Monthly Archives: March 2023

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are talked about a lot.

Understanding the concepts can get confusing as the terms are used interchangeably, but each has its unique set of characteristics and applications.

In this post, we’ll break down the difference between augmented and virtual reality, their unique marketing applications, and how consumers feel about them.

Table of Contents

What is augmented reality (AR)?
What is virtual reality (VR)?
What is the difference between AR and VR?
Use Cases for AR and VR
AR vs. VR: Which Is More Effective for Marketing

What is augmented reality (AR)?

Augmented reality (AR) layers virtual elements on top of a real-world scene, allowing users to exist in the space they’re physically in but benefit from the augmented elements in their experience.

Pokémon GO is one of the most popular and notable examples of AR, where Pokémon characters are superimposed into a real-life setting, like someone’s backyard or outside of their favorite restaurant.

What is virtual reality (VR)?

Virtual reality (VR) is any software that immerses users in a three-dimensional interactive virtual environment, usually using a VR sensory device that brings real-world actions into a virtual world. Many VR experiences are 360 degrees.

It’s a computer-generated simulation, and each virtual reality world allows people to fully participate in the unique world.

In addition, many VR experiences require headsets or sensory devices to work, while AR does not. It’s also commonly said that AR is 75% reality and 25% virtual, and VR is 25% reality and 75% virtual.

They’re similar in offering immersion for users, VR in an entirely new world, and 3D and virtual content.

Use Cases for AR and VR

Marketing applications for AR and VR can vary, so let’s discuss a few examples.

For one, AR is a high-quality tool for product marketing. The tech can overlay virtual elements to actual reality, allowing consumers to “test” products in real-life scenarios to see how they like it.

The IKEA Place app is a great example of AR product marketing. App users can select a piece of furniture they like and superimpose a to-scale model in their real-life space to see how it looks before purchasing. This opportunity can increase buyer confidence and sales if people see that they like how a product fits into their lifestyle.

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VR marketing applications immerse consumers in branded experiences that can build awareness, recognition, and satisfaction. People can explore the world you create, learn more about your products, and even purchase VR products.

Gucci Town is a great example of an immersive VR brand experience. It’s the luxury fashion house’s virtual world within the Roblox metaverse, where people can explore, learn about its history, and connect with people in the game. They can also purchase exclusive Gucci Town clothing for their Roblox avatars.

These worlds are a new, unique, and exciting way of interacting with their favorite brands that don’t come from watching a TikTok, visiting a store, or reading an email newsletter.

An application of AR and VR is experiential marketing, where you invite your audiences to interact with your brand as a form of marketing. It’s a valuable application because humans want to build that kind of relationship with a brand, and a fun and immersive real-world experience can build an emotional connection.

Netflix’s Stranger Things Experience was an AR experiential marketing experience to promote the show’s upcoming season. Fans visited an in-person location and became part of an interactive AR game experience to make them feel like they’re in the Stranger Things world.

Consumer Preferences for AR vs. VR

Given their marketing applications, it makes sense to be curious about consumers’ thoughts.

We conducted a survey to ask consumers about their use of AR and VR and if they had preferences for either. Respondents reported using AR and VR on similar levels, most often saying they use it a few days a week or once a month or less.

When we asked consumers if they’ve bought AR apps, tools, devices, or software, a majority said no (55%), 25% said yes, and 20% were thinking about it. The numbers were relatively similar for VR: 50% said no, 30% said yes, and 20% said they were considering it.

When asked if they preferred AR or VR, the majority said VR. Their reasons for preferring it were:

It’s a more immersive experience that takes them to an entertaining world,
The graphics and movements are smoother, and the visuals are better,
It has more applications than AR and is better for video games and interactive entertainment,
They’re more familiar with VR than AR.

Those who preferred AR said they appreciated it because it was more reality integrated and felt more real, they liked how they could add virtual things to real-world views and that AR was better for quality of life (QoL) applications like education, shopping, navigation, and healthcare.

A fair amount of respondents also said they didn’t prefer either or have an interest in using either. Some explicitly stated that they didn’t understand what either was, and some showed that they might not understand the difference by saying that VR is more realistic than AR when AR is the more life-like option.

This tracks with the results of our latest Consumer Trends Survey, which found that only 39% of respondents understood the concept of the metaverse (which can blend AR and VR elements). In addition,

Only 8% of U.S. adults have ever visited a metaverse (this remained consistent between 2022 and 2023 surveys.)
47% bought virtual items other than NFTs, down 25% from May 2022, meaning that marketers planning to sell products in the virtual world might find consumers less willing or interested in buying.

Engagement with virtual worlds has waning hype, and consumers invest less in virtual items.

Business Preferences for AR and VR [Data]

Our marketing strategy report from 2021 found that 35% of marketers were leveraging AR or VR in their strategies, but in 2023, more than a quarter of marketers plan to stop using VR and AR. It’s still intriguing for marketers, but it can be challenging to execute on because equipment can be expensive.

However, 14% of marketers do plan on leveraging and exploring VR/AR for the first time in 2023.

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AR vs. VR: Which Is More Effective for Marketing [Data]

There is no right or wrong answer as to whether AR or VR is more effective for marketing — it depends entirely on your business goals.

For example, a study conducted by Tim Hilken in the Netherlands found that both AR and VR increased customers’ purchase intentions. AR was more effective at stimulating purchases, but VR was more effective at creating positive brand attitudes. Both were effective at fulfilling a marketing goal, but each for a specific goal.

True sensory immersive VR experiences can be costly and require consumers to have the right devices to use them, but our survey results found that most consumers haven’t invested in them. However, virtual worlds like Horizon Worlds and Roblox don’t require sensory devices.

AR can be a cheaper option, but it doesn’t have the fully immersive brand experience that allows consumers to disappear into an alternate reality. But, the Stranger Things Experience did effectively create an immersive AR experience.

This is not to say that marketers shouldn’t use either of them. It boils down to this: AR and VR are both emerging technologies for marketing. Instead of changing your entire strategy to revolve around AR and VR, consider leveraging them as experimental tools. For example, you can create an AR experience as product marketing for a new offer or offer a fun VR game for people to play on your website.

You can test it out and give your audiences a new way to interact with your business without relying on it to meet your marketing goals. It can also be costly, so you’re preserving marketing budgets and not spending all of your money on channels that might not be as effective as you’d hoped.

To find inspiration, note what other brands are doing and what people are saying online about their experiences.

Over To You

AR and VR have been around for a long time but are still emerging tools for marketers. Consider your business needs, and note what other brands are doing and what people say online about their experiences.

Staying ahead of the trends simply means paying attention. If VR and AR marketing experiences skyrocket in popularity and become a must-have strategy, you’ll already know how your business needs to respond.

Welcome to HubSpot Marketing News! Tap in for campaign deep dives, the latest marketing industry news, and tried-and-true insights from HubSpot’s media team.

In late February a new filter called “Bold Glamour” took TikTok by storm.

The Bold Glamour filter uses AI to drastically alter the facial features of those who use it and is less detectable than other filters. The filter has been used in over 30 million videos to date.

As Bold Glamour gained popularity it was widely criticized by TikTok users for promoting unrealistic beauty standards, especially for young people. Beauty brand Dove joined the conversation with a timely campaign featuring original data.

Per Dove research, 48% of girls who digitally alter their photos have lower self-esteem compared to 28% of girls who don’t digitally alter their photos. To amplify this message, Dove partnered with Ogilvy and DAVID to launch the #TurnYourBack campaign on March 7.

The campaign featured influencers and celebrities comparing their digitally altered faces to their natural appearances while encouraging their followers to turn their backs on the Bold Glamour filter in hopes that they discontinue using it.

Since the campaign launched, the hashtag #TurnYourBack has racked up over 40 million views on TikTok and has received generally positive feedback from audiences. This campaign isn’t Dove’s first stance taken against imagery promoting unrealistic beauty standards.

The company debuted its “No Digital Distortion Mark” in 2018 to authenticate photos that haven’t been digitally altered. In 2004, the company launched the Dove Self-Esteem Project which initially began with workshops for young people related to body image and beauty standards.

Currently, the Dove Self Esteem Project curates educational materials related to body image for parents, teachers, and youth leaders, and champions original research conducted by Edelman.  

Elsewhere in Marketing

The latest marketing news and strategy insights.

Twitter announces plans to remove legacy blue check marks in April.

Adidas and Beyonce mutually decide to end their Ivy Park partnership.

Meta discontinues NFT support on Facebook and Instagram.

Instagram is beginning to test ad placements in search results.

Wistia’s head of production shares how AI will impact the future of video marketing.

Consumer trends: learn how consumer behavior has changed since 2022.

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Despite their overwhelmingly bad reputation, popups are a useful tool, but high conversion potential is not worth sacrificing user experience. Luckily, with the right WordPress popup plugins, you can leverage the high-conversion potential of popups without driving users away.)

Before diving into the tools, let’s look at the features to determine if a plugin suits your needs.

What to look for in a WordPress Popup Plugin

Popup plugins offer many features — from customization to screen display locations and built-in analytics — but the most important features to watch out for are targeting and trigger options.

Targeting refers to where the popup will appear on your website and who it will be shown to. Popular ways to target users with popups include page-level targeting, geolocation, device, and traffic source.

Triggers are actions that a user needs to take for the popup to appear. Popular trigger options include page entrance, scroll depth, clicks, time on page, and exit intent.

Having a few popup forms on your WordPress website could boost your lead capturing game. A quick Google search shows that there are many tools to choose from. To help you sort through the clutter and find a tool that moves the needle for your team, we’ll take a look at 12 WordPress popup plugins you should consider below.

1. HubSpot WordPress Plugin

HubSpot’s plugin allows you to connect your WordPress website to your HubSpot account for seamless integration. Any changes made to your popups in your HubSpot portal will be automatically reflected on your WordPress website without any extra work on your part.

HubSpot’s popup tool is highly intuitive and easy to use. You are first prompted to select the type of popup you want (box, banner, or slide-in) and then taken to the customizer where you can edit the text, add an image and relevant form fields, and even design your own thank-you message at the end.

Every contact you capture is automatically added to your free HubSpot CRM account. You can also target users by simply typing in the URL of the page(s) you want your popup to show up on and choose whether you want it to be triggered by a 50% page scroll, exit intent, or time elapsed. And if users decide to dismiss your popup, you can choose when they will be exposed to it again.

All the features in this tool are free.

What We Like: Other than the obvious reason being that this is our plugin, we love it for all it offers for free. This is an all-in-one plugin that handles everything you need on WordPress. With popups, you can create or manage your pre-existing popups with little to no hassle.

2. OptinMonster

OptinMonster was one of the firsts to popularize the use of popup forms in the marketing space. Its drag-and-drop feature makes it highly easy to use. You can choose from a variety of pre-built templates or create your own popup from scratch. Their Canvas feature allows you to create any type of popup (not just forms!) with the use of custom HTML/CSS and WordPress shortcodes.

Small Success is another unique feature that lets you display different offers to people who have already converted on one of your popups so you won’t annoy your visitors by showing them forms they’ve already signed up for. You gain access to plenty of triggers, such as exit intent, time on page, user inactivity, clicks, as well as many advanced targeting options like new vs returning visitor, cookie, geolocation, device, adblock usage, and more.

The main drawback with this plugin is that there is no free version. Plans start at $9/month, but you will need to upgrade to a higher tier for the more advanced features like A/B testing and exit intent.

What We Like: This is the best option for easy customizability. You have drag-and-drop for design, different templates to work off of, or even the ability to design from scratch. You’ll easily be able to with any type of popup you want to make with this plugin.

3. Elementor Popups

Design stunning popups with the popular page builder plugin Elementor and their Popup Builder feature. Elementor Popups uses the same interface as the page builder, allowing you to apply the same widgets and styling options to your popups, like buttons, countdown timers, email opt-in forms, and more. Similarly to many of the other plugins, this one offers a variety of popup forms like fly-ins and full-screen overlays.

With more than 100 beautiful templates to choose from, this popup builder lets you create WordPress specific page targeting options (categories, tags, post formats, etc.) with several triggers to choose from, such as click, time, scroll, inactivity, and exit intent.

This plugin does not come with built-in analytics or A/B split testing. And while the Elementor page builder plugin is free to use, this popup builder is only available when you purchase the pro version, which costs $49 for one website, and up to $199 for unlimited sites.

What We Like: Elementor’s popup plugin is a great choice for premium designers. You won’t need any coding experience to create stunning popups for your users. This is another all-in-one plugin that helps you build

4. Sumo List Builder

Sumo is more than just a popup form builder. On top of growing your email list, this plugin also helps with your social media, link building, and site analytics. The app has a module called List Builder, which allows you to create popups. You can set you popups to show up according to traffic source or different triggers such as clicks, time on page, exit intent and scroll depth.

Though this plugin comes with a free version, only one template is available in the free tier and you’ll need to upgrade to remove the Sumo branding. Premium plans start at $29/month, which puts Sumo on the more expensive side compared to other popup plugins.

What We Like: This plugin is great for building your email list. You have an intuitive integration with email and e-commerce, making this the perfect plugin for anyone looking to grow their business through email marketing.

5. PopUp Domination

PopUp Domination is one of the oldest popup tools out there. However, this hasn’t stopped them from making the right updates to stay competitive on the market. Its visual interface still makes it fairly easy to customize one of the 100+ pre-built templates available.

This plugin lets you show your popup to different users based on time on page, user inactivity, exit intent, clicks, total time on website, and mouse hover. On top of page-level targeting, more advanced targeting options include geolocation, traffic source, and device.

PopUp Domination has a royalty rate pricing structure. Each tier grants you access to all the features: unlimited domains and popups, A/B testing, live chat support, and more. Instead of being charged to have access to more features, you’re charged based on the number of total views your popups get across all of your websites.

If you want to use your popups on many websites that have low traffic, PopUp Domination might be a good solution. However, this may not be the best option for you if you have very few sites with high traffic volumes.

What We Like: This plugin is great for beginners since you will have many resources to help you use the tool and a relatively low price for getting started. Once your website starts getting more subscribers, however, you might want to look toward pivoting toward a more price-friendly option for your popup ads.

6. MailOptin

MailOptin is a fast-growing popup plugin for WordPress. It converts your website visitors into email subscribers using different types of opt-in forms including popups, notification bars, inline or embedded forms, scroll boxes, slide-ins, sidebar forms etc.

It is intuitive and easy to you in part because it uses the WordPress Customizer that you already know and love. It ships with a ton of professionally designed and mobile responsive templates to choose from.

It includes a number of display triggers such as page-level targeting, exit intent, time on site, pageviews, scroll trigger, adblock and referral detection, device targeting, new versus returning visitors etc. And integrates with all major email marketing providers and CRMs including Hubspot.

MailOptin is freemium. You can try out the plugin for free by downloading the lite version on WordPress.org repository or purchase a premium license to unlock more powerful features and top-notch customer support.

What We Like: This popup plugin integrates well with WordPress since you work directly through WordPress customizer. This can be great for people familiar with WordPress and just want something that works.

7. Ninja Popups

Ninja Popups is one of CodeCanyon’s top selling plugins. For $24, you gain access to their drag-and-drop popup builder with over 70 templates and animation effects to choose from.

And if you want more than just forms, Ninja Popups lets you create all kinds of popups, such as video displays and social sharing boxes. Its anti-adblocker technology lets you show your popups even to visitors who use ad blockers. This plugin also offers page-level targeting, and trigger options include scroll depth, time on page, exit intent, and user inactivity.

Although there is no free version, at only $24, Ninja Popups offers some of the most creative freedom for the price.

What We Like: This plugin is effective and enables your creativity. Bypassing adblockers is especially helpful considering 2 in 5 people use adblock today.

8. Icegram

If you’re looking for a more native option, Icegram lets you create popups right from the WordPress dashboard, thought its text-based interface makes it slightly less user friendly than most. Icegram’s trigger options include time on page, exit intent, user inactivity, clicks, and time delay. Targeting options include page, user retargeting, device, and geolocation.

This plugin offers a fair amount of value for free, but to access more functionalities, you will want to upgrade. Premium plans start at $97/year.

What We Like: This plugin is another great choice for working directly through WordPress. If you can get past the text-based interface, this is a good option for those needing a simple popup ad solution.

9. Popup Maker

Popup Maker offers a lot of flexibility in terms of what you can build. In addition to opt-in forms, you can create cookie notices, video lightboxes, notification boxes, etc.

A big draw of this plugin is its WooCommerce integration, which lets you target users based on their shopping cart items, purchase data, and more. However, this plugin’s lack of a visual editor makes it less friendly to use.

You can use Popup Maker for free, but for more functionality, individual extensions can be purchased starting at $87 per year

What We Like: This plugin lets you tailor your website popup ads to your user. You also have a good set of basic options to work off of as mentioned. Popup Maker is another good choice for those who are familiar with WordPress and just want a simple way to add popups to their page. The extra benefit is being able to work off of consumer data.

10. Bloom Email Opt-Ins

Provided to you by the devs at Elegant Themes (authors of the popular Divi theme), Bloom comes with over 100 templates to customize and lets you create a variety of forms on top of popups, including widgets, inline boxes, and optin lockers which you can use for gated content. Along with basic page targeting, this plugin contains unique trigger options — for example, make a popup appear after a user has left a comment on your page or after a user has made a purchase.

Despite its high-quality templates and beautiful dashboard, Bloom lacks a lot of the advanced features other plugins offer like an exit intent trigger option, and it doesn’t have a visual customizer.

Because this plugin comes from Elegant Theme, you can only access it by purchasing an Elegant Theme subscription, which costs $89/year or $249 for lifetime support and updates. This subscription also gives you access to 87 premium themes and 2 other plugins. But if all you’re looking for is a popup plugin, this may not be worth the investment.

What We Like: Bloom Email Opt-ins is a great choice for people who need more than just a popup plugin. You can fully customize your website through this plugin, and that includes popup ads.

11. Popup Builder

Popup Builder lets you insert any type of content into your popups and create custom animation effects. It offers features like automatic closing, user retargeting, and time delay triggers, as well as integrations with email service providers MailChimp and AWeber.

While this plugin can be used for free, just like Popup Maker, you will need to purchase extensions for additional functionality. Individual extension prices vary between $5 and $15, but you can get the full bundle starting at $49/month.

What We Like: Popup builder is a good option for those wanting to make mobile-friendly popup ads. Its intuitive user experience lets you build great looking popups in seconds.

12. Poptin

Poptin is a free popup and form builder specially designed for marketers, website owners, and digital agencies. Its powerful conversion optimization features are effective in boosting email signups, reducing cart abandonment, increasing engagement, and improving your overall sales conversion rate. It has a variety of fully responsive and customizable popup and forms templates that you can utilize without the need for coding.

In a matter of minutes, you can create your lightbox popups, full-screen overlays, gamified popups, countdown popups, slide-ins, bars, widgets, email forms, and more. You can add different elements such as images, videos, icons, countdown timer, coupons, and even custom CSS. The best part is that you can Integrate it with HubSpot CRM and emailing software to experience a seamless lead generation funnel. Poptin also offers a wide range of smart triggers and targeting rules to better convert the most qualified leads and customers.

Poptin’s free plan already includes major tools and features like analytics, A/B testing, exit-intent trigger, unlimited popups, and forms, among others. If you want to get access to more advanced features, you can always upgrade to its paid plans which start at only $25 per month.

What We Like: This plugin gives you a lot of bang for your buck. While other plugins on this list charge you for access to analytics, this tool gives you all of that for free. Poptin is best for marketers looking to add popups and dive into the data behind what makes them effective.

Choose whichever plugin fits your needs the best.

There are endless options when it comes to WordPress popup tools.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to collect user information and convert leads, check out HubSpot’s free form popup WordPress plugin. Installing the plugin will automatically connect your demand capture tools to the free HubSpot CRM so you can easily create follow-up emails for people who have filled out your form, track their activity on your site, and manage your leads all in one place.