Web3 and the metaverse are bringing tremendous changes to society as a whole, so businesses and brands that don’t keep up are doing themselves a big disservice.
That’s why Zoetica Media founder Kami Huyse recently invited Jennifer Texada, Sr. Manager Performance Marketing, Global of IT management software SolarWinds, to talk about some important aspects of what this means for communications professionals and their clients. 💡 🧠
Web3 and Metaverse Can Create Greater Connection
“I think people have a lot of fear around the fact that [the web] is disconnecting us, but I think [whether that happens] is up to us,” says Jennifer. “We have the opportunity to use it to connect. Because of the Internet of Things, because of the pieces of Web3 that are starting to come into place, we are even more connected than ever.”
Marketers and Their Clients Carry Greater Responsibility
Companies should be aware of the responsibility they carry to make any immersive experience they offer a positive and safe one for users and customers.
Yet a big challenge for marketers and the companies and brands they represent is dealing with the actions of bad actors. The metaverse is an immersive environment, with avatars representing who we are. What happens “in-world” can feel quite real.
Being harassed and assaulted in-world can seem like a personal attack and violation. Failure by companies to take appropriate actions risks potential legal liability.
Meanwhile, lack of regulatory oversight and security concerns, such as avatar impersonation, make activities like phishing email and messaging scams easier.
Another challenge is the potential lag between what companies and brands are trying to offer their customers and what technology presently allows. Bandwidth insufficiency comes to mind, creating a chasm between consumers who can and can’t avail themselves of the benefits of Web3.
The Importance of Educating Ourselves
Change is coupled with uncertainty, which is why people feel a strong pull towards wanting things to remain the same. But technological advancements are happening at a brisk rate, whether we’re comfortable with them or not. So rather than trying to desperately hang on to a past that’s no longer there, it’s better to educate ourselves and experiment with these new future worlds.
As professional communicators, “we have to be able to intelligently talk about Web3 and the metaverse and make sure the companies we work for don’t behave badly,” says Kami. We should advise them by asking, “Have you thought about this potential outcome?” Or by saying, “Maybe that’s not such a great idea because….”
But marketers and public relations professionals won’t be able to take on these roles unless they are educated about Web3.
One of the easiest ways to learn is to participate in applications and communities built with Web3 features, such as Spatial. Spatial allows users to meet in a virtual environment that offers a more dynamic experience than video conferences, provides hands-on training, and creates an interactive and collaborative remote learning environment.
Kami and Jennifer also recommend getting a wallet, for example through an online platform like Coinbase, where users can buy, sell, transfer, and store cryptocurrency, or Metamask, where users can connect to blockchain-based applications and store non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
To Learn More Watch The Web3 Video
To learn more, including getting a peek inside Spatial, learning about the specific marketing opportunities available to companies and brands, and reviewing several case studies, watch the entire recording here and download the free presentation notes Kami created.