It’s time to eat, and you decide to order a large, delicious burger online. You can’t wait! The dripping cheese, fresh lettuce, and crispy fries all look so appetizing on the app. You select a show to watch on Netflix so you can enjoy your meal. Finally, it arrives, right on time. As you unwrap your order, you realize that the burger is thin, barely a quarter of the size on the app, and the fries aren’t crispy at all.
If you don’t already, you should know to lower your expectations when it comes to buying anything, whether it’s online or at a physical store. False advertising is rampant. However, the metaverse is moving away from traditional advertising as we know it, toward projecting reality as closely as possible in the virtual world.
It’s not news anymore that Facebook, the company, is now Meta. You can read about why and what the rebrand means for your business and the introduction of the metaverse here.
It is estimated that over a billion people will be able to socialize and play in the immersive, 3D world by the end of the decade.
This means that advertisers need to change some of their practices and start finding innovative ways to create and share ads on digital platforms.
First, what changes have been made to Meta? What does Meta mean for your business? Read on to find out.
Remove Detailed Targeting
We’ve all been too distracted by Tik Tok to notice the best thing to ever happen to Facebook. No, it’s not their rebrand to Meta.
As of January 2022, users on Facebook (social media platform) can remove any data they don’t want to see.
You can opt out of receiving content around “sensitive” topics, related to any cause, organization, health-related issues, race, or ethnicity. You can also choose to see fewer ads related to politics, parenting, alcohol, and pets. By 2023, you’ll be able to restrict categories like gambling and weight loss.
Consequently, marketers can now personalize ads for people and for businesses by creating a meta-audience.
Privacy Over Data
Zuckerberg also announced that Facebook users can control their own data. You can control who sees your posts, and your personal information, as well as have a say as to how you want your data used.
You can specify the settings for yourself and share them with friends and family for better control over the data collected about them.
What do all these changes to meta mean to the marketing landscape and digital advertising as we know it?
The bottom line is that consumers don’t trust marketers and advertisers. To be fair, ads today are wildly exaggerated. What you see is not what you get.
As a result, consumers rely on reviews or word-of-mouth marketing tactics. They don’t want to hear how great your deodorant is from a Ryan Gosling look-alike, or how good your make-up is from a paid influencer.
Consumers want transparent, empathic, and honest marketing and/or ads.
The metaverse will be dominated by games and social media, making use of augmented reality (AR) devices. It will create considerable disruption in the coming years for businesses and marketers. All content, including ads, will have to be more engaging and realistic.
Brands will have to open their virtual doors, let their consumers in, empathize with them, and laugh at themselves.
The honest and self-aware tone of voice from brands creating meta content will cut through the overwhelming amount of bull online.
Ads will not identify as an ad but as a piece of the metaverse that is relatable and shareable, telling it how it is.
In BrewDog’s campaign, ‘This is an Advert’, they went ahead to remove that awkward relationship between the brand and the consumer. There’s no call to action, no fancy copywriting, just an advert on various media.
Our parting shot
On Meta you can filter which content and ads you want to see and secure your personal info. You can create and control your personal space. Moreover, advertisers can customize ads based on business or individual, and make honest, realistic ads.
Within the metaverse, brands will have to break down the wall between them and the audience; show an understanding of what it’s like to be a consumer. Users will be able to ‘do a test run’ before purchase.
What you see is what you’ll get.
It’s time for companies to get ahead of the curb and prepare. Set up your business for the present and future. Digital Beehive is here to revitalize your marketing so that when everyone is on the metaverse, your business is thriving and ready. Contact us today.
