Extended reality technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality are becoming trends in social media. Brands are using these technologies to improve user experience and engagement. Some ways brands are implementing XR include creating branded augmented reality filters, using virtual reality platforms like Facebook Spaces to allow users to interact, and creating virtual reality experiences that allow users to "try before they buy" products and services. The future of XR in social media looks promising as it allows for rich, immersive experiences that can increase user interaction and sales.

1. EXTENDED
REALITY AND
SOCIAL MEDIA
The Viability of
Augmented Reality and
Virtual Reality Within a
Social Media Platform
BY: Julian Pittman

2. Extended Reality
• Extended reality (XR) is a catchall term for virtual reality (VR), augmented reality
(AR), and mixed reality (MR), all of which use a device to present additional
information in real time.
• VR: Offers a fictionalized space where the user typically wears a headset to enter
and interact with the digital world through controllers or hand tracking.
• AR: Presents interactive, just-in-time, or as-needed information that is overlaid on
real-world items. an enhanced version of the real physical world that is
achieved through the use of digital visual elements, sound, or other sensory
stimuli delivered via technology.
• MR: Uses elements of both AR and VR on-site.
• Greater adoption of VR and an
uptick in development of
augmented programs for the
metaverse mean more tools
come to market, more people
are familiar with the
technology, and the initial
development cost and barrier to
entry drops.
• Strengths of VR. VR began in the learning environment as a way to onboard and
orient new employees, but it has since become more nuanced. VR is a great
opportunity to allow someone to practice a skill they are unfamiliar with. Learning
teams and designers can place the user into a fixed, safe environment to learn about
and practice a concept.
• Strengths of AR. The type of information offered through AR tends to be more
valuable at the point of performance or during the moment of need.

3. XR Origins
The 90s ushered in a new awakening for
the XR developmental process kick
starting the growth for the future
• In 1998, Sportsvision broadcast the
first live NFL game with the yellow
yard marker (a yellow line
overlayed on top of the live camera
feed).
• In 2010, 18-year-old Palmer
Luckey created the prototype for
the Oculus Rift VR headset. With
its 90-degree field of vision and use
of computer processing power, the
revolutionary headset reignited
interest in VR
• By 2020, the use of VR, AR, and
MR had quickly extended to a wide
range of industries. Today, I’m
seeing the adoption of XR
technologies across sectors as
diverse as manufacturing,
education, healthcare, construction,
and even law enforcement.
Across the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s we
began to see early examples of VR and
AR technology in action
• In 1956, cinematographer Morton
Heilig created Sensorama, the first
VR machine.
• Also in the 1960s, computer scientist
Ivan Sutherland presented a paper
outlining his concept of the “Ultimate
Display,” a virtual world so realistic
that the user wouldn’t be able to
differentiate it from reality. This is
widely considered the blueprint for
modern VR.
• In the 1980s, new technology
emerged to enhance the VR
experience. The first company to sell
VR goggles and gloves, VPL
Research Inc, was founded in 1985 –
and it was one of VPL’s founders,
Jaron Lanier, who coined the term
“virtual reality” in 1987.

4. XR Social Media Trend
• Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are current social media trends
in 2022, as brands try to offer an exciting user experience.
• Top technology players are making VR gear available to users at an affordable
price, which allows them to enjoy an immersive gaming experience.
• Because social media platforms are becoming highly competitive marketing tools,
it only makes sense that you will be trying to use the latest solution to make your
brand stand out.
• Using AR and VR in social media is a great way to improve your online presence
and keep yourself ahead of the competition.
• These new technologies are not as widespread as they should be, they’re currently
used in social media marketing because they allow you to approach clients, engage
with them, and create and maintain a brand image they will be loyal to.
• Because AR and VR blur the
lines between imagination and
reality, clients will be enjoying
an immersive experience.
• Social media is all about
engagement and interaction,
and AR and VR in social
media will boost your clients’
engagement because they can
experience a virtual version of
what you’re offering. As a
result, they will be sharing
your products and services
with more people who will
eventually turn into paying
clients.
• AR/VR social media tools are currently used by multiple brands in different
industries and niches because they maximize the interaction between the brand
and its target customers.
• There are several successful examples of how various brands that work in
different industries are currently using these two technologies to complement
their marketing efforts and improve their e-commerce presence.

5. Cons of The XR
Trend
• There are still many improvements required in the VR and AR arena,
integration times are first on the short list of technology pitfalls, but signs
point towards a future where extended reality technology will become
wholly mainstream and enhance the user experience by many folds.
• Currently the creation process is way too expensive to develop the AR
technology-based projects and to maintain it. Moreover, production of AR
based devices is costly.
• Lack of privacy is a concern in AR based applications.
• Some believe the further development of XR will cause people to miss out
on important moments in their actual life
• Low performance level is a concern which needs to be addressed during
testing process.
• It requires basic learning to effectively use AR compliant devices.

6. Pros to The XR
Trend
• AR and VR can be seamlessly integrated and incorporated into different
social marketing platforms to allow you to make the best of your
marketing strategy.
• Social media can benefit from VR and AR in improving the promotion
and advertising efforts.
• Extended Reality technologies can be used to create branded filters that
people love to play with.
• XR will create brand awareness, so your potential clients will always be connected
to your brand and what it offers.
• Using AR and VR, people can actually try the products and services before paying
for them. Not only will this decrease buyer’s remorse that results in returns and
exchanges, but it will also increase sales as people might even try products and
services that they weren’t interested in in the first place.
• AR and VR allow brands to stay in touch with clients by keeping up with social
media trends.
• These tools can be incorporated into various marketing campaigns using viral
social media content, so clients can always feel that their brands are keeping up
with what interests them.

7. XR In Action
P L AT F O R M E X PA N S I O N
• When company`s create such
filters, they promote their brand
over the platform by putting in
the minimum effort.
• Dominos launched its AR pizza
filter campaign on Instagram to
promote its products and offer
users shareable content that they
can share with their friends and
families.
• As people shared fun photos and
played with the filter, the
company’s logo is always
present, tempting more people to
explore the company’s menu and
eventually buying its products.
• Platforms like Snapchat, Instagram,
and Facebook allow users to
integrate into the unseen by
creating virtual filters which add
flare to both pictures and videos
• These forms of media can be
created with added advertisement
logos creating multi platform
connectivity
• Businesses are always on the
lookout to make their Instagram
stories reach out to more and more
people and want to influence them
in one way or the other.
• One way is that a business will
reach out to designers who excel in
graphics designing to make filters
and masks that are geographically
limited or are available
everywhere.

8. XR In Action
FACEBOOK SPACES
• Facebook offers a feature called “Facebook Spaces,” where up to 3 people
can interact using a VR device.
• The Facebook Spaces platform was created to bridge the gap between
apps such as face time and zoom together with the great outdoors.
• Of course, its impossible to recreate the feeling of being outside with the
world's current technology scope, but that doesn’t mean we can't take
connecting with loved ones onto a completely different level with XR
capabilities
• Spaces creates a new VR app where you hang out with friends in a fun,
interactive virtual environment as if you were in the same room.
• By creating yourself within the
Facebook Space`s Metaverse
consumers can meet up with
friends as if its just another day
hanging out in person.
• Just choose one of your Facebook
photos and you’ll see an array of
options for your VR appearance.
• You can change your eye color,
hairstyle, facial features and more
until your look fits your identity.
• You’ll also find the rich variety of Facebook content at your fingertips to
view with friends in VR, including 360 videos and photos that can
transport you to new places.
• You and your friends can relive personal memories from your own
Timelines, or even make new ones as you explore things that interest you
from people and Pages you follow.

9. XR in Action
Tom`s
• Toms’ social media campaign is a clear example of story-telling
marketing where the marketers combine VR and social media for
business uses.
• Buyers could watch an emotional story where the company vows to
donate a pair of shoes for every bought pair.
• using virtual reality, the company takes buyers to a remote village in
Peru, where they could see the reactions of kids when they receive their
new shoes.
• This campaign resulted in an increase in the company’s sales, as people
felt that they satisfied their needs while helping someone else.
• TOMS 360-degree Virtual Giving
Trip video allows people to
experience firsthand what it's like to
give TOMS Giving Shoes to children
in need.
• This VR experience enables the
TOMS community to see the impact
they have when they purchase a pair
of TOMS through the One for One
business model.
• In a recent TED TALK, Chris Milk has called virtual reality the “ultimate empathy
machine.”
• TOMS Virtual Giving Trip is a perfect example of what brands can accomplish
with virtual reality and what is possible in delivering a sense of presence to
viewers.
• The power of virtual reality and a future content driver of emotional responses from
consumers

10. XR In Action
EXPEDIA
• Expedia launched a new VR marketing campaign, taking its potential
customers on a trip to explore several destinations.
• The idea of showing people the potential of the trip and what they can
actually enjoy resulted in an increase in bookings.
• More people were interested in trying what they actually saw using VR.
• virtual reality experience today
that takes viewers to Mexico’s
Yucatan Peninsula to see and
swim in the cenote pools that
were important pieces of Mayan
culture.
• The virtual reality experience
comes from Expedia Labs, the
company’s testing ground for
new travel tech, and is the
second one the organization has
produced.
• Last year, Expedia Labs worked with the Space Needle on a VR
experience that included the ability to bungee off the iconic Seattle
structure.
• “We’re continuing to experiment in the virtual reality space to make travel
more personalized and inspire customers to book their next trip,” Brent
Harrison, vice president of product and technology for Expedia, said in a
statement.

11. Important Points & Trends
1. The future of social media VR and AR applications seems promising,
as more brands are making use of these new technologies to reach
more clients, increase their sales, and spread awareness about their
products and services.
2. This tech creates rich, immersive, and interactive environments
for users: Engagement and inspiration are among the major reasons
why leading brands create VR marketing experiences.
3. Personalized content according to the user’s needs and
revolutionize the ‘Try Before You Buy’ Concept: The main
advantages of VR and AR would be that it creates such value through
personalized content and new business models.
4. Introduce Established Products to New Audiences: The quality of
VR/AR content brings your product presentation to another level.
5. It generates detailed analytics for understanding
user behavior: Augmented and Virtual reality solutions integrate
analytics of the web and Social Media.

12. References
• Ghosh, S. (2022, April 18). 22 Latest Social Media Trends That You Should You
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https://www.stanventures.com/blog/social-media-trends-this-
year/#More_Brands_will_Adapt_to_AR_and_VR_Technology
• Petrenko, V. (2022, January 13). AR/VR in Social Media Marketing. WeAR. Retrieved April 19,
2022, from https://wear-studio.com/augmented-and-virtual-reality-in-social-media-
marketing/#:%7E:text=Social%20media%20can%20benefit%20from,brand%20and%20what%20it
%20offers.
• Feras, F. (2020, June 22). 5 Advantages of using Virtual Reality and Augmented
Reality for Businesses. NUUN | Calgary SEO Agency, Website Design, Technology
and Marketing Company. Retrieved April 15, 2022, from https://nuundigital.com/5-
advantages-of-using-virtual-reality-and-augmented-reality-for-businesses/
• Marr, B. (2021, May 17). The Fascinating History And Evolution Of Extended Reality (XR) –
Covering AR, VR And MR. Forbes. Retrieved April 17, 2022, from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2021/05/17/the-fascinating-history-and-evolution-of-
extended-reality-xr--covering-ar-vr-and-mr/?sh=58cf72914bfd
• RFWireless. (2020). Advantages of Augmented Reality,disadvantages of Augmented Reality.
Retrieved 2022, from https://www.rfwireless-world.com/Terminology/Advantages-and-
Disadvantages-of-Augmented-
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(AR)&text=%E2%9E%A8It%20is%20expensive%20to,missing%20out%20on%20important%20mo
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• Facebook Company, F. (2019, November 7). Facebook Spaces: A New Way To Connect With
Friends In VR. Meta. Retrieved 2022, from https://about.fb.com/news/2017/04/facebook-spaces/
• Shorty Awards. (2020). Experience the TOMS Virtual Giving Trip - The Shorty Awards. Retrieved
2022, from https://shortyawards.com/8th/experience-the-toms-virtual-giving-trip
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reality-project-offers-try-buy-tour-cenote-pools-mexico/