Product updates
Mindstamp Product Update: Cards, Hotspot Effects, and Faster Editing
Build clearer interactive videos with new Cards, six animated hotspot effects, Smart Grid alignment, and drag-and-drop interaction timing.
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Mindstamp has three new tools for interactive video creators: animated hotspot effects, Cards, and faster interaction placement controls. Together, they make interactions easier to notice, easier to explore, and faster to place at the correct time.
The update is available now. You can add movement to a hotspot, open a detailed Card from a button or another interaction, use Smart Grid to align elements, and drag an interaction's start and end points directly on the timeline.
Quick answer: what is new in Mindstamp?
This product update adds six animated effects for interactive video hotspots, a new Card interaction for extra information and actions, and two editor improvements. Smart Grid helps align interactions as you move them. The timeline editor lets you drag an interaction's start and end points to control when it appears and disappears.
These changes do not alter your source video. They improve the interactive layer that you add in Mindstamp.
Make interactive video hotspots easier to notice
An interactive video hotspot is a clickable area that you place over part of a video. It can sit over a product, a person, a menu item, or another detail in the frame. When the viewer selects it, the hotspot can open information or start an action.
A hotspot does not need to look like a standard button. This gives you more design control, but it creates a practical problem: viewers must know that the area is interactive. The new effects give the hotspot a clear visual signal at the time that it matters.
Six effects for different levels of emphasis
You can choose from six effects under Styling when you edit a hotspot:
- Glow adds a soft highlight around the hotspot.
- Beam sends a clear sweep across the active area.
- Pulse uses steady movement to draw attention.
- Sparkle adds a more expressive visual cue.
- Focus directs attention to the hotspot area.
- Shimmer adds a light moving highlight.
Each effect uses the hotspot's accent color. You can match the effect to your brand without setting up a second color.
When to use a hotspot effect
Use an effect when the clickable area may not be obvious on its own. For example, you can highlight a product in a demonstration, a control in a software tour, a part in a training procedure, or a point of interest in an educational video.
Use one clear effect at the important moment. Too much motion can compete with the video, so the goal is to guide attention, not to decorate every object.
Show more information with Cards
A Card is a responsive panel that opens when a viewer selects an interaction. It gives the viewer more detail without forcing you to place a large block of text over the video.
A Card can include text, an image, and up to two actions. You can use it for information, media, or product content. The layout adapts to desktop and mobile screens.
What can you put in a Card?
Cards work well when a viewer needs context before taking the next step. Common uses include:
- product details and purchase options
- speaker or employee profiles
- definitions and supporting explanations
- links to a resource, demo, or booking page
- additional media related to the current scene
To use one, create the Card and then select Show Card as the click action for a button, hotspot, or another interaction. This separates the visual trigger from the content panel. You can keep the interaction simple while the Card holds the detail.
Place interactions faster with Smart Grid and timeline editing
The editor update improves two parts of interaction placement: where an interaction sits in the frame and when it appears in the video.
Align elements with Smart Grid
Smart Grid helps you align interactions while you drag them. It gives you a faster way to line up buttons, hotspots, and other elements without adjusting each position by eye.
This is useful when a video contains a group of related actions, such as a menu, a set of product choices, or a row of chapter buttons. The spacing stays controlled, and the viewer gets a cleaner layout.
Drag the start and end points on the timeline
When you edit an interaction, a timeline strip now appears below the video. The strip shows the period when the interaction is visible. Drag the start point to set the show time. Drag the end point to set the hide time.
This makes timing a direct visual task. You can place an interaction around the exact scene it supports, then preview the result without moving between separate time fields.
Which new feature should you use?
| Feature | What it solves | Good use |
|---|---|---|
| Hotspot effects | Helps viewers find a clickable area | Products, diagrams, software controls, and training details |
| Cards | Shows more detail without crowding the video | Product information, resources, profiles, and next actions |
| Smart Grid | Aligns interactions while you move them | Menus, button groups, and repeated layouts |
| Timeline editing | Makes show and hide timing easier to set | Any interaction tied to a specific scene or moment |
A simple workflow for your next interactive video
- Open a video and identify the moments where a viewer may need more detail or a clear next step.
- Add a hotspot or button at one of those moments.
- Connect a Card if the viewer needs information before taking action.
- Add a hotspot effect only when the clickable area needs a stronger cue.
- Use Smart Grid for position and the timeline endpoints for show and hide timing.
- Preview the full path on desktop and mobile before you share it.
If you are building your first project, read the complete guide on how to make an interactive video. It covers planning, interaction design, testing, and measurement.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hotspot in an interactive video?
A hotspot is a clickable area placed over part of a video. It lets the viewer select an object or region in the scene to open information or start an action.
Which hotspot effects are available?
Mindstamp includes Glow, Beam, Pulse, Sparkle, Focus, and Shimmer. Each effect uses the hotspot's accent color automatically.
What can a Mindstamp Card contain?
A Card can contain text, an image, and up to two actions. You can use Cards for information, media, or product content.
Can a button or hotspot open a Card?
Yes. Select Show Card as the click action for the interaction that should open it.
How does the interaction timeline editor work?
The timeline strip shows when the selected interaction is visible. Drag its start point to change the show time and its end point to change the hide time.
What does Smart Grid do?
Smart Grid helps align interactions as you drag them in the video frame. It is useful for clean groups and repeated layouts.
Try the new tools in one video
Start with one scene that already needs a clearer action. Add a hotspot, use an effect to make it visible, and connect it to a Card. Then use Smart Grid and the timeline editor to place it.
Open Mindstamp to use the new tools, or request a demo to see how Cards, hotspots, and interactive video reporting can work together.
