2016 has already set the stage for the mass-market entry of 360 video and their associated players. 360 video or VR video, whichever catchphrase is currently trending, will see a huge increase in devices and content this year. For example, companies like YouTube and Facebook have already launched 360 video players into their web platforms. Indeed, forward-thinking companies everywhere are developing technology to enable live-stream 360 video content to their user base. With the advent of this technology by two of the biggest players on the Internet, what are the implications for marketing and services industries that use these platforms to communicate with and market to their customers?

360 video will allow marketers to provide their customers with a fully-immersive, revolutionary experience related to their brand or marketing message. Currently, if you’re featuring a product video on a website with a standard 2D video player, it’s surrounded by elements that distract the user – like web banners, pop-ups, etc. With 360 video, the viewer has the option of using a standard browser or a headset to immerse themselves in a world you created, where the primary feature is your product.

This innovative technology allows marketers to develop unique content that takes customers on a journey through a message or product. A great example of this is using VR video to demonstrate drone racing to the public: users are able to submerge themselves into a scene where they’re riding along with a drone, zipping through obstacles at blazing speeds, all while experiencing an intense feeling of flying. Needless to say, such an adventure would captivate a huge market. Below is a great example of 360 video featuring products that normally wouldn’t be featured online in detail. Mohawk 360 flooring video:

Imagine if you had the ability to revisit your wedding or a special event in 360 video … to put on a head set and experience it from any angle, almost as if you were there again. That’s exactly what 360 video can offer service industries, like wedding videographers and even real-estate brokers. It will offer their customers an immersive experience without leaving the comfort of their living room. The video below is a 360 video demo of an open-house tour – showing basic video integration of callouts and voiceover – and it’s a great example of the type of content that will be generated in the near future.