Businesses to Promote Engagement Through Virtual Reality

BY Rachel Cagle
Featured image for “Businesses to Promote Engagement Through Virtual Reality”

"Consumers today are increasingly craving immersive, real-​life experiences, reports Nielsen. But they want these experiences without foregoing time or effort. The solution? Augmented and virtual reality (A/​VR) technology, coming to a 'store' near you."

Many of us feel our lives getting busier. And according to a recent Nielsen global survey, nearly two-​thirds (64%) of respondents confirm it. They say that their lives are busier and more complex than they were two years ago. As a result, many are turning to technology to help provide the solutions needed to simplify their hyper-life. 

In the same study, global consumers listed A/​VR as the top technology they’re seeking out to assist, amplify and augment their daily lives. In fact, half (51%) said they are willing to use this technology to assess products (assuming it becomes available to them in the next two years).

A/​VR technology will transform brand engagement. It is clearly a disruptor. Companies will have the tools to virtually replicate the physical instances of shopping while also eliminating many of the obstacles. This will enable them to reach out to consumers where they are, with informative, personalized and compelling experiences.Shoppers are open to these experiences, with 43% of global survey respondents willing to use in-​store guidance via navigation apps or recommendations. This points the way for further adoption, but successfully transforming the physical store into a virtual playground will require combining fun and function.

Consumers will adopt augmented store technology if it alleviates time and provides seamless interactions. To create relevant and meaningful experiences, businesses must find ways to personalize advertising and content/​product recommendations, assuring consumers of their purchase decisions and driving sales. 

In the near term, A/​VR technology holds the strongest potential for augmenting the consumer journey and escalating adoption. Businesses will be able to extend real-​world access to consumers online, in-​store, on-​the-​go, in-​the-​moment and in new markets, where they may not have a physical presence. They’ll also be able to actively reach out to individual consumers where they, with what they need, to have a real impact.

It may not be surprising, but 59% of Virtual Reality Device Users have played online games within the last month, according to AudienceSCAN. Nearly the same percentage of these consumers used a search engine to research a product they were considering last month: 59.3%.

AudienceSCAN data is available for your applications and dashboards through the SalesFuel API. In addition, AdMall contains industry profiles on furniture stores and cosmetics/​skin care shops, as well as lead lists at the local level. Media companies, sales reps and agencies can access this data with a subscription to AdMall from SalesFuel.


Share: