Holidays offer a great opportunity for digital businesses to connect with their customers in a more meaningful, appealing way.

And, while it’s mostly games that make holiday-themed updates, business apps across a number of industries can also apply this strategy to boost engagement, and eventually revenue, over the holidays.

So, if you already have a mobile app in your business arsenal, consider adding some holiday-inspired features. Furthermore, to make your strategy even more effective, spice it up with cutting-edge AR tech.

10 augmented reality Halloween app ideas for a business

While Halloween is definitely not as big as Thanksgiving or Christmas, it can be a good chance to test out your new strategy. Plus, it might help you grow your user base just a couple of weeks before Black Friday, which is especially important for an eCommerce business.

But how do you combine Halloween and augmented reality within one app?

Here are some inspirational illustrations to get you started: 7 real-life use cases and examples of augmented reality apps for Halloween.

• Halloween costume apps offer a great opportunity for online retailers to benefit from using augmented reality. Halloween apps for costume shopping could serve as virtual fitting rooms where users scroll through the items in stock and “try on” some of them at home using a smartphone. Some good examples of such an experience have been demonstrated by Gap and Zara.

Read also: How retail apps can benefit from using augmented reality?

• Halloween makeup apps can also help users try on different makeup ideas, just like the virtual fitting room mentioned above. The inspiration for makeup Halloween apps can be sourced from the AR try-on features offered by Sephora.

• Halloween game apps. Find inspiration in classic games like Scavenger Hunt. Invite your customers to trick or treat at your location(s) and complete challenges along the way. They can use your mobile app for navigation, such as with an interactive quest and complete challenges by scanning QR codes.

It is a great idea for hotels, chain restaurants, or local businesses with multiple locations across the city to engage their customers both in-app and in real life.

• Camera apps with Halloween filters are probably the most popular type of mobile apps used during this holiday. Yet, you don’t need to build one to benefit from this trend. Separate features from photo apps for Halloween can be integrated into existing social media and live streaming apps.

In fact, any app that has a user profile and some sort of networking capability can utilize this feature. You can offer users the ability to update their profile pictures with holiday-inspired frames and filters (similar to Facebook).

• Halloween decor apps are mostly mobile galleries that you can use for inspiration when preparing for the holiday. Yet, adding AR capabilities can be a major upgrade even for a simple app like that. Take for example AR-powered apps like Houzz or Housecraft. This can also be a sound investment for homeware retail brands.
• Event planning apps come in handy whether organizing a Halloween party at home or a corporate event. They can include features like event scheduling, a group chat for organizers and invitees, or simply serve as a single place to organize all event-related tasks.

Read more: A step-by-step guide to building an event planning app

As for the AR features, you can use them to help your guests find their way to your venue or navigate on-site. You can even use your app to enrich the experience of the attractions at your event, e.g. as an AR guide when trying to find your way out of a haunted house.

• Fitness apps can source inspiration from the popular running app Zombies, Run! You can also add Halloween-themed AR challenges to their workouts.

How to create an augmented reality app to come on top this Halloween

There are two major aspects you should take into account if you want to create augmented reality apps for Halloween:

1. The timing

Launching your Halloween app too early can be as harmful as launching it too late. The peak demand for Halloween apps only exist for a short period of time – usually two-three weeks before the holiday, so make sure to capture the moment!

2. The audience

Always keep in mind the type of people who will use your app, and their needs. While millennials will most likely enjoy a scary augmented reality app or a fun Halloween-themed update, it makes little sense to add something like that to your B2B or enterprise-level app.

Plus, holiday traditions may also vary from country to country, so make sure to localize your Halloween updates accordingly.

If you want to create augmented reality apps for your business or are considering updating your existing app with Halloween-inspired features, finding a reliable technology partner should be your first step.

Our team at Eastern Peak can get the job done for you: from coming up with a concept, taking into account your business specifics, audience, and long-term objectives, to design, implementation, and ongoing support.

Contact us now to schedule a free call with one of our senior product managers and don’t miss out on the chance to grow your business over the holidays.

Read also:

• Why Now Might Be the Best Time to Develop an AR App for iPhone X?
• Augmented Reality in Education: How to Apply It to Your Business
• How to Create a Great User Experience: Fresh App Personalization Ideas for any Industry
• 5 Essential Post-Launch MVP Activities for Your App