Digitalization of marketing: challenges and opportunities of metaverse integration

Abstract

The object of the study is marketing in the metaverse, which is a new frontier of digital marketing, based on the use of virtual worlds to interact with the target audience and integrate brands into the digital environment. It is proven that the transformation of marketing in the metaverse is becoming one of the main directions of development of modern entrepreneurship, aimed at expanding the company’s presence on the Internet, forming and maintaining the loyal attitude of consumers of various target groups.

Problem statement. It is established that in today's conditions, digitalization of marketing contributes to a more complete coverage of the company’s target audience, allows you to convey information about the brand to consumers faster and more efficiently, to form an idea of the competitive advantages of products and services offered by the company. An assumption is made about the decisive influence that the process of forming and developing the metaverse has on marketing. The need for a thorough analysis of trends associated with the spread of this phenomenon, as well as outlining the opportunities and challenges that it creates in the field of marketing, is proved.

Unresolved aspects of the problem. Recent research on the formation and development of the metaverse and its impact on marketing activities is reviewed. It is found that the opportunities and challenges associated with the integration of the metaverse into marketing require clarification.

Purpose of the article. The purpose of the research is to analytically study the processes associated with the active spread of the metaverse in society and specify its impacts on marketing, which are manifested in the generation of opportunities for improving marketing activities based on digital technologies and the emergence of challenges associated with this process.

Presentation of the main material. The latest research and analytical materials on the spread of digital technologies in the economy and social life, individual indicators characterizing historical data, the dynamics of the Metaverse, forecasts and plans, as well as assessments and impacts related to the spread of this phenomenon are analyzed. It is established that the metaverse in the current conditions demonstrates a steady growth trend. This allows its development to be considered one of the main trends of modernity, which should be taken into account, in particular in the field of marketing. The opportunities and challenges that the metaverse creates for marketing are considered.

Conclusions. The results of the study show that the metaverse creates unprecedented opportunities for marketers to expand and improve the effectiveness of interaction between the company and consumers. The challenges associated with the integration of the metaverse into digital marketing are also identified, which are due to the presence of current problems in the areas of regulating interactions in the metaverse, security, and adaptation to change. It is proven that taking into account the identified opportunities and challenges will allow making the right management decisions related to marketing in the metaverse.