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Exploring virtual worlds : success factors in virtual world marketing

Author

Listed:
  • Henrikki Tikkanen

    (EM - EMLyon Business School)

  • Joel Hietanen
  • Tuomas Henttonen
  • Joonas Rokka

Abstract

Purpose - Drawing from recent work on online social networking and communities of consumption, the purpose of this paper is to explore, identify, and postulate key factors facilitating the growth and success of marketing in virtual worlds. Design/methodology/approach - An empirical study was conducted employing netnographic evidence from three different virtual worlds and related user-generated blog discussions. Findings - The findings suggest mechanisms which enable virtual worlds to gain and maintain the interest of their users and therefore underlie successful marketer practices. Research limitations/implications - This is an exploratory study based on qualitative and ethnographic online research methods, and therefore the results are of a descriptive nature. The study was conducted to initiate the academic discourse about marketing in virtual worlds. As such, the paper believes that it can act as a reasonable starting-point for future discussion. Practical implications - The study suggests that traditional advertising has not proven to be a very effective way to exploit the special characteristics of virtual worlds. There is substantial potential in virtual worlds for new and innovative marketing methods that are highly engaging and take advantage of users' active role in virtual worlds. From the marketing point of view, virtual worlds can be especially used for connecting with customers, contributing to customer learning, and getting customer input. Originality/value - The paper illustrates that virtual worlds have come to offer marketers new opportunities for engaging their customers into interactive and co-productive marketplace exchanges. They uncover untapped potential, resources and creative means for building customer relationships.

Suggested Citation

  • Henrikki Tikkanen & Joel Hietanen & Tuomas Henttonen & Joonas Rokka, 2009. "Exploring virtual worlds : success factors in virtual world marketing," Post-Print hal-02313353, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02313353
    as

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Guillermina Tormo-Carbó & Elies Seguí-Mas & Victor Oltra, 2014. "Web 2.0, social capital and work performance in service companies: the employees’ view," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 8(3), pages 439-452, September.
    2. Sarra Daimi & Aslı Tolunay, 2021. "An Empirical Investigation on Influencer Marketing: the Impact of Content-related, Follower-related and Influencer-related Factors on Consumers’ Purchase Intentions," Istanbul Management Journal, Istanbul University Business School, vol. 0(91), pages 59-86, December.
    3. Ruchi V. Dixit & Gyan Prakash, 2018. "Intentions to Use Social Networking Sites (SNS) Using Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)," Paradigm, , vol. 22(1), pages 65-79, June.
    4. Ketelaar, Paul E. & Bernritter, Stefan F. & van Woudenberg, Thabo J. & Rozendaal, Esther & Konig, Ruben P. & Hühn, Arief Ernst & Van Gisbergen, Marnix S. & Janssen, Loes, 2018. "“Opening” location-based mobile ads: How openness and location congruency of location-based ads weaken negative effects of intrusiveness on brand choice," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 277-285.
    5. Mahsa Samsami & Ralf Wagner, 2021. "Investment Decisions with Endogeneity: A Dirichlet Tree Analysis," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-19, July.
    6. Giang Barrera, Kevin & Shah, Denish, 2023. "Marketing in the Metaverse: Conceptual understanding, framework, and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).

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