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Augmented Reality and SEO: Looking At The Future

January 14, 2022
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Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies are having a profound impact on augmented reality and SEO in a variety of marketing practices, and are attracting increasing attention from marketing researchers. Today, SEO Sydney teaches you all you need to do in this up-and-coming area.

What is Augmented Reality (AR)?

Using the means of digital technology, augmented reality overlays information in video, text, or image format onto everyday surroundings, objects, and locations from the real world. 80% of the information that the brain takes in is visual; so by providing information in a visual medium that also has the spatial nature of augmented reality, you’re giving the brain a very intuitive way of accessing knowledge.

AR can be in the form of:

Information and text (e.g. The British Museum where you can scan a displayed object and pop-up messages will appear with info regarding that specific object);
Virtual objects (e.g. Ikea refurbishing homes – scan your home, then place different pieces of furniture in your house environment to see how they fit);
Digital packaging (e.g. Pepsi, Coca Cola, or Starbucks using AR interfaces designed by Layar and Blippar).

Impacted Business Industries

Statistically speaking, eCommerce will be the most impacted industry of all. Imagine virtually trying out shoes from your favourite brand without the hustle and bustle of actually doing it all day long, running from one shop to another. Adidas and Converse have tried this, scoring higher conversion rates, yet fewer returns, once customers satisfied their necessity or curiosity.

With time, brands started to realise that augmented reality is set to grow exponentially as a discovery and communication channel. And so did digital marketers and search marketers.

The power of mobile devices to trigger information-rich experiences in real-world settings made brands crave to turn AR into a powerful marketing tool. The benefits were undoubtedly rich and offering: smartly leading customers to brick and stone stores, alerting them to a sale, and creating the means for better and faster real-time ratings and reviews.

Augmented reality and shopping are often congruent. Shopping has a lot to gain from augmented reality. Several examples have already been provided earlier. But that’s not all.

Augmented reality is a win-win business. Customers also have a lot to benefit from it. AR apps save time, provide detailed information, are eye-opening, better serve a customer’s needs, and create engagement and entertainment. When available, people will be able to scan surroundings in search of nearby restaurants, and discounts, all within line-of-sight and with maximum accuracy.

Print media already started to actively incorporate AR into their publications. Esquire Magazine proved this in their 2009 issue when readers were able to scan the paper cover and trigger an augmented reality experience with Robert Downey Jr.