3 Reasons Web-Based AR Should Be in Every Marketer’s Toolkit

This article by Caspar Thykier, Zappar, Chief Executive Officer explores how Augmented Reality (AR) technology is becoming more accessible to marketers through the evolution of Mobile WebAR (AR that can be accessed via a web browser instead of a dedicated native app) and discusses the benefits of implementation.

Augmented reality (AR) is a great example of technology that is becoming increasingly common, but is just as often thought to be beyond the reach of many marketers. Instant turn-offs include myths around AR requiring complex tools or the designation of an entire team to create and manage an app. However, the truth is that marketers actually have more paths to implementing AR than most think. One of the most talked-about options right now is mobile WebAR.

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Mobile WebAR is augmented reality that can be accessed via a web browser instead of a dedicated native app. A customer just has to open the camera function on their smartphone and point it at the code in question or simply access a web link to enter a branded immersive experience. While native apps have their place, they can be a barrier to entry for AR. The process of creating an entire funnel for app downloads can create a pain point that may result in a drop-off in customer engagement. Web-based AR promotes audience engagement and enhances audience reach in three simple yet significant ways that are especially beneficial to marketers.

1. Low Maintenance Creation: 

The biggest and most direct benefit that WebAR poses to brands is taking the pain out of creating and maintaining a native app. While it is becoming easier to develop AR apps, they still require time, money, and resources to construct, distribute and maintain. By using WebAR, marketers can instead focus on the quality of their campaign, which can be accessed seamlessly from any phone that has a camera and a web browser. With the global market of WebAR-compatible devices is approaching 3 billion, WebAR as a distribution method has the ability to reach nearly twice as many smartphones as AR deployed in a native app. However, it’s worth noting that there remain use cases for a native app that are still highly relevant for brands who have already invested in a native mobile app strategy and vice versa for consumers to deliver a better product and experience. Think loyalty apps like those from 7-Eleven and Tillys, or fan apps for sports such as that of the Minnesota Vikings. 

2. A Frictionless Experience:

The level of access and engagement that comes with hosting your AR campaign through the web is unparalleled. Removing the need to search for and download an app reduces the number of steps a user has to take between awareness and experience, which is particularly important when you consider the short form ‘on-the-go’ experiences typically served. Customers can simply jump right into the experience with capabilities their phone already has, without any major disruption to the overall customer journey. Puma deployed this thinking for the launch of their new flagship store in New York City as part of their wider in-store digitization strategy. The brand utilized WebAR to encourage potential customers to scan QR codes on signs and shoe tags to see branded content featuring Puma's mascot. By digitizing every product in the store via WebAR, Puma enriched the direct-to-consumer relationship, delivering short-form ‘snackable’ experiences on the fly, all while gathering real-time data intelligence to inform business strategies. This campaign was part of a major push to ensure the store’s opening made a big splash, and WebAR made it easy for customers to quickly engage with the content without the friction of needing to download a native app before any interaction.

3. Super-Charged Reach:

An ongoing debate among marketers, wider brands and businesses surrounding AR is centered around reach. “Who, and how many people can we target and ultimately engage with based on an app’s download numbers across iOS and Android?” That’s the question many are asking. The common choice so far for many marketers and CPG brands is to turn to AR-enabled social platforms like Snap, Facebook and, more recently, Instagram to reach that wider audience. These platforms are obviously very powerful, however they’re not the mobile web. By contrast, WebAR gives marketers access to over a billion AR-enabled devices (and growing) across the world — extending the reach, access and visibility of your AR campaign outside what we call the “walled gardens” of Snap and Facebook. Coca-Cola has already put this philosophy to work by encouraging users to engage with its bottles through the WebAR portal to see the art come alive. No social channels to hop through — just jumping right in through WebAR.

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The barriers to entry for marketers who want to experiment with AR are getting toppled one by one. Mobile WebAR bypasses much of the friction that other AR solutions can sometimes come with and funnels the user directly toward the AR experience in a way that is both fast and measurable. At Zappar, we expect to see big moves in the web-based AR space in the next year and are excited to see what forms it will take as more and more pioneering brands and businesses wake up to its potential. Perhaps the best part about mobile WebAR is that it provides quality experiences that can change how your brand is perceived. With accessibility becoming less of a hurdle, marketers will be able to spend less time on logistics and more time on what matters — making creative, fun and engaging campaigns that drive meaningful results.