Marketing is a science that is constantly evolving and improving. Just when you feel that the marketing methods have become boring and repetitive or the existing methods do not attract enough audiences, a new method becomes a trend and all the big, medium and small brands in the world try to make the most of that method.
This evolution stems from the advancement of technology. Although the advancement of technology has affected all aspects of our lives, it may be safe to say that the marketing and digital marketing branch is one of the branches that technology has and will have the most impact on. To prove this statement, it is enough to compare today’s marketing methods with the methods that were done 5 years ago.
The advancement of technology has had a direct impact on marketing, especially digital marketing. Because in marketing, you interact directly with the audience and customers, customers who also change with the advancement of technology. As a result, marketers in modern marketing must be able to adapt to the constant changes in technology so that they can always attract customers at any time.
Two new technologies that have attracted the attention of many big brands are augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). In this article, we want to introduce the two technologies of virtual reality and augmented reality and examine their impact on digital marketing.
Table of Contents
What is virtual reality (VR)?
Virtual reality technology uses devices to create a completely real digital experience for people. In other words, virtual reality, as its name suggests, gives you a real experience from a virtual place. For example, you can conquer Mount Everest or walk on the planet Mars with a virtual reality device in your room.
What is Augmented Reality (AR)?
Augmented Reality combines a view of the real world around us with computer graphics. In other words, augmented reality puts a layer of digital elements on top of the real world.
This is how Pokemon Go works. This game simulates the Pokemon character in the real world by using your phone’s camera and algorithms that check your location, and you can move the characters of this game in different situations, such as in your yard, in the park, or anywhere else.
Application of virtual reality in marketing
So far we have learned about augmented reality and virtual reality. Now let’s move on to the main topic of this article, the impact of VR and AR on digital marketing.
Digital marketing means understanding the needs of the audience in order to provide them with a great user experience. Digital marketers can immerse their audience in their products with the help of these two technologies. Marketing with the help of virtual reality allows businesses to bridge the gap between experience and action. With the help of virtual reality, you can provide the user with a digital experience instead of a physical experience.
Virtual and augmented reality, if used correctly, can create a memorable experience for the audience, which ultimately increases brand awareness, personalized offers tailored to the user’s needs, and ultimately accelerates the purchase process.
Increasing audience engagement with the brand
The interaction of customers and audiences with a brand is the winning card of that brand against its competitors. In other words, a brand using up-to-date technologies is placed in the forefront and attracts attention.
Try first, then buy!
The main advantage of VR and AR is that it creates value through personalized content and innovative business methods. Many believe that the use of VR and AR in marketing has revolutionized the concept of “try before you buy”.
Increase brand awareness
Virtual reality and augmented reality are popular channels for increasing brand awareness, just like social media. With the difference that users can experience the content in an inclusive and fully interactive way.
Detailed analysis and understanding of user behavior
With the help of augmented and virtual reality technology, you can understand user behavior. Once you get to know their tastes, you can adopt a strategy that suits their behavior.
Helping customers make purchasing decisions
Augmented and virtual reality helps marketer’s measure user engagement with the brand. Typically, brands that use new technologies are the first choice of buyers.
Some interesting statistics about VR and AR
- VR marketing revenue is expected to reach $71.6 billion by the end of 2022. This figure will almost double by the end of 2024 and will reach 12.9 billion dollars.
- By the end of 2022, online and physical sales resulting from marketing with virtual and augmented reality (financial turnover) are expected to reach 4.6 billion dollars.
- The market size for augmented reality, virtual reality, and the combination of the two is expected to grow to more than $220 billion worldwide between 2021 and 2028.
- 81% of those who have used VR talk about it with their friends.
- 73% of Generation Z are interested in VR and AR.
- 53% of adults prefer to buy from brands that use VR and AR.
The above statistics show how much the use of VR and AR can help business growth.
Successful examples of AR marketing and VR marketing
The use of virtual reality in the automotive industry
Today, the use of VR in the automotive industry and car sales is essential. Car manufacturers use virtual reality in the design and manufacturing phase of vehicles, as well as in their sales, to create a driving experience for customers. That is, people can imagine driving it without having to physically drive it.
Major car manufacturing companies in the world, including Jaguar and Ford, use virtual reality in the car design process to save money and time spent on car design or redesign.
The Volvo Company has also published a tool based on virtual reality to test drive its cars, so that all people who may not have access to its dealers can have the chance to test the product and even buy it.
The use of augmented reality in the design and decoration industry
Imagining the arrangement and interior design of the home is a pleasant and exciting thing for many of us. But in reality, moving things and trial and error is boring. But thanks to the use of augmented reality, that will no longer be the case.
Ikea Company, the famous brand of home appliances, by designing an application called Ikea Place, allows us to try out more than 2000 products in the desired space with the mobile phone camera and make a better decision.
The use of augmented reality in the cosmetics industry
Choosing cosmetics for women is one of the most enjoyable and at the same time the most difficult tasks. Because without testing them on the face, you cannot be sure whether the product is suitable or not.
Sephora, the largest cosmetics store in the world, was one of the first companies to revolutionize cosmetics marketing by introducing the Virtual Artist application based on augmented reality (AR). This application displays various cosmetic products on your face with the help of the phone camera so that you can make a better choice in cosmetics.
Samsung VR
Samsung has presented a 4D virtual reality of the moon in collaboration with NASA. This virtual reality system recreates the experience of landing on the moon with the Gear VR headset (Samsung’s virtual reality device) and depicts the experience caused by the gravitational force of the moon.
In addition to all the above that provided examples of VR Marketing and AR Marketing, these technologies are used in other areas such as psychiatry and mental health, sports industry, medicine, tourism and tourism and many other areas.
Is VR and AR marketing viable for small businesses?
Using VR and AR in marketing creates a memorable experience for customers and brand audiences. In the examples mentioned in this article, the world’s big brands are moving towards taking over the market by investing in these two technologies.
On the other hand, many may ask, despite all the advantages of using this technology, can it be used in small businesses?
The reality is that augmented reality and virtual reality technology are expensive. But medium and small businesses can use it on a smaller scale. For example, using augmented reality in business cards, adding buttons to make calls or send messages, or creatively displaying products and services.
What is important is that the use of new technologies in a business puts it a few steps ahead of its competitors. People like to support businesses that are up-to-date and use unique and new methods in their marketing strategies.