How is Augmented Reality changing the way people consume content online?

Augmented Reality changing way people consume content online

The way people use and utilize content online has always fascinated businesses due to the rapid nature of changing trends. From the early days of the internet in the 1990s to the early days of e-commerce and social media in the 2010s to new-age content consumption in the form of short videos and other methods, this certainly has been one of the few areas that has seen the most rapid and surplus growth. But now, even the changes just a few years back look nothing like the potential growth potential shown by Augmented reality.

AR Content: What is it and How is it Created?

AR content is any digital content designed to be viewed or interacted with using AR devices, such as smartphones, tablets, glasses, headsets, or projectors. The nature of the content allows itself to get overlaid in the real world, making it more interactive and lifelike than most other forms of online content that are abundant nowadays. The AR form of content is simply too real and refreshing that it blurs the line between real and artificial for the users and lets them enjoy it in a complete manner.

Making online AR content has only become easier over the years, with different social media platforms embedding themselves with AR-based filters and features that are mostly used by youngsters and are extremely popular among them on applications like Snapchat and instagram.

How is AR content Consumed?

AR content can be consumed using various devices and platforms, depending on the type and availability of the content. Some of the common devices and platforms are:

Smartphones and Tablets

Smartphones and tablets are the most widely used devices for consuming AR content. Users can use their device’s camera to scan the environment and see digital content appear on the screen. For example, one can use their smartphone or tablet to see how clothes or furniture look on them or in their space using AR shopping apps such as IKEA Place or Amazon AR View.

Glasses and Headsets

Glasses and headsets provide users with a more immersive and hands-free experience of consuming AR content, as one can wear these devices to see digital content projected onto their field.

Projectors and Screens

Projectors and screens are the gateways to a social and collaborative journey into AR content. With these tools, users can cast their digital world onto a surface or a wall, creating a shared experience. Interaction is at their fingertips, with touch or motion sensors guiding the way.

What are the Benefits?

To understand why AR content is getting increasingly popular, we have to look at how it is making a huge impact on content in different fields.

Engagement

AR content can be shown to increase user engagement by providing more interactive and realistic content that captures their attention and interest. Users can also have more control and choice over their content by customizing or personalizing it according to their preferences or needs.

Education

It is also impacting education by providing them with more visual and experiential learning materials that facilitate their understanding and retention of information. Users can also have more access and exposure to different topics or fields of study by exploring them in a 3D environment.

Entertainment

Entertainment industry is dependent on the user’s interaction with its content, hence one of the fields with the highest change is related to entertainment and Interaction.

Socialization

AR content can foster user socialization by providing them more opportunities and platforms to connect and communicate with others who share their interests or passions.

How is AR changing the ways of online content consumption?

With more than 4.9 billion users, the number of accounts on social media platforms is simply huge, and even then, new ways of consumption spread like a forest fire. And when the topic is a more interesting type of content like AR that can completely change your online content and how you see them, it’s more swift. Studies have also said that using AR increases conversion rates by up to 94% and decreases returns by 25%. It is even truer for platforms like Snapchat, where AR-based features have started to play the role of MVP, and the number of users has only risen over the years.

More and more platforms that are completely based on AR content and sharing are making their way into the hearts of the consumers, be it Tiktok or other Meta, they are integrating AR into their platforms, understanding the opportunity that has been presented to them. The ways online consumption is changing is evident, and AR will play an extremely important role along with its counterpart and complementary technology, VR.

Conclusions

Companies and businesses stay relevant by understanding how consumers react and interact with the content. With the rise of E-commerce, this principle has only become more evident and useful. In this new setting, the rise of AR content is going to be the new big thing, and big brands have already started to utilize it to their full potential. Even if these brands had the advantage of resources, now the field is almost leveled due to the rise of no-code platforms that can help you create AR content with just a few clicks. PlugXR is one such tool to take advantage of with its forever-free version.