Expert Talk: Effective Marketing Strategies in Virtual Reality Entertainment

Dmitry Feder, Chief Marketing Officer at ANVIO VR, shares his experience attracting clients in the VR industry.

Unlike other companies in the virtual entertainment sector, ANVIO VR not only develops its own games and offers ready-made business solutions for LBE VR but also actively promotes partner locations using proven marketing strategies. Today, the company is a recognizable international brand, operating in 13 countries.

To better understand the specifics of VR entertainment marketing, we spoke with ANVIO's CMO, Dmitry Feder. In this conversation, he discussed the company's marketing strategy, target audience, and other important aspects of the business.

With over five years of marketing experience, Dmitry Feder joined the ANVIO VR team in 2022. He previously worked in construction and development marketing, as well as web development.

The first ANVIO VR location in the United States was in California - at the heart of the world’s entertainment capital Hollywood, Los Angeles. Juxtaposed with the famous Dolby Theater and Chinese Theater landmarks, this ANVIO franchise on Hollywood Blvd has been a bustling hotspot since 2016, drawing in a diverse crowd of customers, from locals to tourists, delivering an exceptional virtual reality adventure.

Social media is a crucial component of our digital marketing strategy, with platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube serving as our primary promotional tools. We maintain an active content strategy, featuring regular posts and a variety of short videos. To help our audience better grasp the concept of VR parks, we employ a unique approach: the Employee Generated Content (EGC) strategy, which involves our staff in content creation. We believe that our location operators know best when and what moments to capture to accurately convey the VR atmosphere and full immersion. This approach has been highly effective, with employees at ANVIO locations creating viral videos on social media, particularly on TikTok. Additionally, we publish interactive posts to engage our clients and users, introducing them to our inhouse-developed games.

ANVIO clubs in various countries often host celebrities, highlighting our brand's prestige and appeal. For instance, David Beckham and his family visited the ANVIO club in London, and actress Milla Jovovich recently stopped by our location in Hollywood. Such high-profile visits significantly elevate our marketing profile and reinforce our reputation as an outstanding VR company.

Apart from social media, our website with an online booking system has been instrumental in attracting clients. This convenient tool allows customers to easily and quickly plan their visits, increasing traffic to the location. We actively worked on developing the website, striving to make it more user-friendly and functional for our clients.

Furthermore, search engines have become our second most crucial client attraction channel, leading us to prioritize investments in search engine optimization on Google and its alternatives. Also, geoservices have proven an effective marketing tool for us, marking a significant discovery in our overall marketing strategy.

ANVIO has a dedicated team constantly optimizing the company website, as well as another one preparing content for it. We actively write blog articles, regularly share news, and create interesting and original materials. This helps us increase reach at the top of the funnel and occupy more positions in search results, attracting new clients. Weekly, we receive a significant amount of traffic from searches.

Another effective channel has been geoservices and review sites, with platforms like Google Maps and Yelp standing out. Our marketers have meticulously designed listings with photos and up-to-date information about our locations. This placement strategy helps drive traffic to the website and primarily to our phone lines, resulting in many bookings.

Additionally, targeted and contextual advertising has played a significant role in attracting visitors. Targeted advertising allows us to reach specific demographics and user segments based on their interests and behaviors, ensuring our ads are seen by those most likely to be interested in our services. Contextual advertising places our ads on relevant websites and content, matching our offerings to the context of the user's current activity. These advertising methods have significantly boosted our website traffic and contributed to an increase in customer inquiries and bookings.

ANVIO VR highly values visitor feedback as it helps us better understand their needs and provide top-notch service. The company has a dedicated process for this.

Our operators are not only staff who monitor gaming zones, connect VR headsets, and launch games. They also actively interact with clients on-site and gather feedback from them. To simplify this process, we even developed special badges for employees with a QR code, which clients can scan to quickly leave a review on any convenient platform. This makes the review-writing process as easy and convenient as possible for the client. This system helps us maintain a good reputation and continuously update our pool of reviews.

First and foremost, feedback is a key tool for continually refining our services at ANVIO VR. We prioritize a swift process for managing reviews: any feedback is relayed to the location manager and then to the responsible employee, who promptly addresses the situation to enhance our service quality.

ANVIO’s audience has changed since 2016. Currently, we are positioned as a family digital entertainment park. Additionally, many visitors at the ANVIO park are VR enthusiasts looking for new experiences and emotions. However, families make up a significant part of our target audience. Our website features dedicated sections for organizing birthday parties and corporate events, covering a variety of needs, including animation programs, decorating options, and catering services.

At our location in sunny Redondo Beach, California, we’ve been hosting some fantastically successful corporate events for prestigious clients like SpaceX, McKinsey, and Delta Airlines. This VR club offers an unparalleled virtual reality experience with expansive free-roam game zones, VR attractions, and much more. It has superb showcase potential for those looking to franchise ANVIO locations in diverse settings, from high-traffic malls to other options.

Yes, seasonality is a notable factor in our industry. Late spring and early summer are standout peak seasons for our Hollywood club, characterized by a significant increase in certificate sales and bookings for corporate events. This surge notably enhances both our average sales and overall revenue. Additionally, Halloween brings a significant surge in interest and attendance. Like other entertainment venues, we observe peaks around holidays, school breaks, and summer months, coinciding with increased leisure time for our clientele.

Walk-in traffic constitutes a significant portion of our revenue, highlighting its crucial role. To effectively engage these visitors, we utilize a variety of POS materials. Our banners showcase ANVIO's diverse games and services, featuring different ticket options and promoting current promotions. Digital panels display game trailers and pricing details, captivating client interest upon arrival.At each location, table tents offer exclusive post-session discounts on certificates, enhancing guest engagement with offline-only deals. Additionally, these tents feature review cards equipped with QR codes for convenient feedback submission, ensuring a seamless guest experience.

ANVIO supports franchisees and partners by distributing POS and promotional materials, facilitating effective local marketing initiatives. Our dedicated specialists continuously share insights and innovations to empower franchisees in leveraging the ANVIO VR brand's reputation and expertise.

As the demand for LBE VR entertainment continues to grow, it is crucial for ANVIO to stay ahead of the curve by enhancing our social media presence and incorporating new, dynamic content formats. Short-form videos, live streams, and interactive posts not only engage our audience but also build a robust online community. By staying attuned to these trends and consistently showcasing the exhilarating experiences our VR club offers, ANVIO will maintain its position as a leader in the VR entertainment industry and continue to attract new customers seeking cutting-edge and unforgettable experiences.

One of the most effective marketing tools we have been leveraging on social media platforms is sharing videos of people’s reactions while they play. These genuine, enthusiastic responses not only highlight the excitement and immersive nature of our games but also create a powerful desire among viewers to experience the same emotions. By continuing to feature these authentic reactions, we can attract a broader audience eager to engage in our unique VR adventures.