Is There Any Scope For Augmented Reality Content Marketing In Future?

No matter what business you’re in, you’re always at risk -- particularly in technology, where it changes so rapidly you’ve got to put in the effort to keep up. For example- banner ads are simply replaced entertaining and informative video while Intrusive traditional marketing by content marketing on the internet today. In the present scenario, users don’t want to see ads, they want some kind of fresh and interesting content.

With the recent unprecedented proliferation of Pokémon Go, it seems to be proven that augmented reality (AR) can be a successful mainstream technology. AR as a whole grab’s such a hold that nobody; businesses or users can keep their eyes off the tech where all you need is a smartphone and forward-facing camera in hand. Content marketers, it’s high time to make the most of such technology when it’s about promoting everything, from makeup brands to humanitarian campaigns.

On that note, I would like to mention that several tech giants such as Facebook would be doubling their AR efforts by simply launching a beta AR Studio with developer tools.   

Augmented Reality Used By Brands

AR might not be praised by everyone but companies do understand its advantages by adding the tech to their content marketing mixes. In fact, have you checked out the interactive AR campaign carried out by Visa in Poland? It’s the best example of how brands make use of augmented reality. Another interesting example is Ikea Place- it allows the users to check how a piece of furniture looks in their room before buying.

So, When and where a brand can apply AR? Well, every brand seems to be one of a kind which means there is no cookie-cutter answer or message or channel that applies to everyone. It completely depends on the organization considering how they want to represent themselves or what they aim to achieve before going for the kill. Of course, AR is not a cog that everyone should be inserting into their marketing machine, it’s for those who think that the technology can significantly enhance their content offering.

Is Augmented Reality Content Marketing Worth The Risk?

In one word- absolutely! Much like its sister-cousin VR, AR creates an immersive experience for its target audience. Other than providing relevant information they are after, it even turns out to be worth marketers’ time. Some of the successful Augmented Reality Content Marketing include:

• IKEA- I am pretty sure you must have come across the Swedish furniture store IKEA; they have found an interesting way to blend AR in their content marketing strategy. An app named IKEA Place was created which gave users an overall idea of how a piece of IKEA furniture will look in a particular spot in their home. All they need to do was, choose the IKEA product you’re interested in, then aim your iPhone’s (the app is only available on iOS right now) camera at the particular area in your home. It’s a “try before you buy concept”.  
• Yelp Monocle- The famous OG AR app was introduced in the year 2009. Being the very first iPhone app, it was mainly used by the ones who are out and about. As a result, the app really worked wonders by offering Yelp reviews to users when they pointed their phones a restaurant. Yelp has become a household name these days.
• Sephora Innovation Lab- This name, in particular, has gone pretty far in the race. The app simply scans users’ faces to determine exactly where their features are located with incredible accuracy. As soon as it’s done, one can try on lipsticks, eyeshadows, false lashes, and more, without having to go through an entire box of cotton balls. The fan-favorite app also makes it possible to share looks with friends on social so that users can get a second option before purchasing.  
• The United Nations – Not a Target- Followed by the series of successful VR films, the UN turned to Facebook’s camera Effects Studio for a World Humanitarian Day campaign. Here ten black and white filters allowed users to read real-life stories from human rights victims and aid workers from around the world. As a result, the AR effort helped in driving more and more people to sign a petition racking up more than 25,000 signatures from across 197 nations. With such a powerful response from celebrities like Michael Douglas and Charlize Theron, it has been proven that it is possible to use existing tools in unexpected ways. 

Conclusion

When it comes to the versatile and malleable technology, the world seems to be brimming with endless possibilities. We are just scratching the surface in terms of discovering what AR is capable of.