3 ways Pokémon GO is raising the bar for the ultimate UX

Important lessons from the Pokémon GO phenomenon

Did you ever think you would be waiting for the lift in work, and be asked “Are there any Pokémon in reception?”

Thanks to an April Fool’s prank gone viral, this may now be a common conversation among your colleagues. The newest global phenomenon Pokémon GO succeeds in blurring the lines between the physical and digital, in a way never before seen, by using a combination of Augmented Reality (AR) and GPS to bring wild Pokémon to your front door.

Niantic Inc’s brainchild captured the nation’s attention way before its official release in the UK. Now that it is finally here, it has effectively created a new benchmark for enhanced user experience.

Falling tentatively along the line of augmented reality and location based gaming, Pokémon GO uses an AR interface that overlays 3D digital content onto the user’s physical surroundings.

Technological determination is changing the landscape of customer experience. The possibilities with this immersive technology are endless, a fact that consumer industries have already began to capitalise on.

A new kind of shopping from the sofa

Augmented reality is a powerful way to bring the online experience to life, an advantage that retailers certainly aren’t ignoring. Brands often struggle with proximity, presence and interaction when it comes to customers visiting their digital store, however AR is paving the way to battle this buyer uncertainty.

Whether it’s choosing a style from the Converse Shoe Sampler catalogue to try a virtual pair on in your own home, or overlaying a sofa from IKEA in a room of your choice using their AR Catalogue, intelligent visualisation reduces returns and improves purchasing accuracy.

This way, retailers can remove the inherent drawbacks that come with shopping online by providing the sensory elements that we lose without the in-store experience.

The benefits of AR are also being explored within wider consumer industries.

For instance, Infinity Augmented Reality Inc have partnered with Google to transform the online casino experience using a 360 degree camera and augmented eyewear allowing players to feel like they are at the blackjack table with impressive casino simulations.

What can digital marketers learn from Pokemon GO?

Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean you need virtual poké balls to provide an immersive and interactive customer journey. AR may be propelling the digital world into a new golden era, brands should however take notes on how they too can utilize its lessons to boost customer engagement.

1. Know your customer

Data is vital, and luckily something consumers are no longer shy about sharing. It can be an everyday occurrence, like using your Google account to sign up to Pokémon Go. However when it comes to the method of data capture, a pop up window just doesn’t cut it anymore. Leveraging immersive tactics, like quizzes, you can gather information, encourage engagement with the promise of a better experience at the other end.

2.   Processes need to be painless

People like to live in the moment. Seamless experiences that make their lives easier are the top priority for the customer on the go, especially now that they are busy trying to catch ‘em all. By stripping away irrelevant content, providing the customer smoother on-site mobility, and allowing them to reach the categories they prefer more conveniently will encourage a higher use rate. Location-based messaging will also help with this. Geo-targeted promotions capture the user’s attention and capitalise on that coveted moment of intent.

3.  The experience needs to be fun

What Pokémon Go gets right is the interactive nature of the game, a feature retailers are already monopolising on. Augmented reality is a powerful way to bring the online experience to life, however this doesn’t necessarily mean you need virtual poké balls to provide an immersive user journey. Personalisation rather, is key in driving this enhanced experience.

Driving personalised push recommendations or tailoring landing pages to reflect their preferences can allow customers to champion their own experience and develop a deeper brand connection.