How to deal with the challenges of the metaverse in marketing
The metaverse is taking up more and more space in conversations, both personal and professional. Its future plan is to permeate all areas of life, and it is in the process of doing so. In addition to being present in the world of entertainment (with special attention to video games), education or health, it is generating an impact on the digital economy that marketing agencies and workers in the sector must take into account from now on.
If the Internet and the new demands of society gave rise to a global revolution to which we were obliged to adapt, the metaverse seems to have the same intentions. The possibilities offered by this parallel digital universe (where human, augmented and virtual reality merge) are almost infinite. It offers a new way of connecting with users and future customers with resources that have yet to be explored, but which are already beginning to be used.
7 applications of the metaverse in marketing
This year, /Boost, a Stratesys unit specialising in digital marketing, has compiled a list of various possibilities offered by the metaverse when establishing a marketing strategy. They define them as "possible and measurable" applications, and it could be added that they are also current, as the company has already started to work on them with its clients. Let's see what they consist of:
- Upgrading events in real time: it would be possible to simulate a live concert while the singer and the audience are connected remotely from home. Another type of event could be business meetings: the Horizons Workrooms tool (created by Meta) already offers the possibility of convening virtual meetings.
- Positioning strategies: nowadays, search engine rules revolve around text (or voice). However, with the advent of the metaverse, this trend may turn towards visual resources. This is known as "visual search", where images are the new words. We will talk about this application in more detail later.
- Promotional actions: This is where all the existing promotional strategies come into play, although adapted to the new medium. One example that is already in use is that of promotional codes, which can be generated digitally to be redeemed physically or vice versa.
- Content marketing: The creation of digital content aimed at enriching the user experience with a brand, as occurs in inbound marketing strategies, will continue to be present in the metaverse. Even so, it will be necessary to adapt to virtual trends and the new tastes of potential customers generated by this universe.
- Influencer marketing: a priori, marketing strategies in the metaverse should prioritise the younger generations as a target audience, without dismissing the rest in the long term, which is why the presence of influencers that connect users with a brand also works in this digital environment, as they will have their own avatars.
- Ad hoc campaigns: advertising and algorithms will still be in place in the metaverse, but adapted and integrated to the new user experience. We will also go into more detail on this later.
- D-commerce strategies (decentralised commerce). As an evolution of e-commerce or electronic commerce, this model arises whereby users are able to contract services or purchase products directly from the platform, without breaking the user experience with the metaverse. As a practical example, the Decentraland metaverse employs a decentralised commerce strategy. For their part, companies such as H&M are already selling their products through these universes.
what about SEO?
SEO is the quintessential web positioning strategy in marketing, but with the arrival of the metaverse, it will need to be reinvented. As we have already mentioned, it is likely that visuals will steal the show from text. In this sense, the Google Lens ("look for what you see") tool, which uses images to search the web, can be considered a preview of what is to come. In fact, specialists predict an increase in the use of Google Lens as a response to more visual strategies on the part of companies.
Beyond this hypothesis, little is known about the future of SEO in times of metaverse. Not even Cathy Hackl, an expert on the subject considered "the godmother of the metaverse", dares to establish precisely what influence the virtual universe will have on current SEO rules.
what role will advertising play in the metaverse?
By using d-commerce strategies, metaverses aim to allow users to shape the virtual environment, so brands do not control the commerce of the platforms. Therefore, immersive advertising campaigns that enrich the user's experience of the universe will be needed. One option would be to use placement advertising.
Currently, advertising takes shape in metaverses through billboards, videos on large screens or interactive and personalised strategies. The company Admix works with these formats, which includes advertising in virtual games of many companies, such as Spotify, National Geographic, Amazon or Gillette. "More and more SMEs are contacting us and it's great to see that they are interested in the subject," one of the company's founders told Rebujito Marketing.
Tips for setting up a marketing campaign in the metaverse
Before launching a marketing strategy in the metaverse, follow these recommendations that will guide your campaign to success:
- Get informed: It is essential to know precisely the new environment we are facing. To do this, learn about the different existing metaverse platforms, look for companies that have already opted for this strategy, study successful advertising campaigns and research your competitors.
- The challenge is not to create new marketing strategies, but to adapt existing ones and relate them to the new universe in the best possible way.
- Surround yourself with an expert team that is capable of implementing your strategy in the metaverse with 3D environments, for example.
- Opt for interaction with users and immersive experiences so as not to generate rejection.
- Offer merchandising or virtual fashion. The metaverse offers two options: adapting real-life clothing or creating exclusive fashion. Both are currently a great source of revenue for platforms, as users like to modify the appearance of their avatars.
- Don't be afraid to experiment- in a largely unknown environment, it is almost obligatory to take risks and try out different strategies.
Marketing in the metaverse is still a developing concept that faces many challenges (such as user privacy, data protection or bandwidth requirements), but it should not be lost sight of. It is important to be informed about any developments in the field in order to be able to establish a solid strategy in the perhaps not so distant future.
