How Brands Can Tap into the AR Metaverse

You may have heard the term “metaverse” used in discussions about AR and VR technology. Several definitions of this term are flying around. 

Wikipedia defines the metaverse as a “collective virtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and physically persistent virtual space, including the sum of all virtual worlds, augmented reality, and the Internet.” 

Boiled down, the metaverse is a shared, three-dimensional virtual space mirroring our real world we see with the naked eye. Imagine Augmented Reality experiences incorporated into our real world on the grandest scale imaginable, a la “Ready Player One.”

Potential of the AR Metaverse

Technology companies see the potential in the metaverse as the next evolution of the internet. The term itself contains implicit lofty expectations.  The prefix “meta” means “beyond,” so the word broken down literally means “beyond the universe.” 

For this to be possible, a “digital twin” of our world would be created so that a user can experience virtual imagery seamlessly melded with the physical world we see around us. Instead of using a phone to experience AR we may see it through eyeglasses for example. The potential of this has vast implications, especially for brands seeking a foothold in this brave new world of marketing.

The good news is that at Aircards, our experience developing AR experiences have placed us ahead of the curve. For the metaverse to be truly possible, tracking technology needs to read and adapt to the environment. This is what Augmented Reality is already doing, so our innovation is currently helping the metaverse inch closer to reality.

How to Tap into the AR Metaverse

Since the metaverse will fundamentally change how people interact with information, it’s vitally important that brands prepare for this shift. Read on for examples of how developing AR today can give advertisers a leg up tomorrow.

Give the Customer Room to Dress Themselves

The technology already exists for people to use AR to try on designer clothes and glasses on their digital selves to buy. The customer uses their camera to view themselves wearing virtual items, which move as they do on their phone screen. The customer can then decide whether to buy the item and it is then shipped conveniently to their house.

But in the metaverse, people will be able to buy and own fashion that doesn’t even exist in physical form. It would be virtual fashion, seen only by others participating in the metaverse. This idea is reminiscent of having your own avatar in a game like “Fortnite,” where users can purchase their look that appears to other players.

A brand can still sell physical items of course, and promote them accordingly through the metaverse. For example, a sneaker company can give a sneak peak at its new release virtually, building word of mouth before they go on sale. Offering exclusive experiences through AR also helps build good will with a brand’s existing customer base while reaching new ones.

The advantage to brands is that customers will tell you what they want in advance. No more investing in costly inventory and hoping they sell. This enables brands to make more informed investments to grow their business.

Have the Freedom To Get Creative

The metaverse would also allow a store to exist virtually without having a physical brick and mortar counterpart. Think of this as the next generation of online shopping.

The exclusive nature of a store only existing in the metaverse would draw customers who might not otherwise be interested.

Since it is virtual, the brand has the freedom to adapt quickly to customer feedback based on data analytics and adjust as needed. These changes wouldn’t be nearly as costly as redesigning a physical store or revamping a website.

Plus, marketing creativity in the metaverse is rewarded. AR experiences that have the respect of the consumer’s time in mind and immerse them in something new and interesting earns invaluable good will with the brand.

Learn More Than Ever About Your Customers’ Identity

Data analytics plays a huge role right now in building a successful AR campaign. Seeing the exact details about the choices the user makes throughout the experience helps us at Aircards understand how to make the campaign even more successful.

It’s valuable to know how the user behaves and how it correlates to their choice to buy the product.

In the metaverse, a brand like the Smithsonian that already has an established following will have the opportunity to understand their customers on an unprecedented level thanks to analytics. Understanding the customer means studying their online behavior, and determining what is important to them. Once understanding them at this foundational level, the brand can then cater their marketing to suit that particular person’s interests.

Much like how search engines use the user’s search data to market products they would find interesting, the metaverse would use revealing behavior and patterns to improve their connection with their customers. And since customer behavior is always evolving, brands would have incentive to always keep an eye on the data and evolve with them. And if the goal is to grow the business into new markets, data can reveal possible paths to success that would be impossible to know before.

See the Potential in Events

What is more exclusive than a one time only event? In a metaverse where everything feels like a button push away, entertainment with communal involvement will stand out from the pack and grab the consumer’s attention. 

For example, a brand can partner with a musician to perform a virtual concert. The musician, used to performing live to thousands of people can conceivably perform to millions in the metaverse.

Recognize the Learning Curve

With every advancement in technology, there is much to learn to adapt successfully to the blossoming marketplace. The dawn of social media had its learning curve, and the metaverse won’t be an exception.

Just as user behavior was hard to predict at the founding of YouTube and Facebook, so will it be in the metaverse. People’s preferences and actions will differ in the metaverse compared to shopping in person. Brands will need to watch the data to learn and change their strategy on the fly.

Step Into the AR Metaverse

What helps is how much we already know through our experience with AR thus far. After all, AR itself is development for the metaverse, so this information’s value continues to increase as the trend moves steadily in this direction.

If you’re a brand interested in getting in on the ground floor of this technological shift, get in touch with Aircards. With our finger on the pulse of AR and where it’s going, we can help you build a well-informed campaign.

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