Virtual reality, also known as VR, has grown considerably in recent years and it doesn’t look as though it’s going to slow down anytime soon. VR is mostly known for being used in video games, with Sony releasing their range of Playstation VR games and many gaming conventions now feature VR experience stands.
However, VR isn’t just for gaming. It’s becoming a highly interactive and successful experience that marketers can offer to their customers. In this blog, we look at 3 ways you can incorporate virtual reality in your digital marketing campaigns and the benefits it can bring in doing so.
What is virtual reality?
Virtual reality is an interactive software that puts the user into an environment that isn’t real. The user often wears a special headset that simulates a real experience as they move around. You could compare it to a panoramic image you can create on your mobile phone, but responsive and with much sharper detail.
When you combine this kind of software with your digital marketing campaigns, you’re giving your audience a new, exciting and immersive experience. Plus, you don’t necessarily need to own a £300+ VR headset to be involved, as you can implement VR software to your social media channels, your website or your app to offer an interactive experience for your customers.
What are the benefits of virtual reality in digital marketing?
There a whole host of benefits to using virtual reality in your digital marketing campaigns including:
- Standing out from your competition – using VR puts you ahead of the curve when it comes to your competitors and leaves you in the running to becoming an industry leader.
- Winning the attention of your customers – using modern technology and tactics like VR is a great way to boost your campaigns and tap into your customers’ curiosity to find out more.
- Building trust with your audience – because you’re offering an immersive and engaging experience that is centred around your brand, you’ll start to earn the trust of your audience.
- Leaving a lasting memory compared to standard marketing campaigns – using VR in your digital marketing campaigns means you can showcase your offering in a unique way and have your brand seen amongst the noise.
- Offering a personalised immersive experience – with so many VR experiences available, you can offer tailored encounters from trying your products, to offering virtual tours.
How can your brand use virtual reality in digital marketing campaigns?
Create 360º videos
Many brands are creating 360º videos that they are uploading onto their socials and YouTube channels for their followers to experience. Within these videos, you create 360º behind the scenes videos, or let your customers get immersed into a campaign you have created. This is one of the best options to go for if you’re on a budget, as it doesn’t require as much equipment and development.
Offer virtual try-on experiences
If you’re an ecommerce retailer, offering a virtual try-on experience is a great way to earn trust with your customers. With this detailed software, your audience can essentially try-before-they-buy whether that’s trying on clothes, testing make-up or trying on shoes for example. Similarly, if you’re a furniture supplier, you can give your customers the experience of furnishing their homes before they make a purchase.
Provide virtual tours
Virtual tours are a great option for businesses such as estate agents, education establishments and hospitality venues. You can give your audience a complete 360º by 360º view of your physical property without physically stepping foot in your property. They can look up and down, left and right, zoom in and out and focus on areas of specific interest clearly.
Find out more about using VR in your digital marketing campaigns
Incorporating virtual reality in your digital marketing campaigns, is a fun and innovative way to let your customers interact with your brand, and to encourage them to spread the word about their experience on social media, or even whilst just speaking to friends and family.
VR is becoming more accessible to the daily digital user, and there are so many creative and exciting ways your brand can be using this in your digital marketing campaigns. If you’d like to learn more about how you can use VR in your digital campaigns, get in touch with our digital marketing experts today.