The business market today is definitely more competitive and harder than ever. This is why businesses are constantly searching for innovative ways to engage and attract their customers. Thanks to technological advancements and leaps, we are able to have new things that were previously “out of our reach.”. One of those methods is discussed today. 10 to 15 years ago, this method was considered a sci-fi gimmick that could only be seen in movies. This new exciting and effective method that has emerged recently is augmented reality marketing. Every far-future and interstellar travel movie has it and you already know what it is based on. AR technology overlays digital content onto the real world. This provides an interactive and immersive experience for users, targeting every user in specific and catering the marketing toward their needs and preferences.

To make all of this happen, QR codes and QR code readers are excellent tools to bridge the gap between physical and digital experiences, and their benefit is that they can be easily integrated with augmented reality marketing. Today we decided to tell you how and explain more about augmented reality marketing efforts.

Instant Access to AR Content

QR codes can easily be placed on any product packaging, in-store displays, advertisements, and promotional materials. They are easy, simple, and function perfectly so when scanned, they can instantly launch an AR experience on the customer’s smartphone. This results in quick and easy access to interactive content.

Enhanced Product Information

Using your phone to scan a QR code, you are granted access to detailed product information, instructional videos, or user manuals through an AR interface or on your smartphone’s screen. This will surely make the shopping experience better by providing more info and details and helping customers make better decisions.

Interactive Marketing Campaigns

Since QR codes are so versatile they can also be used in print and digital marketing campaigns. By doing so you will direct customers to AR experiences like a magazine ad with a QR code that could lead to an AR showcase of a new product line. All this surely makes the advertisement more interactive and engaging for everyone.

Event Engagement

Events or trade shows are awesome spots to utilize QR codes. You can use them to guide attendees to AR experiences related to the event. This gives you so many options and the most popular ones might be virtual tours, interactive exhibits, or additional event information.

So, after seeing how QR codes may help and ease the implementation of augmented reality marketing, we will show you how the latter can be used to engage customers in new and exciting ways.

Create Interactive Product Demos

As we already mentioned previously, one of the best ways to use AR is to create interactive product demonstrations. By doing so, customers can use their smartphones or AR glasses to see how a product looks and works in their environment. A simple instance of this would be a furniture company that is able to allow customers to see how a piece of furniture would fit in their living room. This will make the shopping experience fun, engaging as well as informative before making a big purchase decision.

Enhance In-Store Experiences

AR can significantly enhance the shopping experience, both in-store and out of it. As a business owner, you can easily set up AR displays that provide additional information about your products when customers point their phones at them, for instance. This information can include anything from details about materials to manufacturing processes. It can even offer new customers to see previous customer reviews. By doing this, businesses can engage customers on a deeper level and create a more interactive shopping experience.

Gamify the Shopping Experience

Games are a big industry and more and more buyers are younger age that grew up with gaming. By gamification your business or products, you will easily increase customer engagement. AR can take it to the next level. You can create AR-based games that customers can play while shopping. A simple example is a store could have a treasure hunt where customers use their phones to find hidden virtual items within the store. This will make shopping more fun and it will encourage customers to spend more time in the store which is another positive.

Offer Virtual Try-Ons

Having the option to try on or out anything you are willing to buy is an awesome help and fun. By implementing virtual try-ons, especially in the fashion and beauty industries you give your customers an option to see how clothes, accessories, or makeup products would look on them without having to physically try them on. It will increase the buyer’s satisfaction and lower your cost by having to constantly replenish the testers. It’s basically a win-win scenario.

Create Immersive Brand Experiences

With the tech of AR, you are able to offer fully immersive experiences. These can leave a lasting impression on customers, no matter what your business or brand is about. If you are a travel company, you can create an AR experience that lets customers explore a destination before they actually get there. The versatility and implementation capabilities of this, thrown in any marketing campaign, used at events, or even in-store to create a memorable and engaging brand experience will surely contribute to your brand or business lore, recognition, and fame.

Integrate Social Media

Social media is the be-all and end-all of marketing, and it is key to reaching a wider audience. Utilization of AR and implementation of this tech into any or all social media providers can enhance your brand effort to reach new heights. Doing something simple as creating AR filters and effects for platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, will make all users interact with your brand in a fun and, most importantly, shareable way. 

Provide Real-Time Feedback

The limits of the AR tech are basically non-existent if used correctly. This means you can also use it as a way to gather real-time feedback from customers. One instance of this is that your business could create an AR survey that customers can fill out while interacting with a product. Options are huge and abilities are limited by your imagination.