3 tips on navigating the metaverse

Don’t worry, you’re not late to the party. It’s still early days as far as the metaverse is concerned, despite the breathless buzz and relentless media coverage.

“Now’s not the time to chase shiny objects or fall victim to FOMO,” says Tamra Knepfer, founder of Metabrands. “However, it is a great time to do your research, see what peer companies are doing, begin mapping out your short- and long-term plans, and for most companies, take modest initial steps into the space.”

Here’s her advice for taking your first steps into the metaverse:

1. Brush up on the basics. “The birth of the metaverse started years before the pandemic,” says Knepfer. “The pandemic just sped things up—and that includes stirring up a lot of different opinions about what exactly the metaverse is.”

For example, “some people believe it’s one, fully connected world—not various different disjointed virtual spaces,” she says. “Others, like me, believe it can include self-standing elements like virtual events and concerts—and when you are fully immersed in that interactive 3D world, you are ‘in the metaverse.’”

The confusion extends to mainstream media and sites like Wikipedia, which defines the metaverse as “a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection.”