Snapchat continues to enrich its video content offerings, this time with a new feature that allows viewers to get different perspectives on the same scene. Story Explorer takes Snapchat’s wealth of user-generated video content and stitches it together in easily navigable, story-sized chunks. Users swipe up on a particular Snap to see more video perspectives from the same moment, allowing them to dive into a single scene.

While the feature isn’t yet available in Snapchat marketing, it nonetheless should pique marketers’ attention. Snapchat and other social media networks are embracing more interactive, immersive video experiences optimized for mobile.

It’s easy to see why Story Explorer could quickly change the way users absorb video content. Imagine being able to watch a game-winning touchdown pass from multiple angles, generated by hundreds of fans in the stadium. Or, check out celebrity fashion from the Red Carpet from a variety of perspectives. During a big news event, Story Explorer could stitch together hundreds of on-the-ground perspectives, allowing users to see and hear the news in an immersive way.

The Allure of Immersive Video

Video views are booming, thanks in no small part to the rise of mobile, and brands have taken note. Two-thirds of marketers are planning to increase their digital video budgets, according to a study from the Interactive Advertising Bureau covered by the Content Standard.

Gone are the days when brands could create a 30-second commercial and call it a day. These days, brands are challenged to create units of video in diverse and, increasingly, interactive formats. Video content may need to be vertical or horizontal, depending on the platform, short-form or long-form, depending on the audience. As technology starts to enable more 360-degree and virtual reality-enabled video, expect more brands to invest in richer, more immersive, and more interactive content. And that’s not even getting into video with haptic technology or facial recognition—other technology tricks aimed to help video stand out in the crowd.

Snapchat’s Story Explorer follows the trend toward more immersive video experiences. The ephemeral social media service recently created animated video selfies to transform users’ pictures, and its Discover brand channels allow publishers to bring their own video experiments to the fore. Like replay during a sports event, the Story Explorer feature satisfies our desire to dive deep into a moment, examine it from a variety of viewpoints, and take away our own conclusions. It’s a clever and obvious way to get people to spend more time watching video within the app (and, from Snapchat’s perspective, make ads between videos more lucrative).

Immersive formats may also influence consumer behavior more effectively than traditional video. Unlike traditional video forms, immersive formats depend on user interaction to cue deeper exploration of the content. Take the 360-degree video Star Wars teaser; users have to pan their mouse or move their mobile device to truly explore the scene around them. On Snapchat, users have to proactively swipe to dive deeper into a particular moment. That proactive interaction signals that the user is more intensely engaged in the video, more apt to watch it longer, and creating a deeper relationship with the brand.

The Future for Brands

Although Snapchat Explorer hasn’t hit the Snapchat marketing toolbox, it’s a sign that brands need to think about the coming wave of interactive video formats. As video content grows, it seems likely that these richer, more immersive video formats will become another avenue for brands to tell their stories. Early adopters will have the advantage, making it more important than ever for brands to take a serious look at their video content strategy.

To learn how to create the best video content possible for your brand, check out Skyword’s three-part series on video content creation.