How To Use Augmented Reality In Marketing

If you aren’t familiar with Augmented Reality yet, you will be soon. It is looking to be one of the major forces driving change in how marketing is done. With that said, let’s make sure that we’re all clear on what AR is and how it’s different from VR and MR.

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is a technique where content is layered on top of the real world. So, you look through your digital device and see more than you do without it. A very basic example is the filters on Snapchat.

Virtual reality (VR) is a fully immersive experience. It requires you to have at the least a headset. The aim is to make you feel like you are somewhere totally different.

Mixed Reality (MR) is a more seamless way of combing the digital world with the real one. For example, think about being able to project a 3D hologram into your mum’s home instead of a Zoom call.

The reason that AR should be your focus right now is that it works, and is accessible to anyone who has a smartphone. VR has not yet taken off on a widespread level. Furthermore, until there is a technological lead, it is unlikely to. The same is true with MR; we just aren’t there yet. So, AR is the ideal route as it is accessible for most people now and in the future.

Using Augmented Reality In Marketing

AR can be used in a lot of different ways to help you promote your products, your business and your brand. Here are some of the top ways it is being used now.

Try Before You Buy

Augmented reality gives you a way to get your product into your customers’ homes. They can see how what you are selling would fit and look in their space or even on their body. Clothing retailers can offer a virtual try-on.

With the use of a smart filter, your customers can see how they’d look in a pair of shoes, a shirt or dress, without even having to go to the store or pay for shipping. It’s much easier to fall in love with clothes that you can literally see your self wearing.

Enhance Your Physical Spaces

Augmented reality is an excellent tool for adding interest and interaction into your physical spaces. For any business who has unavoidable wait times, AR can make those moments fly by. You can turn your waiting room into anything you want. It could explain your process, or offer some fun distraction.

With AR, you can take your physical business online for customers too. Consider a virtual waiting room for a medical business who offer video consultations, or a car showroom to make that luxury experience online.

You can use AR to make your space more engaging and to tell them whatever you want to about your company. This is a great way to market other products, cross-sell or upsell.

Add Life To Paper Marketing Materials

Even with the rise of digital marketing and the internet, there is still a place for paper materials. Business cards and print ads still have their place. AR, however, is a tool that you can integrate into these traditional marketing materials. Imagine a business card that you can scan to see a picture of the person it belongs to. It elevates it from a card with contact details to a personal presence.

Innovate To Stand Out

The beauty of AR is that if you make smart or innovative use of it, you can create a buzz. You don’t have to do anything that is explicitly selling anything. You can simply create something amazing and let that excitement become a part of your brand.

Want Help In Adding Augmented Reality To Your Business?

Bring your marketing material into the next era with augmented reality. Find out how we can help; whether it’s digitising your Facebook ads to creating a virtual experience on your website. Contact the team today for more information.