Insights

Recently, at the height of the Facebook Papers scandal, Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company would be rebranding as Meta. While the metaverse isn’t a new concept, Meta seeks to throw an umbrella over the various current and upcoming facets of the company, with their sights set on “being seen as a metaverse company,” according to Zuckerberg. After people around the globe were plunged suddenly into a virtual world in 2020, an immersive digital experience seems like the next obvious evolution in web technology, but what does this mean for you and your business?

First, what is Meta? The metaverse is an online virtual world that incorporates augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D avatars, and other means of communication into an immersive digital environment. Meta is taking these concepts to create Horizon, a new social media platform that will allow users to create their own virtual worlds as well as communicate and interact with other users.

Meta isn’t just a Facebook Wall, it’s a Facebook Home. Seventeen years ago, Facebook emerged as a way to connect college students. The platform was visually basic, largely text, and communications were done by writing on one another’s Facebook Wall. In the years since, social media has grown into a behemoth of communication capabilities across multiple platforms, becoming a valuable asset for professional and personal connections alike. Meta is thinking big out of the gate this time by offering a whole Horizon universe including Horizon Home, Horizon Workspace, and Horizon Worlds. Mark Zuckerberg describes a completely digital world where users can ‘teleport’ between virtual spaces, create and play games together, experience art from around the world, and collaborate with colleagues. Anyone else getting some Holodeck vibes?

The metaverse is already here. For years, video game platforms like Fortnight, Roblox, and Minecraft have been offering virtual open worlds as a home for user-generated content. With the ongoing technological advancement of VR, AR, and AI technology, entertainment, business, and education around the world have become more accessible than ever. Meta promises to combine these experiences under one virtual roof. While a beta Meta was rolled out over the last year to a limited number of users, a full Meta development is not expected for several years.

Meta for Business isn’t the only change coming to the Facebook brand. Major overhauls to the Business interface are already happening as Meta begins to explore how businesses can leverage these new technologies. While the full scope of what this means for digital marketing isn’t readily apparent just yet, marketers are preparing for a whole new level of search engine marketing (including visual search capabilities), visual content, public relations, and experiential advertising.

Staying relevant as a brand will also mean taking a close look at the demographics most likely to be in this virtual world. Older Gen Zs are aging into big spending while younger Gen Zs consistently influence household spending from their Millennial parents. Connecting with these generations will be crucial.

Here are just a few ways businesses can utilize Meta technology for their brand:

• Restaurants can create 3D menus or offer a virtual “dine-in” experience
• Clothing and shoe stores can use AR for finding the perfect fit, or VR so shoppers can virtually stroll the aisles
• Educators can offer accessibility in a virtual classroom for everything from teaching CPR to dissecting a frog
• Virtual tradeshows, symposiums, and interactive webinars where avatars rub elbows from the comfort of their home or office
• Customer service and reception can take on a whole new level of individualized attention

Where does Webfitters come in? Listen, if you think your gears are turning, ours are spinning out of control! We have already begun to dig into the many implications of the incoming metaversal shifts, as well as the applications for ourselves and our clients. Watch for more articles like this one as we discover more capabilities with the growth of Meta and the wider metaverse.

Want to see how we can help your business with cutting-edge tech? Let’s get in touch and schedule your free consultation today!