to them. In SaaS, common examples are ROI and pricing calculators, maturity assessments, graders, quizzes and interactive charts. It can be more engaging than static content and can collect useful information about the visitor, but it costs more to build and maintain.
Common formats
The most useful formats answer a question the reader has about their own situation.
- Calculators: costs, savings, sizing, pricing
- Assessments: maturity scores with recommendations
- Graders: analyzing a URL, email or file
- Configurators: building a plan or setup
- Interactive data: filterable charts and maps
Search considerations
Interactive tools can attract searches for "calculator", "checker" or "generator" queries. Search engines need text on the page to understand what the tool does, so include an explanation, method and example results in HTML. Tools built entirely in client-side JavaScript need checking to confirm the important content renders for crawlers.
Honesty in calculators
ROI and savings calculators are easy to tilt toward your product. Show assumptions, let users edit them and avoid inflated defaults. A calculator that gives implausible results damages trust.
Example
An assessment that feeds sales
Hypothetical company Tarnwick sells data governance software. It builds a short maturity assessment: twelve questions that produce a score and a list of recommended next steps. Results are shown immediately without a form; a detailed report is offered by email. Sales sees the assessment answers for contacts who request the report.
Common mistakes
Hiding results behind a form
Requiring an email before showing any result frustrates users and reduces completion. Show something useful first.
No text content
A tool with nothing but form fields gives search engines little to understand.
Questions
They overlap. Free tools are a type of interactive content, usually more substantial and reusable, such as graders and generators.
