By now, you have most likely heard that Facebook has officially become Meta. If your initial reaction was something like “WTF is the metaverse?” or felt like this only applies to your teenager, you aren’t alone.
Until this public announcement, very few people had even heard of the metaverse let alone know what it is.
If your only question is whether or not this change jeopardizes your current business from succeeding online, the short answer is no. The longer answer involves a more complex discussion around what the metaverse is and where consumer trends are going.
What the heck is the metaverse anyway:
Let’s start by explaining what the meta-verse is.
In an overly simplified laymen’s explanation, the metaverse is a 3D digital world that can be experienced pseudo-physically. Oftentimes, people experience the metaverse with AR/VR goggles for a truly immersive experience. Think of an interactive video game but one that is much more experiential. The metaverse is where the internet intersects with the real world.
What does this change mean for my Facebook and Instagram accounts?
Facebook and Instagram are not going anywhere. They are still part of the Meta umbrella and will continue to “functionally” exist as independent businesses. If you are currently succeeding online through these digital mediums, then you have nothing to worry about.
Is the metaverse for geeks or the rest of us?
We don’t want to offend any of the geeks reading this, because we certainly fall into that category, but the long tail of metaverse users will not be geeks. We would argue that those looking to develop the metaverse are interested in advancing the ways humans connect and interact with one another.
Changing Consumer trends:
Where the metaverse becomes interesting, is at the intersection between the current internet experience and true immersion, which we currently only experience in the physical world.
The pandemic lockdowns have shifted our daily interactions to an increasingly digital medium. But, there have certainly been trade-offs as a result. Many of the digital interactions we experience on a day-to-day basis have begun to feel dull. From the 2-D webpages to the constant barrage of video calls- although it’s better than nothing, there’s room for improvement.
The real opportunity of the metaverse rests here: by offering a way for humans to create deeper immersive connections, ones that are currently difficult to replicate in the web 2.0 world.
What does this mean for your digital presence?
Consumers expect frequent engagement through channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, etc. But as we continue into a digital-first world, consumer trends well focus on immersion. Customers will continue to expect what you are hopefully delivering to them but with a heightened interest around delving further into a connected world with a business and its community. This creates a unique opportunity to position your business as a leader in the new digital world.
I feel like I need a metaverse Sherpa…
While everyone is in the process of figuring out the metaverse, thankfully, our team has a leg up on the competition. One of our managing partners, Tyler Boscolo, has served as an advisor to a metaverse company for the last 2 1/2 years. As an early adopter of the technology, our team has a unique insight on upcoming trends, and ultimately how to succeed in this domain.
These changes mean very little to your business for the foreseeable future. But it does, however, allow for creative freedom to think about new ways to engage with your audience and prospective customers in the coming years.
If you are interested in learning more about the metaverse, schedule a learning call with our team now!
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