Meta comes with more AR experiences: get a step closer to your audiences!

Over the past year, Meta has enhanced its ad sales tactics, particularly as it has diminished the metaverse in favour of focusing on its core business, which includes running advertisements on its platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Meta has also become increasingly vocal about how AI is used in the ad platform.

While Meta focused more on the metaverse at last year's NewFronts, the company primarily pushed Reels this year by launching augmented reality ads in Instagram Reels while briefly mentioning AI and the metaverse.

Following Microsoft's step towards incorporating ChatGPT in all of its products, including the new Bing Chat, all the big names in the industry, from Google to Snap, vigorously focused on launching AI features in their products.

Indeed, for years, Meta has been developing AI, but it hasn’t been used in consumer applications until now. In fact, AI is heavily incorporated into Meta and Google's ad and content algorithms.

And now the company is striving to incorporate AI into features that could aid in the development of augmented reality and many other areas.

It is noted that Meta already provides augmented reality ads in the Facebook feed and Instagram feed. These ads can now be seen in other prominent places on Meta's platform, such as Facebook and Instagram Reels and Facebook Stories.

Other enhancements and improvements to Reels ads are also being rolled out, according to the company, and brands will now be able to collaborate with third-party measurement partners for their Reels ads campaigns.

With Google pitching to marketers with YouTube shorts in this year’s NewFronts, Snapchat is leading in offering a variety of AR commerce features, and Meta is now adding spice to the play with its launch of AR Reels ads.

In today’s digital landscape, businesses have already begun embracing augmented reality advertising and related services in order to capture the attention of customers. Statistics show AR ads outperform traditional display ads and generate 94% higher conversion rates compared to ads without AR or 3D components.

With Instagram Reels already being a great help for marketers to amp up their Instagram game, in our opinion, these next-level ad formats will be well worth considering and pave the way for gaining more opportunities to connect with their audiences.

AR increases interaction with ads:

As AR is still new and exciting for audiences, both younger and older, they are more likely to interact with AR ads. (Yes, who will not get excited to try on new products virtually?) Thus, by leveraging AR Reels ads, marketers can attract new audiences and hold their attention for longer periods of time. This, in turn, can lead marketers to increased engagement and higher conversion rates.

It will make it easier for marketers to enhance the brand experience:

Through AR Reels ads, marketers will have the capability to showcase the brands’ products in a unique and intuitive way for audiences. This way, it can assist marketers in enhancing the memorable brand experience and emotional connection among high-value audiences, thereby strengthening brand advocacy.

It will give marketers more data to increase the efficacy of campaigns:

As more people interact with ads, marketers will have ample data to analyse and gain insights from. As a result, they can better understand the kinds of products they try on more, the types of ads they are more engaged with, etc., which will be extremely useful to tailor the campaigns as per their interests and preferences. This can possibly lead marketers to improve the overall user experience and increase the effectiveness of the campaign.

Simply put, Meta’s emphasis on Reels and AR experiences is an excellent opportunity for marketers to gain a competitive advantage and provide lasting impressions for their target audiences so as to improve conversions.