The AR opportunity brands are missing 

In a tough economy, brands tend to tighten their marketing belts and pump money toward performance marketing efforts. Channels like search and direct response social media ads get overemphasized to win a cheap click.  

But when every brand is zigging towards the same formats and channels, it’s worth zagging and looking at the bigger picture. 

Augmented reality lenses (AR Lenses or Branded Effects) are often overlooked and viewed as a fun and silly way to grab a consumer’s attention. And that’s a fair assessment. But, they also have the most power to be sticky with consumers and drive sustainable results. 

More than 200 million people engage with AR on Snapchat every day on average, and 100 million consumers are shopping with AR online and in-stores. Perhaps more important than the massive audience is the fact that AR delivers almost two times the levels of visual attention compared to their non-AR equivalents, and interacting with products that have AR experiences leads to a 94% higher conversion rate according to data from Snap. 

TikTok and Instagram back this up as well. 

TikTok has said that more than 1.5 billion videos using AR camera effects have generated over 600 billion views globally, while Instagram has a variety of AR creator tools and filters. Instagram is also reportedly testing new AR stickers and text with Stories that would enable users to place 3D objects into real-world scenes.

So, if you are worried about driving returns, clicks, and sales through social media, here’s why adding an AR Lens to the mix would be a worthy investment. 

When users are having fun and enjoying something a brand offers, they are more likely to build an affinity for that brand and product. (What’s more fun than barfing up rainbows and then being prompted to purchase the product that offered you the experience?) 

In all seriousness though, consumers are now less likely to try on products in-store, so reaching your target audience with a virtual “try it before you buy it” experience is more important than ever. In fact, 56% of shoppers say that AR gives them more confidence about product quality. DRESSX has seen incredible success and engagement with this approach, as 75% of all app users engage with AR Lenses, and users try on AR Looks 22 times per day on average. 

Additionally, your other performance marketing tactics can retarget viewers making it easier to convert later.