The metaverse might seem like a new concept, but did you know the term first appeared in 1992? Coined by Neal Stephenson in his science fiction novel Snow Crash, the word refers to a virtual space where humans interact with each other via avatars—a metaphor for the real world.
Nowadays, the word metaverse refers to augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and other immersive digital experiences. In the metaverse, users explore and interact with interconnected, persistent virtual worlds using digital avatars.
What is metaverse marketing?
Metaverse marketing uses digital worlds to advertise, promote, and market products, services, and brands. Unrestricted by physical or temporal boundaries, metaverse marketing empowers companies to offer immersive, engaging experiences to customers across the globe.
Brands across a variety of sectors have embraced virtual reality with great success. Nike has launched virtual stores, offering exclusive digital items, gamification, and surprise appearances from stars like LeBron James as part of their sports marketing. Artists and bands have even jumped on the bandwagon—Ariana Grande and Travis Scott hosted virtual Fortnite concerts, giving fans a musical experience from the comfort of their own homes.
Metaverse marketing presents a new opportunity for businesses, offering innovative ways to interact with customers in virtual spaces. As technology continues to evolve and investment in this area grows, collaboration and social interaction within these virtual environments will redefine customer relationships and brand loyalty.
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5 key strategies for effective metaverse marketing
Metaverse revenue opportunities will be a major focus for many in the coming years. But how are consumers using the metaverse, and how do you advertise in a digital world? What are the top sales methodologies for virtual marketing? Let’s explore these questions and discover some key strategies for effective metaverse marketing below.
1. Host virtual events
Imagine hosting an event where geography and physical limitations disappear. Virtual events in the metaverse enable you to create unforgettable experiences—from product launches and workshops to concerts and networking meetups, these events allow for dynamic interaction with your global audience.
Virtual events not only boost engagement but also offer innovative ways to showcase your brand. By integrating interactive elements such as Q&A sessions, polls, and immersive storytelling, you can captivate attendees in ways traditional events can’t match.
If you’re looking for inspiration, check out Metaverse Asia Expo. The first edition, hosted in 2022, was hosted in-person and in the metaverse, giving over 10,000 people across Asia the chance to explore 100 exhibitors, attend panel sessions, network, interact with content, and explore the future of the metaverse ecosystem.
Screenshot taken from metaverseasiaexpo.com
After the five-day expo concluded, visitors could then visit the virtual world for two weeks to explore on-demand content from the live show. A mini event in 2024 featured virtual stalls from exhibitors in the fields of blockchain, AI, and more, while the 2025 expo promises more of the same immersive experience and more.
2. Take advantage of virtual advertising
In the metaverse, advertising reaches a whole new level of creativity and engagement. Virtual billboards, branded environments, and in-game promotions allow you to connect with your target audience in immersive, memorable ways that resonate with consumers.
Swedish fintech company Klarna is one of numerous brands jumping on this trend. Aiming to raise awareness among a specific target market in Australia, the brand ran a new campaign of in-game ads to engage audiences aged 18-39 on channels they were already interacting with. By placing virtual billboards and posters in the gaming environment, they were able to impress on gamers without disrupting gameplay.
This is a chance to get creative and showcase who your brand is and what you stand for. Take advantage of digital worlds to advertise your business, connect with your audience, and get ahead of the competition.
3. Leverage data and analytics
Using data and analytics in the metaverse can transform your marketing strategy. Monitoring how users behave and interact with your brand allows you to discover which parts of your virtual space draw the most attention and what keeps users engaged.
You can then leverage this valuable information to refine your campaigns, find out what’s working, and use your marketing budget effectively, empowering you to create personalized experiences that truly connect with your audience and boost their satisfaction and loyalty.
This is exactly what fragrance brand AXE did. Tying in with the launch of its new premium range, the company teamed up with its ambassador Lil Baby to create the ‘Shonen Baby’ virtual world. This was then shared on social media to drive consumers to the platform.
AXE leveraged metaverse analytics to see what parts of the immersive environment users were interacting with and what impact it was having. Gathering user behavior and engagement metrics, the brand was able to use those insights to improve future iterations.
Keyhole offers advanced social analytics solutions, equipping you with actionable data and reports directly at your fingertips.
Measure your performance with Keyhole, where you can benchmark against competitors, craft content that connects, and maximize every interaction—all in one simple dashboard.
Don’t just participate in the metaverse; dominate it with data-driven strategies that maximize your ROI.
4. Develop augmented reality experiences
Transform how customers see and interact with your brand by diving into augmented reality. AR blends digital elements with the real world, making the user experience fun and interactive. Customers can virtually try on clothes, see how furniture looks in their homes, or explore life-sized 3D models—all using their smartphones or AR glasses.
Sneaker and streetwear shop Footdistrict created its own metaverse called Outer Shelf to deliver a more immersive and engaging shopping experience for customers.
The virtual platform lets people create a custom avatar and dress them in different clothes, shoes, and accessories from the brand. Users can then purchase the products from the metaverse and compete against fellow Outer Shelf community members to gain access to exclusive releases.
Screenshot taken from outershelf.footdistrict.com
AR experiences like this offer a fun and engaging way to interact with your brand, but they’re also a useful tool for customers trying to get a feel for your products. This gives a whole new meaning to ‘try before you buy’, captivating your audience, driving sales, and positioning your brand as a leader in innovation.
5. Offer virtual customer support
Revolutionize your customer support by taking it to the metaverse. Offering virtual customer support gives consumers a new, immediate way to get the help they need. Customers can walk into a virtual service center, engage with avatars, and receive real-time assistance. This not only makes support more accessible but also more engaging.
Rather than replace your existing services, e.g. call center platforms or email support, these virtual environments offer an additional opportunity to step up your customer service game, reduce response times, and enhance customer satisfaction in a way that feels futuristic yet personal.
Several leading banks including JP Morgan, with its Onyx Lounge hosted on Decentraland, have already entered the metaverse.
While still in the early stages, the banks aim for these virtual branches to be a destination for customers to experience similar banking services and ask for investment advice in an interactive environment.
Examples of how companies are using the metaverse
1. Gucci
The luxury fashion brand has made great strides in the world of the metaverse, most notably with their ‘Gucci Garden’ collaboration with Roblox. Featuring virtual showrooms inspired by real-life Gucci collections, users got the chance to explore the brand’s history and latest designs in a visually engaging environment, without barriers like time or location getting in the way.
On top of that, Gucci released a limited number of exclusive digital items, such as handbags and accessories, which people could then try on, buy, and dress up their avatars with. Users could interact with other visitors, hanging out in the shared space like many might do in real life at the mall.
This initiative helped Gucci reach a younger, tech-savvy audience, who may have previously been unfamiliar with the brand or less likely to engage with it via traditional marketing strategies.
2. Warner Bros.: Ready Player One VR Experience
Screenshot taken from this source
To promote the film “Ready Player One,” Warner Bros. created an immersive VR experience that allowed users to explore the OASIS, the virtual world depicted in the movie. Using platforms like HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, fans could participate in interactive games and challenges inspired by the film.
This VR experience not only generated excitement for the movie, but also showcased the potential of virtual reality in creating engaging marketing campaigns.
Best practices for successful metaverse marketing
1. Define your objectives
Before you get started, outline what you aim to achieve with your metaverse marketing efforts. Whether it’s brand awareness, customer engagement, or sales growth, having a clear idea of your goals will help you craft the right strategy and keep track of your success.
2. Choose the right platforms
Just like with traditional marketing, you have to go where your audience goes.
Select metaverse platforms that align with your audience and marketing goals. Find out where your target demographic spends their time, invest in those platforms, and watch your customer relationships flourish.
3. Invest in technology
Crafting memorable virtual experiences demands the best technology. Make sure you have the latest programmes, platforms, and sales automation tools at your fingertips to create a truly extraordinary experience for your customers, and keep up to date with the latest tech.
4. Create engaging content
In a world of endless content, you must find a way to stand out. Developing interactive and immersive content that resonates with your audience is key to getting ahead of the competition, and that starts with understanding customer behavior.
Advanced solutions like Keyhole unlock valuable customer insights with tools such as social listening, giving you a view into what your audience cares about, where they spend their time, and how they behave. This will help you create messaging and content that really resonates with them, nurturing engagement and increasing conversions.
5. Measure and optimize
How do you know if you’ve achieved your goals? By tracking, monitoring, optimizing, and improving. Make sure you continuously monitor the performance of your metaverse marketing campaigns and make adjustments based on user feedback and data analytics. Remember that things move quickly in the metaverse—what worked last week might not work this week, so don’t get complacent.
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Key takeaways
The metaverse represents a virtual space where people interact through avatars. Today, it encompasses augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and other immersive digital experiences.
Metaverse marketing uses digital worlds to promote products, services, and brands. Companies like Nike, Gucci and Warner Bros. have successfully used virtual stores, events and experiences to engage audiences around the world, enhancing interaction, brand loyalty, and creating memorable marketing experiences.
From hosting online events and developing AR experiences to leveraging data analytics and offering virtual customer support, there are a number of key strategies you can implement to get started with metaverse marketing for your brand. To make sure your campaigns are successful, set clear goals, understand your audience, and continuously monitor your performance.
Conclusion
In the dynamic world of metaverse marketing, brands have a unique opportunity to revolutionize customer engagement. By embracing immersive technologies and getting to know your audience, companies can create unforgettable experiences, drive loyalty, and stand out in the crowded digital landscape.
Ready to learn more about your customers? Unlock customer insights that will expand your reach, amplify impressions, and increase conversions.
Author Bio
Austin Guanzon is the Tier 1 Support Manager for Dialpad, the leading AI-powered customer intelligence platform. He is a customer retention and technical support expert, with experience at some of the largest tech service companies in the US. You can find him on LinkedIn.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the main use of metaverse?
The metaverse can be used for all kinds of functions—entertainment, work, socialising, education, commerce, and more.
2. Who invented the metaverse?
The term metaverse was first coined by Neal Stephenson in his novel Snow Crash. The metaverse as we know it today has been formed by numerous organizations and developers, including the creators of Second Life, Facebook, Microsoft and others.
3. Why is metaverse important for brands?
The metaverse is important for brands because it offers new, innovative ways to connect with customers. From augmented reality to virtual storefronts, the metaverse creates endless opportunities to create immersive, interactive experiences that will boost customer satisfaction, increase revenue, and help your brand stand out from the crowd.
4. Who actually uses the metaverse?
The metaverse is open to everyone. It is popular with gamers, creators, professionals, and consumers.
