As technology evolves, so does the way we communicate to people. Marketing perpetually shifts with the introduction of new technologies. A fairly new technology has caused the marketing industry to explore the opportunities it has presented to us. It goes by the name of augmented reality (AR).
Table of contents
In this article we are going to look at:
- What augmented reality is.
- The top 5 benefits of using augmented reality in marketing.
- The top 3 challenges of using augmented reality in marketing.
What is augmented reality?
Augmented reality (AR) is a subsection of the three forms of extended reality technologies. The big three we like to call them. Augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality. Augmented reality creates a digital rendering over a real world environment and doesn’t entirely replace the real world with a digitally rendered one. That would be virtual reality.
The top 5 benefits of using augmented reality in marketing
Augmented reality has provided some opportunities in marketing. A list of the top five will be found below.
Enhanced customer engagement
Using augmented reality (AR) technology, potential customers can experience campaigns, products, and services with more immersion. This could further increase engagement and bring customers closer to the brand.
Customers can visualise the use of a product in a realistic and interactive way. This encourages confidence in purchasing a product. This is particularly true for online shoppers who are concerned about whether the shoe would fit. There are fewer things worse than buying a product you can’t use. Especially if you smashed your piggy bank to get it.
Games like quizzes, treasure hunting, or anything interactive, would be to your benefit in creating a memorable experience with your customers.
Targeted marketing
Based on user behaviour, preferences, and demographics, augmented reality can create targeted and personalised marketing. This would improve the user experience of your content as your potential clients are receiving content that is relevant to them.
Brand storytelling
Augmented reality (AR) also creates a new platform to tell stories in more interactive and immersive ways. This gives room to involve people’s emotions, connecting on a much deeper level with the potential client.
Data collection and analytics
Information from marketing campaigns about users can be collected and used to make informed decisions concerning the campaign later. Insights like customer behaviour, preferences, and interactions would be useful to the formation of the next campaign. Analytics may even help you create a strategy on who to target for your next campaign based on the results of a previous one.
Competitor differentiation
Implementing augmented reality into your marketing strategy will differentiate you from your competitors. You company may deliver the same results as your competitors, but the usage of AR just makes you stand out a lot more. It makes you more attractive to potential clients. Similar to a fully blossomed rose in a thorn bush.
The top 3 challenges of using augmented reality in marketing
Even though augmented reality has so many benefits, we cannot ignore the challenges that come with AR. Below are four of the challenges we need to keep in mind.
Awareness and technical limitations
There are many people who still aren’t familiar with AR and what it can do. This puts it low on the investment priority list, at least as of right now.
Only certain devices have both the hardware and software to access and use augmented reality. It’ll be difficult for users to interact with your content as it may be unsupported by their device. Or the content may perform inconsistently from device to device.
Privacy and security
A common concern with technology is the security of your customers’ personal information. Ensuring that you’re transparent with your clients on the type of data you’re collecting is important for building trust. Augmented reality is still new and is therefore vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The more we develop AR the better the security should become.
Cost
Initial implementation of augmented reality can be costly given the hardware and software required. This would make it difficult for smaller businesses to compete with larger ones as the budget is much smaller.
Final thoughts
Augmented reality is an exciting technology for marketers because of all the new possibilities. Possibilities like more immersive and interactive content. However, it is important to understand the challenges that come with it, like the initial cost, and privacy and security concerns. Augmented reality has already begun to make an impact in the marketing industry. Are you in?
