Grow My SME: Why Immersive Technology Matters in a Post-Pandemic World

Intro

The pandemic did not just force businesses online. It exposed how fragile many of our existing ways of communicating, training, and reaching audiences really were.

For small and medium-sized enterprises, especially those rooted in place-based industries, events, or face-to-face services, the sudden loss of physical access created an urgent question.

This question sat at the heart of a Grow My SME session delivered by AVimmerse, exploring how immersive media, including 360 video, virtual environments, and augmented reality, can support SMEs navigating rapid change.

How do you explain, demonstrate, and share value when people cannot be there in person?

This question sat at the heart of a Grow My SME session delivered for businesses across the Humber region, exploring how immersive media, including 360 video, virtual environments, and augmented reality, can support SMEs navigating rapid change.

Why immersive technology matters for SMEs

During the early stages of the pandemic, many SMEs faced a perfect storm:

• Physical sites closed overnight.

• Trade shows, demonstrations, and workshops disappeared.

• Sales conversations moved online, often without the tools to support them.

• International reach became harder, not easier.

For many organisations, digital transformation had previously meant websites, social media, and video calls. But these tools struggled to replicate experiences that relied on place, scale, or presence.

This was not just a technical problem. It was a communication problem.

Why immersive media was already the answer

Immersive technologies offer something fundamentally different from flat media.

Rather than asking audiences to imagine a space, process, or environment, immersive media allows them to step inside it.

During the session, we explored how tools such as:

• 360 video.

• Virtual walkthroughs.

• Spatial storytelling.

• Augmented reality overlays.

Can help SMEs:

• Demonstrate complex ideas visually.

• Reach remote or international audiences.

• Reduce reliance on physical presence.

• Improve accessibility and inclusion.

Crucially, these approaches are not limited to high-end VR headsets. Many immersive experiences are accessible through mobile devices and web browsers, making them viable for small businesses as well as large organisations.

From emergency response to long-term capability

What began as an emergency response during lockdown has since revealed something more important.

Immersive media is not “pandemic technology”. It is communication infrastructure.

As businesses adapt to hybrid working, distributed teams, and global audiences, immersive approaches increasingly support:

• Remote training and onboarding.

• Product demonstrations.

• Heritage and tourism storytelling.

• Education and skills development.

• Community engagement.

For SMEs, early experimentation with immersive tools can build long-term resilience rather than short-term fixes.

Supporting SMEs through clarity, not complexity

A key aim of the Grow My SME session was to demystify immersive technology.

Many small businesses assume immersive media is expensive, technically complex, or only suitable for entertainment. In practice, the most effective immersive projects often focus on clarity rather than spectacle.

As one programme lead reflected after the session:

“AVimmerse are experts at using digital technologies to deliver high quality, impactful stories. We have worked with the founder Keith Myers to share knowledge to small businesses and would have no hesitation in recommending him and the business.”

This feedback reflects the importance of translating emerging technologies into practical, understandable tools for real-world use.

What this means for regional growth and innovation

Supporting SMEs is not only about access to funding or platforms. It is also about access to new ways of thinking and communicating.

Immersive media offers regions like the Humber an opportunity to:

• Showcase innovation beyond traditional centres.

• Support local industries in reaching global audiences.

• Build skills that transfer across sectors.

• Strengthen storytelling around place, identity, and value.

As digital tools continue to evolve, the challenge is not whether immersive technology will be used, but how thoughtfully it will be applied.

Closing reflection

The Grow My SME session highlighted a broader shift taking place across business, education, and culture.

Immersive technology is moving from the margins to the mainstream, not as a novelty, but as a way of helping people understand complex ideas, distant places, and shared experiences.

For SMEs willing to explore these tools early, immersive media can become a powerful part of how they communicate, grow, and adapt in a rapidly changing world.

Watch the talk here: