With the increased talk about the Metaverse, more brands have also explored Virtual and Augmented Reality features. Although both technologies have existed for a long time, we have yet to see widespread implementation. However, there are already numerous examples of companies using cutting-edge tech to draw audience attention and boost their marketing reach. In this article, we will explain how to use Augmented Reality in your marketing strategy.
Product previews
The most crucial feature that Augmented Reality brings is letting users try products before they buy. Large businesses can afford to have in-person storefronts to display and demonstrate their products. On the other hand, drop shippers, eCommerce stores, and other small businesses need to get creative with their marketing. Product reviews have always been a stumbling block for any online business. Some have attempted to display their products in 3D on their website. While admirable, these efforts pale in comparison to what Augmented Reality can achieve.
Keep in mind that if you want to use Augmented Reality in your marketing strategy for product previews, it will naturally lend itself better to certain products. Here are the best ways to preview products with AR:
- In-person visualizations – Let your customers visualize how your products will look. This can be great for stationary items such as furniture. You can digitally render them into a room in real-time through AR and let users see where the piece would fit best.
- Trying our different models – With some help from Augmented Reality, you can project your products directly onto users. They can try out various models of glasses or jewelry to find the perfect match before they buy.
- Product alterations – You can let users change the colors of a product or see how you could perform other modifications on their items. Show them how a repaired item could look or how you can implement additional features.
A look behind the scenes
With the rise of hybrid work models, more and more businesses employ remote workers. Augmented Reality has already had a significant impact on workplace behavior, and you can use that same approach in your marketing. Numerous marketing campaigns rely on generating customer interest with behind-the-scenes previews. You can offer additional information on your products through AR. For instance, let users explore your brand and your products in AR guided tours. You can have digitized tours of your real-life locations. Alternatively, when users are in one of your stores, you can provide product information and additional support with an Augmented Reality scanner. Augmented product manuals are great ways of letting users take a sneak peek before they fully commit to a purchase.
Grab customer attention
Pretty much any form of marketing will rely on generating interest for your products. You can use Augmented Reality in your marketing strategy for boosting brand engagement. Never underestimate the novelty factor of any new technology. Even when the overall usability doesn’t turn out to be that great, new technology always gets a lot of attention. Early adopters and tech-savvy customers can passively promote your products to others by using the Augmented Reality features you provide them with. Of course, there is also word-of-mouth promotion which naturally comes when users are excited about using AR. A well-designed experience in Augmented Reality can get your customers talking, and there is no better form of marketing than having unpaid brand ambassadors.
When creating Augmented Reality experiences, try to favor solutions that are best experienced outdoors or in public. In any marketing campaign, it’s essential to connect with your customers and keep them engaged. However, doing that in public will also improve your brand visibility. You can use cameras and large mirror displays to bring Augmented Reality to public spaces. Your imagination is the only limitation to what you can achieve with this technology.
Gamify your products in Augmented Reality
People are never too old to have fun. The gaming industry quickly realized this, and we saw a massive influx of accessible games for mobile users. Gamification is becoming a widespread marketing strategy, and numerous investors are pouring huge funds into NTFS, Blockchain, and gaming in the Metaverse. Since most people always carry a smartphone, Augmented Reality lends itself a natural fit for that kind of advertising. Develop a downloadable app that lets users explore your products in a fun way. Have the AR app let users hunt for discount codes, or they could level up their customer profile and unlock various shopping perks. Playing around with any new technology is fun; however, you should connect the fun to your products if you want to use AR to boost sales.
Inspire user-created content
Augmented Reality can be a great way to let your users show their creative side. Content creation is generally a slow and expensive process, and you can save an enormous amount of resources if you manage to outsource a part of that work to your audience. Not only will they be producing branded content for your marketing campaign, but AR content creation can also be used to engage and entertain those users. Keep in mind that most users like to share their content with others, so you should tie in your AR with social sharing features. Promote the best user-created content as part of your social media marketing campaign. You can even run contests and giveaways for the most inspired designs.
The bottom line
Most companies expect that the Metaverse will be a place where users can interact with brands. We recommend starting early by using Augmented Reality to promote your brand and create a strong connection with your audience. We have given you several examples of how to use Augmented Reality in your Marketing Strategy. Now you can start developing creative uses for AR in your campaigns to engage your customers and build an emotional link.
Justin Wilson is content creator specializing in technical topics. He has been associated with moverstech.com for the past three years for whom he has written many informative articles. He spends a lot of his free time playing video games, and he has particularly enjoyed VR.