5 Ways to Leverage Augmented Reality in Your Marketing

Augmented reality is more than just a flashy trend, it is a powerful tool under your belt that can be leveraged in marketing efforts to drive sales and enhance your brand’s value.

Consumers drive today’s markets as needs and demands continue to grow with the development of new technologies. It’s up to you to keep up with these changes to meet the ever-growing consumer demand.

Augmented reality (AR) is no longer an emerging trend that you can take advantage of to stand out from the crowd, it’s now become an essential marketing tool that you need to leverage into your marketing strategy.

AR can be leveraged into your marketing strategy in ways that might not immediately occur to you and can offer benefits that are completely unique. Did you know that 57% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from a brand offering AR? If that isn’t enough to at least pique your interest, we don’t know what will.

Ready to learn more? Let’s get into it.

1. Augmented reality product demos

Need more ammunition for your product demos? This can be a common problem for complex or large products, and can even benefit household products, like furniture, tech, or clothing. With augmented reality, you can close the gap between physical and virtual product experiences and give yourself the best chance to showcase your product.

For B2B

Sometimes it can be difficult to demo your product in person (especially if it is a large or complex piece of machinery or technology) because of transportation issues or simply because of the distance between you and your client.

Well, there is no need to worry when you have digital twins in your product catalogue. Whether you’re at a trade show or trying to get a sale from the other side of the world, your product can be shown to anyone at any time with augmented reality.

For B2C

One of the biggest issues B2C retailers face is product returns, with at least 30% of all products ordered online being returned. And only 8.89% in brick-and-mortar stores. When shopping online, customers are missing a key part of the shopping process, experiencing the product. Customers have to make more predictions and essentially guess whether elements of products are right for them or not.

But of course, without actually seeing a product it is almost impossible to get all these predictions right. That’s where augmented reality comes in. With AR your customers can view your products at the touch of a button in their very own space, to scale. This level of interaction builds confidence, meaning purchase decisions are far more accurate and less likely to be returned.

2. Add augmented reality to your marketing collateral

Integrating augmented reality into your marketing collateral is a great way to make static materials more interactive. AR can bring print ads, packaging, brochures and more to life when viewed through a mobile device.

Some simple ideas include:

• Adding scannable QR codes to print ads that display 3D product models or videos when scanned. This gives viewers dynamic content beyond the static ad.
• Incorporating AR triggers directly onto product packaging that reveal supplementary information, instructions, or animations when scanned. This allows the packaging to essentially come to life.
• Embedding AR experiences into brochures like interactive maps, 3D graphics or quizzes that engage readers as they flip through the pages.
• Displaying special offers, contests or virtual tours on billboards, signage and outdoor ads by using AR elements triggered by image recognition, QR codes or location.
• Mailing direct marketing with integrated AR that shows 3D product views, virtual try-ons when scanned or even personalised video messages for recipients.

The key benefit of AR is making marketing collateral more experiential and engaging. By identifying clever and strategic ways to incorporate AR into print, packaging and other materials, you can create an interactive brand experience that stands out.

3. Enable virtual sampling

Ever thought about reducing the time and cost you spend on manufacturing and distributing samples of your products? You probably have, but there has never been a clear solution…until now. With REYDAR you can turn your physical samples virtual, greatly reducing your costs, improving accessibility for customers, and boosting your conversions.

Virtual samples allow your customers to view your products, in their space, all at the touch of a button. You no longer have to send out samples nor do customers need to request them. Check out below an example of how this works for flooring samples:

4. AR retail experiences

Augmented reality isn’t just about turning physical experiences into virtual ones, it can also help to enhance your physical experiences coherently with virtual elements. It’s time to innovate your in-store experiences and push the boundaries of traditional shopping. But how could you leverage augmented reality in a retail space?

Virtual try-ons allow customers to see how clothes, makeup, or accessories look on them before purchasing. You could bring products to life through demos and simulations right in the store, providing a unique and engaging experience. Or maybe you could make the shopping experience more interactive with displays and mirrors to engage shoppers and provide them with all the product information they need.

By implementing exciting AR experiences, forward-thinking retailers are modernising shopping and connecting with digitally-savvy customers. The possibilities of AR are endless and only limited by imagination. AR is set to redefine brick-and-mortar retail in the years to come. And with 40% of consumers saying they are willing to pay more for products they can experience through AR, can you afford to be missing out?

5. Inspire user-generated content

Augmented reality presents a unique opportunity for the brand to inspire creative and engaging user-generated content (UGC). By developing interactive and sharable AR experiences, brands can empower their customers to essentially become brand ambassadors and advocates.

Fun AR filters, lenses, and effects available on social platforms encourage users to make their own content. Whereas AR games, challenges, and contests tap into people’s competitive spirit and help to spread your brand name organically. Or maybe you can create a beautiful product experience that customers can’t help but spread the word about your amazing brand.

The key is to take a customer-focused approach, you need to design AR experiences that customers will genuinely enjoy using and sharing. With a solid strategy, brands can build a buzz and foster a vibrant community around their products.

Introduce the future of your marketing

Augmented reality opens new dimensions for marketing. By leveraging AR creatively across platforms, brands can engage customers, enhance experiences, and ignite excitement. The possibilities are endless if you embrace imagination and innovation. AR is redefining marketing – the future is now.

Got a project in mind or want to discuss the possibilities of leveraging augmented reality marketing in your brand? Get in touch with our expert team to find out how we can help make your dream, a(ugmented) reality.

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