Living in a digital world

A whole new world of consumer research

US nonprofit The Social Research Foundation has launched a consumer research panel within Second Life to provide Real Life companies with Second Life resident insight.

Called the First Opinions Panel, it comprises a standing panel of over 1,000 SL residents about whom both Real Life and Second Life attributes have been recorded – from demographics and income to their monthly spend in SL.

The panel’s first live project comprised a web survey undertaken in May on behalf of a major US media company researching how it might develop original SL content related to its TV shows. Future projects are expected to comprise a mix of web surveys and live virtual focus groups hosted within SL.

Payment for taking part is made in the convertable SL currency, the Linden Dollar (L$). After a few wrinkles with the in-world payment mechanism, it now simply comprises visiting the First Opinions Panel offices in SL after completing a project and clicking on the relevant payment kiosk.

This worked first click for me, so my time answering questions about TV shows has left me L$500 better-off. Admittedly at the current LindeX exchange rate this only equates to about 95p – but that still goes quite a long way in Second Life these days!

June 12, 2007 - Posted by Bryan | Uncategorized