Augmented reality superimposes digital content and information onto the physical world. They can bring virtual experiences into your everyday spaces as if you have a real-time experience. AR opens up new ways for your smart devices to experience digital content in a whole new spectrum of a real-life scenario. Augmented reality (AR) is an emerging trend in marketing and sales strategies, especially at present, while the world is adjusting to new normals in doing business. With most of the world under restrictions of travel, businesses are providing customers with unique experiences with the convenience of their mobile devices. Similarly, AR offers the potential for companies and brands to include a digital component on top of their physical locations.
In this blog, we’ll go through the differences and similarities compared to other digital engagement platforms. AR can be easily adopted for a large user base because the virtual aspects of the application can be easily superimposed to the existing digital devices.
Innovative AR marketing techniques
A Deloitte survey indicated AR marketing is already used by almost 88 percent of marketing firms earning revenues ranging from $100 million to $1 billion are using AR. AR presents an array of possibilities for various marketing and advertising functions and tasks, including storytelling, virtual tours, local promotions, cross-channel marketing opportunities, branding, and social media. For example, you can use AR to help improve brand affinity and customer engagement or as a central storytelling platform. AR provides an extra dimension for providing informative experiences in the real world.
A successful tool in this genre has been Google AR – an augmented reality tool that allows users to view a 3D image of a search result. On AR-enabled devices, the tool can be accessed using Google Search. This is a familiar fun tool that’s being used worldwide to place 3D digital objects right in your own space directly from Search or from websites on Chrome. From NASA’s Curiosity Rover to human anatomy to animals like hedgehogs, penguins, and sharks, with a conveying a better idea of context and scale.
From a marketing perspective, imagine applying the same 3D model feature for home decor products or online clothing websites or even in the tourism & hospitality sector and the video game industry. There is endless untapped potential that AR can offer to transform online shopping experiences and marketing techniques. Potential customers have always wanted to try products before purchasing them. Fitting rooms, cosmetic samples, automobile test drives, and many other related concepts testify this sales strategy is effective. Augmented shopping experiences can easily replace logistics issues by physically handing out samples for customers.
- AR for e-commerce : AR-based apps are used widely by online jewelry and makeup shopping websites. These apps help consumers decide whether or not to buy a product while offering a fun experience at the same time. Various apps can adapt these applications to help customers make well-informed decisions.
- Easy integration of AR with devices : The existing devices used by your consumers can easily help with AR marketing campaigns, an application on a smartphone or a simple AR SDK in an existing website can connect your product to the consumers.
- AR is also a massive blessing when it comes to dealing with customization options. As a general rule, customers are looking for as much customization and individually tailored products and solutions as they can get. Managing those demands from the vendor side isn’t always easy. AR can help customers design their final product; for example, a personalized or promotional merchandise provider can easily integrate AR tools to their web app or mobile app by offering customization as a feature.
Here are a few examples of AR marketing applications;
–Blippar is a unique AR startup that offers marketers and advertisers to provide Augmented Reality Digital Placement (ARDP). It helps them produce banner advertisements based on AR, mobile users click on a banner ad get to access to AR-enabled ads. Marketers create a call-to-action that requests access to the mobile device user’s camera to enable the technology. It is almost similar format as a green screen that uses your tablet or mobile phone’s camera. This technology is also available on desktops and laptops.
-Local Promotion with Pokémon GO. Marketers can drive traffic to their stores with cross-channel marketing. While Pokémon GO’s marketing may seem redundunt now, it proved to be a successful introduction in AR marketing. The game was accessible to almost anyone that had a smartphone where the game was available. This presented an opportunity for marketers to increase engagement, use local advertising of stores within the area, and drive traffic into local businesses.
– Sephora created an augmented reality experience, Virtual Artist App, to ensure Sephora app users can see how makeup products will look on their face via their phone camera. Users can also find out which tools or products they’ll need to apply certain products.
There are few other prominent examples like Augment – a versatile platform for AR marketing apps and AMC Theatres that use Augmented Reality for Marketing Movies.
Summing Up
AR marketing is a great way to connect to people, now more than ever. When you need new options to convey your ideas, content and products – AR can give innovative solutions to do just that. Imagine watching an animated movie or even educational content in real-time in your living room with your kids that is easily possible with AR. With immense opportunities that AR offers – in almost all industries, even in education and entertainment sector, it is going to be hard to ignore its impact.
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