5 reasons to consider Augmented Reality in your B2B marketing mix

Not so long-ago Augmented Reality (AR) felt like something so distant and far off in the future, that the majority of us didn’t give it another thought, let alone think about using it for marketing purposes. But in a little over ten years since BMW triumphed as the first brand to use the then extremely expensive tech for commercial purposes, AR has become a marketers shiny new toy. In fact, we are all engaging it without always being aware of it. Mainstream consumer brands have found clever ways to introduce AR into our lives, from Pokemon Go, the hugely popular mobile game that led AR to the mainstream, to IKEA Place which lets you virtually place true-to-scale 3D models in your own space, to Nike’s AR app that measures your feet within 2mm of accuracy providing customers with an exact fit. With the number of AR users projected to reach 3.5 billion by 2022 , it’s clear that AR is here to stay. Which is good news for marketers, given that more than a third of AR users believe that its potential lies in the marketing and advertising industry. As B2B marketers, here are our five reasons why you should consider AR as part of your B2B marketing strategy:

1. It’s getting harder to surprise

Digital experience agency Acquia surveyed more than 6,500 customers around the world and discovered only 10% of them strongly agree that they’re receiving a ‘good experience’ from most brands. In comparison, 80% of them believe that technology can make their experience with brands more valuable. However, the usual marketing technology such as digital banner displays is often not enough, and it’s getting harder to impress buyers, even with something more sophisticated like QR codes. AR offers a new solution to engage buyers with its improved way of sharing information in contextual and gamified ways. For example, the WebAR flyers and business cards with incorporated AR are gaining popularity due to being app-less – all customers need is their phone camera. An AR card or flyer like this can really help grab your customers’ attention, as well as creating a positive buzz around your brand and helping you stand out in the competition.

2. AR can bring to life the meaning of your words

If you’re working in a technical or jargon-heavy industry such as the industrial or safety sector, explaining your products in a way that’s engaging and easy to understand is often a real struggle. Using AR technology to show the functionality of the products in a real-life environment can be the perfect solution when there are too many or too few words to describe it, especially, if the target audience is multinational. AR is already used by various manufacturers to visualise their product placement, for example this AR powered exhibition stand, or this GreekWire HoloMaps that saves hours of modelling time and can significantly ease up the communication of city architects. And although this AR application in the events from Alstom or Japan Airlines can look like a far reach for the majority of us, it is a glimpse of a relatively near future for those businesses who are keen to stand out during events and exhibitions.