Virtual reality is very much a reality with Oculus Rifts flying off the shelves. While gamers have been pumped up about it and rightly so, can marketers too look forward to it with equal enthusiasm?
Yes, they can. This is the era of digital marketing and experimentation, and the potential is limitless. While social media has been the biggest boon for digital marketers up till now this decade, expect much more in the near future.
Interactive content is the next big thing as it is expected that consumers soon will get bored of the present digital marketing tactics.
Virtual reality is the not only interactive, but you can consider it the next level of interactive marketing. While interactive marketing techniques might include quizzes, webinars and more, virtual reality promises to immerse the user in an entirely new dimension. These lifelike experiences will blow your mind away.
Is This Real Life or is This Just Fantasy?
Trust me, this is not fantasy anymore. In fact VR is more than 55 years old. It has been around ever since Morton Heilig invented his Telesphere Mask back in 1960. However, apart from that it has just featured in sci-fi paraphernalia.
Several tech brands are already experimenting with this to get the best VR sets out in the market. While Oculus, Sony, Samsung, HTC and others have already launched VR headsets for the ultimate immersive experience, many are waiting for it to become more affordable. It is still at a nascent stage where prices remain high.
However, inexpensive VR headsets are being released as I write.
And, if you combine your digital approach with VR seamlessly, your company might just become the next big thing on the planet!
Take for example CNN. One of the world’s leading media outlet decided to adopt VR early on. They release interactive videos that give their readers a peek into world news by virtually transporting them in the midst of it.
Marketers just need to wait for the moment when developers finish fine-tuning their VR technology for mass adoption.
…but what about 360° Videos?
Never make the mistake of confusing VR with 360° videos. These two might be related but in no way are same. With very different content requirements 360° videos can be played anywhere on any device without the help of any external device like VR headsets.
Just by dragging your mouse you can view crystal clear 360° images and videos. The only difference is; VR immerses you in this 360° experience.
A great way for you to create an interactive content strategy would be to use 360° content as a foundation that will gradually lead to a VR experience for your customers and leads.
A combination of these will help your customers experience your brand as well as your products better.
Why has VR become so popular?
VR could have been developed at any time. But why now?
Well it seems the timing is perfect. Primarily because of the explosion of technology in general. Think about it, marketing too went through extensive change in the past decade due to this boom.
Consider the onslaught of smart phones. Can you think of a life without smart phones now? But were they there 10 years back?
Consumers want personalized experiences. They want something memorable. They want something that they can cherish.
Moreover with Google Cardboard VR sets, people have been buying VR sets like crazy. This is bound to work out. At least for now.
Time to Experiment!
As a marketer, you should think about VR as a viable marketing option. This is something new. And, only the big corporations have started adopting it. Most probably if you adopt it now, you will be the first company in your industry and that can give you a crucial head start.
It is the “wow” factor that will set you apart. Many of your leads might be interested in trying out VR if you give them the chance. With so much talk about VR floating about, they are bound to be excited.
The most important part of content is that it has to be engaging. Without engaging content you cannot possibly keep on generating and qualifying lead after lead. And, VR is perhaps the Godfather when it comes to engaging content. It is a fully immersive experience, how can you lose?
All you need to think of is what that immersive experience is going to be about. How can you deliver your brand value across to viewers through that experience? You can probably buy a Ricoh Theta camera and tinker around to see what you can do with it. It will be worth the investment if you are considering this path seriously.
VR is the ideal tool because it can focus on your brand and your products as well as create an engaging, personal and immersive experience for your customer.
It is a win-win situation that can help you sell your brand in a better way and hopefully rope in more customers as a result.