| There is a paradigm shift taking place on the | | | | paridigm shift is the virtual worlds that are being |
| internet and as an internet marketer if you don't | | | | created on the net. There are many of them but, |
| stay ahead of the curve, your online business if | | | | the most famous is Second Life where you |
| going to be left in the dust. It is called Web 2.0 | | | | create an avatar (your internet alter ego). You |
| and it is changing our world so fast that I am | | | | can be anything you want and at the end of |
| quite sure that I can not give you a good | | | | March 2008, Second Life had more than 13 million |
| definition of what it is. I know that it is about | | | | registered users. That is one big marketplace. |
| things like You Tube, social networking, virtual | | | | The thing about Second Life is that in this virtual |
| worlds and that it is changing the face of the way | | | | world you can buy and sell virtual property and |
| that we must market on the internet. | | | | goods and make a real life profit. Not only that |
| When I first started on the net, all you had to do | | | | but, many of the "Big Box Stores" have a Second |
| was put up a website, run a few banner ads and | | | | Life presence where you can purchase things in |
| you could build a business. Banner ads have long | | | | the Second Life virtual world and have the goods |
| since past their prime and hardly anyone will click | | | | delivered to your real life doorstep. Dell |
| on them today. Pay Per Click (PPC) was great for | | | | Computers sells real computers in their Second |
| a while but today, it has also become a white | | | | Life virtual store and there are many others doing |
| elephant. Not only has it become ineffective, it has | | | | the same thing. |
| become just too darn expensive. For many a | | | | At the current time, my avatar is meandering |
| new marketer, it has become a one way trip to | | | | around in Second Life. I am about to start making |
| the poor house. | | | | some marketing moves but, I feel that there are |
| We have all heard "the money is in the list." While | | | | also a lot of landmines to be careful of, so I m |
| this is still true, the competition to get people to | | | | currently learning the rules of the road before I |
| sign up for your list has become incredibly difficult | | | | make any actual moves. While I am a proponent |
| Article marketing, blogging, forum marketing are | | | | of marketing in Second Life, I don't want to be |
| somewhat effective but to stay competitive, | | | | stupid enough to make the wrong moves and |
| now you must get involved in Web 2.0. Each day | | | | shoot myself in the foot. Like everything else in |
| I see a new Ebook trying to explain how to use | | | | internet marketing, the only thing that really |
| Web 2.0 but at the rate that the internet is | | | | counts is your reputation. |
| changing, eventhese Ebooks are outdated on the | | | | Well, I hope that we meet someday in Second |
| day of their release. | | | | Life. I am the incredibly handsome young man in |
| In order to try to stay competitive, I have | | | | T-shirt and jeans who is more than willing to talk |
| created blogs, Lenses, participate in My Space, | | | | about making a fortune on the internet. If you |
| Facebook, My Lot, numerous others and of | | | | happen to meet me outside of Second Life, I'm |
| course You Tube. There are new social networks | | | | the bald old guy in a 3 piece suit but I'm still happy |
| sprouting up daily on the net. It is hard to keep up | | | | to tell you about marketing on the net. |
| with these changes but, don't think that social | | | | Don't get left in the dust. If you are not doing the |
| networking is a passing phase. We have only just | | | | Web 2.0 thing, then you must start immediately. |
| begun to see the tip of the iceberg and I don't | | | | Last year would have been better but today is |
| intend to go down like the Titantic. | | | | not too late. |
| One of the most interesting facets of the | | | | |