What is the metaverse?
Welcome to the metaverse: where you have the freedom to live your life as you do in the real world, virtually. As Mark Zuckerberg put it: “it’s the next chapter of the internet”.

The metaverse brings you a virtual world where you can create an avatar version of yourself, customise your surroundings, and socialise with others - among many other things.

The pandemic created a genuine need for connection, which is why we saw an adoption rush during this time. But is the metaverse still relevant?

In this blog, we’ll explore how social media platforms are adopting metaverse-like features, different brand approaches to the metaverse, and how these immersive experiences can be made more accessible and inclusive.

Meta and the metaverse
Facebook was the first of the major social platforms to embrace the idea of the metaverse, acquiring VR company Oculus in 2014. By 2021, the metamorphosis to Meta was complete. Zuckerberg has been a key advocate for this virtual phenomenon but he’s switched his attention in recent years.
With significant staff cuts in the Reality Labs division and an underwhelming audience base for Horizon World, it’s no surprise that Meta has shifted its focus to AI.

However, just because Zuckerberg has gone cold, it doesn’t mean the metaverse is going to be frozen out altogether.

Nike’s runaway success with Roblox
Pioneered by the entertainment and gaming industries, the metaverse has been embraced by many industries in the last few years. A major player is fashion and retail.  For instance, it gets the big tick from Nike. 

The sports giant partnered with Roblox, which many experts regard as one of the first official metaverse platforms, to create NIKELAND, where users can dress avatars in branded gear, compete in mini-games, and purchase virtual Nike products. Seeing millions of visits, this is a great example of partnering with an existing online space to drive deep engagement and brand affinity. 
 

Even more impressive are their efforts with the .SWOOSH platform. This was launched to foster a community around virtual product creation, digital collectables, and co-creation opportunities. Users can design and trade digital shoes or apparel, sometimes tied to physical counterparts, and even earn a cut of revenue when their designs are used: a  hyper-focus on community. 

Where the metaverse meets social 
In 2025, we’re seeing a more strategic approach from brands shifting their metaverse efforts into their existing social platforms, rather than putting time and budget into a whole new platform for their online world. This already exists with their social platforms, and their audience is already there.
Most social platforms have their metaverse-like features: Snapchat with AR lenses, TikTok with interactive filters, and Instagram with virtual try-ons.

These immersive experiences within existing spaces on the internet allow brands to benefit from the interactivity the metaverse offers. The two worlds have merged, each bringing its benefits. The metaverse can now be seen as an extension of social engagement, rather than a separate destination and investment. This is the future of social media in the metaverse.

A metaverse experience for all
If the main purpose of the metaverse is to build a super-engaged community, it needs to be as accessible and inclusive as possible. Truly accessible immersive brand experiences are non-negotiable in 2025.

Let’s look at accessibility first. At a minimum, you’ll need internet access. If you want to be really immersed, you might look to invest in some hardware such as VR goggles, which could set you back a whopping £3,499 if you go for the Apple Vision Pro. But the good news is that many metaverse-style features don’t require expensive equipment. Social media platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram have made augmented reality accessible via smartphones, letting users interact with immersive filters, try on virtual products, or step into branded digital environments with just a tap.
 

This mobile-first approach opens the door for more people to participate regardless of hardware, bandwidth, or technical expertise. These experiences are happening in apps people already use daily, meaning no steep learning curves or extra devices needed. As immersive tech becomes more embedded into social platforms, it’s becoming far more democratised. And now for inclusivity.

Many avatars (think back to Nintendo’s Mii) used to come in one shape and size, with limited options for customisation. But that’s changing. Platforms like Meta and Zepeto now offer broader representation in terms of body types, skin tones, hairstyles, and cultural clothing, helping users build identities that feel true to themselves, or totally imaginative. The metaverse should allow not only for all bodies and ethnicities to be reflected, but also for creativity to thrive. It should be a space where everyone feels seen, welcomed, and able to contribute meaningfully. 

Future of social media in the metaverse
As immersive tech becomes more deeply woven into social platforms, the future of brand engagement lies not in building new worlds but in enhancing the ones we already live in.
There are different levels to the metaverse, and there will be one that suits you and your brand. Not everyone has the resource levels of Nike, but you might be able to play around with an AR filter on Snapchat as a first step.

However it’s executed, engagement is at the core. And social media, where your audience already lives, should be your starting point.