It usually begins with a slight curiosity, but something happens within days, weeks and months that makes us log back in consistently.

What is it?

Why do you log back into Second Life regularly?

Click To Take The Poll

Here are six ways to increase and encourage the social sharing of your Second Life blog posts.

Click to enlarge.

1. If you have a Twitter account you should have a simple Twitter follow button.
2. Encourage retweets with Twitter retweet plugins.
3. Promote sharing on multiple platforms with multiple share options.
4. Add a Facebook like button to increase visibility on the largest Social Media platform on the Internet.
5. Facebook send allows you to send the post to specific connections, groups or email addresses.
6. Don’t forget to add the Google +1 button, this helps increase your search engine visibility.

Maybe Linden Labs will create a Second Life share button?? <- A girl can dream!

Here are a few blogs that can point those on a SL budget to some fashionable sales and freebies.

• SL Freebie Hunters
• Fab Free
• Freebles
• Free*Style
• Vinyl Cafe Addicts
• SL Freebies, Cheapies, Dollarbies, Lucky Chairs, Hunts
• Resas Freebie Corner
• SLex and the City
• SL Free $ Offers
• Fashion on a Budget

Do you know of any resources that I left out? Leave them below in the comments.

A couple of months ago Facebook followed through with their promise to delete accounts that were not using their real life identities. Sadly, most of the affected accounts belonged to thousands of Second Life avatars (residents). Some chose to create new accounts with their same SL name, but chose to use a RL picture, others chose to connect with SLer’s on their RL accounts and then there were some that vowed to never return to the Social Networking giant.

When I first started in Second Life I connected with many other avatars through networks such as Avatars United, My Metaverse (sadly no longer around), Second Life Bloggers and so many more. I think at one point Sadie, my avatar, was on at least 20 SL catered platforms.

When I first joined Facebook I thought about joining as Sadie Pippita, but quickly changed my mind after reading the TOS and hearing people worry that they were going to delete all SL accounts. This had to have been in 2007. I joined Facebook several times, I hated the site at first and deleted my account at least 3 times. I guess they’re right (who are THEY anyways??) when they say the third time’s a charm because I’ve stuck with this account for quite some time. I happen to love Facebook, but I love Twitter, Plurk, Tumblr, G+ and many more sites equally, well Twitter probably a little more but I try not to show favoritism.

Just last week I started hearing that Google+ was also on the “Let’s delete all SL profiles” rampage and accounts were dropping like flies. This time was different, not only are we messing with a presence, connections and conversations, but people lost email accounts. I have no idea what I would do if I lost my gmail account. I’ve heard that documents and spreadsheets have been deleted as well. This is enough to make a grown woman cry, and I would have.

Linden Labs saw this as an opportunity to create a network outside of the virtual walls of Second Life. Today they launched their Social Network which takes your inworld profile, adds a wall, a place to respond, IM, link other networks and so much more so you really don’t have to go too far to connect with your SL buddies OR find new social ones.

I like that the platform looks very clean, although I do see a huge area on the right side that is dedicated to advertising. I’m OK with it as long as they aren’t the ridiculous flash advertisements.

Here are some shots and thoughts on the new network.

Looks a lot like Facebook/Google+

This is my “news feed”My profile is kinda awesome! Love the integration of all the platforms as well as the interests, nice touch, Linden Labs. See who is Online. As far as I can tell you you are either Online or you’re not. You can’t go invisible or anything. If you see where you can hide your status let me know in the comments. Customize your notification settings.

Customize your privacy settings.Have you logged into your Second Life networking profile yet?

What are your thoughts?

Do you think SLer’s will abandon Facebook and Google+ completely for their SL networking efforts and do you think Linden Labs did the right thing?

I personally would LOVE to see a new platform that isn’t mirrored off of Facebook, but do think they made the right decision offering a platform that Facebook and Google+ refused to offer.

For over two years I was a Brand Strategist within the Virtual World of Second Life. My main job was to strategize the best possible way to integrate a company’s brand within the game. I was lucky enough to work with real world companies as well as help striving Second Life companies turn a profit. Here is where I am going to share some secrets on how to make your brand stand out from the rest.

Yesterday Facebook made a decision, to me a tad crazy,  to delete thousands of Second Life avatar accounts. I personally have never had a Facebook account for Sadie Pippita, my Second Life avatar, only because I honestly HATED Facebook when I signed up years ago. I was a glittery gifs on Myspace kinda girl, you know you were too.

As much as I think it’s a joke, Facebook does have this in their TOS:

Registration and Account Security

Facebook users provide their real names and information, and we need your help to keep it that way. Here are some commitments you make to us relating to registering and maintaining the security of your account:

1. You will not provide any false personal information on Facebook, or create an account for anyone other than yourself without permission.
2. You will not create more than one personal profile.
3. If we disable your account, you will not create another one without our permission.
4. You will not use your personal profile for your own commercial gain (such as selling your status update to an advertiser).
5. You will not use Facebook if you are under 13.
6. You will not use Facebook if you are a convicted sex offender.
7. You will keep your contact information accurate and up-to-date.
8. You will not share your password, (or in the case of developers, your secret key), let anyone else access your account, or do anything else that might jeopardize the security of your account.
9. You will not transfer your account (including any page or application you administer) to anyone without first getting our written permission.
10. If you select a username for your account we reserve the right to remove or reclaim it if we believe appropriate (such as when a trademark owner complains about a username that does not closely relate to a user’s actual name).

 

So what do you do now?

• If you still have an active Facebook account set up under a Second Life name I would advise that you download all of your Facebook information to your computer (use the following steps)

Under Account click “Account Settings”

Choose the option second from last “Download Your Information”

This will take some time to do and Facebook will let you know when all of your information has been compiled so you can download it safely to your offline files.

• If you have an active fanpage for a Second Life business, persona or anything else and it’s attached to a Second Life avatar profile you will need to give a real life profile admin rights or you will lose it all. If you have a real life Facebook profile simply choose that account to have admin rights. No one has to know that you are the one that maintains the page if that’s what you choose.

Yesterday was not the end of the world for Second Lifers on Facebook, we just have to do what we do best…. Think outside of the prim.

Hope to see some of you back on Facebook soon!

Logging into Facebook today was like logging into a virtual funeral. I watched connections drop ten at a time until I lost roughly 70. Yes, Facebook deleted 70 of my connections, but sadly thousands of accounts have actually been deleted. About three and a half years ago I heard a rumor that Facebook was going to begin sifting through accounts and start deleting Second Life avatar profiles. Well over three years later they have kept that promise leaving many of my connections baffled as to where their Second Life friends have gone.

I personally understand why Facebook wants to do this, but is it really harming anything? If anything Facebook should want to be more accepting to Second Life profiles and users.

1. Second Life users do and would continue to advertise their virtual goods meaning they spend money on Facebook.

2. Linden Labs advertises on Facebook already, but with the thousands of avatars booted they may rethink where their advertiser dollars end up.

3. Second Life avatars are real people too. Think of it as a pen name. Facebook, are you going to delete everyone that uses a nickname or pen name?

What are your thoughts?

Follow up post:

Is it really the end of the road for Second Life avatar accounts?

365 Days of Blogging Challenge | Day 49

This is interesting to me and pretty cool. The possibilities of a better Second Life? Could it be? I mean, I do love Linden Labs, but let’s face it, their main concern and focus was to fill their pockets. Constant lag issues, login problems, teleporting failures…. Need I say more?

So I don’t quite know if this is true, but I do know that Linden Labs closed down their UK office (I didn’t think that was a main office, but what do I know) and rumor has it that they said the want to sell. Supposedly Microsoft has put a bid in. Both are keeping quiet which tells me absolutely nothing.

What do you think? Do you think that Linden Labs is looking to sell and that  Microsoft is indeed looking to take the leap into the Virtual Gaming World?

Connect With Me!

Many people that know me know that I got started with my Social Media obsession while working for a real world company within the virtual world of Second Life. It’s been a good year and a half since I have done any branding or promoting inworld, but still love to pop my avatar in and see what’s going on from time to time. I Tweet and Facebook with many Second Life residents, many of which are old clients or friends from the days when I would spend 12+ hours working on promoting virtual goods.

I have to say that I am a bit saddened to see that so many people in Second Life are not taking advantage of “real world” Social Media strategies so I thought I would share three ways on how a Second Life business that sells virtual goods can better brand themselves Online using the Social Web.

1. Use your Twitter account if you have one, if you don’t, set one up! Take advantage of the real time, constantly changing Social Platform. Second Lifer’s are on there and would love to connect with you.

Tip: Don’t just blast out promos about your products, CONNECT WITH US!

2.  Do you have a Facebook profile? Oh, you do, do you? How about a fanpage? No? Not yet? How about you set one up? MKay? Oh and while you are working on that you should also think about using the Facebook events to promote sales and events.

3.  Do you YouTube? I bet you do have an account, but I guarantee that you watch a lot of videos, but don’t think that you can utilize this site to help get your brand out, but you can. Set up your account and start making videos AKA Machinima’s OR you can take those handy dandy ads that you use on XStreet and make them into a slide (you can make a FREE 30 second one at animoto)

As with any real world Social Media campaign, results will not happen overnight, but if you work hard at being unique the possibilities are endless.

Connect With Me!

Yesterday, February 28, 2010, I had the pleasure of putting together my first ever Virtual World TweetUp within Second Life™. The event was a huge success thanks to the sponsors from Prestigio Creations and Myth. Overall I would say between 25 and 30 avatars teleported in for even just a few minutes to listen to some tunes spun by @LycanJezzy and exchange Twitter names.

Games were played, Linden $$$’s were won and laughs were shared. Stay tuned to my Twitter stream for details on the next #SLTweet.

A special thank you goes out  to @AerisPinazzo and @BeauteC for sponsoring the event and providing some awesome prizes and gifts.