Article by Claire McHugh of Axonista. Check out Ediflo.tv for more

As a TV network, even if the majority of your eggs are in the linear TV basket today, it’s important to remember that eventually even the living room TV will catch up and become an interactive device.As a brand joining the OTT fray, it's important to realize that, while it's easy to get your video content into an app, nailing an experience that's actually worth coming back to is very hard.Putting in the effort to design and build a fully thought-through interactive OTT offering that takes user experience to the next level will pay dividends as the tide turns and all video consumption — including on the venerable living room TV — becomes interactive.  Just a few years from now, we’ll look back on TV with non-touchable baked-in graphics with a wry smile and wonder how we lived with such a broken experience for so long. Just as we did with the arrival of sound and color, we will hold on to the craft of the old while embracing the capabilities of the new to deliver better-than-ever storytelling to audiences – more immersive, more engaging, more personal, more social, more connected.Interactive video platforms take advantage of internet connectivity and touch screens to deliver a whole new level of engagement to in-app video.  On-screen tweets can be favorited and retweeted right from inside the video, news tickers can be swiped backwards, products can be purchased – the list is only limited by imagination.So, whether you're a Netflix-killer or a new brand with global ambitions, here are 4 top tips to keep in mind while developing an interactive video experience. 

1. Leverage The Power Of Interactivity, But Keep It Subtle

Interactive OTT opens up opportunities to go direct-to-consumer with everything from general entertainment to super-niche special interest offerings. It enables new revenue streams, such as shoppable video, individually targeted advertising, and clever non-intrusive sponsorships.There is no better time to activate a viewer than when they are in the moment, enjoying well-crafted storytelling.  Whether it’s the ability to shop while watching a show, donate to an indie filmmaker, or purchase merchandise from a favourite artist, any video commerce functionality should be frictionless, subtle and easy to use. Most importantly, it should never get in the way of the content, but enhance it. 

2. Create A Community

Make your offering  feel like a destination where each user feels an ownership of the experience and a sense of pride in belonging. Allow users to set up customized profiles and to share their favorite content recommendations. Teasers and trailers come in handy for powering social posts of gated content.By encouraging power users to emerge and perhaps occasionally allowing them an opportunity to drive the agenda, you create incentives for participation that bring value to the whole community. 

3. Embrace Live

Even pure-play on-demand services can embrace the live streaming phenomenon. Having a face — either homegrown talent or an Internet influencer — reinforces the human nature of the brand and creates a reason to keep users coming back.For example, a weekly live show to announce new content being added to the catalog creates an opportunity to take feedback from users and let them influence programming decisions. A scheduled weekly co-viewing of a select VOD asset at a regular time, such as a movie of the week, could create opportunities for users to connect by watching together. 

4. TV Apps Should Still Feel Like TV

Part of the enduring appeal of TV is that it's incredibly simple to use. Just because digital products can do pretty much anything, doesn't mean they should.Clever technology and beautiful design may earn you some installs as users check out your shiny new app, but what makes them return is the content. Make sure it’s front and center — the star of the show.The future being heralded by OTT is bright, but it's also democratized and open to all, so the winners will need to deliver exceptional user experiences that not only deliver the right content at the right time, but also present it in the most engaging and optimal way for the screen being viewed.The possibilities for interactive storytelling experiences are endless. Let’s set the bar high! 

TV[R]EV is written, curated and incubated by the BRaVe Ventures team. Find TV[R]EV on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter to stay up to date on the TV[R]EVOLUTION