Some thoughts on advertising

First, I'm not an advertisinig guru, nor do I claim I know much (or anything) about advertising, but an idea struck me.

SL is growing and ever-changing with new businesses spring up to replace the failed ones. We have various means of advertising in SL, but pretty much they all seem to be passive. It can be difficult to get the word out about your new business, as the audience can be elusive and difficult to reach. They have to seek you out.

As I pondered this, the idea of active advertising came to mind. What if, in a later release, we could have some kind of optional active advertising in our UI? It could take the form of a ticker-tape type or a rotating image.

I'm sure this would not be appreciated/wanted by some, so it would need to be something that you could turn off, if you so desired. Space could be purchased from LL and pricing could be similar to online banner ads (by impression or CTR). Included in the ad would be the ability to click and recieve a notecard with landmarks, etc.

This idea could also be expanded to *this* very forum site. Residents could pay for the opportunity to buy ad space here using a similar model.

You could always just attach a cube that shouts ads every 5 seconds. Or spam everyone in the Find window with images or notecards -- because everyone loves being smacked in the face with an ad, especially when they're flying a plane or doing something that requires undivided attention.

Yup... if SL needs anything, it's more advertising. Everywhere. Aggressive, in-your-face, buy-my-product-right-now advertising. Advertising that's so in-your-face, you won't have time to think of anything but spending those Linden dollars.

What? You don't like advertising? What are you, some kind of f---ing commie? Love this game or leave it, hippie.

(Sorry. I was attacked by a vicious bout of sarcasm. It's done now. )

*licks wounds*

OK OK... I figured I'd take a lashing or two for suggesting this, but I thought it might help reduce spamming by offering another avenue for spreading the word.

Juro, did you READ Snow Crash? One of the annoying things Stephenson describes is incessant advertising flying everywhere.

I like the idea of boxing it up though - stick it in a non-obtrusive format - like Google does in their searches, or like limited space, NON ANIMATED banner adds. These would, of course, all have to be screened by LL to assure no offensive content. Additionally, perhaps they could be turned off by players, and some sort of additional insentive (like, L$/ad) could be given for keeping the feature on.

Choice.

I -like- Juro's idea. An optional tickertape? Yeah. That'd be great, as long as it isn't innundated like the events window is these days with EROTIC FUCKABILITY ESCROW(sic) SERVICES AT PLUSH PURPLE PIMP'N FLAME DANCE CLUB ELITE WITH FREE MONEY BALLS! type ads. Products and/or purchaseable services only, perhaps, with proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling only. If something was made available that allowed me to see what was out there that was easier or more prevalent than the telehub advertiser boards, I'd be all for it.

That said, what ever happened to that creator-supported billboard system that was based off of that TV code?

You can always send a few heavy posters a large wad of lindens in exchange for the use of their sig or forum title

Hiro, I have not ready it, but that's definately not the direction I was imagining.

I imagined either a ticker-tape or a banner type ad that like many options, could be turned to the *off* position if the user sees fit. I agree that, since content would be sent to all it needs to be approved through some sort of system.

I like the idea of an incentive to keep the ads in the *on* position too...

See, if we are going to be the next metaverse, we need to start bombarding people with advertising!

The only form of advertising I would find acceptable would be wandering AI robots. I wouldn't mind being accosted by one of those, especially if it was programmed to hold a realistic conversation.

That was an idea that was intended to be implemented (like Havok 2) in another virtual world, but which never materialised.

More advertising?

I thought that was what the events listings were for now. Honestly, it looks like a hotmail account, unfiltered. Lets not forget the people who 'harvest' newbies at the usual areas, or use telehub spam, or 'tree walk' the entire 'online' list to offer teleports to their 'AdverVent'.

Billboards have been acceptable, mostly, as long as they aren't super-frickin-huge. I don't see the need for even MORE advertising, unless you are trying to mimic some messed up vision of the future.

Really, if you need more, be responsible and do it on your own external website, don't clutter SL with it.

I am now offering to salesfolks everywhere a radical new opportunity in targeted advertising - one guaranteed that every single person in the targeted audience will love to read your ad. We all know that the higher the viewer rate, the better the sales rate - so how much better can you get than 100%?


Sign up now for a low fee of $1000L per ad, and your product will be sent to the targeted advertising group of 'people named Newfie Pendragon'. That's right, your $1000 will guarantee you that I'll read your ad. No muss, no fuss, no complaints.

Every ad will be guaranteed to be read - assuming your $1000 in my pocket, of course


- Newfie Pendragon
(who aimed for seriousness, but ended up with sarcasm)

Since this idea went over so well, I will formally remove the idea for thought.

Thank you for your time and comments.

Hands Juro a bandaid now you know how I feel and see I have no Heiny left cause those that bit had those flip n fold Shark teeth.

Thanks for the bandaid! I'll be over in the corner licking my wounds if anyone wants me.

Juro, I see what you were driving at, but I just think it isn't the outlet - unless it was totally opt-in ONLY. Then I can see it going there. But for now, it seems that external hosts are best, followed by other accepted forms already present in-world. I don't blame you for the suggestion, just think it can be implemented without everyone getting bombarded in some other fashion.

Okay? No shark teeth, I promise.

We had a chatbot back in beta. It was primitive like heck. I dont remember who made it. It got wiped a year ago in the great linden release of land.

There are chatbots around...somewhere.

The chatbot! It burns us!

OK, let me get this straight.
Juro is going to sell advertisement ticker tapes, on the UI, for band aids, to Newfie, for $1000L ?
I will take 2 please.

Don't forget: they will be delivered by the chatbot!

...

I still like the idea.

So do I, but it seems alot don't, even with the ability to opt-out.

Eggy,

How sophisticated was the chat bot?

What I visualise is something I don't think could be implemented at the moment, although I might be wrong.

It is a sort of peripatetic robot wandering round the world. When it encounters an av it reads their interests box, and if one of the interests coincides with its particular list, it tries to engage the av in conversation. During the course of the conversation it mentions what it is advertising, and then continues with the conversation until it is ended by the av walking away or saying 'Bye'.

I think it would be really entertaining - especially if the bots had interests boxes as well, and could engage each other in conversation. Imagine walking round the world and coming across two bots in earnest, if totally illogical, conversation with each other. I think it would be, as we say over here, a hoot.

I got a vibe relating to this in Baku. There are posters in that sim stating that a boxy "Robot 1" is to be replaced -- made obsolete -- by a superior Robot 2. Robot 1 is motionless and a collection of prims as far as I can see, but I can also see the emotion welling up in its eyes. It would be quite something to have several Robot 1s wandering the streets, feeling sad and lonely, and striking up a conversation with passing avatars and ask the following:

"Can you please give me a home? I feel so alone... I just want to be loved. I will be faithful and loyal to you."

This, accompied by cute squeaking sounds, of course.

The robot could sell itself.

This would be cool. But I would name him Johnny 5.