Add Augmented Reality to Your Marketing Strategy

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Add Augmented Reality to Your Marketing Strategy

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Jonathan Alexander

Augmented Reality isn’t Just for the Movies

The term Augmented Reality or AR, first came about with computer-enhanced graphics used in movies and video games. But it is a blanket term for other interactive elements that are affordable and easily implemented into your marketing campaign.

If AR sounds like an investment that rivals a summer blockbuster movie, it’s not. In fact, clients who added AR to their marketing strategy saw higher conversion rates at no additional cost to their budget.

Don’t abandon your tried-and-true direct mail campaign or online advertising. Enhance the user experience by merging your digital campaigns and direct mail with AR. It can be as simple as providing a QR code on a postcard.

Postcard recipients can scan the code with their phone and access your landing page, subscription opt-in, or instantly connect with a representative. The simplicity of scanning the code dramatically increased the conversion rate. It eliminated the steps of typing in a long URL and hoping the prospect will navigate through the options to find what made them interested in the first place.

During a test by MDT Marketing for a national institution, adding a QR code to a direct mail piece saw a 61% increase in inquiries verse the standard URL. Why?

The QR code offered the user an easier way to engage with the content and it meets the younger generation where they are in terms of tech savviness and user experience; essentially offering them a low-barrier way to engage with the college.

Point Your Prospects in the Right Direction

Send your prospective students to a career survey, a virtual tour of the campus, or access to an orientation video helping them prepare to start classes with the implementation of AR. By adding a QR code as a road map to where they can simply find answers offers you endless possibilities to meet them wherever they are.

For instance, a display ad on a bus or bench can direct the older working adult to a web page on non-traditional programs, while a QR code on a high school mailer can direct the younger generation to a video about trending career options.

That same ease of use transfers easily to social media. Right now, the prospective secondary education and training prospect demographic are overwhelmingly on Snapchat.

Although Instagram, Facebook, and Facebook Messenger are still somewhat relevant, Snapchat has a robust implementation of AR with their use of codes and filters. Individuals can easily share and follow each other’s account by pulling up their unique code that another user can scan; no need to ask for username or email address, they can instantly connect.

AR even keeps them engaged longer. A recent article in Forbes maintains that AR is the key to keeping prospects engaged longer. “A static image or a standard video can only capture the attention of users for so long. Augmented reality, on the other hand, provides users with a truly immersive experience that can keep them engaged for longer.”

Create Brand Influencers with Fun Filters

Cat ears and stars on selfies may seem silly at first glance, but big corporations took notice and are capitalizing on the craze. For instance, Taco Bell created a branded Snapchat filter that turned the faces of Snapchat users into tacos. Users ate this up and shared thousands of photos of themselves, all with Taco Bell’s logo in the bottom corner ergo, creating brand influencers.

Filters and AR will continue to gain traction as consumers seek out interactive ways to engage with products and brands. Whether it’s visualizing the paint color in your kitchen, trying on a coat virtually, or taking a campus tour, AR does exactly what it says – it augments reality, and keeps the user focused on their experience with your brand.

If you’re ready to explore how AR can help you not only reach your prospect, but increase your rates of engagement and conversion, talk to us at MDT Marketing. Helping our clients implement highly engaging and effective marketing strategies is what we have been trusted to do for 25 years. Contact us today.

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