Technologies that people once only dreamed about are now accessible to everyone at their fingertips, and for growing businesses, augmented reality is at the top of the list.
With 1% of retailers now using augmented reality in their apps and shopping experiences, there’s never been a better time to experiment with the technology and reap the potential benefits it offers.
According to one report, 71% of consumers say they’d shop with a brand more often if they added AR experiences, as it allows them to feel confident when shopping online. Moreover, 40% of consumers say they would pay more for a product they could customize in AR, demonstrating changing consumer attitudes towards the tech.
Below, we’ve put together some of the most significant benefits of using augmented reality in your apps…
One of the most apparent benefits of augmented reality is that it can boost engagement on your app and allow you to deliver more immersive experiences to your customers and end-users.
When AR first entered the mainstream, many thought it would only benefit the gaming and entertainment sectors, but it quickly made a name for itself outside of them.
There are so many ways that you can add augmented reality to your app and online presence, from offering scannable QR codes to creating immersive product catalogues and unique shopping experiences where customers can try on your clothing or watches in real time before they place an order in your app, differentiating your product from your competitor’s and giving users a reason to download your app and interact with you.
Augmented reality works so well because it encourages interaction.
User engagement is more critical than ever before. Even if a user downloads your app, tries your AR experience and doesn’t buy your product or service immediately, you’ll build rapport and be remembered when they’re looking for something you offer. Providing your users with the right content at the right time can foster brand loyalty, so jumping onto trends and creating immersive, shareable augmented reality experiences will help you stand out.
Investing in augmented reality technology allows you to differentiate your brand and stand out in today’s crowded market. Sure, you won’t be the first organisation to launch an AR-powered app or metaverse storefront, but if you do it distinctively, there’s no reason why your app can’t go viral and help you unlock customer bases and sales streams.
Augmented reality technology might be more accessible and affordable than ever, but most companies aren’t taking advantage of it. With tech giants such as Apple widely expected to enter the augmented reality game in 2023, there’s never been a better time to get started. After all, catching the attention of your ideal customer (and holding it) can be challenging. Augmented reality could be the game-changer your brand needs.
Ever tried to repair expensive machinery using a manual or over a YouTube video? Although support manuals and documents can be helpful, cognitive information overload is real. If you work in a particularly complex or technical industry, augmented reality could be a valuable tool in helping users better understand your products or services and reduce frustration.
AR can present information in summarised digital snippets and ensures users don’t have to process too much information simultaneously, allowing them to make quick decisions without cognitive load. Whether your app is designed for engineers looking to retain or for restauranteurs getting to grips with a point-of-sale system, augmented reality could help.
Whilst many brands are building all bells, all whistles AR experiences to attract users to their apps, it’s also worth talking about the benefits of augmented reality for training purposes. If you have an in-house app, augmented reality could help you deliver more immersive training programs, encouraging problem-solving and tackling challenging scenarios in the real world.
AR training could help your business evaluate its employees and monitor their training and development over time. Improved training can boost productivity and performance and, in some cases, prevent deadly and costly mistakes. One of the best things about AR-based training is that it can imitate many real-life dangers and vulnerable scenarios and can help build skills with exposure to true-life scenarios across a wide range of industries.
Another benefit of augmented reality is that brands can translate text on the fly. If you want to appeal to tourists, for example, then you could launch an AR app that speaks their native language and automatically translates real-world content in real time using their camera. Suppose you operate a museum, for example. In that case, QR codes could be used to allow visitors to access localised content tailored to their tastes and cultures and augmented reality overlays could explain local traditions, cultures, and rules to bring communities together.
Want to implement augmented reality into your app? Reach out to the team at Zudu on 01382 690080.
