With many big brands testing virtual storefronts, NFT airdrops, and other metaverse activations, what does this mean for B2B marketers? The B2B playbook will evolve to include a version of the same strategies. After all, B2B marketers have adapted all sorts of consumer marketing channels, from video to social media, and even used B2B influencers.
Here are some metaverse entry points where B2B organizations can become early adopters.
The B2B metaverse. As marketers and agencies make inroads into the metaverse, more business use cases are growing alongside it. Chances are, many of your prospects are already using some of these channels.
“While there is no single, streamlined version of the metaverse today, technology companies are investing heavily in infrastructure to grow their visions,” said Chris Savage, CEO and co-founder of the platform. Wistia video and podcast hosting. “B2C and B2B brands, as well as early adopters of virtual reality, augmented reality and cryptocurrencies, are seeing massive potential and experimenting with the extended reality technologies that already exist. »
No “metaverse stack”, no problem. “The technology that will be the foundation of the metaverse – including immersive games, VR headsets, 3D meeting rooms and more – is already in use for businesses, regardless of whether there is no ‘ metaverse martech stack’ right now,” Savage said.
I have personally participated in meetings using a virtual reality headset and found the experience to be the perfect ‘third realm’ between home and office,” he added.
Metaverse communities. Corporate marketing is community driven through trade shows and other industry events. During the pandemic, much of this community building was done entirely virtual, whereas today it is a mix of virtual, on-demand and hybrid interactions.
As more and more employees, including key business contacts, have started working remotely, they are also becoming more digitally connected through the technology they use to work. This means there is a wider audience that B2B marketers can reach through digital channels, including on the metaverse.
“B2B marketers should think about how to use the metaverse to grow their business and reach a wider audience,” Savage said. “Customer consumption of content has changed and if businesses aren’t where their customers spend time, they lose out. While only a small fraction of clients are currently in the metaverse, this will change in the future. B2B marketers need to be open to the metaverse as a new channel to connect with their audience, such as using it for virtual events and building communities. »
Improve metaverse experiences. As the world opens up again, the marketing landscape is more dynamic than ever with its complex mix of in-person and digital experiences. Marketers can use the metaverse to connect and improve these experiences.
In the consumer realm, fans of a brand can acquire a branded NFT through a virtual community like Roblox. But if they keep this NFT in a virtual wallet, they can present it from their phone to a odds and ends store and get special access to it. In the same way, the metaverse could merge the experiences of customers and prospects of companies.
“Virtual events are here to stay, and the metaverse is simply going to elevate those experiences by combining the best of virtual – cost-effective, accessible, flexible – with the best of in-person – interactive, collaborative, social,” Savage said. “Some events are better suited for 3D than others, but marketers can reach a wider audience by adopting new and creative ways to connect with customers.
Start small. How can B2B marketers start a metaverse strategy from scratch?
“My advice is to start small,” Savage said. “As the metaverse is not yet fully understood or used, B2B marketers can attend metaverse events, meet event coordinators in this space, and experiment with extended reality platforms and existing technologies to get inspired. »
He adds, “There will be technical barriers to hosting events in the metaverse, such as hardware and security, but the benefits will outweigh the risks for brands that approach the metaverse strategically as marketing tool. »
Why we care. Although still in its infancy, the metaverse has the potential to disrupt traditional marketing channels. While not on the scale of what e-commerce has done to uproot traditional retail, the lesson is that to stay competitive, consumer brand marketers, as well as B2B organizations, should at least plant a flag in the metaverse.
With major martech players like Salesforce providing metaverse-related services, chances are your competitors are already building their own metaverse strategy.
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