Recent Rezzable polls shows that secondlife users are not activley inviting their real world friends to get an avatar and join them inworld. Poll info here.
Word of mouth and recommendations is of course the strongest possible way to revive the SL new user registration, so probably this is part of why the SL user growth has virtually (er...really) stopped. While LL is still boasting madly about new island growth, added 1,833 new island in August, the SL economy still seems to be very weak. It is especially weak if you pull out the porno and land rental fees. So is there really an economy in SL for business people? There are about 10,000 people making more than $50 per month and about 2,000 making more than $500. This is pretty flat since March. Net story is that LL is doing ok now, but no one else is seeing any growth in the Secondlife boat.
But back to the core 400,000 or so SL users, What would it take to get you excited about SL enough to recommend new users to come on? Are things like the Global Music Festival excitng to pull your friends into? Would you bring your pals to see amazing art like at Black Swan? Is being a noob so difficult that you wouldn't wish it on your friends? Doesn't seem all that bad.
We all still wonder why Linden Labs doesn't do more to marketing to the existing SL users to get their friends inworld. Incentives? Some marketing campaigns? Is LL scared to get more users???
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Comments
There is some kind of
Fri, 09/12/2008 - 16:11 — Vint FalkenThere is some kind of affiliate/referer program, see the Linden Blog - sure there is info on their site somewhere too - but you only get a reward when they convert to premium. Which is like.. errr... not very likely? Maybe it should be given if they log in more than 50 times and spend more than 100 hour inSL? (but then yet again... bots?)
This is interesting, I
Fri, 09/12/2008 - 18:13 — Karl Krantz (not verified)This is interesting, I imagine one big problem here is that for many users SL is an escape, a place where people create a fantasy world and a fantasy life and they don't neccessarilly want to bring their real world friends into that world. Although some people are very open about mixing SL and RL , many are not.
Maybe with all the negative
Fri, 09/12/2008 - 19:10 — Vint FalkenMaybe with all the negative exposure SL got end 2007/beginning 2008, it's also safer not to mention to your other half, friends and colleagues that you have a Second Life. To avoid prejudices? I must admit, I sometimes have quite some explaining to do! :D
karl--maybe too much time in
Fri, 09/12/2008 - 20:23 — RightAsRain Rimbaudkarl--maybe too much time in SL and you lose all our rl friends anyway :0 yikes! /me makes note to be nicer to analog people and send cards!
When I first became a
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 22:38 — Nima B. (not verified)When I first became a resident I went nuts telling everyone about this virtual world! Than I began to notice that there is a certain stigma associated with being involved with SL. There is the assumption that people who have to have a Second Life are losers in REAL LIFE, or that it's frivolous or silly, so gradually I stopped talking about it unless someone directly asked me. Maybe it's the name - Second Life? Anyway I'm still nuts about SL, but I keep it to myself!
I've found that the stigma
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 23:12 — Ravin LunaseaI've found that the stigma that seems to follow Second Life (and the notion of "virtual online worlds" and "metaverses" in general) seems to ellicit a negative, suspicious response from certain types of people. In my own experience thus far, those people usually consist of:
1., people who are unfamiliar with Second Life/online virtual worlds, the internet, or even technology in general;
2., people who read a negative news story or blog post somewhere criticizing Second Life or emphasizing stereotypes ("OMG its only for sex creeps and pedophiles lol lol"... that sort of drivel);
3., people who are hardcore gamers, who are used to first-person shooters or MMORPG's that are heavy on roleplay and gameplay who might've tried SL once only to been frustrated by their inability to understand it or who were annoyed at finding out that it actually ISN'T a game.
Most of the negative reactions I've seen are mostly from groups 1 and 2; in all three cases, it's generally people who don't know what Second Life is or how they, personally, could use it... and have never bothered to actually try it. Admittedly, it takes a little time to learn the basics in Second Life... getting around, communicating, looking for things, finding interesting activities to do. Also, it's true that some of the content in Second Life is objectionable to some, not to mention some groups of people in SL with a common interest might rub others the wrong way (furries, Gor, various bizarre sexual content, etc etc). I shouldn't have to mention the negative impression people can get from having a run-in with a griefer, particularly for newbies.
But for people who are patient, curious, willing to take the time to learn and take what they see with a grain of salt--and have the sense to avoid things they find objectionable--those people are the ones who finally recognize Second Life for its potential.
For my part, I generally don't broadcast that I use Second Life primarily because I know I'd get a funny look from people who have never heard of it or have heard hearsay in a negative light regarding SL. If it's brought up in a conversation, however, I have no qualms about freely mentioning that I actively use Second Life for my own recreation and amusement, and touting its many valid points. I also get to feel like I'm helping a little by being a Mentor--giving a good first impression to newcomers goes a long way to giving them a positive first look of Second Life, and provides incentive to stay and explore and participate.
Nima--you hit what most
Sun, 10/19/2008 - 22:37 — RightAsRain RimbaudNima--you hit what most people of the hardcore SL population thinks. I wonder if Linden Lab gets this point or not. Why not turn the devoted into the sales people to get more people in? Really, why have some many early adopters and then not make them part of the shared success? I don't understand at all why the concepts of co-marketing and affiliate programs are so alien to the LL team.
Ok, I have referred about
Mon, 10/20/2008 - 00:51 — Gary Kohime (not verified)Ok, I have referred about hmmm..5 friends to SL, and they are still active and I am still getting the 'bonuses" from it. :) I can't agree with Nima, sorry. I think you have to pick what friends you do invite. Evangelizing is not a good method, btw :)
@RaR, right on!! affiliate is a great idea. the link could be added to all these sl blogs out there..or even non-sl related ones.
Not evangelizing, just
Tue, 10/21/2008 - 01:44 — Nima B. (not verified)Not evangelizing, just excited about SL in general. : ) And no need to agree or disagree with me, my comment was a response to the poll, and it's the "poll" you should agree with or not. Love to hear what the five friends think though! : )
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