Drums | Drums Augmented Reality Becomes Mainstream Brand Marketing

The year 2022 was defined by these metaverse explorations. Brands have innovated, learned and iterated in hopes of unlocking the enormous business value promised by the Metaverse.

Looking to the future, I believe 2023 will be remembered as the year brands realized the metaverse would enhance their experience of the real world. The driving force behind that progress is augmented reality (AR).

No App Required: Go-to browser-based AR for branded content

Web-based AR (WebAR) will see a significant increase in adoption in 2023. WebAR’s simple and compelling promise is to make AR content accessible to consumers through their browser, anywhere in the world, without the need for an app.

Whether you’re on Android, iOS, or the headset of the future, all you need is web access to participate in the endless possibilities of experiences brands can make possible through this technology.

Why is this important for brands? For one, it gives marketers a massive reach. Brands unlock vast numbers of consumers when experiences become accessible to anyone with a smartphone. And with at least 54% of mobile AR users on a weekly basis and at least 75% on a monthly basis, consumers are hungry for his AR experience.

Second, WebAR makes it easy to access AR experiences. The need to download an app, one of the main factors preventing consumers from enjoying AR, has been completely removed. Downloading new apps is a major drawback for consumers, but switching to browser-based technology streamlines the experience.

AR improves ROI across the purchase funnel

As consumers demand more immersive experiences, brands can harness the full potential of WebAR to extend the life of their campaigns and build richer, more meaningful relationships with their customers. AR will become a bigger part of the e-commerce experience this year, driving dwell time, click-through rates, sales, and more while meeting consumer expectations for their shopping experience.

With global retail e-commerce sales expected to surpass $8 trillion by 2026, WebAR helps brands maximize the potential of this boom. For online shoppers, it disrupts the purchase funnel without taking anything away from the customer’s journey. Consumers move from awareness to purchase intent within his one experience that can be accessed without an app and seamlessly integrated into existing e-commerce channels.

For example, Saatchi Art launched a WebAR feature on its website called “View My Room” that allows art buyers to virtually browse over one million works. This feature allows buyers to see in advance what the artwork will look like. This is an important factor when considering a purchase. This resulted in an average 17% increase in spending.

Retail brands take the lead in AR commerce

This year, we expect retail brands to use WebAR to make the in-store experience more digital and the e-commerce experience more physical, while driving ROI and continuing to delight consumers.

Already adopted in e-commerce, AR allows customers to see what different clothes look like or how different items fit in their living room. Adding this more physical, personalized element to your e-commerce will make your customers more informed, increase sales, lower return rates, and provide a more satisfying experience. In 2023, this will become more commonplace and part of every consumer’s expectations when entering his customer journey.

Similarly, AR can extend physical store locations to keep the shopping experience fresh. Brands can use AR to enhance in-store experiences and drive store visits with his location-based WebAR experience. These engaging, personalized experiences give consumers new reasons to shop in-store and grow their business. Retail brands can even gamify the shopping experience through activations such as in-store scavenger hunts that encourage consumers to spend more time shopping and discovering new items.