07.12.23 - Marketing
Leveraging Immersive Experiences to Inform and Delight Your Customers
Put yourself in the shoes of a prospective customer coming across your business for the first time. Would you rather read a big chunk of text on a static website? Or do you want an immersive experience?
We choose the latter, too.
In a world of short attention spans and crowded digital spaces, it’s possible to differentiate your brand by creating memorable experiences with elements of interactivity and gamification. You can create a stronger relationship with your audience and keep them engaged beyond that all-important first impression. Some modern businesses are even built entirely around the concept of immersive digital experiences, with Duolingo being one of the world’s most recognizable examples.
From interactive websites that engage visitors with captivating animations and videos to full-on games that culminate in a reward or valuable piece of information, these immersive experiences are limited only by the imagination. Beyond keeping your audience engaged, they educate, inspire, and communicate company values (more on digitally communicating your values).
Here’s what your brand should know about the fast-growing market for immersive digital experiences.
Why Immersive Experiences Matter
Immersive digital experiences are overwhelmingly popular with individual and business customers alike. Consider the following:
- Experience: 85% of business buyers and 79% of consumers say the experience a company provides is as important as its product or services, according to a survey conducted by Salesforce.
- Gamification: Studies show gamification leads to more enjoyment and drives brand loyalty. People who engage with game mechanics report enjoying their participation almost twice as much, according to a survey by brand loyalty firm Bond.
- Immersive platforms: 61% of consumers surveyed by Accenture said they would be more likely to buy from a brand that uses augmented reality, virtual reality, or 3D content.
It’s a safe bet that immersive experiences will become more prevalent and important in brand-building as new digital platforms proliferate, like Apple’s Vision Pro augmented reality headshot and Meta’s Quest virtual reality headset.
But how do you know if an immersive experience is right for you?
85% of business buyers and 79% of consumers say the experience a company provides is as important as its product or services.
Executing Immersive Experiences
At Makeway, we’re well-versed in ideating and executing all types of immersive digital experiences.
We’re proud to be flexible in our problem-solving, so you don’t have to come with a fully baked idea to end up with an effective custom solution (that’s what discovery sessions are for!). Here are just a few examples you can check out in the real world:
UDig NY Kids Zone: In rebranding and building a new website for UDig NY, we came up with a digital playground exclusively for kids. These games, activities, and videos teach the essentials of “safe digging” in a memorably fun and colorful way. Learn more in our case study.
GAF: Makeway helped create four custom-developed touchscreens for a trade expo the roofing company attended. Visitors were able to interact with physical materials while seamlessly browsing video content and sell sheets, allowing them to understand and interact with the latest roofing innovations.
Panduit: We used an interactive 3D tour to reimagine the customer journey at Panduit’s Experience Center in Chicago. Makeway created an interactive touchscreen experience to feature complex products and markets, empowering Panduit’s sales team to better serve clients.
DSCC: Makeway re-designed their Defend the Senate website for an upcoming election cycle and encouraged users to sign up for DSCC’s email list and make donations. We used interactive graphics to convey how fragile the Democratic majority was.
Summer Smash: We created a QR code scavenger hunt—with virtual and physical elements—for Causewave Community Partners’ Summer Smash event.
Draper Engineering: We made an interactive quiz for iPad to help Draper educate visitors on complex engineering topics.
Investing in Immersive
In an increasingly crowded and competitive landscape, you can set yourself apart and connect with your audience in more meaningful ways.
Immersive digital experiences are far from a short-lived internet fad. Although not always an appropriate solution in every scenario, they represent a lasting paradigm shift in brand-customer relations and should always be on the table as an option.
To talk about immersive digital experiences that will inform and delight your customers, reach us at [email protected].
