In the metaverse, marketing is about to get a lot more interesting. With the advent of virtual worlds, brands will now can build stronger relationships with shoppers through immersive experiences. And with the use of NFTs, these experiences can be even more exciting and beneficial for both consumers and brands. Already, we're seeing brands like Prada, Nike,
Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Tommy Hilfiger, Balenciaga, Burberry, Gucci, Vans, Zara and Forever 21 using NFTs to create attention-grabbing experiences that reward loyal customers.
The Early Metaverse is Games
Marketers now have a whole new frontier to explore. Metaverse marketing will play into both branding and performance campaigns. For the former,
develop a virtual voice that's appropriate for the platforms you enter and authentic in terms of user behavior in those environments. For example, much early metaverse marketing will take place in games.
Creating a virtual storefront or tokens to be traded in a gaming environment is a prime opportunity but it's important to make sure that your branded presence doesn't break immersion for
users.
When it comes to performance campaigns, meanwhile, keep an eye on opportunities for interaction and customer service in metaverse ecosystems. With avatar-based interactions becoming more commonplace, there's a whole new level of engagement that brands can tap into.
As always, though, it's important to test and measure different approaches to see what
works best for your brand. The metaverse is a brave new world for marketing - and one that holds immense potential.
Use Real Metrics, Avoid Fads
When it comes to marketing in a virtual environment, success can be tricky to measure. Part of the challenge is that there are so many potential metrics to track, from brand awareness to conversion
rates. And then there's the fact that virtual reality is still a relatively new field, which means that best practices are still being developed.
As a result, marketers will need to be strategic in their approach to measurement.-- it will also be important to determine what success looks like in a virtual setting and how to best quantify it.
For example,
you'll need to take into account the number of people who visit your virtual space, how long they stay, what they do while they're there, and how likely they are to come back. You'll also need to think about how to measure engagement and conversion rates.
And of course, you'll need to develop partnerships with everyone to get a holistic view of campaign performance. But despite all of these challenges, it's still possible to
develop a winning metaverse measurement strategy.
Put the Customer First, Don’t Overbrand
Imagine if you went to your favourite restaurant and found that instead of a menu, they just had a list of prices. Or what if your local supermarket only stocked products from one brand? These businesses would quickly learn that customers value
variety and choice, and the same is true when it comes to the virtual world. Businesses must offer customers new and improved experiences that go beyond simply earning some quick extra revenue.
Otherwise, they risk criticism that they do not care about their customers, which could ultimately lead to brand damage and a loss of market share. In the virtual world, as in the real world, businesses must focus on offering customers value if they
want to stay ahead of the competition.
As any savvy consumer knows, brands are all about creating a certain image. And while there's nothing wrong with that, it's important to remember that people are savvy enough to see through an act. If you try to overbrand your experience in the Metaverse, people will see it as just a "corporate experience" and maybe even tell others. After all, who wants to have a fun time if it's only about
the brand? Not only that, but overbranding can also BACKFIRE and create negative associations with your company. So next time you're thinking of going overboard with the branding, think twice! It might not be worth the headache in the end.
The metaverse is an amazing opportunity and it’s fascinating to see the different ways people are using it. However, it’s important to remember that we are still in the early days and the
Metaverse is being populated by some of the most forward thinking and innovative people in the world.
These people need something different and unique, so make sure your product or service offers something they can’t find anywhere else. What do you think? Are you planning on venturing into the metaverse? Let us know what you have planned! 
