What is the Metaverse?

If you’re under the impression that the Metaverse is just some form of video game, with everyone wearing clunky headsets or goggles, you’re not the only one. And you’re not exactly wrong. Gaming is part of it. So is cryptocurrency and NFT. And avatars. But only part of it.

‘Metaverse’ is a bit of a blanket term, laid over any number of futuristic technologies, like immersive events, virtual and augmented reality, and 3D visualization. It’s perhaps more useful to think of it as how we will interact with all those technologies.

As the NY Post recently described it, “the idea of the metaverse is that it will create new online spaces in which people’s interactions can be more multi-dimensional, where users are able to immerse themselves in digital content rather than simply viewing it.” Yes! The metaverse describes a fully realized digital world built on social connection.

And that’s exactly why the metaverse could be perfect for the new virtual, more distributed way of working.

We’re already interacting with some precursors to what the metaverse might be made of. The newest iterations of social shopping, for instance, incorporate AR lenses that allow consumers to ‘try on’ different eyeglass frames or shades of lipstick, using the selfie mode on your phone. Retailers have also been refining their use of 3D, incorporating models, or visualizations, of their products you can view from angle to angle.

Now picture these technologies in the working world. Sitting down at one large virtual conference table, side by side with executives from all over the globe. Or at least, their online characterization in the form of an avatar. Now picture yourself walking into a digital representation of a lobby, getting ready for a virtual networking event filled with hundreds of other avatars, all ready to engage, but never needing to leave home. Old-fashioned barriers like travel time or commutes no longer get in the way of doing business. COVID restrictions, social distance – won’t be an issue in the metaverse!

This is truly next generation.

A recent study from Squarespace and The Harris Poll found that more than 60% of consumers already believe online presentations of ourselves are more important than how we show up in real life. So, is your organization Metaverse-minded? Start thinking of the dynamic events this makes possible! Connecting with your people or reaching potential customers and partners in immersive events.

Metaverse as a whole construct might sound intimating, but if you look at it example by example, the virtual networking event held in a digital space, or the all hands meeting where colleagues across the continents can fill the same virtual conference room, it’s actually quite approachable.

The question then becomes how you harness its power. While it may engage the consumer market, what’s its potential for B2B audiences? How will companies looking to engage their remote workforce leverage it for their next virtual event? Does it actually help you align and land your message? One thing’s certain: we know what will.

Let us know in the comments!