Augmented Reality (AR) is changing the way many companies advertise, and it has been for a while. What began as a niche trend used for the amusement of users has become one of the leading edges of digital advertising. So, what is augmented reality? And what could it do for your company?

A Different Kind of Ad

Augmented reality has been around for a while, but only recently began to join the mainstream. In its simplest form, AR is adding a digital object to a physical space using a camera. Examples of AR range from Snapchat filters to sports announcers drawing lines on the field to show player positions and moves to the viewer at home. Any time that you are making a digital effect appear in a physical space in real time, it’s augmented reality.

How Do Businesses Use Augmented Reality?

Businesses have found all kinds of uses for AR over the past couple of years. Since the rise of social media, “filters” have become a mainstay of online content, allowing users to alter their appearance or interact with digital objects. For companies like Niantic, AR represents an opportunity to create interactive games that blur the lines between digital and real spaces. They showed us just how far this idea could reach with their game “Pokémon Go”.

In more practical applications, furniture, flooring, and even clothing companies have developed tools that allow users to try out their products from the comfort of their own phones. Users can use filters on the company’s webpage to see how a specific chair might look in their living room, or how a new jacket might work with their outfit. Technology like this creates exciting opportunities for advertisers to place their products in the hands of consumers and allow them to experiment before making the decision to purchase.

How Can Augmented Reality Help Marketers?

Adding AR ads to your marketing mix offers consumers a unique chance to interact with your product in new and exciting ways. As mentioned above, for companies selling products like furniture or clothes, the option to give your customers “hands-on” experience, without actually being hands on, increases FOMO and consumer attachment to your product. Other benefits include:

• Higher Product Recollection: According to Emodo, 70% of consumers experienced better recollection of products shown to them by AR ads than static ads.
• Higher Conversions: According to Shopify, companies that added a virtual showroom to their website experienced a 94% lift in conversions.

Have more questions about what Augmented Reality could do for your business? Contact Us! We’d be happy to answer your questions.