Navigating the Metaverse

Chapter 4Meet the Metaverse Consumers

Because the metaverse is all about engagement and communities of like-minded people, we can't think of a better place to start a metaverse strategy than by learning more about the consumers populating it. Knowing who they are, what they want, and how they engage in the metaverse should directly influence the digital products and in-app experiences that businesses design.

Earlier in the book we stressed the importance of ownership. Scratching an itch – be it socializing, playing a game, buying items, or consuming information – while earning assets with real-world value is a deeper reward system than anything we've seen before on the Internet. Television, movies, video games, social media, books, and podcasts can't deliver this one-two uppercut combination of intrinsic dopamine hits from competing or winning and the extrinsic value of financial gain. Knowing this, let's take a closer look at whom you're selling to in the metaverse.

Demographics

Traditional video games attract players based on the genre and platforms the games are published on. LinkedIn appeals to the professional crowd, while Tik Tok appeals to younger generations gravitating toward short online videos. If we assume these examples are based on niches or pockets of interests, then we can assume the metaverse has wider appeal that brings together elements from gaming, social media, eCommerce, content streaming services, and more.

It's difficult to provide user data in the ...