The concept of virtual world is to provide computer-based simulated environment for its users, which they can inhabit and interact through avatars. These avatars are usually depicted as three-dimensional graphical representations. Moreover, virtual worlds allow interaction for multiple users. Virtual world seems to be a new and fast growing type of marketing tool at least from the companies’ point of view. Even though Second-life have attracted some of the world’s most prestigious corporations and brands, companies like “Sears, Sun Microsystems, Dell, Coca Cola, Reebok, Coldwell Banker, and Calvin Klein have so far failed to attract even 500 weekly visitors each, some of them far less.” By providing computer-based simulated environment for its users, they can inhabit and interact through avatars. These avatars are usually depicted as three-dimensional graphical representations. However, there are some success companies like Barbie Girls. They allows users to customize their Barbie dolls by dress them up, create virtual homes, and adopt pets and chat with other users. They have hit the “3million user mark in its first 60 days and is growing at the rate of 50,000 new users a day,” according to a report from the Scientific American. Virtual world will not be success once you build it, so to attract the public, some virtual world marketing tactics can be helpful for marketers’ reference. For the tactics, marketers have to get involved in the community, constantly update the virtual world’s contents, and apply the real world’s lessons to the virtual world. Once the marketers have applied these tactics, results of the virtual world have to be measured in order to evaluate and improve the work. Measurement can be based on traffic, time spent, interaction, relative expense and revenues. Click here for more details. Overall, the marketers have to provide visitors with compelling content or entertainment value in order to be successful in the virtual markets.
