The Role of Digital Marketing in the Metaverse

The metaverse is quickly becoming an essential element of digital marketing.

Coca-Cola sold its first-ever NFT (Non-Fungible Token) collectibles in 2021, with proceeds benefiting Special Olympics International, and the winning bid in the online auction came in at $575,884 USD. Coca-Cola is not alone; other major brands expanding into metaverse platforms include names like Samsung, Nike, Adidas, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, and the auction house Sotheby’s.

(FYI, you can dive deeper into how brands are adopting the metaverse in our co-founder's presentation at a recent Springboard event!)

While the gaming industry currently accounts for most metaverse activity, video games' most popular non-gaming activities are virtual recreations of social and life events. According to research, 28% of adults globally are interested in attending virtual music concerts. Fortnite, Roblox, The Sandbox, and Decentraland are where future customers will be attending weddings, birthdays, graduations, and concerts.

So, while there is definitely a use case for the metaverse, do you know enough about your audience to know whether they're exploring it for themselves? If yes, then Metaverse advertising should undoubtedly be a part of your digital marketing strategy. 

What Is Metaverse Marketing?

To understand metaverse marketing, one must know the metaverse and who the audience is.

So, what is the metaverse? It is an extended reality where physical and digital worlds merge to influence the way people shop, socialize, learn, play, work, and communicate with each other. Their avatars represent People in the metaverse, a digital version of themselves. According to a survey of companies already invested in the metaverse, the majority target audience is Millennials, Gen Z, and males.

Source: Why you should care about Facebook's big push into the metaverse

How do you market to a digital environment that is always active, open to anyone, and filled with user-generated content? According to Dr. Louis B. Rosenberg, a pioneer in augmented and virtual reality and artificial intelligence, marketing in the metaverse should be natural, personal, and intuitive. This type of marketing will transition away from flat media, such as text, images, and video, to immersive media, where natural and intuitive experiences are injected into a user’s environment. Advertising might take the form of Virtual Product Placements (VPPs) and Virtual Spokespeople (VSPs).

Why Does the Metaverse Matter?

The Metaverse matters because it represents a major shift in how people interact with digital content, each other, and brands. While it's still an evolving concept, its impact is already being felt across industries — from marketing and eCommerce to education and healthcare. Here's why businesses and digital marketers, like those working with WSI, should care:

1. A New Digital Frontier for Engagement

The Metaverse is an immersive, 3D version of the internet where users interact through avatars in virtual environments. It opens up new channels for brand engagement that are much more interactive than traditional web or mobile experiences.

Why it matters for marketing:

Brands can create experiential environments (e.g., virtual showrooms, branded games).

Users spend more time in immersive spaces, increasing brand exposure and loyalty.

2. Virtual Commerce & New Revenue Streams

The Metaverse enables virtual goods, NFTs, and digital services that can be bought and sold, creating a new layer of commerce.

Example: Fashion brands like Nike and Gucci sell digital wearables for avatars. Companies can monetize products that don’t exist physically.

3. Next-Level Personalization & Buyer Insights

In the Metaverse, brands can gather richer behavioral data through how users interact in real time with products, services, and environments. This supports hyper-personalized marketing.

4. AI + Metaverse = Smarter Customer Interactions

AI tools can power virtual assistants, chatbots, and even digital humans inside the Metaverse, offering intelligent customer service and guided selling.

5. Global Reach with Local Customization

The Metaverse removes geographic barriers. Brands can engage with a global audience while localizing virtual spaces to align with cultural expectations and regional languages.

6. Inclusion, Accessibility & Innovation

For individuals with disabilities, the Metaverse (if built inclusively) can offer more accessible experiences than the physical world.

Legal Note: We always emphasize accessibility and compliance — the Metaverse must follow similar best practices as websites (e.g., WCAG standards).

Characteristics of the Metaverse

Below are the key characteristics of the Metaverse that define how it functions, what makes it unique, and why it’s transforming digital interactions for users and brands alike:

Persistent and Always-On

One of the foundational traits of the Metaverse is its persistence. Unlike traditional games or digital platforms that “start” or “stop”, the Metaverse exists continuously, even when individual users log off. It’s a living, breathing virtual environment where events happen in real time, and users can return to see changes, progress, or new developments. This always-on nature fosters long-term engagement and creates opportunities for ongoing brand interaction, community building, and evolving experiences.

Immersive and Interactive

The Metaverse is designed to be fully immersive, often leveraging technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), or 3D environments to simulate real-world experiences. This immersion goes beyond visual aesthetics — it includes interaction through avatars, voice, motion tracking, and even haptic feedback. These capabilities allow users to participate in events, explore branded spaces, or try products virtually in ways that mimic (or enhance) real-world behavior, delivering a richer, more engaging user experience.

Real-Time and Synchronous

A key characteristic of the Metaverse is synchronous communication. Activities happen in real time, meaning users can experience events, concerts, meetings, or gameplay simultaneously with others around the world. This shared presence allows for more authentic interactions and builds a sense of community. For businesses, this means hosting live virtual product launches, conferences, or customer engagement events that feel immediate and connected, no matter the location of the participants.

Decentralized and Interoperable (Emerging Goals)

The vision for the Metaverse includes decentralization, where no single entity controls the entire environment. Instead, it could be built on blockchain technologies, enabling ownership of digital assets (like NFTs) and empowering users to move freely between different Metaverse spaces with their data, identity, and digital possessions intact. While true interoperability — the ability to move seamlessly across platforms — is still a work in progress, it's a long-term goal that promises a more open and user-centric digital economy.

Economy-Driven

The Metaverse has its own virtual economy, where users can buy, sell, and trade goods and services, both digital and physical. Virtual currencies (like cryptocurrencies) and tokens enable transactions, while smart contracts ensure transparency and automation. Brands can sell digital wearables, offer premium virtual experiences, or even establish real estate within virtual environments. This economy opens up innovative revenue streams and marketing models, especially for early adopters.

User-Generated and Community-Centric

Much of the Metaverse’s value comes from user-generated content (UGC). Whether it’s custom avatars, virtual homes, art, or games, the environment is largely shaped by its community. This fosters a participatory culture where users are not just consumers but creators, building spaces and experiences others can enjoy. Brands that enable and encourage UGC within their Metaverse strategies often see stronger engagement and loyalty from their audiences.

Identity and Digital Presence

In the Metaverse, users create digital identities, often through customizable avatars. These identities can reflect users' personalities, preferences, or aspirations, giving brands new ways to connect emotionally with their audiences. Users invest time and resources into developing their avatars and digital lifestyles, which increases the value they place on meaningful and branded interactions.

Examples of the Metaverse

Here are some prominent examples of the Metaverse that illustrate how it's being used today across entertainment, business, social interaction, and brand marketing. These platforms vary in their level of immersion, user base, and technical capabilities, but all contribute to shaping the future of the Metaverse.

1. Decentraland

Decentraland is a blockchain-based virtual world where users can buy, sell, and develop parcels of virtual land using its native cryptocurrency, MANA. It’s a leading example of a decentralized Metaverse, allowing brands and users to own digital real estate and create custom experiences.

Business Use: Companies like Sotheby’s and Samsung have hosted virtual showrooms and events in Decentraland.

Marketing Opportunity: Great for brands targeting early adopters of Web3, crypto, and NFT culture.

2. Roblox

Roblox is a game platform and creation tool where users build and play games made by other users. While often associated with younger audiences, it's a powerful Metaverse environment thanks to its vast user-generated content and social features.

Brand Examples: Nike launched "NIKELAND," a virtual experience center; Gucci created a virtual Gucci Garden.

Marketing Opportunity: Ideal for brands aiming to reach Gen Z through immersive gamification and branded worlds.

3. Meta Horizon Worlds

Developed by Meta (formerly Facebook), Horizon Worlds is a social VR platform where users can interact, build environments, and attend virtual events. It's a key part of Meta's long-term Metaverse vision, tightly integrated with Oculus VR headsets.

Use Case: Hosts virtual meetings, concerts, and brand activations.

Marketing Opportunity: Good for B2B networking, event hosting, and corporate training in VR settings.

4. The Sandbox

The Sandbox is another decentralized Metaverse platform where users can buy LAND (virtual real estate), create experiences, and monetize them using its token, SAND. It emphasizes creator ownership and blockchain integration.

Brand Examples: Adidas, Atari, and Warner Music Group have all secured land and launched branded experiences.

Marketing Opportunity: Suited for entertainment, fashion, and gaming brands embracing NFTs and community co-creation.

5. Fortnite (Epic Games)

While known as a game, Fortnite has evolved into a Metaverse-like platform with live concerts (e.g. Ariana Grande), social hubs, and branded partnerships.

Brand Collaborations: Balenciaga, Marvel, and others have created branded in-game content.

Marketing Opportunity: Reaches a broad audience through experiential, entertainment-based marketing.

6. Zepeto

Popular in Asia, Zepeto is a mobile-first avatar-based social network and Metaverse platform where users create stylized avatars and explore branded virtual worlds.

Brand Examples: Collaborations with brands like Nike, Blackpink, and LVMH.

Marketing Opportunity: Strong appeal for fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands looking to connect with young digital natives.

How to Use the Metaverse for Digital Marketing

According to McKinsey, consumers tend to see brands present in the metaverse as innovative, so the standards for delivering innovative virtual experiences are high.

Source: Starbucks details its blockchain-based loyalty platform and NFT community, Starbucks Odyssey

Marketing communications in virtual worlds are different. Users want an immersive experience involving the content in the first person, a personal experience rather than the third-person role they play in the current digital marketing environment. What are some of the innovative ways you can use the metaverse?

Virtual billboards. Place advertisements on virtual billboards and offer branded installations and events with which users can interact.

Make collectibles available. In the earlier example, Coca-Cola made NFT collectibles available. Since we know people like collecting things in the real world, offering assets or limited edition items, they can only collect in the metaverse.

Do Virtual Product Placements (VPPs). VPPs are products shown to a targeted audience at a specific time or place where only they can see it, even if people are around them in the virtual world.

Use Virtual Spokespeople (VSPs). VSPs are artificial intelligence-driven avatars that engage with users in a promotional conversation.

Create experiences with existing communities. Because the metaverse is a natural, personal, immersive space, co-create experiences with existing communities active in your target metaverse.

When a brand intends to play a role in the metaverse, recognizing that the metaverse can redefine digital interactions, it should proactively plan for risks by establishing basic rules of engagement in the beginning. In the metaverse, events happen in real-time and are more immersive, so everyone must be clear about what the rules are around user safety, misinformation, data privacy, intellectual property management, and customer experience.

Experimenting Is Key: How Can the Metaverse Affect SEO Strategies?

The rapper Snoop Dogg built his own Snoopverse in The Sandbox, with a collection of NFTs called “The Doggies,” a choice of avatars, special passes, a game, and even a music video taking place in the universe. Promotional content and marketing strategies created for the metaverse must be unique, and experimenting is critical to finding what works for your brand.

Design experiences that appeal to your target audience, but define how best to balance real-world marketing with immersive experiences and real-world activations that complement the metaverse. Research by J.P. Morgan indicates that annually, $54 billion is spent on virtual goods. Test different metaverse opportunities to see how digital marketing can generate revenue for your brand by selling the digital version of a product, an NFT, or a real-world activation.

Success in digital marketing is measured by metrics such as the number of visitors, conversions, shares, likes, and more. These metrics are irrelevant in the virtual world, and companies must rethink how marketing success is measured when they enter the metaverse.

The Metaverse Is Here to Stay: Embracing Metaverse Digital Marketing

The metaverse might seem implausible and unrealistic to some. But the investments by well-known brands, virtual goods sales numbers, the nearly three billion video gamers, and the name change of Facebook’s parent company to Meta mean the metaverse is here to stay. What is expected to happen to support that statement?

• Millennials and Gen Z expect to transact in future virtual worlds as a growing income-earning consumer group.
• Although there are still a lot of technical constraints to overcome before the metaverse becomes fully mainstream, technological advances such as cloud computing and the rapid adoption of 5G are improving access. The production cost of augmented and VR or virtual reality hardware, such as Meta’s Oculus Quest 2 headsets, is also declining.
• Increased influencer marketing by individual content creators on social media means engagement and brand marketing are becoming more consumer-led. These influencers will probably move to the metaverse to create engaging experiences there.

SEO in Metaverse: Crafting a Metaverse SEO Strategy

Google is already adapting to the new search realities with its Google Lens, where an image (instead of words) is used to find a product or service. You can now use augmented reality (AR) to place 3D objects in your own space directly from Search and use Live View in Google Maps, with directions overlaid on top of the view you see. Images are the primary content in the metaverse, and visual search will play a key role in future search engine optimization (SEO), so marketers should start including it in their digital marketing planning.

Metaverse Marketing Strategies

Here are several effective Metaverse marketing strategies that brands can use to create immersive, engaging, and future-ready digital experiences:

Create Immersive Brand Experiences

At the core of Metaverse marketing is immersive brand storytelling. Instead of traditional ads or static websites, brands can build fully interactive environments, such as virtual showrooms, branded mini-games, or event spaces, that let users experience the brand in engaging, memorable ways. This strategy enhances emotional connections and brand recall. For example, a travel company could create a virtual island getaway users can explore, while a fashion brand might offer a virtual catwalk or fitting room. These experiences should align with the brand's identity and offer something meaningful or entertaining to users.

Leverage Virtual Goods and NFTs

Offering virtual products or NFTs (non-fungible tokens) is a powerful way to tap into digital ownership and exclusivity in the Metaverse. Brands can design and sell branded digital wearables, art, or collectibles that users can showcase on their avatars or in their virtual spaces. These digital items not only drive revenue but also serve as social symbols, much like real-world fashion or luxury goods. More importantly, when tied to real-world benefits (e.g., discounts, event access), NFTs can bridge the physical and digital customer experience.

Partner with Existing Metaverse Platforms

Rather than building from scratch, many brands successfully partner with established Metaverse platforms like Roblox, Decentraland, or The Sandbox. These platforms already have built-in audiences and tools that simplify development and deployment. Collaborating on special events, co-branded games, or limited-edition drops allows brands to quickly enter the space and test engagement. Choosing the right platform should be based on your target audience demographics and marketing objectives. For instance, Roblox is ideal for reaching Gen Z, while Decentraland appeals to the crypto-savvy.

Host Virtual Events and Experiences

Virtual events — such as product launches, concerts, Q&As, and workshops — are one of the most effective ways to build real-time engagement in the Metaverse. These events can draw large crowds, generate media buzz, and offer a unique, immersive alternative to webinars or physical gatherings. Brands should aim to create interactive experiences rather than passive viewing: allowing users to participate, vote, explore, or co-create during the event increases retention and emotional investment.

Incentivize Engagement with Gamification

Gamification is a natural fit for Metaverse environments. By incorporating rewards, leaderboards, quests, or achievements, brands can incentivize user interaction and drive deeper engagement. For example, a brand could develop a scavenger hunt in a virtual world, where participants collect branded tokens to win real-world prizes or discounts. Gamification appeals across age groups and is especially effective when it ties into loyalty programs or broader marketing funnels.

Build Community and Encourage Co-Creation

The most successful Metaverse brands don’t just promote — they collaborate with users. Encouraging community involvement through user-generated content (UGC), avatar customization, or open-world creation tools strengthens customer relationships and builds advocacy. Community spaces, forums, and fan events further enhance this connection. Giving users creative control over their experience, or even rewarding them for co-creating branded content, fosters a sense of ownership and loyalty.

Use Data Responsibly to Personalize Experiences

With immersive environments comes richer user behavior data — how long users interact, what they explore, and what they purchase or ignore. Smart marketers can use this data to create personalized experiences, just like they do with websites and apps. However, it's critical to do this ethically, with transparent consent and data protection standards in place. Personalization might include suggesting avatar gear based on past behavior, inviting users to events they’re likely to enjoy, or delivering targeted offers inside virtual environments.

Integrate with Cross-Channel Marketing

Finally, Metaverse marketing should not live in a silo. The most effective strategies integrate Metaverse experiences with your broader digital ecosystem, including your website, social media, email campaigns, and influencer programs. Promote Metaverse events on social channels, use influencer avatars to build credibility inside virtual spaces, and drive traffic between the physical and virtual experiences. This omnichannel approach ensures consistency and maximizes your return on engagement.

In Conclusion: The Synergy of Metaverse and Digital Marketing

WSI is the world’s largest and most experienced digital marketing agency network. We have over 25 years of experience in digital marketing in the metaverse and beyond, and we've supported over 100,000 brands across multiple industries. If you have questions about the metaverse or anything related to digital marketing, you can't go wrong with talking with a WSI expert.  Talk to us today!