How Web3 can help brands create an inclusive metaverse

A decentralized internet that is the vision behind Web3 has the potential to fundamentally change the way brands and consumers interact with one another. This immersive web will be driven by the rise of virtual worlds and the metaverse. But while this necessitates a new way of interacting in a new type of human space, it’s important these new opportunities are also more inclusive and accessible than ever before.

A report from the Institute of Digital Fashion and the Circular Fashion Summit found that 70% of survey respondents said gender representation within virtual experiences was vital to them, while 60% were concerned about the increased potential for bullying and discrimination against disabled people within virtual worlds.

Representation matters, and with Web3 and the metaverse, we have an opportunity to get it right from the beginning. It’s on us, meaning that brands, agencies, tech companies and creators building virtual worlds and decentralized experiences must create them with inclusivity in mind.

Here are some ways brands can build a more inclusive metaverse.

1. Make accessibility features explicit in every medium. Even the most brilliant metaverse experiences fall short if they can’t be easily experienced by all types of people or if accessibility features are not easy to find.

For example, accessibility digital marketer Meryl Evans faces a common frustration as a person who is deaf using VR. Accessibility features for video games often aren’t searchable (or even listed), making it difficult to find games that she loves.

Voice-based virtual assistants like Google Assistant can be helpful for people with limited mobility and visual impairments, and text chat can be useful for those who are deaf, have anxiety about making calls, or in a wide range of other contexts. AI chatbots can answer common questions and build a connection to your brand that feels personal.

2. Support in-person experiences with Web3 and mixed reality. Web3 offers many powerful tools for mobile commerce and virtual worlds, but it also holds huge potential for in-person experiences. Mixed reality refers to the merging of real and virtual worlds, where physical and digital objects can coexist and interact in real-time.

These mixed reality experiences could entertain children while parents shop. Or consumers could point to a product and get personalized information or advice, complete with directions to the relevant sections of a store or accessibility features like ramps. Additionally, AR glasses or QR scans paired with a mobile app could help people with visual impairments navigate stores and hear the finer details of products, like prices or washing instructions that are written in tiny print on tags.

AR body scans, rather than outdated sections based on gender, could help customers find clothes that fit both their style and their body. The flexibility to accommodate people of various body types and abilities, including people in wheelchairs, could launch a new era of inclusivity in shopping.

3. Don’t try to replicate the physical world in the digital realm. Reimagine everything. Customers could try on their latest makeup look at a virtual ball, or run through the jungle with their newest sneakers. You could gamify your shopping experience with quests, like the Omega Mart interactive art installation created by Meow Wolf in Las Vegas, or create a more social experience where people can communicate across languages—including sign language—with instant translation.

These experiences can allow people to participate from anywhere, regardless of transportation options or level of physical mobility. Plus, even in a post-pandemic world many consumers will still prefer to socialize and transact in the digital world.

4. Give people the opportunity to stick to the basics. For many neurodivergent people, too much sensory input can be overstimulating. You should focus on their needs and give them the option to turn things off. Even an immersive metaverse experience with lively quests and 3D replicas of your products should have simpler options, like a basic ecommerce website with photos and text descriptions.

This flexibility also benefits users who want to make a quick, straightforward purchase rather than playing in the metaverse, or users who have a slow internet connection and don’t want to wait for an animation to load.

If we want the metaverse to parallel the physical world, it needs to have the same considerations for all kinds of people and demographics. Brands creating experiences in the Web3 world will need to make sure these experiences reflect the people who are going to exist in these virtual worlds. And that means all people.