Virtual worlds and the problems advertisers face
Recently, OMMA (the magazine for Online Media, Marketing and Advertising -- wait a magazine for ... online marketing?) posted its "10 Things You Need to Know About Social Networking" article to its website. The piece begins by stating that next year $1.38 billion (that's with a "b", people!) is what they're expecting to be spent towards ads on social networks. Well that's fine and dandy, but what does this whole thing have to do with virtual worlds you ask?
Well, in their list OMMA stops to talk momentarily about virtual communities such as Second Life. All sorts of brands have run head-first into Second Life over the past year or two, but so far there hasn't been much community-buzz around their presence. If you've ever logged into the world of Second Life to check out any of the corporate happenings there you would probably find a lot of tumbleweeds. Nobody wants to just come and look at your virtual store and stare at virtual product they might be able to buy. Worlds In Motion makes a good point when they say that you've got to have some interactivity with people.It wouldn't it kill these companies to reach out to the community in creative ways and maybe do a little research into what could work. It certainly works the other way around, so why not get creative and generate some buzz inside these worlds?
[via Worlds in Motion]
