Sitecore report shows consumers expect to engage brands in new virtual environments - Intelligent CIO

A study from Sitecore reveals however US consumers volition shop, stock and prosecute with brands successful virtual environments specified arsenic the Metaverse.

Although the exertion is inactive evolving, the Metaverse is simply a caller frontier for marketers, and caller information shows consumers are eagerly anticipating brands’ introduction into virtual environments.

According to the 2022 Perceptions of the Metaverse study released from Sitecore, a planetary person successful end-to-end integer acquisition software, astir fractional of each US consumers (42%) accidental they’re Metaverse enthusiasts and erstwhile it comes to experiencing these integer environments, they’re astir excited astir the accidental to be virtual events, prosecute thrill seeking adventures, circuit homes, effort connected clothes, bargain cars and research places earlier traveling to them.

With a bucket database this extensive, it’s nary astonishment that 4 successful 5 consumers (79%) polled expect to walk much clip successful the Metaverse than different societal media apps, similar Facebook and Instagram.

As user involvement successful the Metaverse continues to grow, they are besides anxious for brands to articulation the Metaverse. In fact, astir consumers successful the survey (88%) expect to spot brands selling and advertizing successful the Metaverse successful the adjacent 1 to 2 years via nonstop messages (59%), pop-ups (52%) and influencer selling (52%). This user expectation, coupled with the information that astir marketers polled (90%) judge that the Metaverse – if built correctly – tin assistance lick unsocial concern challenges, has captured marketers’ attraction with astir 3 successful 4 marketers (69%) saying they program to physique Metaverse experiences successful 2023.

“When it comes to user involvement and the request for marketers to commencement readying for and gathering Metaverse-like experiences, the infinitesimal has arrived. Our 2022 Metaverse survey reports that consumers expect marketers and brands to give important fund and clip to creating Metaverse experiences that unrecorded up to their expectations, are inclusive, unsocial and personalized,” said Paige O’Neill, Sitecore CMO. “The Metaverse presents a caller selling frontier to prosecute and link with consumers. Brands and marketers who recognize and are starting to clasp and research this caller frontier are already up of the game.”

For brands looking to recognize however they tin thrust user engagement successful virtual environments, it each comes down to exclusive access, divers practice and a consciousness of community. Half of consumers (47%) successful the survey accidental getting entree to caller products and exclusive releases earlier their real-world motorboat would promote them to prosecute with a marque successful the Metaverse. But for much than one-third of consumers (38%), a cardinal operator for engagement is practice arsenic consumers admit that seeing Metaverse users oregon avatars who look similar them represented successful a brand’s acquisition would promote their engagement. This sentiment besides holds existent for non-virtual experiences with Sitecore’s Brand Authenticity study revealing that 81% of consumers privation brands’ selling and communications to beryllium typical of customers.

Additional findings from the study include:

• Building and investing successful the future: While 1 successful 3 (31%) marketers accidental the Metaverse is already portion of their existent selling program, much than fractional of marketers (56%) are already investing successful ‘Metaverse-like technologies’, specified arsenic Augmented Reality oregon Virtual Reality. For marketers, aboriginal investments into mixed world are a strategical Metaverse play with consumers saying they’ll usage a Virtual Reality console (47%) oregon gaming console (33%) to entree and walk clip with brands successful the Metaverse.
• A reprieve from reality: More than fractional of consumers (51%) volition usage the Metaverse to flight the world of the rising outgo of surviving (60%), menace of viruses (46%) and risks associated with clime alteration (41%).
• Avatar glow ups: In summation to escaping reality, galore consumers are looking guardant to being what they see a amended mentation of themselves successful the Metaverse. While fractional of consumers (50%) privation their Metaverse avatar to look similar them, astir 2 successful 5 (38%) would make an avatar that looked similar them with a fewer ‘improved carnal features’. Those who program to heighten their avatar accidental they’re uncomfortable sharing their existent individuality (35%) and don’t privation to beryllium stereotyped successful the Metaverse (25%), making it imperative for brands to make diverse, inclusive experiences that promote avatars of each walks of the Metaverse to engage.
• Community and connections: Beyond utilizing the Metaverse to store and trial a merchandise oregon service, the conception of assemblage excites consumers. They’re anxious to conscionable caller friends (79%), walk clip with friends and household (79%), larn astir caller cultures (87%) and adjacent marque a emotion transportation (54%). Nearly 2 successful 5 consumers (38%) accidental they’d beryllium much encouraged to enactment successful a brand’s acquisition if they were capable to articulation and link with a assemblage of ‘like-minded people’ who were conscionable arsenic passionate astir the products, services and marque arsenic they are. Creating a consciousness of community, transportation and belonging is cardinal for brands who are gathering successful the Metaverse.