A beginner’s guide to interactive demos
A beginner’s guide to interactive demos
A beginner’s guide to interactive demos
A beginner’s guide to interactive demos
The SaaS sales and marketing playbook has evolved quite a bit in the last two decades. We've moved beyond the days of flashy billboard campaigns, hard sales pitches behind closed doors, and an over-reliance on discounts to close deals.
Today's SaaS customers are skeptical of marketing campaigns, no matter how well-phrased, ‘personalized’, or creative the messaging is. A staggering 35% of respondents in the 2022 G2 Buyer Behavior Report indicated difficulty finding credible content from vendors, with an additional 7% expressing a lack of trust in vendor websites.
This has spearheaded the "buyer-first movement," with trust and demonstrable value becoming the cornerstones of closing deals. These days, companies are focusing on building genuine connections and proving their product's ‘tangible’ benefits to win over customers.
We can see this change all across the B2B marketing landscape — whether it’s trust-building activities like events and community marketing or value-based activities like freemium and pay-as-you-go pricing models, product-led growth strategies, and interactive software demos.
Interactive demos, in particular, can be a great way to deliver value upfront. They allow potential customers to test drive your platform before committing to any of your call-to-actions (CTAs) — signing up for an account, booking a demo, or even subscribing to your marketing communications.
And that’s what we’ll cover in this article — how you can leverage interactive demos to create engaging experiences across all touchpoints in a customer lifecycle journey.
What are interactive demos?
An interactive demo allows users to learn about a software platform by exploring it themselves, rather than having a sales or presales engineer demonstrate how it works — leading to a deeper and more immersive product experience.
Unlike static slide decks or pre-recorded videos, they provide a hands-on environment where users can navigate the UI, experiment with features, and see the software's capabilities in action.
The SaaS sales and marketing playbook has evolved quite a bit in the last two decades. We've moved beyond the days of flashy billboard campaigns, hard sales pitches behind closed doors, and an over-reliance on discounts to close deals.
Today's SaaS customers are skeptical of marketing campaigns, no matter how well-phrased, ‘personalized’, or creative the messaging is. A staggering 35% of respondents in the 2022 G2 Buyer Behavior Report indicated difficulty finding credible content from vendors, with an additional 7% expressing a lack of trust in vendor websites.
This has spearheaded the "buyer-first movement," with trust and demonstrable value becoming the cornerstones of closing deals. These days, companies are focusing on building genuine connections and proving their product's ‘tangible’ benefits to win over customers.
We can see this change all across the B2B marketing landscape — whether it’s trust-building activities like events and community marketing or value-based activities like freemium and pay-as-you-go pricing models, product-led growth strategies, and interactive software demos.
Interactive demos, in particular, can be a great way to deliver value upfront. They allow potential customers to test drive your platform before committing to any of your call-to-actions (CTAs) — signing up for an account, booking a demo, or even subscribing to your marketing communications.
And that’s what we’ll cover in this article — how you can leverage interactive demos to create engaging experiences across all touchpoints in a customer lifecycle journey.
What are interactive demos?
An interactive demo allows users to learn about a software platform by exploring it themselves, rather than having a sales or presales engineer demonstrate how it works — leading to a deeper and more immersive product experience.
Unlike static slide decks or pre-recorded videos, they provide a hands-on environment where users can navigate the UI, experiment with features, and see the software's capabilities in action.
The SaaS sales and marketing playbook has evolved quite a bit in the last two decades. We've moved beyond the days of flashy billboard campaigns, hard sales pitches behind closed doors, and an over-reliance on discounts to close deals.
Today's SaaS customers are skeptical of marketing campaigns, no matter how well-phrased, ‘personalized’, or creative the messaging is. A staggering 35% of respondents in the 2022 G2 Buyer Behavior Report indicated difficulty finding credible content from vendors, with an additional 7% expressing a lack of trust in vendor websites.
This has spearheaded the "buyer-first movement," with trust and demonstrable value becoming the cornerstones of closing deals. These days, companies are focusing on building genuine connections and proving their product's ‘tangible’ benefits to win over customers.
We can see this change all across the B2B marketing landscape — whether it’s trust-building activities like events and community marketing or value-based activities like freemium and pay-as-you-go pricing models, product-led growth strategies, and interactive software demos.
Interactive demos, in particular, can be a great way to deliver value upfront. They allow potential customers to test drive your platform before committing to any of your call-to-actions (CTAs) — signing up for an account, booking a demo, or even subscribing to your marketing communications.
And that’s what we’ll cover in this article — how you can leverage interactive demos to create engaging experiences across all touchpoints in a customer lifecycle journey.
What are interactive demos?
An interactive demo allows users to learn about a software platform by exploring it themselves, rather than having a sales or presales engineer demonstrate how it works — leading to a deeper and more immersive product experience.
Unlike static slide decks or pre-recorded videos, they provide a hands-on environment where users can navigate the UI, experiment with features, and see the software's capabilities in action.
The SaaS sales and marketing playbook has evolved quite a bit in the last two decades. We've moved beyond the days of flashy billboard campaigns, hard sales pitches behind closed doors, and an over-reliance on discounts to close deals.
Today's SaaS customers are skeptical of marketing campaigns, no matter how well-phrased, ‘personalized’, or creative the messaging is. A staggering 35% of respondents in the 2022 G2 Buyer Behavior Report indicated difficulty finding credible content from vendors, with an additional 7% expressing a lack of trust in vendor websites.
This has spearheaded the "buyer-first movement," with trust and demonstrable value becoming the cornerstones of closing deals. These days, companies are focusing on building genuine connections and proving their product's ‘tangible’ benefits to win over customers.
We can see this change all across the B2B marketing landscape — whether it’s trust-building activities like events and community marketing or value-based activities like freemium and pay-as-you-go pricing models, product-led growth strategies, and interactive software demos.
Interactive demos, in particular, can be a great way to deliver value upfront. They allow potential customers to test drive your platform before committing to any of your call-to-actions (CTAs) — signing up for an account, booking a demo, or even subscribing to your marketing communications.
And that’s what we’ll cover in this article — how you can leverage interactive demos to create engaging experiences across all touchpoints in a customer lifecycle journey.
What are interactive demos?
An interactive demo allows users to learn about a software platform by exploring it themselves, rather than having a sales or presales engineer demonstrate how it works — leading to a deeper and more immersive product experience.
Unlike static slide decks or pre-recorded videos, they provide a hands-on environment where users can navigate the UI, experiment with features, and see the software's capabilities in action.
Interactive demos are grounded in two fundamental marketing principles
Interactive
demos
are grounded in
two fundamental marketing principles
Interactive
demos
are grounded in
two fundamental marketing principles
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Show, don’t tell
By allowing users to actively explore the product's functionalities and witness their impact in real-time, interactive demos go beyond mere feature lists. This fosters trust and confidence by enabling users to experience the product's benefits firsthand
By allowing users to actively explore the product's functionalities and witness their impact in real-time, interactive demos go beyond mere feature lists. This fosters trust and confidence by enabling users to experience the product's benefits firsthand
By allowing users to actively explore the product's functionalities and witness their impact in real-time, interactive demos go beyond mere feature lists. This fosters trust and confidence by enabling users to experience the product's benefits firsthand
Learning by doing
By making users active participants (rather than passive listeners), interactive demos deepen their understanding and help them discover the product's value proposition through personal exploration
By making users active participants (rather than passive listeners), interactive demos deepen their understanding and help them discover the product's value proposition through personal exploration
By making users active participants (rather than passive listeners), interactive demos deepen their understanding and help them discover the product's value proposition through personal exploration
Comparing interactive demos with traditional product demos
Let’s quickly go over how interactive demos compare to other popular demo experiences — slide decks, videos, product walk-throughs, and live demos.
Comparing interactive demos with traditional product demos
Let’s quickly go over how interactive demos compare to other popular demo experiences — slide decks, videos, product walk-throughs, and live demos.
Comparing interactive demos with traditional product demos
Let’s quickly go over how interactive demos compare to other popular demo experiences — slide decks, videos, product walk-throughs, and live demos.
Comparing interactive demos with traditional product demos
Let’s quickly go over how interactive demos compare to other popular demo experiences — slide decks, videos, product walk-throughs, and live demos.
Slide decks vs. interactive demos
This is how it all started — sales teams sharing PowerPoint presentations with leads to show them how a product or service worked. Here’s something from the archives
We’ve come a long way since those days — as has technology — and yet slide decks are still a huge part of sales enablement, particularly during email outreaches.
But are they really that effective? How many people are actually excited to download a demo deck — especially in situations like an outbound campaign when prospects don’t have an immediate requirement for your product?
Interactive demos, on the other hand, make product engagement more dynamic — allowing prospects to see the product's value proposition in real time. Moreover, instead of overloading users with text-heavy explanations, ‘AI narrations’ in interactive product demos can provide users with contextually relevant insights — without the information overload that comes with slide decks.
Demo decks
Broader outreach: They're a good option for mass marketing campaigns — where you can share the same message with a large number of people
Passive experience: Users can't "experience" the product, so they can’t understand a product’s full potential
Information overload: Text-heavy slides can overwhelm viewers — increasing the chances of them missing important details.
No engagement metrics: You lack insights into how users interact with the deck — hindering your ability to gauge their interest in your product
Interactive demos
Stay in context: Leverage explainer bubbles and AI narrations to deliver information at the right time, and not all at once
Data-driven insights: Track user engagement metrics like time spent, clicks within the demo, and more — and score leads better
Tailored experiences: Customize demos for each prospect, creating a personalized demo experience that relates to their pain points
Active exploration: Engage users and allow them to get an actual fee for your product
Demo decks
Broader outreach: They're a good option for mass marketing campaigns — where you can share the same message with a large number of people
Passive experience: Users can't "experience" the product, so they can’t understand a product’s full potential
Information overload: Text-heavy slides can overwhelm viewers — increasing the chances of them missing important details.
No engagement metrics: You lack insights into how users interact with the deck — hindering your ability to gauge their interest in your product
Interactive demos
Tailored experiences: Customize demos for each prospect, creating a personalized demo experience that relates to their pain points
Active exploration: Engage users and allow them to get an actual fee for your product
Stay in context: Leverage explainer bubbles and AI narrations to deliver information at the right time, and not all at once
Stay in context: Leverage explainer bubbles and AI narrations to deliver information at the right time, and not all at once
Data-driven insights: Track user engagement metrics like time spent, clicks within the demo, and more — and score leads better
Video demos vs. interactive demos
Video demos — though a definite step ahead when compared to slide decks — are not without their disadvantages. While they do show you how a product works, they’re also passive, and the longer a demo video, the quicker viewers will drop off.
Video demos work best when a user is already invested in your product and wants to learn something — like how to set up advanced customizations or solve a problem they’re facing with your product.
That’s not all. Creating a video demo also comes with its own set of problems. While quick screen recordings offer a fast and easy way to showcase your product, they can lack the polish of a professional video demo.
On the other hand, creating a high-quality video can be a significant investment in terms of time and resources. This can lead to an eternal tug-of-war between scale and production value.
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The 2024 Wistia State of Video Report highlights that videos between 5 and 30 minutes see an average engagement rate of 38%
At the same time, in-house production of a 5-minute video can easily take 3-5 days, and outsourcing to freelancers or agencies can cost anywhere from $200 to $10,000 depending on the length and animation quality.
Here’s another interesting bit of trivia — most SaaS companies push at least one major update every six months, and minor ones at least every couple of months.
So you’ll have to update your video demos to match your product’s UI just as often.
This brings us to the question — are video demos really worth the effort and ROI?
But what if we told you interactive demos come with all of the benefits of video demos but without their limitations —
Video demos can feel scripted and rigid. Interactive demos, on the other hand, can be non-linear, adapting to user choices and interests. This increases the chances of users sticking through until the end
Creating high-quality video demos can be a lengthy process. Interactive software demos, however, can be developed more quickly — allowing for faster updates and quicker adaptation to product changes
Plus, while you get only quantitative insights with videos, interactive demos give you qualitative insights. For example, you can get insight into the exact sequence of actions visitors perform or at which click they face friction or even lose interest and drop off.
Live demos vs. interactive demos
If there’s one sales practice that’s full of friction, it’s the ‘book a demo’ page and workflow. Here’s why —
You first fill out a pretty lengthy form that typically comes with at least eight to ten questions
Then, you set aside a minimum of 30 minutes for a discovery call or what’s commonly called the ‘qualification demo’
Finally, you schedule another longer meeting that can go up to an hour or two — where you’re eventually shown a product demo
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Dave Kellogg
Former CEO, Host Analytics
Dave Kellogg
Former CEO, Host Analytics
Dave Kellogg
Former CEO, Host Analytics
Live sales demos are seller-out, not buyer-in —
as Dave Kellogg, the former CEO of Host Analytics, puts it. They’ve become more about companies sharing their sales pitch with potential buyers rather than understanding the latter’s pain points.
This might make prospects reluctant to commit time to a live demo, especially if they sense it will be more about being sold to rather than having their problems addressed.
Interactive demos, on the other hand, can help you reduce friction — giving would-be customers a teaser of your product’s value before asking them to invest more of their time toward learning about your product’s full capabilities.
Additionally, interactive demos allow users to control the pace and focus on the areas that interest them most. Unlike live demos, where sales reps set the pace and may not cover everything a prospect needs to know, interactive demos ensure a more personalized and thorough exploration of the product.
This doesn’t mean you should completely do away with live sales demos. Rather, interactive demos — with their low-friction approach and access to qualitative insights — can be a great alternative to qualifying demos.
Moreover, by adding the “Book a Demo” form to the end of an interactive demo, you create an organic conversion point — increasing the chances of a prospect signing up for a demo.
Interactive demos, on the other hand, can help you reduce friction — giving would-be customers a teaser of your product’s value before asking them to invest more of their time toward learning about your product’s full capabilities.
Additionally, interactive demos allow users to control the pace and focus on the areas that interest them most. Unlike live demos, where sales reps set the pace and may not cover everything a prospect needs to know, interactive demos ensure a more personalized and thorough exploration of the product.
This doesn’t mean you should completely do away with live sales demos. Rather, interactive demos — with their low-friction approach and access to qualitative insights — can be a great alternative to qualifying demos.
Moreover, by adding the “Book a Demo” form to the end of an interactive demo, you create an organic conversion point — increasing the chances of a prospect signing up for a demo.
Interactive demos, on the other hand, can help you reduce friction — giving would-be customers a teaser of your product’s value before asking them to invest more of their time toward learning about your product’s full capabilities.
Additionally, interactive demos allow users to control the pace and focus on the areas that interest them most. Unlike live demos, where sales reps set the pace and may not cover everything a prospect needs to know, interactive demos ensure a more personalized and thorough exploration of the product.
This doesn’t mean you should completely do away with live sales demos. Rather, interactive demos — with their low-friction approach and access to qualitative insights — can be a great alternative to qualifying demos.
Moreover, by adding the “Book a Demo” form to the end of an interactive demo, you create an organic conversion point — increasing the chances of a prospect signing up for a demo.
Interactive demos, on the other hand, can help you reduce friction — giving would-be customers a teaser of your product’s value before asking them to invest more of their time toward learning about your product’s full capabilities.
Additionally, interactive demos allow users to control the pace and focus on the areas that interest them most. Unlike live demos, where sales reps set the pace and may not cover everything a prospect needs to know, interactive demos ensure a more personalized and thorough exploration of the product.
This doesn’t mean you should completely do away with live sales demos. Rather, interactive demos — with their low-friction approach and access to qualitative insights — can be a great alternative to qualifying demos.
Moreover, by adding the “Book a Demo” form to the end of an interactive demo, you create an organic conversion point — increasing the chances of a prospect signing up for a demo.
Product tours vs. interactive demos
Another relatively new trend — the product tour (or walkthrough) is another favorite with PLG marketers. Though they might seem familiar to interactive demos, they are actually pretty different and serve different purposes.
Product tour
A guided walkthrough that highlights the key functionalities of a product. It's designed to give users a general overview and familiarize them with the basic features
Interactive demo
Going beyond a simple walkthrough — it allows users to actively explore the product at their own pace. They can click around, experiment with features, and see real-time results
Product tours are ideal in scenarios where you have a simple platform that doesn’t require a complex setup or when you have released a new feature. For straightforward platforms, a quick tour can guide users through the basic functionalities without overwhelming them.
However, if your product is more complex, or you want to provide potential customers with a detailed, hands-on experience that allows them to explore it in a way that is relevant to their needs — then interactive product demos might be the better choice.
Also read: 10 interactive demo examples by popular SaaS companies, and why they stand out
Product tours are ideal in scenarios where you have a simple platform that doesn’t require a complex setup or when you have released a new feature. For straightforward platforms, a quick tour can guide users through the basic functionalities without overwhelming them.
However, if your product is more complex, or you want to provide potential customers with a detailed, hands-on experience that allows them to explore it in a way that is relevant to their needs — then interactive product demos might be the better choice.
Also read: 10 interactive demo examples by popular SaaS companies, and why they stand out
Product tours are ideal in scenarios where you have a simple platform that doesn’t require a complex setup or when you have released a new feature. For straightforward platforms, a quick tour can guide users through the basic functionalities without overwhelming them.
However, if your product is more complex, or you want to provide potential customers with a detailed, hands-on experience that allows them to explore it in a way that is relevant to their needs — then interactive product demos might be the better choice.
Also read: 10 interactive demo examples by popular SaaS companies, and why they stand out
Product tours are ideal in scenarios where you have a simple platform that doesn’t require a complex setup or when you have released a new feature. For straightforward platforms, a quick tour can guide users through the basic functionalities without overwhelming them.
However, if your product is more complex, or you want to provide potential customers with a detailed, hands-on experience that allows them to explore it in a way that is relevant to their needs — then interactive product demos might be the better choice.
Also read: 10 interactive demo examples by popular SaaS companies, and why they stand out
The top 9 benefits of interactive demos
We’ve touched on the limitations of traditional demos and how replacing (or complementing) them with interactive demos can double your ROI. Let’s now explore the significant advantages that interactive demos can deliver within your go-to-market strategy.
The top 9 benefits of interactive demos
We’ve touched on the limitations of traditional demos and how replacing (or complementing) them with interactive demos can double your ROI. Let’s now explore the significant advantages that interactive demos can deliver within your go-to-market strategy.
The top 9 benefits of interactive demos
We’ve touched on the limitations of traditional demos and how replacing (or complementing) them with interactive demos can double your ROI. Let’s now explore the significant advantages that interactive demos can deliver within your go-to-market strategy.
The top 9 benefits of interactive demos
We’ve touched on the limitations of traditional demos and how replacing (or complementing) them with interactive demos can double your ROI. Let’s now explore the significant advantages that interactive demos can deliver within your go-to-market strategy.
Better user engagement:
As interactive demos are low-effort, low-friction, and low-commitment — they can help you get your foot in the door with potential customers. By making the first interaction as smooth and organic as possible, they can increase the likelihood of users progressing further down the sales funnel.
According to a study by HockeyStack, simply interacting with an interactive demo can increase website conversion rates by 1.8%.
Similarly, the average time it takes a visitor to complete a high-intent form after viewing it is 8.3 days. However, when a visitor engages with an interactive demo, this timeframe decreases by 1.5 days, resulting in an average of 6.8 days.
Besides, once users are engaged, they are more likely to take the next step in their product exploration journey — whether that’s booking a demo, creating a free account, or simply subscribing to your marketing communications so they can stay updated on your product’s developments.
Personalized demo journeys — at scale
As interactive demos are low-effort, low-friction, and low-commitment — they can help you get your foot in the door with potential customers. By making the first interaction as smooth and organic as possible, they can increase the likelihood of users progressing further down the sales funnel.
If you think that’s giving too much control to the user — and they might get lost — then you can set up branched narratives. Using a series of "if/then" pathways triggered by a user’s previous action, you can subtly guide them toward your value proposition while still offering a sense of personalization and context.
It's a win-win for both user engagement and conversion rates.
Fast tracks demo creation — without sacrificing quality
Demo automation software — with features like brand libraries, templates, reusable content blocks, and drag-and-drop editors — can help you create professional-looking and engaging interactive demos in a matter of hours. Even better, anyone on the sales or marketing team can own demo production start-to-finish — without having to depend on designers or video editors.
In contrast, designing an attractive slide deck typically takes several days, and producing a high-quality video can take several weeks. This also means you can update your demos just as new features are released, ensuring that they’re always relevant.
Reduces the time-to-value (TTV)
The north star metric in any product-led growth campaign is time-to-value (TTV) — which measures the time it takes for users to experience the core value of a product. It’s believed that a shorter TTV translates to faster user activation, higher customer satisfaction, and eventually, increased revenue.
Here’s how interactive demos help here:
By allowing users to set their own pace — fast or slow; all features or only a few — interactive demos keep users engaged for just the right amount of time it takes them to perceive your product’s value
Leveraging the insights gained from user engagement patterns, you can optimize the demo and ensure users discover the product's value proposition as quickly as possible
Personalized demo journeys — at scale
As interactive demos are low-effort, low-friction, and low-commitment — they can help you get your foot in the door with potential customers. By making the first interaction as smooth and organic as possible, they can increase the likelihood of users progressing further down the sales funnel.
If you think that’s giving too much control to the user — and they might get lost — then you can set up branched narratives. Using a series of "if/then" pathways triggered by a user’s previous action, you can subtly guide them toward your value proposition while still offering a sense of personalization and context.
It's a win-win for both user engagement and conversion rates.
Fast tracks demo creation — without sacrificing quality
Demo automation software — with features like brand libraries, templates, reusable content blocks, and drag-and-drop editors — can help you create professional-looking and engaging interactive demos in a matter of hours. Even better, anyone on the sales or marketing team can own demo production start-to-finish — without having to depend on designers or video editors.
In contrast, designing an attractive slide deck typically takes several days, and producing a high-quality video can take several weeks. This also means you can update your demos just as new features are released, ensuring that they’re always relevant.
Reduces the time-to-value (TTV)
The north star metric in any product-led growth campaign is time-to-value (TTV) — which measures the time it takes for users to experience the core value of a product. It’s believed that a shorter TTV translates to faster user activation, higher customer satisfaction, and eventually, increased revenue.
Here’s how interactive demos help here:
By allowing users to set their own pace — fast or slow; all features or only a few — interactive demos keep users engaged for just the right amount of time it takes them to perceive your product’s value
Leveraging the insights gained from user engagement patterns, you can optimize the demo and ensure users discover the product's value proposition as quickly as possible
Personalized demo journeys — at scale
As interactive demos are low-effort, low-friction, and low-commitment — they can help you get your foot in the door with potential customers. By making the first interaction as smooth and organic as possible, they can increase the likelihood of users progressing further down the sales funnel.
If you think that’s giving too much control to the user — and they might get lost — then you can set up branched narratives. Using a series of "if/then" pathways triggered by a user’s previous action, you can subtly guide them toward your value proposition while still offering a sense of personalization and context.
It's a win-win for both user engagement and conversion rates.
Fast tracks demo creation — without sacrificing quality
Demo automation software — with features like brand libraries, templates, reusable content blocks, and drag-and-drop editors — can help you create professional-looking and engaging interactive demos in a matter of hours. Even better, anyone on the sales or marketing team can own demo production start-to-finish — without having to depend on designers or video editors.
In contrast, designing an attractive slide deck typically takes several days, and producing a high-quality video can take several weeks. This also means you can update your demos just as new features are released, ensuring that they’re always relevant.
Reduces the time-to-value (TTV)
The north star metric in any product-led growth campaign is time-to-value (TTV) — which measures the time it takes for users to experience the core value of a product. It’s believed that a shorter TTV translates to faster user activation, higher customer satisfaction, and eventually, increased revenue.
Here’s how interactive demos help here:
By allowing users to set their own pace — fast or slow; all features or only a few — interactive demos keep users engaged for just the right amount of time it takes them to perceive your product’s value
Leveraging the insights gained from user engagement patterns, you can optimize the demo and ensure users discover the product's value proposition as quickly as possible
Personalized demo journeys — at scale
As interactive demos are low-effort, low-friction, and low-commitment — they can help you get your foot in the door with potential customers. By making the first interaction as smooth and organic as possible, they can increase the likelihood of users progressing further down the sales funnel.
If you think that’s giving too much control to the user — and they might get lost — then you can set up branched narratives. Using a series of "if/then" pathways triggered by a user’s previous action, you can subtly guide them toward your value proposition while still offering a sense of personalization and context.
It's a win-win for both user engagement and conversion rates.
Fast tracks demo creation — without sacrificing quality
Demo automation software — with features like brand libraries, templates, reusable content blocks, and drag-and-drop editors — can help you create professional-looking and engaging interactive demos in a matter of hours. Even better, anyone on the sales or marketing team can own demo production start-to-finish — without having to depend on designers or video editors.
In contrast, designing an attractive slide deck typically takes several days, and producing a high-quality video can take several weeks. This also means you can update your demos just as new features are released, ensuring that they’re always relevant.
Reduces the time-to-value (TTV)
The north star metric in any product-led growth campaign is time-to-value (TTV) — which measures the time it takes for users to experience the core value of a product. It’s believed that a shorter TTV translates to faster user activation, higher customer satisfaction, and eventually, increased revenue.
Here’s how interactive demos help here:
By allowing users to set their own pace — fast or slow; all features or only a few — interactive demos keep users engaged for just the right amount of time it takes them to perceive your product’s value
Leveraging the insights gained from user engagement patterns, you can optimize the demo and ensure users discover the product's value proposition as quickly as possible
Shorter sales cycles
Sales-led growth strategies are founded on “friction” — the more hoops a would-be buyer jumps to complete a CTA, the more interested they are in the solution you’re selling. But what about the buyers who are short of time and don’t have the bandwidth to go through a lengthy, multi-step sales cycle?
Interactive demos can help you create a middle ground — giving users an idea of the value generated so they’re more accepting of a longer sales cycle and multiple meetings.
This is particularly great for complex platforms that come with a learning curve. While a free account might overwhelm users, a well-designed demo can give them a tiny peek into your product and nudge them toward booking a live demo.
For example, Anrok — a sales tax automation tool — gives you the option to either book a demo or explore the product via an interactive demo. However, at the end of the interactive demo, it once again displays a ‘Book a Demo’ form to nudge users towards its primary call to action (CTA) — scheduling a personalized demonstration with their sales team.
Gives you qualitative insights
Interactive demos are one of the only GTM strategies that can give you real, unbiased, qualitative intel. For instance, by tracking which features users explore most within the interactive demo, you can gain valuable insights into what functionalities resonate most with different customer segments (ICPs).
Suppose a particular ICP consistently focuses on features related to automation. In that case, it suggests that streamlining workflows is a major priority for them —so you can tailor your marketing and sales messaging to address those specific needs.
Similarly, if a large number of users get stuck at specific points in the demo or revisit certain sections frequently, it might indicate usability issues — either in the demo or the product itself.
Put simply, interactive demos go beyond simple data summaries. They show you how users think, navigate, and interact with your product, providing a more nuanced understanding of your target audience.
Seamless onboarding
Interactive demos are a powerful tool for bridging the gap between perceived value (what users think they'll get from a product) and experienced value (what they actually experience). Let’s unpack this —
During the user activation stage, interactive demos highlight the product's value proposition enabling users to get an idea of the value they can derive from the product. However, at this point, they haven’t actually used the platform.
By continuing to include interactive demos in your onboarding workflow, you can reinforce the value proposition and encourage them to take those first steps towards actually experiencing the product's benefits.
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Did you know — it’s five times more costly to acquire a new customer than to hold on to an existing one? At the same time, according to Intercom, 40% to 60% of users churn out within a month of using a product.
Why? Because they haven’t experienced the value of a product. A helpful onboarding program — with interactive demos — can help customers experience immediate value, and make them stay for a longer duration.
Builds trust
Overhyped marketing campaigns, pay-to-play award programs, and shallow reviews on tech directories are all contributing to the erosion of buyer trust in B2B marketing and content.
We already saw how 38% of the buyers surveyed in the G2 Buyer Behavior Report mentioned they don’t trust a vendor’s website. In TrustRadius’ 2023 Buying Disconnect Report, only 22% of buyers mentioned they considered analyst rankings when evaluating software, down from 35% in 2022.
The solution to regaining buyer trust — being honest about the value that users can get from your product. And there’s no easier way to do this than an interactive demo. Unlike marketing materials that may exaggerate claims, interactive demos provide an authentic and accurate representation of the product, building trust through transparency.
Helps with ongoing UX research
Interactive demos can be used to create a realistic simulation of your UX before the actual product is fully developed. This allows you to test core functionalities, identify potential usability issues, and address both before significant development resources are invested.
Interactive demos can also be a cost-effective way for UX teams to A/B test different design elements, layouts, or feature presentations. By observing user behavior within each iteration, you can gather valuable data on which approach leads to a more intuitive and user-friendly experience.
A step-by-step guide to designing interactive demos for maximum user impact
Interactive demos are powerful tools, but you can’t approach them the way you would a regular demo. Because, with interactive demos, you’re not in control of the narrative, your users are.
So, how can you create impactful interactive demos? By prioritizing value discovery over features, creating compelling narratives, and ensuring a seamless user experience.
Let’s look at how you can do this —
A step-by-step guide to designing interactive demos for maximum user impact
Interactive demos are powerful tools, but you can’t approach them the way you would a regular demo. Because, with interactive demos, you’re not in control of the narrative, your users are.
So, how can you create impactful interactive demos? By prioritizing value discovery over features, creating compelling narratives, and ensuring a seamless user experience.
Let’s look at how you can do this —
A step-by-step guide to designing interactive demos for maximum user impact
Interactive demos are powerful tools, but you can’t approach them the way you would a regular demo. Because, with interactive demos, you’re not in control of the narrative, your users are.
So, how can you create impactful interactive demos? By prioritizing value discovery over features, creating compelling narratives, and ensuring a seamless user experience.
Let’s look at how you can do this —
A step-by-step guide to designing interactive demos for maximum user impact
Interactive demos are powerful tools, but you can’t approach them the way you would a regular demo. Because, with interactive demos, you’re not in control of the narrative, your users are.
So, how can you create impactful interactive demos? By prioritizing value discovery over features, creating compelling narratives, and ensuring a seamless user experience.
Let’s look at how you can do this —
Planning your interactive demo
Before diving into demo creation, it's important to define your approach. This initial stage can be considered part strategy and part roadmap — where you define your target audience, goals, demo type, and creative process. Here’s a 3-step process to lay the groundwork for your demos:
Identify your target audience
To craft an impactful demo, you need to understand not just who your audience is or what their pain points are, but also which stage of the customer lifecycle journey they are. Start by asking yourself the question — who is this demo for?
Let’s look at this with an example, say Slack and it has two main Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) — SMBs and enterprises. Here’s how the demo would differ for each ICP in different stages of the customer journey.
Awareness stage
SMBs: How email threads can be replaced with a centralized communication hub
Enterprises: How cross-team channels can break departmental silos
Consideration stage
SMBs: How easy it is to set up an account and onboard their team
Enterprises: How integrations and automations can streamline their workflows
By tailoring demos to each target audience's specific pain points, you can create a relatable demo experience.
Define your objectives
Now that you know who you’re creating the interactive demo for, the next step is defining your why. And the question to ask yourself — what problem is the demo solving? Is it going to supplement a feature release campaign or support a new user during onboarding?
This is also the time to decide your next steps and success metrics. Do you want the user to sign up for a free account, book a live demo, or try out a feature? And how would you determine the success of the demo?
For example, a user-activation demo would focus on benefits, while an onboarding demo would focus on step-by-step instructions.
Choose your approach
Once you are clear about your demo goals, the next question to ask yourself is — what type of demo will you be creating? There are different approaches that you can take here — for example, will you go with a guided demo where you take the user through a series of steps or a non-guided demo where the user can explore any feature they want?Other questions to ask yourself at this point are:
Will you be creating a linear demo or a branched one?
Which features (or product workflows) will you be showcasing?
Are you going to include an AI voiceover?
Then, you can go about picking an interactive demo platform that can help you bring the demo to life.
Once you've locked down your demo format and software, you can work out your internal processes. This includes:
Defining who is responsible for each stage of the demo creation process (scriptwriting, design, development)
Establishing a realistic timeline for the demo launch, taking into account your team’s workload and priorities
Setting a clear process for reviewing, revising, and approving demo content
Planning your interactive demo
Before diving into demo creation, it's important to define your approach. This initial stage can be considered part strategy and part roadmap — where you define your target audience, goals, demo type, and creative process. Here’s a 3-step process to lay the groundwork for your demos:
Identify your target audience
To craft an impactful demo, you need to understand not just who your audience is or what their pain points are, but also which stage of the customer lifecycle journey they are. Start by asking yourself the question — who is this demo for?
Let’s look at this with an example, say Slack and it has two main Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) — SMBs and enterprises. Here’s how the demo would differ for each ICP in different stages of the customer journey.
Awareness stage
SMBs: How email threads can be replaced with a centralized communication hub
Enterprises: How cross-team channels can break departmental silos
Consideration stage
SMBs: How easy it is to set up an account and onboard their team
Enterprises: How integrations and automations can streamline their workflows
By tailoring demos to each target audience's specific pain points, you can create a relatable demo experience.
Define your objectives
Now that you know who you’re creating the interactive demo for, the next step is defining your why. And the question to ask yourself — what problem is the demo solving? Is it going to supplement a feature release campaign or support a new user during onboarding?
This is also the time to decide your next steps and success metrics. Do you want the user to sign up for a free account, book a live demo, or try out a feature? And how would you determine the success of the demo?
For example, a user-activation demo would focus on benefits, while an onboarding demo would focus on step-by-step instructions.
Choose your approach
Once you are clear about your demo goals, the next question to ask yourself is — what type of demo will you be creating? There are different approaches that you can take here — for example, will you go with a guided demo where you take the user through a series of steps or a non-guided demo where the user can explore any feature they want?Other questions to ask yourself at this point are:
Will you be creating a linear demo or a branched one?
Which features (or product workflows) will you be showcasing?
Are you going to include an AI voiceover?
Then, you can go about picking an interactive demo platform that can help you bring the demo to life.
Once you've locked down your demo format and software, you can work out your internal processes. This includes:
Defining who is responsible for each stage of the demo creation process (scriptwriting, design, development)
Establishing a realistic timeline for the demo launch, taking into account your team’s workload and priorities
Setting a clear process for reviewing, revising, and approving demo content
Planning your interactive demo
Before diving into demo creation, it's important to define your approach. This initial stage can be considered part strategy and part roadmap — where you define your target audience, goals, demo type, and creative process. Here’s a 3-step process to lay the groundwork for your demos:
Identify your target audience
To craft an impactful demo, you need to understand not just who your audience is or what their pain points are, but also which stage of the customer lifecycle journey they are. Start by asking yourself the question — who is this demo for?
Let’s look at this with an example, say Slack and it has two main Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) — SMBs and enterprises. Here’s how the demo would differ for each ICP in different stages of the customer journey.
Awareness stage
SMBs: How email threads can be replaced with a centralized communication hub
Enterprises: How cross-team channels can break departmental silos
Consideration stage
SMBs: How easy it is to set up an account and onboard their team
Enterprises: How integrations and automations can streamline their workflows
By tailoring demos to each target audience's specific pain points, you can create a relatable demo experience.
Define your objectives
Now that you know who you’re creating the interactive demo for, the next step is defining your why. And the question to ask yourself — what problem is the demo solving? Is it going to supplement a feature release campaign or support a new user during onboarding?
This is also the time to decide your next steps and success metrics. Do you want the user to sign up for a free account, book a live demo, or try out a feature? And how would you determine the success of the demo?
For example, a user-activation demo would focus on benefits, while an onboarding demo would focus on step-by-step instructions.
Choose your approach
Once you are clear about your demo goals, the next question to ask yourself is — what type of demo will you be creating? There are different approaches that you can take here — for example, will you go with a guided demo where you take the user through a series of steps or a non-guided demo where the user can explore any feature they want?Other questions to ask yourself at this point are:
Will you be creating a linear demo or a branched one?
Which features (or product workflows) will you be showcasing?
Are you going to include an AI voiceover?
Then, you can go about picking an interactive demo platform that can help you bring the demo to life.
Once you've locked down your demo format and software, you can work out your internal processes. This includes:
Defining who is responsible for each stage of the demo creation process (scriptwriting, design, development)
Establishing a realistic timeline for the demo launch, taking into account your team’s workload and priorities
Setting a clear process for reviewing, revising, and approving demo content
Planning your interactive demo
Before diving into demo creation, it's important to define your approach. This initial stage can be considered part strategy and part roadmap — where you define your target audience, goals, demo type, and creative process. Here’s a 3-step process to lay the groundwork for your demos:
Identify your target audience
To craft an impactful demo, you need to understand not just who your audience is or what their pain points are, but also which stage of the customer lifecycle journey they are. Start by asking yourself the question — who is this demo for?
Let’s look at this with an example, say Slack and it has two main Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) — SMBs and enterprises. Here’s how the demo would differ for each ICP in different stages of the customer journey.
Awareness stage
SMBs: How email threads can be replaced with a centralized communication hub
Enterprises: How cross-team channels can break departmental silos
Consideration stage
SMBs: How easy it is to set up an account and onboard their team
Enterprises: How integrations and automations can streamline their workflows
By tailoring demos to each target audience's specific pain points, you can create a relatable demo experience.
Define your objectives
Now that you know who you’re creating the interactive demo for, the next step is defining your why. And the question to ask yourself — what problem is the demo solving? Is it going to supplement a feature release campaign or support a new user during onboarding?
This is also the time to decide your next steps and success metrics. Do you want the user to sign up for a free account, book a live demo, or try out a feature? And how would you determine the success of the demo?
For example, a user-activation demo would focus on benefits, while an onboarding demo would focus on step-by-step instructions.
Choose your approach
Once you are clear about your demo goals, the next question to ask yourself is — what type of demo will you be creating? There are different approaches that you can take here — for example, will you go with a guided demo where you take the user through a series of steps or a non-guided demo where the user can explore any feature they want?Other questions to ask yourself at this point are:
Will you be creating a linear demo or a branched one?
Which features (or product workflows) will you be showcasing?
Are you going to include an AI voiceover?
Then, you can go about picking an interactive demo platform that can help you bring the demo to life.
Once you've locked down your demo format and software, you can work out your internal processes. This includes:
Defining who is responsible for each stage of the demo creation process (scriptwriting, design, development)
Establishing a realistic timeline for the demo launch, taking into account your team’s workload and priorities
Setting a clear process for reviewing, revising, and approving demo content
Create a Demo Development Process
project in your task management software.
Outline your objectives, target audience,
responsible team members (DRIs), workflow and schedule, necessary tools, dependencies, and key success metrics to ensure alignment across the team.
Create a Demo Development Process
project in your task management software.
Outline your objectives, target audience,
responsible team members (DRIs), workflow and schedule, necessary tools, dependencies, and key success metrics to ensure alignment across the team.
Create a Demo Development Process
project in your task management software.
Outline your objectives, target audience,
responsible team members (DRIs), workflow and schedule, necessary tools, dependencies, and key success metrics to ensure alignment across the team.
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Designing your interactive demo
Here's where you define the flow of your demo — creating a user-centric narrative that delivers a strong first impression and reinforces your brand identity. It's about going beyond product capabilities and creating an experience that showcases both product usability and brand personality.
Let’s see how you can go about this —
Map out your user journey:
Similar to how product managers and UX designers define the user experience during development, you'll craft a demo flow that replicates a user's natural journey with your product. This way, you can create a demo that mimics the actual product interaction, giving users an authentic experience.
Besides, by planning the journey, you can strategically position a powerful "AHA moment" — the point where users grasp the true potential of your product in a way that’s not forced or scripted.
Designing your interactive demo
Here's where you define the flow of your demo — creating a user-centric narrative that delivers a strong first impression and reinforces your brand identity. It's about going beyond product capabilities and creating an experience that showcases both product usability and brand personality.
Let’s see how you can go about this —
Map out your user journey:
Similar to how product managers and UX designers define the user experience during development, you'll craft a demo flow that replicates a user's natural journey with your product. This way, you can create a demo that mimics the actual product interaction, giving users an authentic experience.
Besides, by planning the journey, you can strategically position a powerful "AHA moment" — the point where users grasp the true potential of your product in a way that’s not forced or scripted.
Designing your interactive demo
Here's where you define the flow of your demo — creating a user-centric narrative that delivers a strong first impression and reinforces your brand identity. It's about going beyond product capabilities and creating an experience that showcases both product usability and brand personality.
Let’s see how you can go about this —
Map out your user journey:
Similar to how product managers and UX designers define the user experience during development, you'll craft a demo flow that replicates a user's natural journey with your product. This way, you can create a demo that mimics the actual product interaction, giving users an authentic experience.
Besides, by planning the journey, you can strategically position a powerful "AHA moment" — the point where users grasp the true potential of your product in a way that’s not forced or scripted.
Designing your interactive demo
Here's where you define the flow of your demo — creating a user-centric narrative that delivers a strong first impression and reinforces your brand identity. It's about going beyond product capabilities and creating an experience that showcases both product usability and brand personality.
Let’s see how you can go about this —
Map out your user journey:
Similar to how product managers and UX designers define the user experience during development, you'll craft a demo flow that replicates a user's natural journey with your product. This way, you can create a demo that mimics the actual product interaction, giving users an authentic experience.
Besides, by planning the journey, you can strategically position a powerful "AHA moment" — the point where users grasp the true potential of your product in a way that’s not forced or scripted.
Not all demos can have a big AHA moment. So what can you do instead? Create a series of micro-AHA moments. By showcasing how your features tackle everyday frustrations and solve those mini-roadblocks, you create a series of small AHA moments that build user understanding and excitement.
Not all demos can have a big AHA moment. So what can you do instead? Create a series of micro-AHA moments. By showcasing how your features tackle everyday frustrations and solve those mini-roadblocks, you create a series of small AHA moments that build user understanding and excitement.
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Not all demos can have a big AHA moment. So what can you do instead? Create a series of micro-AHA moments. By showcasing how your features tackle everyday frustrations and solve those mini-roadblocks, you create a series of small AHA moments that build user understanding and excitement.
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Prioritize usability and UX
Creating the ‘AHA moment’ is only one half of the battle. The other half is designing an intuitive product experience that ensures your users actually reach your big reveal — and realize the value it generates.
Here are some tips that can help —
Prioritize a clear interface with intuitive navigation to keep users engaged and avoid friction
Offer guided tours for first-time users to ensure a smooth experience
Use guided widgets (or explainer bubbles) to guide users and set the context
Integrate feedback loops—like one-click surveys—to gather user insights and optimize demos
Prioritize usability and UX
Creating the ‘AHA moment’ is only one half of the battle. The other half is designing an intuitive product experience that ensures your users actually reach your big reveal — and realize the value it generates.
Here are some tips that can help —
Prioritize a clear interface with intuitive navigation to keep users engaged and avoid friction
Offer guided tours for first-time users to ensure a smooth experience
Use guided widgets (or explainer bubbles) to guide users and set the context
Integrate feedback loops—like one-click surveys—to gather user insights and optimize demos
Prioritize usability and UX
Creating the ‘AHA moment’ is only one half of the battle. The other half is designing an intuitive product experience that ensures your users actually reach your big reveal — and realize the value it generates.
Here are some tips that can help —
Prioritize a clear interface with intuitive navigation to keep users engaged and avoid friction
Offer guided tours for first-time users to ensure a smooth experience
Use guided widgets (or explainer bubbles) to guide users and set the context
Integrate feedback loops—like one-click surveys—to gather user insights and optimize demos
Prioritize usability and UX
Creating the ‘AHA moment’ is only one half of the battle. The other half is designing an intuitive product experience that ensures your users actually reach your big reveal — and realize the value it generates.
Here are some tips that can help —
Prioritize a clear interface with intuitive navigation to keep users engaged and avoid friction
Offer guided tours for first-time users to ensure a smooth experience
Use guided widgets (or explainer bubbles) to guide users and set the context
Integrate feedback loops—like one-click surveys—to gather user insights and optimize demos
Tell your brand story — one demo at a time.
Identify your brand's core values — innovation, accessibility, or perhaps user privacy — and let these values shape the narrative of your demo. For example, if accessibility is your focus, showcase how your product caters to users with diverse needs through features like screen reader compatibility and intuitive design.
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Losing users before your "AHA moment"? Here’s how your product analytics tool can help:
– Identify areas with high demo exits and correlate them to user friction points within your product.
– Refine your demo with additional explanations for these areas or even better, address friction points within your product.
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Emphasize your brand’s identity
Interactive demos can also be great branding tools. Showcase your brand's personality through both visuals and tone of voice. For instance, a playful brand can leverage bright, engaging visuals and a humorous script within the demo. This aligns your demo with your broader marketing voice and tone — reinforcing your brand identity with users.
Many interactive demo platforms offer a built-in brand library which can be a hub for all your brand assets such as colors, fonts, logos, and even custom icons or illustrations — making it easy for you to maintain brand consistency at scale.
Tell your brand story — one demo at a time.
Identify your brand's core values — innovation, accessibility, or perhaps user privacy — and let these values shape the narrative of your demo. For example, if accessibility is your focus, showcase how your product caters to users with diverse needs through features like screen reader compatibility and intuitive design.
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Building your interactive demo
It’s finally time to assemble the pieces and create your demo. Depending on your interactive demo tool and demo type, here’s how the process might look like:
Drafting the script:
Ever started creating a demo script and suddenly it's overflowing with features? That's "scope creep" at work. It expands the project beyond its original goals, leading to a bloated demo and a confusing user experience.
A script — on the other hand — can help you create a boundary around your demo, ensuring you stick to the original plan. Here are some pointers to keep in mind when drafting your script:
Start with an outline (or a flowchart, if you’re a visual person) that explains each stage of the product journey in a line or two
Add use cases, humor, and contextual information that make the demo relatable
Include brief descriptions of the visuals users will see for each stage and what interactive elements you can add there.
Building your interactive demo
It’s finally time to assemble the pieces and create your demo. Depending on your interactive demo tool and demo type, here’s how the process might look like:
Drafting the script:
Ever started creating a demo script and suddenly it's overflowing with features? That's "scope creep" at work. It expands the project beyond its original goals, leading to a bloated demo and a confusing user experience.
A script — on the other hand — can help you create a boundary around your demo, ensuring you stick to the original plan. Here are some pointers to keep in mind when drafting your script:
Start with an outline (or a flowchart, if you’re a visual person) that explains each stage of the product journey in a line or two
Add use cases, humor, and contextual information that make the demo relatable
Include brief descriptions of the visuals users will see for each stage and what interactive elements you can add there.
Building your interactive demo
It’s finally time to assemble the pieces and create your demo. Depending on your interactive demo tool and demo type, here’s how the process might look like:
Drafting the script:
Ever started creating a demo script and suddenly it's overflowing with features? That's "scope creep" at work. It expands the project beyond its original goals, leading to a bloated demo and a confusing user experience.
A script — on the other hand — can help you create a boundary around your demo, ensuring you stick to the original plan. Here are some pointers to keep in mind when drafting your script:
Start with an outline (or a flowchart, if you’re a visual person) that explains each stage of the product journey in a line or two
Add use cases, humor, and contextual information that make the demo relatable
Include brief descriptions of the visuals users will see for each stage and what interactive elements you can add there.
Building your interactive demo
It’s finally time to assemble the pieces and create your demo. Depending on your interactive demo tool and demo type, here’s how the process might look like:
Drafting the script:
Ever started creating a demo script and suddenly it's overflowing with features? That's "scope creep" at work. It expands the project beyond its original goals, leading to a bloated demo and a confusing user experience.
A script — on the other hand — can help you create a boundary around your demo, ensuring you stick to the original plan. Here are some pointers to keep in mind when drafting your script:
Start with an outline (or a flowchart, if you’re a visual person) that explains each stage of the product journey in a line or two
Add use cases, humor, and contextual information that make the demo relatable
Include brief descriptions of the visuals users will see for each stage and what interactive elements you can add there.
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Complement your script with a storyboard that brings your visuals and content together — like a comic strip. This allows you to see the sequence of events unfold and identify any gaps or inconsistencies in your script.
Here’s how you can do this:
Complement your script with a storyboard that brings your visuals and content together — like a comic strip. This allows you to see the sequence of events unfold and identify any gaps or inconsistencies in your script.
Here’s how you can do this:
Complement your script with a storyboard that brings your visuals and content together — like a comic strip. This allows you to see the sequence of events unfold and identify any gaps or inconsistencies in your script.
Here’s how you can do this:
Plan visuals: For each storyboard frame — representing a user journey stage — include a screenshot of the product interface users will see at that point.
Mark interactions: Within each frame, mark where interactive elements will be placed. This could include clickable areas, information boxes that appear on hover, or branching narrative choices.
Align script and visuals: Add relevant script content to each frame to ensure your script aligns perfectly with the visuals and planned interactions.
Getting your visuals ready:
Now that you have the script ready, the next step is to create your visual elements. There are two main elements to consider:
Capturing your screens
Most interactive demo software offers browser extensions that can record your screen directly as you navigate the product. And as they don’t capture your cursor movements — only your clicks — you don’t have to be overly aware of how you move your cursor.
However, make sure to populate your UI with some sample data (so it’s relatable) and hide any sensitive details (to avoid being flagged for non-compliance).
Creating illustrations
While screen captures are the core of your demo, additional visual elements can step up the user experience. For example, transition screens can create a seamless flow between different parts of your demo. Overlays and illustrations, on the other hand, can help you focus your users’ attention on a particular element on the screen or explain complex features.
Getting your visuals ready:
Now that you have the script ready, the next step is to create your visual elements. There are two main elements to consider:
Capturing your screens
Most interactive demo software offers browser extensions that can record your screen directly as you navigate the product. And as they don’t capture your cursor movements — only your clicks — you don’t have to be overly aware of how you move your cursor.
However, make sure to populate your UI with some sample data (so it’s relatable) and hide any sensitive details (to avoid being flagged for non-compliance).
Creating illustrations
While screen captures are the core of your demo, additional visual elements can step up the user experience. For example, transition screens can create a seamless flow between different parts of your demo. Overlays and illustrations, on the other hand, can help you focus your users’ attention on a particular element on the screen or explain complex features.
Getting your visuals ready:
Now that you have the script ready, the next step is to create your visual elements. There are two main elements to consider:
Capturing your screens
Most interactive demo software offers browser extensions that can record your screen directly as you navigate the product. And as they don’t capture your cursor movements — only your clicks — you don’t have to be overly aware of how you move your cursor.
However, make sure to populate your UI with some sample data (so it’s relatable) and hide any sensitive details (to avoid being flagged for non-compliance).
Creating illustrations
While screen captures are the core of your demo, additional visual elements can step up the user experience. For example, transition screens can create a seamless flow between different parts of your demo. Overlays and illustrations, on the other hand, can help you focus your users’ attention on a particular element on the screen or explain complex features.
Getting your visuals ready:
Now that you have the script ready, the next step is to create your visual elements. There are two main elements to consider:
Capturing your screens
Most interactive demo software offers browser extensions that can record your screen directly as you navigate the product. And as they don’t capture your cursor movements — only your clicks — you don’t have to be overly aware of how you move your cursor.
However, make sure to populate your UI with some sample data (so it’s relatable) and hide any sensitive details (to avoid being flagged for non-compliance).
Creating illustrations
While screen captures are the core of your demo, additional visual elements can step up the user experience. For example, transition screens can create a seamless flow between different parts of your demo. Overlays and illustrations, on the other hand, can help you focus your users’ attention on a particular element on the screen or explain complex features.
Adding interactive elements:
This is where your demo truly transforms from a static presentation to an engaging experience. By incorporating elements like hotspots, tooltips, and prompts, you can highlight features and actively involve users in the demo.
Here are two interactive elements that can be especially useful for complex products:
AI Narrations
AI-powered voice-overs can be used to emphasize important features, give instructions regarding the next steps, or even weave your brand story into the demo experience.
Branched tours
These are an easy way to scale your demo personalization efforts. Instead of a generic demo, users are guided through a personalized journey that showcases features actually relevant to them — helping them reach their "Aha Moment" faster.
Adding interactive elements:
This is where your demo truly transforms from a static presentation to an engaging experience. By incorporating elements like hotspots, tooltips, and prompts, you can highlight features and actively involve users in the demo.
Here are two interactive elements that can be especially useful for complex products:
AI Narrations
AI-powered voice-overs can be used to emphasize important features, give instructions regarding the next steps, or even weave your brand story into the demo experience.
Branched tours
These are an easy way to scale your demo personalization efforts. Instead of a generic demo, users are guided through a personalized journey that showcases features actually relevant to them — helping them reach their "Aha Moment" faster.
Adding interactive elements:
This is where your demo truly transforms from a static presentation to an engaging experience. By incorporating elements like hotspots, tooltips, and prompts, you can highlight features and actively involve users in the demo.
Here are two interactive elements that can be especially useful for complex products:
AI Narrations
AI-powered voice-overs can be used to emphasize important features, give instructions regarding the next steps, or even weave your brand story into the demo experience.
Branched tours
These are an easy way to scale your demo personalization efforts. Instead of a generic demo, users are guided through a personalized journey that showcases features actually relevant to them — helping them reach their "Aha Moment" faster.
Adding interactive elements:
This is where your demo truly transforms from a static presentation to an engaging experience. By incorporating elements like hotspots, tooltips, and prompts, you can highlight features and actively involve users in the demo.
Here are two interactive elements that can be especially useful for complex products:
AI Narrations
AI-powered voice-overs can be used to emphasize important features, give instructions regarding the next steps, or even weave your brand story into the demo experience.
Branched tours
These are an easy way to scale your demo personalization efforts. Instead of a generic demo, users are guided through a personalized journey that showcases features actually relevant to them — helping them reach their "Aha Moment" faster.
Gamification
Gamification is another great way to boost user engagement rates in interactive demos. A simple way to do this is by adding a progress bar to the top of your demo to show users how far along they’ve come.
However, if you have the bandwidth, then you can gamify the experience even more with points or awards. These can then be exchanged for branded rewards like water bottles, stickers, or t-shirts), — this can be an extra incentive to complete the demo and maybe even help with brand recall.
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Gamification
Gamification is another great way to boost user engagement rates in interactive demos. A simple way to do this is by adding a progress bar to the top of your demo to show users how far along they’ve come.
However, if you have the bandwidth, then you can gamify the experience even more with points or awards. These can then be exchanged for branded rewards like water bottles, stickers, or t-shirts), — this can be an extra incentive to complete the demo and maybe even help with brand recall.
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Branding the demo:
This is where your demo becomes an extension of your brand. Integrate your branding elements — logos, colors, and fonts — throughout the demo to create a sense of familiarity and improve brand recall.
Another idea is to choose an AI voiceover style that reflects your brand’s personality. If your brand is playful (or you cater to a younger audience), you might choose a lighthearted AI voiceover. For an enterprise brand, an authoritative voice might be more appropriate.
Branding the demo:
This is where your demo becomes an extension of your brand. Integrate your branding elements — logos, colors, and fonts — throughout the demo to create a sense of familiarity and improve brand recall.
Another idea is to choose an AI voiceover style that reflects your brand’s personality. If your brand is playful (or you cater to a younger audience), you might choose a lighthearted AI voiceover. For an enterprise brand, an authoritative voice might be more appropriate.
Branding the demo:
This is where your demo becomes an extension of your brand. Integrate your branding elements — logos, colors, and fonts — throughout the demo to create a sense of familiarity and improve brand recall.
Another idea is to choose an AI voiceover style that reflects your brand’s personality. If your brand is playful (or you cater to a younger audience), you might choose a lighthearted AI voiceover. For an enterprise brand, an authoritative voice might be more appropriate.
Branding the demo:
This is where your demo becomes an extension of your brand. Integrate your branding elements — logos, colors, and fonts — throughout the demo to create a sense of familiarity and improve brand recall.
Another idea is to choose an AI voiceover style that reflects your brand’s personality. If your brand is playful (or you cater to a younger audience), you might choose a lighthearted AI voiceover. For an enterprise brand, an authoritative voice might be more appropriate.
Testing and refining the demo
With all the elements in place, it's time for one last step before sharing your demo with the world – testing! You can start by previewing the demo to identify any technical glitches, unclear explanations, or confusing navigation.
Once you’re happy, you can bring in a couple of your teammates for an additional review round. Make it easy for them by providing them with a list of specific areas to focus on — such as usability issues, typos, or overall flow.
Once everyone is satisfied, you can create a shareable link or generate the IFRAME code to distribute the demo.
Don't forget to refresh your demos every few months to ensure they match your product's UI, especially if they are part of your onboarding workflow or knowledge base. An outdated demo can confuse users and create friction, potentially causing them to abandon the product.
One tip is to create a "changelog or tracker" for your demo that aligns with your feature launches. This can help you keep track of changes, establish a review schedule, and update your demos whenever there’s a significant change in the product’s UI or a feature’s workflow.
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Don't forget to refresh your demos every few months to ensure they match your product's UI, especially if they are part of your onboarding workflow or knowledge base. An outdated demo can confuse users and create friction, potentially causing them to abandon the product.
One tip is to create a "changelog or tracker" for your demo that aligns with your feature launches. This can help you keep track of changes, establish a review schedule, and update your demos whenever there’s a significant change in the product’s UI or a feature’s workflow.
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Next steps: What to do after your demo is ready
With your interactive demo complete, here are two key things you need to do to make sure it gives you a good ROI — distributing it to your target audience and measuring its performance. Let’s look at these in detail:
Distributing your interactive demo
The best way to distribute your interactive demo depends on who you're trying to reach. Here are three ways to approach distribution:
1. Add the demo to your website
Embed your demo directly onto relevant pages of your website, such as product pages or landing pages. This high-visibility placement encourages users to explore your product in more detail and complete your primary call to action (CTA) — signing up for an account, starting a free trial, or booking a personalized demo.
2. Include the demo in email outreaches
Attach your demo to outbound emails sent to prospects. This provides a low-commitment way for them to explore your product's capabilities without needing a sales call — a great way to nurture leads that might be in the early stages of their buying journey.
3. Integrate the demo into your product UI
For existing users, consider embedding your demo directly within your product's UI. This serves as a valuable self-serve resource — helping users navigate complex workflows or explore feature releases at their own pace. Not only does this reduce friction for your users, but it can also save your CX team’s bandwidth.
Tracking your interactive demo’s performance
Distributing your demo is the first step. The second is figuring out how your users are responding to it. Some questions to ask yourself are:
Are they reaching the AHA moment or dropping off midway through the demo?
Are they answering your CTA after completing the demo?
Which points of your demo are seeing the most action or friction?
To start with, you can leverage the built-in analytics dashboard in your interactive demo software. It can give you details like —
Completion rates: What percentage of users are completing your entire demo? Low completion rates might indicate sections that need improvement or a confusing user flow.
Engagement time: How long are users spending on specific features? High engagement times indicate valuable content, while low numbers might suggest areas needing more explanation.
Click-through rates (CTRs): Are users clicking on your CTAs at the end of the demo? Low CTRs could mean your CTAs are unclear or not aligned with user needs.
You can also add one-click surveys at key points in the demo or a feedback form with an open-ended question at the end of it to get more qualitative insights.
Next steps: What to do after your demo is ready
With your interactive demo complete, here are two key things you need to do to make sure it gives you a good ROI — distributing it to your target audience and measuring its performance. Let’s look at these in detail:
Distributing your interactive demo
The best way to distribute your interactive demo depends on who you're trying to reach. Here are three ways to approach distribution:
1. Add the demo to your website
Embed your demo directly onto relevant pages of your website, such as product pages or landing pages. This high-visibility placement encourages users to explore your product in more detail and complete your primary call to action (CTA) — signing up for an account, starting a free trial, or booking a personalized demo.
2. Include the demo in email outreaches
Attach your demo to outbound emails sent to prospects. This provides a low-commitment way for them to explore your product's capabilities without needing a sales call — a great way to nurture leads that might be in the early stages of their buying journey.
3. Integrate the demo into your product UI
For existing users, consider embedding your demo directly within your product's UI. This serves as a valuable self-serve resource — helping users navigate complex workflows or explore feature releases at their own pace. Not only does this reduce friction for your users, but it can also save your CX team’s bandwidth.
Tracking your interactive demo’s performance
Distributing your demo is the first step. The second is figuring out how your users are responding to it. Some questions to ask yourself are:
Are they reaching the AHA moment or dropping off midway through the demo?
Are they answering your CTA after completing the demo?
Which points of your demo are seeing the most action or friction?
To start with, you can leverage the built-in analytics dashboard in your interactive demo software. It can give you details like —
Completion rates: What percentage of users are completing your entire demo? Low completion rates might indicate sections that need improvement or a confusing user flow.
Engagement time: How long are users spending on specific features? High engagement times indicate valuable content, while low numbers might suggest areas needing more explanation.
Click-through rates (CTRs): Are users clicking on your CTAs at the end of the demo? Low CTRs could mean your CTAs are unclear or not aligned with user needs.
You can also add one-click surveys at key points in the demo or a feedback form with an open-ended question at the end of it to get more qualitative insights.
Next steps: What to do after your demo is ready
With your interactive demo complete, here are two key things you need to do to make sure it gives you a good ROI — distributing it to your target audience and measuring its performance. Let’s look at these in detail:
Distributing your interactive demo
The best way to distribute your interactive demo depends on who you're trying to reach. Here are three ways to approach distribution:
1. Add the demo to your website
Embed your demo directly onto relevant pages of your website, such as product pages or landing pages. This high-visibility placement encourages users to explore your product in more detail and complete your primary call to action (CTA) — signing up for an account, starting a free trial, or booking a personalized demo.
2. Include the demo in email outreaches
Attach your demo to outbound emails sent to prospects. This provides a low-commitment way for them to explore your product's capabilities without needing a sales call — a great way to nurture leads that might be in the early stages of their buying journey.
3. Integrate the demo into your product UI
For existing users, consider embedding your demo directly within your product's UI. This serves as a valuable self-serve resource — helping users navigate complex workflows or explore feature releases at their own pace. Not only does this reduce friction for your users, but it can also save your CX team’s bandwidth.
Tracking your interactive demo’s performance
Distributing your demo is the first step. The second is figuring out how your users are responding to it. Some questions to ask yourself are:
Are they reaching the AHA moment or dropping off midway through the demo?
Are they answering your CTA after completing the demo?
Which points of your demo are seeing the most action or friction?
To start with, you can leverage the built-in analytics dashboard in your interactive demo software. It can give you details like —
Completion rates: What percentage of users are completing your entire demo? Low completion rates might indicate sections that need improvement or a confusing user flow.
Engagement time: How long are users spending on specific features? High engagement times indicate valuable content, while low numbers might suggest areas needing more explanation.
Click-through rates (CTRs): Are users clicking on your CTAs at the end of the demo? Low CTRs could mean your CTAs are unclear or not aligned with user needs.
You can also add one-click surveys at key points in the demo or a feedback form with an open-ended question at the end of it to get more qualitative insights.
Next steps: What to do after your demo is ready
With your interactive demo complete, here are two key things you need to do to make sure it gives you a good ROI — distributing it to your target audience and measuring its performance. Let’s look at these in detail:
Distributing your interactive demo
The best way to distribute your interactive demo depends on who you're trying to reach. Here are three ways to approach distribution:
1. Add the demo to your website
Embed your demo directly onto relevant pages of your website, such as product pages or landing pages. This high-visibility placement encourages users to explore your product in more detail and complete your primary call to action (CTA) — signing up for an account, starting a free trial, or booking a personalized demo.
2. Include the demo in email outreaches
Attach your demo to outbound emails sent to prospects. This provides a low-commitment way for them to explore your product's capabilities without needing a sales call — a great way to nurture leads that might be in the early stages of their buying journey.
3. Integrate the demo into your product UI
For existing users, consider embedding your demo directly within your product's UI. This serves as a valuable self-serve resource — helping users navigate complex workflows or explore feature releases at their own pace. Not only does this reduce friction for your users, but it can also save your CX team’s bandwidth.
Tracking your interactive demo’s performance
Distributing your demo is the first step. The second is figuring out how your users are responding to it. Some questions to ask yourself are:
Are they reaching the AHA moment or dropping off midway through the demo?
Are they answering your CTA after completing the demo?
Which points of your demo are seeing the most action or friction?
To start with, you can leverage the built-in analytics dashboard in your interactive demo software. It can give you details like —
Completion rates: What percentage of users are completing your entire demo? Low completion rates might indicate sections that need improvement or a confusing user flow.
Engagement time: How long are users spending on specific features? High engagement times indicate valuable content, while low numbers might suggest areas needing more explanation.
Click-through rates (CTRs): Are users clicking on your CTAs at the end of the demo? Low CTRs could mean your CTAs are unclear or not aligned with user needs.
You can also add one-click surveys at key points in the demo or a feedback form with an open-ended question at the end of it to get more qualitative insights.
Leverage A/B testing to compare different versions of your demo (or CTAs) and see which version resonates best with your audience. For example, you can test two different CTAs — ‘create an account’ and ‘book a demo’ — to see which action your audience prefers.
Another idea is to create two different demo flows for an ICP and monitor the engagement rate to find out which one resonates with them.
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Leverage A/B testing to compare different versions of your demo (or CTAs) and see which version resonates best with your audience. For example, you can test two different CTAs — ‘create an account’ and ‘book a demo’ — to see which action your audience prefers.
Another idea is to create two different demo flows for an ICP and monitor the engagement rate to find out which one resonates with them.
💡
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is an interactive demo?
An interactive demo is a self-guided walkthrough that allows you to try out a software platform’s features via a simulated interface that mimics the real product experience. This makes it easy for you to get a hands-on feel of the platform’s capabilities — without actually signing up for an account or requesting a meeting with your team.
What are the benefits of an interactive demo?
Interactive demos offer a variety of benefits for both customers and companies. Here's a breakdown of the key advantages —
Customers can explore a platform’s capabilities in action, and at their own pace, without having to create an account or commit to a sales call
Companies, on the other hand, can reduce friction by giving potential customers a sneak peek into the value they’d gain from a platform — and nudge them to actually sign up for an account
What are the different types of interactive demos?
Broadly speaking, SaaS companies can set up interactive demo experiences — depending on the complexity of the product.Clickable demos: This is a series of UI screenshots linked at certain hotspots to create a click-through prototype. Users can click buttons, navigate menus, and see how different elements work together.
Sandbox environments: Perfect for complex or technical products — here you give users access to a pared-down version of your product along with sample data so they can test the product in a safe environment.
Custom demo accounts: This is when you set up a free demo account with pre-filled data sets — allowing users to interact with your actual product.
What is the goal of an interactive demo?
Here are some common reasons why SaaS companies use interactive demosSales: Engage leads during follow-up conversations, showcasing features in a dynamic way
Marketing: Highlight key features within the GTM strategy, attracting potential customers.
Onboarding: Streamline customer setup by providing interactive walkthroughs, guiding them through the essential functionalities
Support: Resolve customer questions quickly by giving them an interactive reference point for complex workflows (and workarounds)
UX: By analyzing user interactions within the demo, UX teams can identify potential usability issues and optimize the user experience
How to build an interactive demo?
An easy way to set up (and scale) your interactive demos is by using interactive demo software. These solutions can help you automate a large part of your demo creation process — with features to capture your screen, create storyboards, set up hotspots, and even add AI narrations.
How long does it take to create an interactive demo?
The time to build an interactive demo depends on two main factors:
Your product’s complexity
Demo approach (clickable, sandbox, guided)
If you’re using interactive demo software, then you can create a simple multi-click demo in under an hour.
How to make interactive demos fun?
Here are three ways that you can make your interactive demos fun:
Gamification: Use points, badges, and leaderboards to encourage users to explore different features and complete tasks within the demo
Narration: Add real use cases in your script — and maybe a touch of humor — to keep users engaged
Easter eggs: Add surprise elements like a pop-up box or trivia when a user clicks a particular button
As interactive demos can very easily become one-sided tutorials, you can use these tips to make them more engaging and less boring.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is an interactive demo?
An interactive demo is a self-guided walkthrough that allows you to try out a software platform’s features via a simulated interface that mimics the real product experience. This makes it easy for you to get a hands-on feel of the platform’s capabilities — without actually signing up for an account or requesting a meeting with your team.
How to make interactive demos fun?
Here are three ways that you can make your interactive demos fun:
Gamification: Use points, badges, and leaderboards to encourage users to explore different features and complete tasks within the demo
Narration: Add real use cases in your script — and maybe a touch of humor — to keep users engaged
Easter eggs: Add surprise elements like a pop-up box or trivia when a user clicks a particular button
As interactive demos can very easily become one-sided tutorials, you can use these tips to make them more engaging and less boring.
How long does it take to create an interactive demo?
The time to build an interactive demo depends on two main factors:
Your product’s complexity
Demo approach (clickable, sandbox, guided)
If you’re using interactive demo software, then you can create a simple multi-click demo in under an hour.
How to build an interactive demo?
An easy way to set up (and scale) your interactive demos is by using interactive demo software. These solutions can help you automate a large part of your demo creation process — with features to capture your screen, create storyboards, set up hotspots, and even add AI narrations.
What is the goal of an interactive demo?
Here are some common reasons why SaaS companies use interactive demosSales: Engage leads during follow-up conversations, showcasing features in a dynamic way
Marketing: Highlight key features within the GTM strategy, attracting potential customers.
Onboarding: Streamline customer setup by providing interactive walkthroughs, guiding them through the essential functionalities
Support: Resolve customer questions quickly by giving them an interactive reference point for complex workflows (and workarounds)
UX: By analyzing user interactions within the demo, UX teams can identify potential usability issues and optimize the user experience
What are the different types of interactive demos?
Broadly speaking, SaaS companies can set up interactive demo experiences — depending on the complexity of the product.Clickable demos: This is a series of UI screenshots linked at certain hotspots to create a click-through prototype. Users can click buttons, navigate menus, and see how different elements work together.
Sandbox environments: Perfect for complex or technical products — here you give users access to a pared-down version of your product along with sample data so they can test the product in a safe environment.
Custom demo accounts: This is when you set up a free demo account with pre-filled data sets — allowing users to interact with your actual product.
What are the benefits of an interactive demo?
Interactive demos offer a variety of benefits for both customers and companies. Here's a breakdown of the key advantages —
Customers can explore a platform’s capabilities in action, and at their own pace, without having to create an account or commit to a sales call
Companies, on the other hand, can reduce friction by giving potential customers a sneak peek into the value they’d gain from a platform — and nudge them to actually sign up for an account
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is an interactive demo?
An interactive demo is a self-guided walkthrough that allows you to try out a software platform’s features via a simulated interface that mimics the real product experience. This makes it easy for you to get a hands-on feel of the platform’s capabilities — without actually signing up for an account or requesting a meeting with your team.
What are the benefits of an interactive demo?
Interactive demos offer a variety of benefits for both customers and companies. Here's a breakdown of the key advantages —
Customers can explore a platform’s capabilities in action, and at their own pace, without having to create an account or commit to a sales call
Companies, on the other hand, can reduce friction by giving potential customers a sneak peek into the value they’d gain from a platform — and nudge them to actually sign up for an account
What are the different types of interactive demos?
Broadly speaking, SaaS companies can set up interactive demo experiences — depending on the complexity of the product.Clickable demos: This is a series of UI screenshots linked at certain hotspots to create a click-through prototype. Users can click buttons, navigate menus, and see how different elements work together.
Sandbox environments: Perfect for complex or technical products — here you give users access to a pared-down version of your product along with sample data so they can test the product in a safe environment.
Custom demo accounts: This is when you set up a free demo account with pre-filled data sets — allowing users to interact with your actual product.
What is the goal of an interactive demo?
Here are some common reasons why SaaS companies use interactive demosSales: Engage leads during follow-up conversations, showcasing features in a dynamic way
Marketing: Highlight key features within the GTM strategy, attracting potential customers.
Onboarding: Streamline customer setup by providing interactive walkthroughs, guiding them through the essential functionalities
Support: Resolve customer questions quickly by giving them an interactive reference point for complex workflows (and workarounds)
UX: By analyzing user interactions within the demo, UX teams can identify potential usability issues and optimize the user experience
How to build an interactive demo?
An easy way to set up (and scale) your interactive demos is by using interactive demo software. These solutions can help you automate a large part of your demo creation process — with features to capture your screen, create storyboards, set up hotspots, and even add AI narrations.
How long does it take to create an interactive demo?
The time to build an interactive demo depends on two main factors:
Your product’s complexity
Demo approach (clickable, sandbox, guided)
If you’re using interactive demo software, then you can create a simple multi-click demo in under an hour.
How to make interactive demos fun?
Here are three ways that you can make your interactive demos fun:
Gamification: Use points, badges, and leaderboards to encourage users to explore different features and complete tasks within the demo
Narration: Add real use cases in your script — and maybe a touch of humor — to keep users engaged
Easter eggs: Add surprise elements like a pop-up box or trivia when a user clicks a particular button
As interactive demos can very easily become one-sided tutorials, you can use these tips to make them more engaging and less boring.