A Marketer’s Guide to the Metaverse

If you haven’t considered how the metaverse will impact marketing, then you’re already behind the curve. The metaverse isn’t an “if” but a “when.” That is, it’s an inevitability. The metaverse will impact marketing in many ways, some of which you can begin to implement now.

From product development to the sale of existing products or services, virtual reality enables you to bring your customers into the fold. They can play an active role in all stages of the process. Who says “no” to free product research?

Even more, many customers will seek out such opportunities as opposed to hiding from them like they do with online advertisements. The generations coming of age now and in the next 15 years, largely Generations Z and Alpha, will feel more at home within these environments than any other generation before them.

Unlike virtual reality which takes over your vision, augmented reality just adds elements to it. Think of “smart glasses” or the popular AR games. These devices take note of your surrounding environment & then enhance it by adding images, animations, or data over the top of it.

From trying on a pair of glasses or a dress to test driving a new car, augmented reality brings the shopping experience to another level. In an augmented environment, customers can interact with products without leaving their homes.

In-store experiences can benefit from the metaverse. Since augmented reality is an overlay on the real-life environment, you can use it in stores to share in-depth information, display additional features and use cases, etc. Think of it as a parallel marketing experience.

As the metaverse grows, so too will branding and advertising opportunities. Including virtual message boards, billboards, merchandise, and even the virtual clothing avatars wear.

NFTs will play a big role, too. With the ability to personalize avatars and spaces like “homes” and storefronts, you can create branded virtual content for your customers. This enables you to break into merchandising spaces you don’t currently work in, such as virtual apparel and digital art.

Whether it’s products or services you’re selling, a virtual popup gives you the opportunity to share your brand on a larger scale.

It is a chance to network, advertise, & sell your products & services. While popups in a physical location may limit attendance, a virtual popup helps you to reach a larger audience.

The virtual location will not only benefit attendance numbers, but it will also have less impact on the bottom line. With no need for employee travel & lodgings, & no need to rent out physical space, you can cut costs & perhaps even decrease the end price for users.

With so many live streaming & pre-recorded video platforms, virtual training & classes are already a big part of the corporate world. While many virtual trainings & classes will likely continue in their current form, metaverse creates a space for them to expand.

E.g.:

• training course on your product
• use case walkthrough for your services
• product demonstrations with potential customers
• troubleshooting sessions with your current clientele.
• in-house onboarding & training, emergency preparedness, diversity & inclusion, employee orientation, etc.

In this post-COVID world, it’s easy to imagine the continued need for virtual meeting spaces. From family get-togethers to concerts to non-profit galas, the metaverse has no limits on who you can meet up with and when.

With events like this becoming more popular, especially with Generations Z and Alpha, metaverse events won’t just be a tool you can use but a necessity. As your target audience changes, so too will your marketing efforts.