Virtual reality in digital marketing, or anywhere for that matter, is a world unbound by limitations and achieves the impossible. It is no longer thought of in relation to just gaming or house viewings and has extended to become an integral member of our technological world.
The last five years have seen VR develop continuously and finds itself unsettled amongst households or used as small business tools. VR in its most advanced stage yet, finding it’s place amongst complex modelling and advanced interfaces.
Big brands have jumped on the VR band wagon; Samsung has created VR gaming headsets that connect instantly to your phone, Amazon has started to create VR embedded in its store to improve purchasing power. VR is creeping into all types of technology, looking around your household you will find a form of virtual reality taking shape or being used for every application around up.
This blossoming of new tech, is just as exciting for us involved in marketing. Innovation inside of our current horizontals are limited, but can you imagine a new marketing platforms and strategy that incorporates VR?
So, all great decisions are made when you realise that adapting earlier is better – and you want to be successful – there is no better time to start seeing what VR can do for you!
Don’t get left behind. Let’s get right into what VR is for those that know they need to take part.
WHAT IS VR?
Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-based simulation of an interactive environment.
You’re essentially in the model, game or place itself. It enhances realism for the user by using everyday electronics to project 3D model replicas that can be manipulated through interaction, the results of which are right in front of your eyes (you think anyhow!)
You can explore new dimensions! You can travel all around the world and even discover what it’s like to travel to space with virtual reality headsets and new VR technology.
Samsung currently develop and sell a product called ‘Gear VR’ used for gaming or simulating life like worlds. You can also use Samsung’s VR products to go on a virtual skydive!
This is one of the biggest, most exciting technological advancements of the modern world. You could go to Disney World in the comfort of your own home!
BIRTH OF VR IN DIGITAL MAR MARKETING.
We first noticed VR with the remarkable success of Pokémon Go.
Pokémon Go was a craze for all age groups across the world. An incredibly simple game/app released in 2016 where the aim of the game was to catch as many Pokémon as you can. These Pokémon animals were scattered all over the area where you lived or situated, proceeding to show up on your phone when you were near one. To accompany this amazement you had a virtual map on your which pinpointed them in the city you live in.
Pokemon Go elaborated on it’s use of AR to fuse it with the VR world. This game was one of the first most popular VR mobile games which intrigue over-wrote the shame of chasing a Pokémon. People would even spend more time on this break-through game daily, than on the well-known favourite social media platforms Snapchat and Facebook.
So, how does VR digital marketing fit into Pokémon Go?
Businesses could ultimately buy ad space that would attract customers to their business premises and market to those who were out seeking for these PokéStops that are where the characters would be. Your business being a PokéStop would mean there would be a mass of people in the area coming by your business to collect the characters. This essentially gives you the perfect opportunity to drive sales.
VIRTUAL REALITY DRIVES EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT, THAT IS DIGITAL MARKETING.
VR provides real experiences through a lens; you can virtually do things that you may only dream of and even possibly never get the chance in any other environment. VR promises to make the impossible, possible!
Due to its ability to achieve the impossible, VR is something that attracts everyone, it’s something that definitely has the WOW factor – isn’t this what we have been seeking in Digital Marketing all along? Something where the technology is just so advanced that the experiences you can have taking part in a VR experience is unlike any other, completely memorable.
VR studies go on to show participants were more engaged when compared to other platforms of content consumption.
Video content showed to keep people engaged constantly for 34% of the video, whereas the virtual reality engagement levels were at 50% throughout.
And those statistics are awesome for any marketer to hear out there. Emotion-based marketing is incredibly powerful as it connects people to your brand in ways traditional product-based ads can’t.
You also get to give people a ‘try before you buy’ with your product which will obviously drive sales as a lot of people know this ability achieves what is currently impossible, delivering the product before it is ready.
CHANGING THE CONTENT MARKETING GAME FOR THE BETTER.
VR will have an earth-shattering effect on marketing by altering the content marketing industry with endless possibilities.
You could travel to Columbia to explore the wilderness in a canoe with an expert tour guide. Or you could even be figuring out which sofa looks best in your study. The possibilities are almost endless and VR is unbounded by limitation beyond the mind.
WHAT TO TAKE FROM VR IN DIGITAL MARKETING?
The past five years of virtual reality has meant that this is fast becoming one of the most exciting new technological discoveries to date.
Soon enough we will all be welcoming in virtual reality into our homes, businesses and everyday life.
As a digital marketing agency, the job means adapting to new technology available to you, VR in Digital marketing is a breakthrough that anyone serious will want to take advantage of sooner rather than later!
Think the impossible.
VR In Marketing, Written by Amelia Dean
