360-Degree Videos – the Future of Video Content?

It was a little less than a year ago that 360-degree videos started to become more ubiquitous with everyday life. Now that it’s quickly being adopted by everyone from news outlets to household brands, the industry is starting to see a significant transformation.One of the first 360-degree videos to take Facebook by storm was a promotional piece for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and it’s just as amazing as you’d expect! Meanwhile, Saturday Night Live allowed viewers to become part of the audiencefor its 40th anniversary, and GoPro took viewers take a dirt bike joy ride through the Idaho desert.More adoption, more competitionFacebook and YouTube are currently two of the largest supporters of 360-degree videos, but there are many small firms making an impact on the sector. One such company is the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Wistia, and the company is letting its clients dig deep into 360 video analytics.One of Wistia’s coolest analytics tools is a 360-degree heatmap visualizer that helps marketers understand how viewers interact with videos. Warmer areas show where viewers spend the most time while cooler colors indicate less interaction.What else makes Wistia different?Wistia clients have an added level of control unavailable on Facebook and YouTube. Videos can include calls-to-action; while Wistia’s player gets issued as “white-label” so companies can brand it with their colors, fonts, and logos.