Source: https://mindstamp.com/help/getting-started-using-interactive-video
Generated from the Help Center records: 2026-10-05

# How do I get started with interactive video?

Topic: [Getting started and account](https://mindstamp.com/help/getting-started) · Updated: 2026-09-25

## Short answer

Start with one existing video and one action you want the viewer to take. In Mindstamp, create a video, add only the interactions that lead to that action, preview every path, publish, and then use the reporting to decide what to improve.

## Steps

1. Choose one outcome: an answer, a choice, a lead, a booking, a purchase, or a completed training.
2. Select **New video** in the side menu, then upload a file or connect a supported host.
3. In the editor, pause at the moment a viewer has enough context and add a Button, Hotspot, Question, Text, or Image.
4. Set what each interaction does when clicked, for example open a link, jump to a time, or switch to another video.
5. Open **Design** for the player look and brand colors, and **Lead capture** if you need to know who is watching.
6. Select **Preview** and test every path on a desktop and on a phone.
7. Publish the video, then copy the share link or the embed code from **Share**.
8. After the first views, open **Reporting** and check completion, answers, clicks, and where viewers stop watching.

![New video page in Mindstamp with Upload and the video platform sources Link, YouTube, Vimeo, Wistia, JWPlayer and Kaltura highlighted](https://cdn.mindstamp.com/website2026/help/getting-started-new-video-sources.webp)

_Start a video from a file upload or from a video you already host._

![Mindstamp video editor with the editor menu, the add-interaction bar (Button, Hotspot, Question, Text, Image, More) and the timeline highlighted](https://cdn.mindstamp.com/website2026/help/editor-overview.webp)

_The editor: the menu on the left, the interaction bar under the player, and the timeline below it._

## Begin with the smallest useful experience

A useful first build can ask one question and end with one call to action. Add branching, personalization, conditional logic, and integrations after the main path works and you have real viewer data.

When your trial starts, Mindstamp asks what result you want and can apply your logo and color. You can also start from a sample video to learn the editor before you use your own footage.

## Preview does not count as a view

Your own previews do not create normal viewer records. To check that reporting works, open the published share link in a private browser window, answer a question, and then look for that view under **Reporting**.

## A first-video checklist

- The video plays on a phone and on a desktop.
- Every button and hotspot has a label that says what happens next.
- Each click action goes to the correct place.
- The end screen tells the viewer what to do next.
- A test view appears in reporting with the answers you gave.

## Go further

- [Full product overview](https://mindstamp.com/tutorials/full-overview)
- [Create a new video](https://mindstamp.com/tutorials/new-video)
- [Add interactions](https://mindstamp.com/tutorials/interactions)

## Related answers

- [How do I edit a video to make it interactive?](https://mindstamp.com/help/how-can-i-edit-a-video-to-make-it-interactive)
- [What kinds of video can I use in Mindstamp?](https://mindstamp.com/help/what-kind-of-videos-can-i-use-in-mindstamp)
- [How can I share my interactive video?](https://mindstamp.com/help/how-can-i-share-my-interactive-videos)
- [How do I view interactive video analytics and reports?](https://mindstamp.com/help/how-to-view-interactive-video-data-analytics-and-reports)

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