Facebook / Meta - What do YOU need to know.

Recently Facebook owner and online wizard, Mark Zuckerberg, made a rare 90-minute proclamation that the Facebook company would be rebranding as Meta. The tech giant stated that “Meta is helping to build the metaverse, a place where we'll play and connect in 3D.” 

It is suggested that a billion additional users will be on the Metaverse within the next decade, generating hundreds of billions of dollars in digital commerce once the new age of the internet has been realised. 

Advertisers will be able to virtually project their goods into the consumer's physical world and expand their ads into three dimensions. Users will actually be a part of the internet, rather than simply watching it. The implications Metaverse has on the likes of Blockchain technology, Cryptocurrency and NFT’s are huge, and dare we say it, exciting!

So, now that the dust has settled and as we enter the next chapter of social connection, here at Mighty Social we ask the question - what does the change mean to you and what are the most important things that you need to know.

So, what exactly has happened?

In short, The Whatsapp, Facebook and Instagram platforms will remain the same, but the umbrella company that operates all three will now be called Meta. Zuckerberg is hoping that the rebrand will make this easier for the end user to differentiate. 

But when 3 billion people across the planet use your product, it may seem like a confusing decision to rebrand. However, as Zuckerberg explained, the Facebook brand “is so tightly linked to one product that it can’t possibly represent everything that we’re doing today, let alone in the future.” 

Zuckerberg also wants Meta to be the catalyst for his next project… “Metaverse”

And a Metaverse is?

It took us a while as well… but this is Zuckerberg's future vision for the way that we incorporate the internet as part of our everyday lives. The Facebook/Meta Founder imagines that the use of 3D technology will take off in coming years. Take a look at the promo video below which gives a clearer idea of what to expect:

Forget having to stroll down to the shops to try on those new kicks; with the use of holograms you will be able to see how they fit from the comfort of your own home. Couldn't make that gig with your friends? Well the Metaverse will literally allow you to be in two places at the same time. 

As Meta looks to shift focus towards the “Metaverse” and conquer the homespace, a massive influencing opportunity will be created. An online world where people can game, work and communicate in a virtual environment is exciting news for anyone involved in Marketing and in particular, Social Media Managers. 

Whilst we see the success of the Metaverse being a long way off, it is suggested that a billion additional users will be on the Metaverse within the next decade, generating hundreds of billions of dollars in digital commerce once the new age of the internet has been realised. 

Advertisers will be able to virtually project their goods into the consumer's physical world and expand their ads into three dimensions. Users will actually be a part of the internet, rather than simply watching it. As you can imagine, there has been plenty of excitement in the Mighty office already!

So what next?

Well the news and updates are coming in thick and fast. This week, Meta provided some new insight into its work on developing haptic gloves, which would enable you to feel and interact with virtual items in digital space.

As explained by Meta:

“Imagine working on a virtual 3D puzzle with a friend’s realistic 3D avatar. As you pick up a virtual puzzle piece from the table, your fingers automatically stop moving as you feel it within your grasp. You feel the sharpness of the cardboard’s edges and the smoothness of its surface as you hold it up for closer inspection, followed by a satisfying snap as you fit it into place.”

Pretty incredible, we think you’ll agree, how affordable they’ll end up being to everyday people remains to be seen however.

But that’s not all, with Meta slowly expanding their offering of physical products like these, there is even talk of them opening retail stores to show case them all, this is according to The New York Times who reported leaked internal documents outlining plans for real life Facebook stores through which it would sell its VR headsets, AR glasses, Portal devices and more.

As per NYT:

“Meta has discussed opening retail stores that will eventually span the world, said people with knowledge of the project and company documents viewed by The New York Times. The stores would be used to introduce people to devices made by the company’s Reality Labs division, such as virtual reality headsets and, eventually, augmented reality glasses, they said.”

Mark Zuckerberg believes that Meta and the Metaverse are not just the next chapter of the Facebook Brand, they are the next chapter of an immersive and embodied internet. He imagines a digital world that literally overlaps with the real world and in many ways, feels like real life without limits. The next 10-15 years are looking very exciting indeed!

If you’re struggling to understand what the future of the Internet is going to look like for your business, feel free to contact us today and have a chat.