Understanding The Metaverse For The Modern Marketer

The Metaverse is going to be the next version of the internet and social media. 

 

It is important for savvy marketers to start familiarizing themselves with this new digital marketing channel.

 

The core concept of all marketing and advertising is to be where your audience is.

 

Shortly, participation in the Metaverse should sky-rocket and there’s a good chance that your audience will be a part of that wave.

 

I’m Brenden The Marketer and I wanted to start a series of informative blogs regarding the Metaverse and how it will affect the modern marketer.

 

If you are having a hard time wrapping your brain around the concept of the Metaverse, the article below should help explain it a bit better. 

 

The Basic Concept Of The Metaverse 

 

How often are you on the internet? 

 

Not just in your web browser but on your phone.

 

Do you check your social media often?

 

Are you constantly listening to podcasts or watching videos? 

 

Those are rhetorical questions, because I already know the answer to them. 

 

All of those things have become integrated into all of our lives. 

 

But everything is only 2-dimensional.

 

This all exists only in our screens. 

 

Imagine instead of unlocking your phone and staring into the abyss of social media, you quite literally, step into it. 

 

The full functionality of the Metaverse is not here yet, but eventually the ease of use will make it so everyone can go in and out of the Metaverse with no problem.

 

Imagine just putting on a pair of glasses and now you can see all your apps floating around you. 

 

You could be on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube all at the same time. 

 

Instead of you using a phone or computer to interact with the internet you could have more of a full body experience. 

 

I actually think the cartoon movie Wreck It Ralph 2 really got it right. 

 

Check out this scene here of Ralph stepping into the internet.

 

To equate it to the Universe, the Metaverse will have its own “worlds”.

 

People will be able to choose which “world” they want to spend time in. 

 

Different worlds may have different purposes.

 

One might be for entertainment and the other might be an assistant for your work life. 

 

Remember playing Wii sports with your friends in person? 

 

You can do this within the Metaverse by going to a bowling room and playing against your friends in a virtual game. 

 

Or you could take a guided meditation class with a group of your friends or family.

 

You could attend a movie together and be able to discuss the movie with your friends just like in real life.

 

People already do this on Discord servers. 

 

The Metaverse will also be a place to meet new people. 

 

You most likely will be able to join groups without knowing people in them, just like current video games or chat rooms. 

 

The Metaverse & Real Life

 

When I first heard of the Metaverse I did not believe in it. 

 

I never play video games, why would I put on a virtual reality headset and waste my time? 

 

Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates have said we have not even seen the real Metaverse yet.

 

We are still in the early stages of it, which is great for marketers now to understand it. 

 

But if the Metaverse was as simple as putting on my glasses and being able to access the internet from anywhere I would be “in the metaverse” almost 24/7.

 

Here is a great video of what a morning routine might look like in the current Metaverse.

 

Right now the Metaverse is all about experiences. 

 

My Fiancé does yoga every morning while watching her guide on YouTube. 

 

Imagine being able to participate in a real Yoga class in the comfort of your own home to start the day. 

 

Now after you get your morning coffee and stretch a bit, you would then need to go to work. 

 

In 2020 the world changed and everything went online. 

 

Most of us are still working from our home (For me, I work from my RV).

 

Here is a video from Facebook about what an average working day might look like in the Metaverse.

 

Hopefully you can start to understand the concept of the Metaverse and what it can become. 

 

Marketing In The Metaverse

 

So if the main concept of marketing is to get your brand in front of your market, then the Metaverse will be another channel to reach them. 

 

The Metaverse will also be able to collect more data on everyone than the internet could. 

 

Marketers will be able to access this data to run ads, similar to Google and Facebook currently. 

 

A lot of developers will also sell ad space to fund their applications directly.

 

There will be different rooms where users can decide where they want to spend their time.

 

This will be very valuable to marketers to know the interest of those people and to get in front of the right people at the right time. 

 

Are they in an adventurous mood? Working? Playing? 

 

The Metaverse will allow marketers to target based on current moods or attitudes.

 

Advertisers will eventually be able to personalize ad placements for each digital avatar, like current programmatic advertising. 

 

There may be a programmed billboard within the Metaverse but the ad that displays on that billboard could change based on the user. 

 

Final Thoughts on The Metaverse

 

I believe the Metaverse will be an improvement to everyday life. 

 

It will be more of an augmented reality.

 

Basically, we will be cyborgs, fully integrated with the internet. 

 

Exploring and engaging in the Metaverse will be a less intimidating experience than speaking to new people in the real world.

 

Much like how most of the mean comments on the internet won’t be said in person by the same people. 

 

There is an element of safety when you are hiding behind a screen. 

 

I believe this will be an advantage for introverts. 

 

This is the first blog of a series about marketing in the Metaverse. 

 

I am on a mission to study this concept so I can be prepared when it starts to take over.

 

Make sure to sign up for the email list to stay up to date with the Metaverse and marketing.