AR Filters: From Beautifying Tool to Secret Marketing Weapon
As Gen Z and Millennials establish themselves as primary target audiences for brands, social media marketing has, unsurprisingly, become a staple for every brand. Keeping up with trends and constant innovation is a must. This audience is not only supremely tech-savvy but also decisive and has great buying power. For context, 83% of Instagram users discover new products and services on the app itself, and 80% make the purchase decision right there and then! The conversion rates on social media apps are off the charts. Throw in unique and interactive augmented reality (AR) filters, and your content can become “Viral”; in simple terms, achieve massive and rapid reach.
Instagram AR filters then and now
Vanity, thy name is Instagram
When COVID-19 confined us to our homes, social media sites became our windows to the outside world. This was the beginning of a new era for digital marketing, authenticated by Instagram itself, who stated that “1/3 of the most viewed Instagram stories are from brands and brands’ stories have a 85% completion rate (number of times a story is viewed in its entirety).”
With Instagram becoming the digital hub for online shopping, the competition is tougher than ever before. Companies of all sizes are looking for creative ways to leave a more profound and lasting impression on their audiences and convince them to respond to the call to action.
One unique marketing tool that has stood the test of modern time is the AR filter. While it sounds surprising, we’ve come a very long way from mere dog and flower crown filters. Better at engagement than a guy saying “Hello there” in your inbox, Instagram filters have proven to have excellent engagement rates as an interactive tool. They help create an emotional connection between the brand and the end-users. The target audience is stuck at home, bored, and looking for the next thing that tickles their brains. The brands that come up with creative and engaging ways to catch their attention are the ones winning this race.
Filters have also helped in spreading messages community-wide, especially in the wake of Coronavirus. Positive messages along with SOS calls have helped people create online support circles. So undoubtedly, the best time for your brand to get on the AR filter train was yesterday. The next best day is today! But let us walk you a bit further through the importance of AR Filter Marketing.
The “bandwagon effect” is a brand’s best friend
Instagram filters work because they focus on the user and give a personalized experience, encouraging them to share the experiences on their stories to friends and families. This shareability comes as a subtle recommendation to their audience, gently enticing them to try the filter and share on their Story – hence creating the bandwagon effect for brands. The secret to this cycle is to create something interactive and interesting, inciting people to share it on their own.
Marketing with AR filters
It is organic, and it is honest...
When consuming content by a brand, we know there is a certain bias in that content. But once people see their friends, family, favorite influencers, and celebrities using the filter, they will run to get a similar post up on their stories too. This creates organic, honest content by the customers, which speaks volumes about the brand’s credibility. Instagram has great mechanics to reshare posts from users so that the brand and the user can build a meaningful connection between the brand and the user through interactive features. Your best brand ambassador is your actual client.
And it’s not just all in the air—it’s pretty black and white
We know numbers don’t lie. The impact of AR Filters is measurable and can be monitored through the metrics offered within the app. You can see how many times your AR Filter was viewed, screenshotted, and shared. These numbers will tell you everything you need to know about your reach, your influence in the market, the potency of any business deals you decide to make with social media influencers, and more
The attitude your brand needs
AR filters are a great way to define your brand’s personality. You can make completely personalized filters that resonate with your brand. These filters can be tutorials, public service messages, occasion-based, gamified, virtual try-ons and frames, face masks, and so much more.
At 10Pearls, not only do we love AR filters, but we also know what works for which type of brand. We love to experiment with the latest technologies available in the field because we know that the future is AR, and AR Filters are one of the building blocks of this future. So, get your brand its own AR Filters. If you are looking for unique, disruptive ideas, get in touch with us. Our team will be more than happy to help bring those ideas to (virtual) life!
