Advertising? In a Welcome Area?

Thanks for posting that Toy

Exactly Loki. Once you have billboards, the lines become blurred and people will really start to hit up the welcome area for more business thinking that it's fine - after all do we all really read the notecards we're given here, there and everywhere? Which is why, for the money involved, I don't understand why they've done this.

But, you're creating a false division. It's all the welcome area, whether one part is covered in prims like a pavillion or not

seems like my money tree grabbers get about 25 L each visit! yeah its insignificant, but my friends are there to introduce themselves and give advice too, since we know the newbies will come we like to help!. Maybe there is a better solution, freebies should be in the welcome area!!!

Well, if you spend any time in the welcome area you know it is common to see people attempting to sell down there. It is usually newbies that dont know its a rule. A friendly, "Hey, its against the rules to sell items down here." is almost always replied to with, "Oh, sorry, I didnt know."

If someone tells you to buzz off after you let them know they are breaking a rule, then call a Linden to take care of it. I know, I know, "Lindens have enough to do". But, keeping the welcome area orderly and liveable is one of the things they are supposed to take care of.

Rather than shopping, why not use the area to promote great places in SL to explore? Newbies barely have enough $$ to buy a pair of shoes, why not use that WA space to introduce them to the glory that is the wonderful builds in SL???

Rotate the places every two weeks, let folks submit suggestions to the people participating in the Greeter program, let the Greeters do a quick site survey to make sure there are no giant singing penis towers (let's be honest, some things are just too much for a newbie right off the bus...)

Actually, that's a great idea. Have kiosks where newbies can get freebies. Those who give the freebies will still get advertising but at least it's not as in your face as 'BUY MY LAND NOW'. Newbies get something cool, creators get some publicity. Everybody's happy.

there are adds on the telehubs? I've seen 'free linden content' near them but not ads...

But now, when you say it's against the rules, they'll turn their avatar towards the billboards and say - erm, sorry, what do you call that then? Lindens may have enough to do, but they appear to want a few extra dollars whilst creating an unequivalent amoutn of extra work for themselves policing it once the line is blurred.

That's another good idea - give them cues on places to visit, cool things to see, great things to do. Not 'come buy my hoochie hair, only L$1000'.

Im not really for it Moopf, just trying to work with it. I dont really like the idea, but I feel like its sort of a done deal sort of thing, at least for now, as part of the ongoing experiment. It may turn out to be a real mess and social pressure may change the practice in the future. I just think its too early in the game to do anything about it right now. Please feel free to prove me wrong.

I do think that stepped Linden presence in the welcome area will become more of a need once implemented.

As far as free Linden content, thats an excellent idea. They are in many hubs now, just add a wall like those hubs in the back of that pavillion.

yep, that makes sence, the stores give free merch in the welcome area and a calling card, perhaps with a coupon or something! I must admit, there is nothing lamer than that white with blue stripe Old Navy reject shirt they give the newbies urrrgh....

While I agree with you Moopf I don't think it realy matters. SL stopped being a player run community long ago.

and so it begins....

Cat

No, I know you're not, and you're right it is a done deal. I don't like the term 'experiment' though - the Lindens have excused several changes as an 'experiment', pretending that they're gauging how it goes for the 'community' and that they'll keep an eye on it. Like the sponsored links, for instance. Experiment is an easy way of breaking something in, and then forgetting about it. Especially if they're charging

And I'm not talking about Linden content which, to be frank, is mostly worthless. I'm talking about creator-content a lot of which has use and merit.

Are you all noobs or just on crack?
There's been advertisements at the welcome area since I can remember.
Heck, there used to be MORE of it...
Doesn't LL still have a display thing where you could see ads and get landmarks?
It's one of the first things I remember messing with, back in beta!

I think such a proposal satisfies both commerical need and community gain, to be honest. If I'd of walked into Second Life and been given a view that featured billboard advertising wares I'm not sure I'd of stuck around. If I'm presented with kiosks giving free things whilst also advertising to me, I'd of felt more involved and less like I'm 'just a consumer'.

Do you mean telehubs Eggy? I can't remember ever seeing advertisements at the welcome area, but then I'm not the wise old sage you are.

yeah, there are certain rules that get broken but this is supposed to be fun remember! and if you take a chance on something as benign as selling your shoes in the welcome area and get away with it, I say go for it! Exploiting and being mean however, are not to be tolerated, but in real life people break little rules all the time, hell you probably have a peice of software or mp3 you should have paid for but didn't on your pc right now!!!!

Actually no, I don't, but that's just me and besides the point anyway However, yes, we do all break rules at one point or another, you're absolutely right.

"just a consumer"

Yeah, everyone gets a taste of that once you decide to stick around, it doesnt have to be the first impression. Improve the Building Pavillion to include some note dispensors that give building tutorial tips. Promote the ability to create your own items as an alternative to just simply buying from others.

I dont remember who it was but I remember a newbie in the welcome area asking me where he could buy a top hat. I told him I didnt know, but it sounded like something that could be made pretty easily. He was sort of astonished, so I took him to the sandbox and showed him the basics in putting together a top hat. He seemed completely amazed and enlightened about the possibilities.

No, Moopf, there has always been a little interactive screen where you could browse through advertisements, you could rent (?) a slot on it for a week or so.
It's not "IN" the welcome area, as in, that little round space where noobs pop up.
I dont even know if its there anymore. I've seen so many different welcome areas through the ages. The really old one (in Ritch?) used to be surrounded by advertisements, since people owned land around it.

This text is taken directly from "Create a new Account" / "Information".

"Second Life is a pioneering experiment in the nature of human community and the future of design and culture - a world imagined, created and owned by its Residents - and much of the excitment and wonder of Second Life comes from being a part of building something entirely new. Even Second Life's Residents would have a hard time expressing the feeling of being on the cusp of the future - but it's very compelling."

Now exactly what about billboards for rent falls into the category of "building something entirely new"? Hell, I bought TiVo just so I could skip all the bloody commercials, and now they want to bring them here as well?

If I were a brand-new member who had just read that and logged right in, then saw a blazing billboard advertising anything at all, I'd log right back out and cancel my free trial. How about some truth in advertising *there*? Lindens, you got your ears on, Good Buddies?

You know Eggy I don't ever remember having seen that, you live and learn.

Anyway people I have to shut down for the evening so don't take my not answering as losing interest in the subject, it's just late and I've got a pig of a cold so I need my beauty sleep And lots of it. The more the better, in fact. I'll be back in the morning

Sleep tight Moopf.
Actually, around 1.1 or so, shortly after the drastic rebuild that begat what most of you came to know as the WA, LL used to let you put vendors there for free.
I don't know what the terms and conditions were, but I suspect it might have been just for publications. I can only remember seeing one or two of them. I still have a newspaper I bought at the welcome area. It has an interview of yours truly explaining this new and innovative concept of prim-efficiency!

well, not everyone is a RacerX Gullwing type of visionary, the majority of 'builders' make everyday things like shoes and houses so why is it so wrong to show newbies that the majority of things they will see for sale is clothes and accessories?

The problem is that not all the ads will be for decent places to visit. The ad space will not go specifically to creative residents or the best designers/shops/places, they will go to the people that pay the most cash for them.