This post originally appeared on Social Media Week.
Virtual reality isn’t just for big budgets. Hardware is becoming more accessible, and there are new opportunities for small businesses to create VR content. While there still is a whole lot of tinkering, more and more brands, organizations, and technology companies are figuring out what works, what doesn’t, and what consumers actually want.
Facebook is one company that is placing huge bets on virtual reality, from new content formats that you experience in your News Feed to socialized VR experiences where you interact and “hang out” with your friends. Facebook and Zuckerberg show no signs of stopping their push into new VR territories.
Now, not everyone has the same power and resources that Facebook does, but that doesn’t mean virtual reality hardware and VR content are completely unattainable. It’s actually becoming more and more frictionless for small businesses to enter the world of VR. Headsets and cameras are not as expensive as they once were, and there are even devices that attach to mobile phones to create 360-degree videos.
If you’re new to VR, or just want to learn some of the latest trends and best practices from virtual reality experts, below are five clips from this year’s Social Media Week conference in New York.
1. “Content” and “experience” are blending in VR
Rori DuBoff (Managing Director, Content Innovation, Accenture Interactive)
2. You can’t shoot VR content like traditional video
John Pattyson (Executive Producer, Immersive Media)
3. Strive to transport the user into the story
Megan Summers (Global Head of Production, Facebook)
4. “Sound” in VR tells users where to look
Jason Beauregard (Head of Studio, VaynerMedia)
5. Everyone involved needs to understand the power of VR
Sydney Levin (Executive Producer, New York Times T Brand Studio)
Image by
Marco Piunti / Getty
