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Metaverse Marketing 101: or, why Google should buy Second Life

How do you sell stuff to gamers? Cynics might ask how do you spam the spammers of Second Life?

Wagner James Au at GigaOm reports about the first survey done by Komjuniti (a Hanover based research firm) of what Second Lifers think about attempts made by marketers.

72% of 200 Second Lifers who were surveyed that real world company activities did not interest them. Moreover, over 40% think that real world companies’ Second Life ‘adventures’ were one-off flings.

Just checking out what the hype was about.

For companies still willing to spam a spammer’s universe that Second Life is, it would be wise to learn how Second Life operates:

This world-in-a-server (s) can be seen on a map as a world of green dots, every green dot representing an avatar.

Each dot is trying to attract as many dots towards it as it can. Successful Second Lifers have so far mostly been early entrants who are represented on The Second Life map by heavy concentration of dots. These guys came first and attract other dots by doing normal marketing stuff like holding events regularly, holding contests, games and giveaways, etc.

Many of these Dots represent smart and talented who got in early and display their talents (designing, party organizers etc.) enthusiastically.

In other words, real world companies would find it hard to compete with these smart dots.

What should marketers do?

1. Be in the right business: The Komjuniti survey participants say, “They would like to be able to interact more with the brands represented” in Second Life. Nor surprisingly, they are more positive towards ‘metaverse versions of established hotels and retail brands.

2. Employ the normal marketing tips: If you can’t win, buy them out; give these Second Lifers what they have been waiting for: your moolah. Buy the dots out and let them hold contests, etc. on your brand’s behalf.

3. Or, maybe Google could buy Second Life and plaster the metaverse with adsense PPC and CPA ads and show up what Second Life really is – the metaverse version of spam blogs.

In such world, every dot becomes an ad – it will be an achievement in hubris.

Labels: marketing, second life

posted by Pramit Singh @ 2:34 PM