As an account manager for Spunlogic’s initial foray into Second Life, I have had some interesting experiences – being chopped to pieces by a ninja (complete with blood gushing everywhere), shot by a watermelon gun (that rockets you into the air) and teleporting to places that I would never step foot in, in real life that is.

I’ve also been observant of how companies are bringing their brands to life in this new medium. From what I’ve seen, after the initial PR frenzy, too many islands and creative masterpieces are left to exist without continued support or attention. Does any of this sound familiar? Think internet in the early days, when companies were launching their websites but couldn’t get the return visits that make sites successful. Companies these days have, for the most part, figured out the key to getting people to come back to their website – fresh content, sales, blogs, and more.  Similarly, these are the thing that will keep Second Life residents coming back to your sim, but it needs to be put in the context of the environment, like holding continuous events (musical, educational, etc.). 

Marketers need to approach marketing to Second Life residents in the same way as they would approach any media plan. Throwing up billboards and renting kiosks are not going to cut it in the long term. Marketers need to think about their audiences’ behavior (or let Spunlogic help you), their likes and dislikes, imagine you were one of them and develop tactics to engage them. Provide a sandbox on your sim and challenge residents to build their own interpretation of what your brand means. Recognize winners and display the winning creative on your website.  It’s a similar tactic to Coca Cola’s ‘The Coke Side of Life’ campaign – users are engaged and you are building brand loyalty, something every marketer dreams of doing.

Remember, Second Life residents are there for the experience. They want to be able to do more than just listen to a concert – they want to interact with the performer and other attendees in ways that aren’t possible (or as easy) in real life. Provide them with an ongoing opportunity to interact with your brand, and they will return. The days of simply “build it and they will come” no longer exists; not for the web and definitely not for Second Life.  Otherwise, you might find yourself with a few well made objects and scripts but no one to look at them.