Today’s marketplace is crowded and noisy. Storytelling is becoming increasingly difficult. The digitally curated world bombards consumers with an explosion of information, preventing them from effectively giving their undivided attention to one thing at a time.

Capturing your customer’s attention in an increasingly distracted world requires out-of-the-box thinking. It means forgoing traditional content marketing strategies. This requires brands to adopt a new, digitally enhanced format of storytelling.

And few new digital mediums are as engaging to audiences than 360-degree video experiences.

The 360-degree video: The future of storytelling

These 360-degree videos have been in mainstream use for the past three to five years by some of the leading brands. What was once a mere digital tech novelty has become an effective strategy for brands trying to break through the noise and capture consumers’ attention.

Early adopters of the technology include companies like Facebook and YouTube. Their executive support for the technology has solidified the role of 360-degree videos as an emerging medium in storytelling.

The innovative platform of 360-degree videos enables brands to deliver more engaging, more immersive content, successfully conveying their message to a distracted audience. The acceleration of 360 technology has made it an attractive marketing tool for many brands.

While many are enthusiastic about this new format of digital media, some are hesitant. The failure of other once-promising technology (read: 3D TV) has some brands wondering: Is 360-degree video technology worth it?

Below, we compile the key strengths and benefits of 360 video storytelling.

• Delivers on emotional connections

In today’s always-connected world, 360 technology has created a paradigm shift in how audiences digitally consume content. The 360-degree video enables brands to put their audiences in extraordinary positions.

When done properly, brands can tell compelling stories that evoke the right emotions. The ability to generate the right emotions can influence action. A more emotional experience motivates customers to consume more content and increase interactions with the brand.

• Provides a new sensory experience

A 360-degree video delivers dynamic content, making engagement simple. With spherical video, audiences have the opportunity to explore their surroundings independently. This provides a unique sensory experience not available in standard videos.

When complemented by virtual reality solutions and high-quality audio, 360-degree video provides an immersive experience. This can be used as sensory stimuli to influence consumer behavior. Both the auditory and sensory experience can be combined to create a content-rich environment.

This environment delivers your branded message in a distinctive tone that makes it unforgettable.

• Increases shareability

In digital marketing, few things trump shareable content. The more your branded content is shared, the more successful your content marketing becomes. This can drive audience growth, increased referral traffic, and domain authority boost.

360 technology increases the shareability of branded content. Immersive experiences drive viewers to share the 360-degree video content.

• Builds customer loyalty

There are many ways brands can use 360 technology to reinforce brand loyalty. Brands like Columbia and Red Bull have created masterful 360-degree content that immerses their audience into their adrenaline-fueled world.

Personalized 360 videos allow brands to offer relevant content that is meaningful to their audience. Such targeted campaigns maintain consumers’ attention, increasing brand equity and conversions.

• Serves as an investment in your brand’s future

Disruptive innovations such as web-based video, ride-share services, and now, immersive experiences, provide brands with a unique value proposition, keeping them relevant in the eyes of consumers.

Harnessing this power is crucial for any brand looking to adapt amidst a paradigm shift. With audiences consuming less traditional media (radio and TV), 360-degree video is poised to become the next, in-demand generation of consumer media.

Pulling it all together

Modern conveniences have contributed to a world of fragmented attention. Gone are the days of traditional marketing when brands could easily capture an audience’s full attention. Brands wanting to cut through all this noise today require a different approach.

A 360-degree video represents a paradigm shift in storytelling. 360 technology enables brands to capture an audience’s attention and engage them long enough to get their message through. Now, 360-degree video storytelling provides an unprecedented opportunity for a brand to break through the distraction to tell their story in a unique and immersive way.