The application of the Metaverse in digital marketing: A bibliometric analysis using the Scopus database from 2012 to 2024

Abstract

The concept of the Metaverse, an imagined virtual realm where individuals engage with digital environments, has attracted significant attention as a transformative idea in sectors like education, healthcare, and business. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the number of publications, leading countries, key researchers in the field of Metaverse, and future trends of the Metaverse in the marketing domain. Using bibliometric methods supported by VOSviewer software to evaluate research on the topic of Metaverse, the article selected 508 documents related to Metaverse from the Scopus database, covering the period from 2012, as the subject of analysis. The results indicate that the publication trend on the Metaverse will continue to increase in the coming years. The authors identified five main research trends: (1) Applications of the Metaverse in marketing, sustainable education, and healthcare; (2) Applications of the Metaverse in the food and tourism industries; (3) The live shopping business model in the retail industry; (4) The ethical impact of the Metaverse in smart cities; and (5) The sustainability of emerging Metaverse products and services.