New advancements in the digital world continue to emerge, changing how brands and startups communicate and engage with virtual audiences. Recent developments in virtual spaces will require a shift in PR efforts if startups want continued relevancy. The latest trend to hit the press is the evolution of the Metaverse, a fully digital space operating on the frontier of social, immersion, and connectivity. Tech startups looking to stake their claim in this ever-evolving space must prioritize PR and Metaverse marketing to cut through the noise.
What is the Metaverse?
It may be true that the Metaverse is one of the hottest buzzwords in tech. However, it’s a concept that can be difficult to wrap one’s head around. According to pressfarm, the Metaverse is “…where the digital and physical worlds merge, creating a digital reality where people can work, play, and socialize.”
The Metaverse is a new branch of social connection equipped with avatars, digital economies, currency, and social life. However, there isn’t just one Metaverse, but multiple venues where Metaverse participants can enjoy experiences, buy or sell opportunities, invest, and engage with brands the same as they would in the real world.
While the Metaverse may still be a new development, it highlights the potential for interacting with customers in a digital realm – in real-time, at all times.
Read on to learn how tech startups can benefit from Metaverse PR by collaborating with tech PR agencies.
Integrating PR with the Metaverse
The rise of the Metaverse presents tech PR agencies and startups with an exciting opportunity to collaborate to reach new virtual audiences and establish relationships using immersive tools.
For PR agencies, participating in the Metaverse means learning new techniques to communicate your startup’s vision while discovering new methods for brand exposure. Developing Metaverse marketing expertise will be advantageous in the virtual world, increasing the likelihood that a customer will engage with a particular brand.
But how do we successfully integrate PR with the Metaverse? Here are three ideas worth considering.
Immersive media outreach
Customers will follow trends in the Metaverse the same way they follow trends in the physical world. Tech PR agencies can help startups maximize the interactivity of the Metaverse by creating exclusive offerings for media outlets to amplify your brand’s exposure.
For example, a tech PR agency can “gamify” clients’ media outreach campaigns for a Metaverse product launch by developing videogames where specific journalists, bloggers, and editors are invited to play to access exclusive details, information, and product samples.
Fashion brand Balenciaga did just that by offering its Fall 2021 collection via Afterworld, a video game that allowed a select group of users to virtually “try on” items while entirely immersed in the Metaverse. By gamifying media outreach campaigns, PR pros can move from pitching media stories to journalists to living them collaboratively.
Interactive content marketing
Metaverse content marketing will be a mix of traditional and experiential techniques. Tech startups interested in connecting with customers in the Metaverse can utilize interactive content marketing to tie in personalized, real-world experiences that parallels what your brand does in real life.
For example, digital currency and crypto financial startups can create opportunities for consumers to exchange currencies between different worlds. They can develop de-centralized virtual banks or even design personalized digital wallets to store NFTs and cryptocurrencies.
Accelerated brand awareness
The novelty of the Metaverse offers startups an opportunity to capitalize on this growing platform. Startups can achieve credibility and market their brands effectively by building authentic relationships with specific communities or influencers in the Metaverse that match their current audience.
To do so, newsrooms and journalists will need to experiment with developing new methods or channels to receive Metaverse-based pitches and begin building their presence in virtual worlds while it’s still low-risk and low-cost. In addition, media outlets will play a role in shaping the credibility of the Metaverse. Brands looking to market effectively and influence trends should leverage earned media opportunities.
When Metaverse newsrooms are created, tech PR firms will be poised to help your startup create PR content specific to the Metaverse, pitch tailored messages to Metaverse media, and develop virtual stories to drive buzz about your brand in gaming communities. Earned media offers credibility, can accelerate brand awareness, and generate more leads – all tangible results needed in a fully virtual space.
Conclusion
Although the Metaverse is still evolving, this digital environment provides exciting opportunities to develop personalized virtual experiences and products that customers can’t receive in the real world. As more brands enter the Metaverse, tech startups will need innovative PR efforts to keep new target audiences engaged. Therefore, tech startups interested in embracing Metaverse marketing should consider integrating industry best practices to deliver a virtual experience that engages new audiences and is consistent with your brand.