The hype for the Metaverse is greater than ever. Promising a new era of connectivity, digital communications, and interactivity, the metaverse will change how virtually every business connects with its customers going forward.
Though the metaverse isn’t exactly a “new” concept, it has begun to mature in recent years, as companies invest in the creation of new virtual worlds, blockchain-based business assets, and extended reality technology.
As interest in the Metaverse continues to grow, companies are becoming increasingly concerned with how they can reach their audience in a changing landscape.
Metaverse PR Agency
After all, the metaverse brings with it a new generation of web-based interactions.
Future public relations and marketing campaigns will be defined by a shift from the social-media-driven landscape of Web2, to the decentralised and dynamic environment of Web 3.0.
To thrive in this new space, companies will need more than just a strong presence on Facebook or a captivating content marketing campaign. They’ll need to experiment with interactive tools like extended reality, metaverse communities, NFTs, and new ways to generate customer loyalty.
Already, 91% of business leaders believe the metaverse and web3 will be crucial to their success going forward, and millions of consumers are already using the metaverse to interact with companies and their products. Even big brands like Nike are getting involved.
Here’s what you need to know about the rise of the Metaverse PR agency, and how public relations are set to change in the era of Web 3.0.
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The Evolution of Public Relations for the Metaverse Age
Public relations have always been a tool designed to help companies build stronger relationships with their audience. The Public Relations industry has grown consistently for the last couple of decades, as companies have continued to search for ways to build brand loyalty and awareness.
However, the nature of public relations is often strongly affected by the technology available.
The variations of the “web” that have emerged over the years have influenced the types of PR campaigns available to companies, as well as the agencies available to assist growing brands.
For instance, the first iteration of the internet, web 1.0 was defined by static, non-interactive pages. Users could only read the information provided by the company, but couldn’t respond or share their own thoughts in the form of comments or social media posts.
The lack of interactivity in Web 1.0 meant public relations strategies often revolved around companies building a positive image with complete control over its narrative. Most brands didn’t take public opinion into account much during this age.
During Web 2.0, things began to change.
Metaverse PR Agency
The evolution of new internet technologies meant Public Relations could become more interactive. Social media began to emerge as a way for business leaders to engage in conversations with their customers.
Websites implemented blog pages with comment sections, and concepts like customer reviews and testimonials became more crucial.
Web 2.0 has earned a reputation as the internet era which made the web interactive, and engaging. Unlike Web 1.0, which was dominated by traditional media and text posts, Web 2 is offers more user participation, making the voice of the customer more significant.
As such, public relations have grown to become more “user-oriented”. Tools like blogs, emails, surveys, and social networks have given public relations agencies a new environment to work in. Today, the opinions of the customer are just as important as the claims of the brand – if not more so.
The Transition from Web2 to Web3 PR Agencies
The shift from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 was a significant one for public relations. It gave companies and business leaders a new way to understand and engage with their audience. User participation has emerged as an important part of how companies cultivate their reputation.
In fact, 93% of customers say they now read reviews and testimonials online before purchasing a product.
With the rise of the Metaverse and Web 3.0, we’re now entering another transformational period in public relations. Web 3.0 is an internet era defined by information dissemination and interaction.
Web 3.0 is allowing for more user participation in the growth and development of brand identities, going beyond the basics of things like reviews and testimonials. Companies are looking for new ways to create a sense of “ownership” among consumers interested in their brands.
Some organisations are even selling access to “pieces” of their brand for consumers, with access to special NFTs and digital assets to leverage in the Metaverse.
The aim of Metaverse PR agencies is to generate a deeper relationship between companies and their public, by allowing consumers to get involved with the brand on a new level.
While Web 2.0 marketing and public relations focused heavily on paid ads, banners, and celebrity endorsements, Web 3.0 is all about community building, incentivizing users to take ownership of their own branded assets, and play a part in developing the brand.
The Emerging Role of Web3 PR in the Metaverse
Investing in PR and marketing in the world of Web 3.0 and the metaverse requires companies to rethink their relationship with customers. Today, people don’t want to be passive “consumers” of products, they want to be active investors in a brand’s growth.
In this new internet era, companies will need to work alongside Metaverse PR agencies to experiment with new ways of marketing their products and services. The focus will be on engaging, interactive, and highly dynamic experiences, built to generate brand loyalty.
Metaverse Community Building
For instance, Coca Cola used an International “Friendship day” NFT collection to give customers the opportunity to bring NFT collectibles into their metaverse environments, direct from the Coca-Cola brand.
This strategy simultaneously gives consumers a sense of ownership over the business, while also helping to market Coca-Cola to other metaverse community members who encounter the digital assets.
Some of the major trends companies will need to consider when investing in PR for the age of the metaverse will include:
1. Changes in customer interactions
In this era of the internet, consumers are regularly faced with huge amounts of information overload. This means they’re spending less time consuming large pieces of content to learn about brands. Instead, they’re looking for ways to develop their understanding of companies through experience.
Metaverse environments built to give consumers a way to explore a business office in virtual reality, or augmented reality apps providing 3D visualizations of products are growing more popular. Companies will need to work with their PR agencies to develop strategies which close the gap between their brands, and their consumers.
Metaverse PR Agency
For instance, HSBC is working on a future where users will be able to visit a branch with a VR headset, to talk to an expert and learn more about products.
2. Building Metaverse Communities
As mentioned above, one of the major differentiating factors of Web 3.0 and the metaverse, is the rise of decentralized, digital communities. To connect with customers in this new age of the internet, business leaders will need to create a sense of loyalty and ownership among fans.
This means looking beyond simply sharing content on social media and generating thought leadership with articles and blog posts. A strong PR strategy will need to consider how companies can transform their customers into advocates and loyal supporters.
Metaverse tools like NFTs will be a valuable investment for brands in the world of Web 3.0. Creating assets users can place in their “Metaverse” environments on Fortnite, Roblox, and similar spaces will give your users more ways to promote and showcase your company.
For instance, Louis Vuitton released an entire NFT collection of fashionable items for avatars, to help customers bring their style into the metaverse.
3. Generating Trust and Loyalty
Using this community-driven environment, companies will also need to find ways of maintaining customer trust and loyalty. As more companies continue to enter the metaverse, it will be important to find ways of consistently engaging new and existing clients.
Starbucks, for instance, brought a Web3 Advisor into their team to help them create and launch their new digital rewards platform. The company is now working on various NFT, and digital initiatives designed to help customers collect different kinds of rewards from their purchases.
Part of generating trust and loyalty in this environment will also mean collecting insights from customers, and giving them an opportunity to shape the future of a business. Allowing customers to take part in VR trials of a new service, and gathering their feedback will be a powerful way for brands to boost engagement and growth opportunities.
Part of generating trust and loyalty in this environment will also mean collecting insights from customers, and giving them an opportunity to shape the future of a business. Allowing customers to take part in VR trials of a new service, and gathering their feedback will be a powerful way for brands to boost engagement and growth opportunities.
This form of interaction will also show users that the company respects their needs and preferences, allowing for a deeper consumer/brand relationship.
Looking for a Blockchain Marketing Agency?
Crowdcreate is a leading crypto, NFT, web3, and metaverse marketing agency that’s helped some of the top projects in crypto create buzz, grow a digital community, and connect with influencers & investors.
Metaverse PR Agency
Preparing for the New Age of PR
Ultimately, Web 3.0 and the metaverse is set to change the way businesses connect with their customers much faster than you might expect.
Already, countless companies have begun to invest in their own dedicated Metaverse PR agencies, to ensure they can effectively delight and engage their target audience. As the metaverse continues to take the world by storm, it’s time for every brand to upgrade its PR strategy.
