Virtual Reality (VR) is being heralded as the next frontier in advertising, marketing, and storytelling. We know global search interest in VR grew nearly 4X over 2015 alone (data from Google). Still, there are large amounts of people that never tried it yet. That is because many people still feel intimidated by the technology, especially by the use of a headset.

Here are 4 ways to get your audience to use VR technology with ease:

#1: Experiment with multiple entry points

Create multiple ways for your audience to interact with the content. Use clear instructions and clear choices every step of the way in every device.

#2: Guide people through the experience

Clear instructions at every turn: in website copy, in the content itself, even in the voiceover of a video. Think of it as a guided tour that will serve to educate rather than alienate new users.

#3: Create simple mobile experiences

We’re all turning to our phones more and more. Over 60% of YouTube’s views come from mobile. Use it as a medium to interact with your audience and introduce it to VR.

#4: Don’t forget about desktop

By bringing a fresh, new experience to a more traditional platform, like desktop, you can keep viewers engaged with your content. That is still the most used platform to reach content and the one most people are used to. Bring a new experience to a familiar platform.

In conclusion, like any other emerging technology, Virtual Reality presents challenges, especially to new users or users that are more averse to change. However, it has the potential to bring audiences into another world and allow them to interact with a brand in a whole new way. By putting the experience first, instead of pulling everything for technology, brands and marketers can develop welcoming experiences, both to VR pros and to newbies, thus overcoming the hurdles of new technologies.

What do you think about this? Give us your thoughts and personal experiences on the use of Virtual Reality.

Sources:

Cox, A.; Virtual Reality Is the Next Frontier. Make Sure You Don’t Leave Your Consumers Behind, Think with Google, July 2016.