Augmented Reality in Social Media: What is The Future of Social Networks

It’s no secret that augmented reality technology is transforming the way we live - from doing shopping and learning to attending a variety of conferences. In today’s digital world, all that can be done thanks to a great number of devices you can choose - from smartphones and tablets to wearables. According to new report, the number of users that are socially active on media channels have reached 3.81 billion in April 2020. What’s more, AR-based in-app advertising will generate 13 billion U.S. dollars by 2022. In addition to that, nearly every media platform will support camera-based AR effects to deliver memorable and immersive experience.  Not only can users turn their selfies into fun avatars, but also they are presented with a rare opportunity to be acquired with the products or services before buying them in one click, even without going to a brick and mortar store. Sounds impressive, right? Having that in mind, businesses can not totally ignore the immersive technology anymore - it’s imperative for them to promote their brands on social media business accounts by conveying the message about their brands. Let's discover how you can fuel your business and compete for the target audience on social media space when utilizing augmented reality (AR) technology.

How to apply AR for social media networks

Currently, a great number of brands have opted for AR on social media space. Having that in mind, we have outlined some ways of how your business can benefit from that technology. Let’s delve into details below:

Socially-fueled brand awareness

As a well-suited solution for sharing from social media business accounts, AR can help users/followers to get acquainted with the products and solutions from your company in a jiffy if applied correctly. What’s more, with AR technology, you can encourage users to share a brand effect and promote it further. For example, applying augmented reality tech solution, Gucci allows customers to try on different shoes models. Sounds interesting, right? Only by delivering AR experience on social channels can you drive awareness of the brand and increase its loyalty. Only by telling the right story to the right people at the right time on social media space can you capture the audience's attention right from the start and improve the sharing of your brand on networks and beyond. However, don’t forget to concentrate on followers and put them first when implementing AR technology.

Ephemeral content powered with AR ads

World-famous and leading social media giant platforms have copied sharing disappearing or ephemeral content that goes away after a certain period of time from Snapchat’s basic concept. Interestingly, FOMO effect that stands for fear of missing out effect lies at the core of concept mentioned above and triggers your audience. As a result, users may take a certain action such as purchasing some products or services from your company in one click. According to recent report, you can find the high number of users applying the Stories feature: there are 500 million Instagram’s users while 450 million users use WhatsApp platform daily and 300 million tend to use Facebook. As you can see, the numbers tell the stories best.  That's why providing ephemeral content is a must if you are eager to promote your business on social media space. Not only does it help you to interact with the greater pool of followers, but also it enables you to cultivate your brand more effectively. Additionally, you can turn followers into customers by offering in-app shopping options utilizing the Stories feature - now users can shop the products inside a photo/video that has been used in the Story thanks to AR technology. Just using phone camera and an AR-based tool can users try on items in a virtual way as a result of AR-fueled ads. For example, brand Michael Kors tested AR-powered ads out that allow users to virtually see if a pair of sunglasses fits them. With that AR-powered feature, brands do provide the real “try before you buy” experience and increase sales.

Live events become alive

With social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak, events are in high demand right now. Currently, AR technology and live events go so well together and bring the real and virtual worlds together. Not only can users attend live events from their own home, but also they can play AR games. However, not all event organizers can jump at the rare opportunity to use AR technology. That’s why you can be a first-mover and outperform your competitors.

Sharing on the fly

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Linkedin give brands real advantages - they allow them to interact with the users and reach them more effectively. Thanks to AR tech on social channels, users can share content in a jiffy using the phone camera, smart glasses or live social media features. Not only does it help to improve social interaction, but also it opens up new opportunities of AR tech solutions. In addition to that, online reviews are rapidly gaining in importance in terms of encouraging users to place their orders - users explore brands reviews and/or star ratings before booking or buying online. According to a survey report, 85% of consumers trust online reviews  and read tons of them. That’s why businesses should take social media sharing into account and prepare the ground for negative reviews as well as for positive ones.

AR-driven purchases

The online sales numbers are on the rise. Businesses can offer their products using social media. Not only can users discover and explore  products on social media, but also they get a link for purchases. But one of the most common bottleneck is that users can’t try the object’s on. Here is AR technology comes into play. With AR tech solution, users are presented with an ample opportunity to try the products before purchasing. For example, IKEA prospects can utilize AR - not only can they see how a piece of furniture (a sofa or a table) will look in their apartment or a house, but also they can choose its shape and color, observe its functionality and identify whether it physically fits or not. What’s more, wearable AR-powered devices will allow businesses to notify users and deliver them a customizable shopping experience based on their unique preferences.

Global social media networks: what every businesses should know about to thrive

Before providing a list of the social channels, let’s find out some interesting statistics about users that actively utilize them:

• number of mobile users: 5000 billion
• number of social media users: 8000 billion
• worldwide mobile users: 3500 billion
• number of internet users globally: 4000 billion

As you see, social media have increased in popularity. So let’s delve into details to find out the top-notch social media platforms:

• Youtube: with more than 1.8 billion monthly active users, video-sharing platform allows companies to promote their brand and boost engagement. What’s more, it allows them to show their products with AR-powered features and/or give press releases.
• Facebook: with that platform, brands can connect with their two billion active users, but also they may keep in touch with them by providing content they are interested in.
• WeChat: offers m-commerce opportunity for companies and allows users to make transactions and payments online fast and easily.
• Instagram: with that platform, your company can engage more users by delivering and sharing a wide range of content like videos/photos/stories, etc. and also utilizing hashtags.

Benefits of AR technology on social media

Here you can read about some of the benefits that AR brings on social media channels. Let’s take a closer look below:

• Only by providing your potential consumers with AR experience can you draw their attention.
• AR opens up golden opportunity to interact directly with your customers/followers on social space and faster engage them.
• Thanks to AR, you can easily integrate some metrics that help you to better understand users' behaviors and journeys.
• AR experience speeds up customer buying decisions and boosts sales.
• AR technology increases awareness and loyalty of the brand through the AR-powered ads on social shares.
• AR delivers more personalized content based on the user wants and needs.

Final thoughts: Are you ready to focus on AR in social networking?

It’s a fact that people are getting more sophisticated when using social channels. That’s why brands should apply more innovative strategies - not only to engage them, but also to meet their expectations. Currently, it’s very hard to find a company that isn’t active on social channels. Moreover, a great number of brands are actively using social media channels to support their settled business objectives and serve consumers better. However, few of them are incorporating augmented reality technology that is really worth noticing. Fortunately, it is the new technology solution that businesses should opt for on social space to target new markets. We, at ServReality, are ready to develop and implement AR-fueled solutions that help your potential consumers to learn more about your products and try them out before purchasing from the social networks.