# Interactive Media Explained: Top Types & Engaging Examples

![Interactive Media: A method of communication in which a program's outputs depend on the user's input.](https://www.investopedia.com/thmb/ptBkyAtQtBc-FCvoRBQN1AIyxRs=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/interactive-media.asp-final-576ed45ee5bb435d90bead75e69cd383.jpg)

*— Investopedia / Xiaojie Liu*

> **Definition**
>
> Interactive media is a general term for digital platforms that allow users to influence or personalize their experiences, such as social media, video games, and mobile payment apps.

## What Is Interactive Media?

Interactive media refers to various types of digital media, where the user has the ability to influence the experience. Examples include social media platforms, video games, apps, and VR. The interactivity aspect can involve text, graphics, sound, and video, or any combination of them.

Interactive media emerged with the internet boom in the 1990s and advances in technology like smartphones. Interactive media has gained relevance in education, professional spheres, and personal usage.

### Key Takeaways

*   Interactive media enables users to actively engage with content, unlike traditional media, offering a customizable experience.
*   The rise of interactive media in the 1990s was fueled by the internet and advances in technology like smartphones.
*   Social media platforms, apps, and video games are key examples of interactive media.
*   Interactive media facilitates communication and collaboration, enhancing personal and educational experiences.
*   The integration of artificial intelligence is expected to further revolutionize interactive media.

## How Interactive Media Transforms User Engagement

The purpose of interactive media is to engage the user in a way that non-interactive media was never able to. Traditional forms of media, such as television and radio, require no active participation by the user beyond turning on the set or changing the channel. With these forms of media, the user was simply a passive consumer unable to customize the experience to fit their own needs or interests.

That began to change with the advent of the internet in the 1990s. As the technology developed, consumers found they had more and more interactive tools available to them when they went online. Increasingly powerful desktop computers and laptops became common household items as well as a necessity in the workplace. Internet connections improved from slow, unreliable dial-up to fast, wireless access that delivers large content almost instantly. [Smartphones](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/smartphone.asp) made interacting with media easy, convenient, and portable.

### Note

[Artificial intelligence](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/artificial-intelligence-ai.asp) is likely to play a major role in the next stages of interactive media.

## Key Components of Interactive Media

The interaction in today's interactive media is provided through multiple means, including:

*   Moving images, including animation
*   Still graphics
*   Digital Text
*   Audio

Effective interactive media strikes a balance among its various elements. As one early (2000) guide to the "Elements of Good Interactive Media Design" noted, "The more interactivity, the greater chance of the viewer getting lost," but "The less interactivity, the greater chance a viewer will get bored or frustrated."

### Fast Fact

SixDegrees.com is often cited as the world's first social media platform, launching in 1997. Facebook didn't come along until 2004.

## Applications and Impact of Interactive Media in Modern Life

Interactive media makes people active participants in media. It also enables communication with others, including businesses, quickly and easily. At its best and most positive, it allows the free flow and exchange of ideas and information.

Interactive media also has an educational component, making it a potentially powerful learning tool. It allows and encourages students to become more active in their learning experiences, more collaborative, and more in control of what they're learning and the pace at which they master the material.  Interactive media is widely used as a learning tool and is a subject of study at many universities.  
  
In sum, interactive media has changed the way people approach many personal and professional aspects of their lives, such as searching for a job, taking classes, communicating with friends, or making new ones.

## Diverse Examples of Interactive Media Platforms

People are engulfed in interactive media in the digital era. You'll find examples everywhere you look, including:

*   [Social networking](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-networking.asp) websites, such as [Facebook](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/120114/how-does-facebook-fb-make-money.asp), [X (formerly Twitter)](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/120114/how-does-twitter-twtr-make-money.asp), [Instagram](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/102615/story-instagram-rise-1-photo0sharing-app.asp), and [TikTok](https://www.investopedia.com/what-is-tiktok-4588933), are among the most prominent examples of interactive media today. They use text, graphics, and increasingly video, allowing users to post and share information, to chat with one another, and to play games.
*   Video games are another type of interactive media. Players use controllers to respond to visual and sound cues on the screen, sometimes competing in real time with other players.
*   Apps on [smartphones](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/062315/how-smartphones-are-changing-advertising-marketing.asp) often let you customize information based on your location and other preferences. Rather than simply sign up for a general news feed, you can choose your news according to your interests.
*   Virtual reality (VR) is another form of interactive media. VR gives users an immersive experience, allowing them to delve into a world with its own digital reality.  
    

## What Is the Primary Advantage to a Business of Using Interactive Media?

Interactive media allows consumers to communicate with a business and (ideally) get their questions answered or complaints resolved. At the same time, business owners can more easily identify and address their customers' needs and concerns. In fact, having an interactive media presence, such as through one or more social media channels, is pretty much a necessity for any company these days. For many companies, [social media marketing](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-media-marketing-smm.asp) and interactive advertising have also become powerful selling tools.

## What Are the Downsides of Interactive Media for a Business?

Properly designed, interactive media can increase user engagement, to the benefit of both consumers and businesses. However, if it is difficult to navigate or doesn't do what it's supposed to, it can be frustrating for the consumer and send them to a company's competitors. Interactive media can also raise consumers' expectations that their questions or concerns will be addressed instantly, which may be more than a company with less than limited resources can deliver.

## What is the Most Common Form of Interactive Media Today?

Social media is very likely the most common form of interactive media today, given the numbers of people all over the world who use it and the amount of time they spend on it.

## The Bottom Line

Interactive media has transitioned from a novelty to a staple in daily life, thanks to its broad applications in both personal and professional contexts. Interactive media examples include social media platforms, apps, and video games.

The internet revolution and technological advancements like smartphones are driving factors behind the rise of interactive media. As technology advances, especially with artificial intelligence, it will likely have an even bigger impact on our lives.

Interactive media has proven to enhance communication, educational endeavors, and professional opportunities. However, businesses face the challenge of increased consumer expectations and the need for user-friendly design.  

> **Article Sources**
>
> 1.  Columbia University School of the Arts. "[Elements of Good Interactive Media Design](http://www.columbia.edu/itc/visualarts/r4110/f2000/week07/07_01_Elements_of_Good_Desi.pdf)," Page 8.
>     
> 2.  CBS News. "[Then and Now: A History of Social Networking Sites](https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/then-and-now-a-history-of-social-networking-sites/)."
>     
> 3.  CNN Business. "[Facebook at 15: How a College Experiment Changed the World](https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2019/02/business/facebook-history-timeline/index.html)."