At the Socialize conference yesterday, WeeWorld COO Lauren Bigelow showed how different media groups advertised within the popular social networking site with 42 million users.
The site caters primarily to teenagers and could be a powerful tool for YA authors to find new readers. The average user spends 30-minutes inside the game per session, dressing their online avatars and decorating their virtual character’s room–15 million virtual items are downloaded every month. Below, we’ve listed a five ways YA authors and publishers can get involved.
1. Gossip Girl created a clothing line for teenagers’ avatars, dressing them in branded clothing for the hit television and book series.
2. WeeWorld members earn virtual currency by watching videos inside the game, everything from movie trailers to advertisements. These in-game videos would be perfect for YA book trailers.
3. Publishers and bookstores could set up virtual storefronts in WeeWorld as well–selling virtual books to new readers.
4. Publishers and authors could also use the site as a way to send teens to their Facebook or Twitter pages through the company’s viral ad advocacy program.
5. Finally, YA authors can just open an account and explore WeeWorld for themselves.