For decades, marketers have been learning how to market in the only world we’ve ever known – the real one. But today, there’s a shift taking place.
The metaverse is here (in its infancy). It’s the digital world, where life takes place, where people spend time, and where people spend money and show off their virtual treasures.
Savvy marketers know that those who are early are the ones that win the biggest. Using the metaverse for digital marketing might be one of the most important things you can do for your business in the coming years.
Want to stay ahead of the pack and jump in early? Keep reading below to learn how to add the metaverse into your digital marketing strategy.
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Benefits of the Metaverse
Why would anyone want to market their business in the metaverse? Because people spend time and money in the metaverse.
The metaverse attracts attention spans. And not just the attention span of any random person. But the attention span of the next great generation.
Back in the early days of social media marketing, there was a gold mine for companies to reach the millennial generation. Today, the metaverse is the opportunity to truly reach Gen Z.
And even though much of Gen Z are still teenagers, they are spending money in the metaverse, as well as in pre-metaverse video games like Minecraft and Fortnite.
As the metaverse continues to expand, it will attract more and more people. The next great wave of consumers is going to be very comfortable in the metaverse.
Considering that the purchasing power of Gen Z is expected to surpass boomers and millennials in just a few years, you can see just how important it is to learn their language.
How to Use the Metaverse for Digital Marketing
So you understand the benefits of marketing businesses online in the metaverse. But how does that actually work? Here are some important strategies to bring your message to the metaverse.
Advertise in the Metaverse
One of the most basic, but most important, methods of marketing in the metaverse is simple native ads. Much of the current metaverse revolves around gaming.
And many of these games have billboards, posters, and other places where traditional ads can normally be found. And just like a physical billboard, you can pay to advertise your brand on a digital one.
Games like Football Manager have many of these places where you can put ads. This helps to create a realistic experience for players (since football stadiums in the real world are laden with ads). And it also works to increase the intent to purchase.
The benefit of advertising on digital billboards is that you are using digital marketing techniques, which comes with much more flexibility than printing an ad on a physical billboard.
Virtual Product Samplings
Do you sell physical products? One method of marketing in the metaverse is to sell (or give away) your own virtual products. While this is harder to do with products like food or beverages, it’s much more attainable with clothing or home decor.
Many fashion brands, like Nike, Gucci, and a number of others, have already done this. They mint NFTs which act as items that can be worn by your avatar or displayed in your metaverse residence.
If it’s clothing, users can “try on” these items. This level of engagement with your brand is massive and can lead you to new customers very quickly.
The best part? It doesn’t feel like a marketing tactic. It’s an interactive experience that feels more like a game than an advertisement.
Digital to Physical
The metaverse might be purely virtual, but the people that use it aren’t They still need to eat, drink, go to the store, and navigate the real world.
If you’re looking for magical metaverse marketing tools, consider blending the digital with the physical. By bridging the gap between the metaverse and reality, you can create a more seamless experience and generate new, real customers.
How can you do this? Here’s how Deliveroo, the food delivery company, did it.
They send out free, virtual gifts in the metaverse. The contents of the gift were a surprise, but everyone who got one also received an actual promo code for Deliveroos’ real-life product.
Virtual Events
In November 2021, Justin Bieber became the first (well-known) musical artist to host a concert completely in the metaverse. An avatar that resembled Bieber was portrayed in a digital scene that changed with the tone of the music.
Later in the performance, the real Bieber was shown in the lower, right-hand corner of the stream. He was wearing a motion capture suit, and you could see how perfectly in synch the two versions of Bieber were.
Other concerts have taken place since then, and we can see an increase in this trend, as it can create an immersive experience for an unlimited number of people.
Opening a Store in the Metaverse
If you sell physical products in real life, it might be time to start selling digital products in the metaverse. There are many existing metaverse platforms, such as Animal Crossing, that have a large, dedicated user base.
These platforms allow others to build their own shops, selling products to the users of the platform.
Through your online shop, you can give tours, let users see products in action, or try them on virtually.
Building Your Own Metaverse
Looking to make a long-term, lasting impact? Then it might be worth building your own metaverse.
Running your own Sandbox metaverse gives you far more control over the user experience. When you build up your userbase, you build up loyal fans who will help to market your company for you.
The Next Big Thing
You might not understand it fully, but you now know the importance of the metaverse for digital marketing. This immersive online experience will be the gateway to reaching Gen Z.
The sooner you learn how to cross the chasm between the real world and the metaverse, the more you’ll be rewarded.
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