Augmented Reality is changing digital marketing and its impact shouldn’t be underestimated. It pretty much started with Snapchat and the Ikea app, and the industry has seen steady and significant growth since. Newcastle based Flow Digital takes a look at how it can help your brand.
The ad spend for the UK alone reached £22.1 billion in 2017, yet there isn’t a place for marketing ads and header bidding etc. within the world of augmented reality. Brands need to become savvy when appealing to their audience.
AR refers to a technology that superimposes computer-generated images on a user’s view of the world. It creates an augmented reality, rather than taking you to a virtual world. The most prominent benefit for AR is certainly for brands, specifically e-commerce. Impressively, It allows you to showcase your products in a unique format. As an eg, Pokémon Go, was the most profitable app in 2016, with over 500 million downloads. There is huge scope for opportunity and it’s important to position your brand before your competitors do so.
Stats
In 2020, the number of AR users is expected to reach one billion and the market for AR is estimated to be worth four times that of virtual reality. For any brand with an e-commerce store, you should already be considering the method as part of your wider marketing strategy.
Role in digital marketing
As many firms are finding their feet with this untapped industry, there is big potential which Ikea demonstrated via their Ikea Place offering. It’s an app which offers customers to ‘place’ Ikea products in their home, therefore encouraging those downloading the app to purchase products. Following on from its success they produced an AR app to help users build their flat-pack furniture.
With those in mind, AR for shopping is certainly where the future of retail seems to be heading. As large-scale retail stores adopt the marketing trend, the high street and smaller businesses would be advised to keep up with the pace of change. Certainly, AR doesn’t have to involve the development of an app and the subsequent promotion. Estée Lauder has recently enabled customers to virtually try their makeup through their Facebook messenger chatbot.
AR gives you the ability to bring your products to life. Your static advert could become a catalogue that your consumers can flick through. The major benefit of providing all information regarding your products, without your prospects even needing to leave the house, will only serve to enhance their experience of engaging with your brand.
How to use AR now
Use AR for video content, particularly as video takes centre stage within digital marketing. On average, you have several seconds to catch the attention of your audience, but AR offers you around 75 seconds. Producing AR video content already places you in front of the correct people for a significant period. Your social media channels will improve, as this form of marketing is highly shareable. It can catch impulse shoppers – consumers who may not be intending to buy, but require a gentle push. It can showcase how their life might be drastically improve with your product.
