| As a resident of Second Life for over two years, | | | | product. And you can often avoid dealing with the |
| I have lost count of the number of times that | | | | customer service afterwards! The scripters I |
| new residents have asked me "How do I make | | | | know get in the region of L$ 10000 per hour of |
| money in Second Life?" It's a common question | | | | work. This can be very lucrative. |
| and I think that this has a lot to do with the | | | | 6. Buy and rent out land. Now this requires more |
| media. There are frequently stories about people | | | | of an investment than most things you could do |
| making a real life income from Second Life. | | | | in world. You can buy a sim from Linden Lab for |
| I know people in Second Life who are making | | | | 1000 USD, or you can usually find them from |
| their full time income from the 'game'. That is, | | | | other residents for between $600 and $800. |
| that they do not have to work because their | | | | Then the monthly tier on top of that is 295 USD. |
| Second Life income is enough to live on. But I | | | | So this is pricey. But dividing it up and renting it |
| know of very few. On the other hand, I know of | | | | out can be very lucrative indeed. However, the |
| plenty who make just enough in Second Life to | | | | market is hugely saturated right now, so you |
| give themselves a little cash bonus, on top of the | | | | have to offer great prices and amazing service, |
| salary they make from their full time jobs. So the | | | | and you cannot possibly go a day without taking |
| first thing I would advise anybody going into | | | | part in some sort of marketing activity to keep |
| Second Life trying to make money, is to lower | | | | your name out there. |
| your expectations. The time you have to put in | | | | 7. Offer your marketing services. If you are a |
| to make a little bit of cash in SL is huge and the | | | | great online marketer, perhaps you're pretty good |
| chances that you will make your full time income | | | | at SEO or just have a great networking ability, |
| from Second Life are lower than you might | | | | then there is a chance that someone in Second |
| expect. All the same, here are ten ways to make | | | | Life could use your help. Second Life is full of |
| money in Second Life. | | | | creative who are highly skilled in their product |
| 1. Make and sell a product. This might seem | | | | building but who will admit to just not being such |
| obvious, but, in my experience, this is the most | | | | great marketers. These people, particularly as the |
| successful way of taking a few Linden dollars. | | | | market is so saturated these days, will often hire |
| Point to note, however, is that you really should | | | | marketing experts to get their products out |
| research your market first. Most things have | | | | there. Negotiate a set fee or a commission |
| been done! And you will have more success if you | | | | package. |
| can find a product area with less competition - | | | | 8. Design and develop websites. If you are a |
| something that is easier said than done. But once | | | | skilled web developer or designer, someone will |
| you have made one product, you can sell | | | | need your skills. More and more creators and |
| unlimited copies of it and if you get a good one, | | | | retailers in Second Life are turning to websites to |
| this could be a great little earner. | | | | further market their products and if you can |
| 2. Write for a Second Life blog or magazine. | | | | offers your services at competitive rates, you will |
| There are tonnes and tonnes of Second Life | | | | undoubtedly find work in game. |
| blogs, newspapers and magazines who pay | | | | 9. Escorting! No, I am not joking. If you go |
| writers. Many of them just like to hire people to | | | | through the Second Life age verification |
| write up about places in world, some like gossip, | | | | programme (free to do but requires you to enter |
| others like virtual worlds news in general. | | | | the number of a passport or other legal ID |
| Depending on the quality of your writing and the | | | | document) then you can access adult sims. There |
| publication you submit to, you could expect to | | | | are a number of adult clubs on these sims where |
| earn anything between L$200 and L$1500 per | | | | people can sign up to offer escort services. |
| article, which isn't going to make you a millionaire, | | | | Alternatively, you can freelance. Now, this one |
| but if you enjoy writing anyway it is a nice | | | | might test your morals a little. But I do know |
| financial bonus. | | | | people who would never dream of doing |
| 3. Work as a dancer! If you have your avatar | | | | something like this in real life, but who do in |
| already looking pixel perfect, then getting a job a | | | | Second Life and who make a lot of money out of |
| Second Life stripper or dancer will not be hard. Be | | | | it. Those who do best out of it are those who |
| warned, however, the pay is not great. It's often | | | | offer "voice services." This will not be everyone's |
| tips only and this, of course, depends on your | | | | cup of tea. Far from it. But there are a lot of |
| ability to make people want to part with their | | | | people making a LOT of money from this. |
| cash for a flash of your virtual flesh! | | | | 10. Take on a customer service job. There are |
| 4. Complete surveys. There are a number of | | | | lots of these going in Second Life. Just go through |
| places in Second Life where you can earn Linden | | | | the in world classifieds. Again, this seems to be |
| dollars simply by filling in a few surveys. In my | | | | because a number of creators like to simply |
| experience, these tend to pay better than the RL | | | | create and not have to worry about providing |
| surveys on ciao.com, for example. They can be | | | | services afterwards. So they will pay people to |
| time consuming, however and, again, do not | | | | take care of it. |
| expect them to make you an instant millionaire. | | | | And there you go. The only ones, in my |
| 5. Learn a Second Life skill and offer it as a | | | | experience, that have left anyone making a real |
| service. Scripting and sculpting, in particular, seem | | | | life income from Second Life are renting out land, |
| to be sought after skills at the moment. There | | | | creating and selling a product, scripting for people |
| seem to be fewer scripters and sculptors around | | | | and escorting, believe it or not. Personally, I use |
| than builders. If you offer your service to | | | | Second Life for fun. I do not think that it is the |
| someone for a personal or commercial product | | | | easiest platform from which to make money |
| they are making, you can either expect a decent | | | | online. But if you develop a skill successfully, you |
| up front fee or a percentage of sales of the | | | | could strike it rich. |