Virtual Reality has breathed new life into marketing opportunities. At a time when it’s harder than ever to capture users’ attention, VR gives brands the ability to create truly immersive experiences. It’s no wonder that VR has been named one of the top trends that will affect digital marketing in 2017 with over 90 million active users with the potential to nearly double to 171 million by 2018.
Companies are becoming more aware of the benefits of using VR in marketing; at least 30% of Forbes Global 2000 consumer-facing companies will experiment with Virtual and Augmented Reality this year alone. However, VR isn’t one size fits all –the VR experience should be catered towards your audience in order to achieve maximum potential. Brands like HBO: Game of Thrones, for example, use VR to provide an immersive, multi-sensory fan experience with a traveling exhibition called “Ascend The Wall” for customer acquisition purposes. Similarly, apparel company, Tom’s, builds brand affinity with VR by taking their audience on a journey to a remote village where children are receiving their pair of shoes, a mission that the Tom’s brand is based around. Even Lowe’s help improve point of sale by helping customers make more informed buying decisions by using VR to let them visualize their plans for home improvement from the comfort of their own home.
For companies who are interested with experimenting with VR marketing, there are several ways to do so. 360° video, for one, gives viewers the opportunity to look around a video from their perspective. Then there’s branded cardboard VR Devices, one of the most cost-friendly ways for people to experience VR. This, coupled with development of a VR App, would complement the buyer experience and give marketers the opportunity for continued customer contact.
While VR requires a big investment, using VR Marketing as a part of your 2017 content marketing strategy would be the best investment you could have towards your company’s future success.
Below is the full infographic by Column Five and Marketo:
