Banner ad discussion

[Dot Macchi]

First a quick summary of where the discussion has got to:

There will be multiple ads which direct to multiple landing pages - each focused on completing the message introduced via the ad that directed to it - will enable us to test various messages and see which ones work best. We'll be able to track the conversion rates from each of those ads and use that data to refine the messages that get the best results while replacing the ones that don't work with new ones that might work better. ...

I think that the Bronze Plan may be a good way to get people to try Kitely - it sounds very cheap but not as improbable as Free for a full region and it provides enough time for people who just want to visit casually instead of relocate from SL.

Can anyone suggest a better way to get this point across? (I think we should try focusing on that selling point for now so we can get at least one ad finalized before we move to the other benefits we may wish to promote in other ads).

One note, if we're creating mockups it's best we do so with the sizes we'll need for SLUniverse:

Top Banner- 728x90 pixels
Square Banner - 200x200 pixels
Side Banner - 160x600 pixels ...

I think ads should include our logo but I don't want to constrain your creativity with using a particular color palette or design.

One recurring suggestion was around the idea of Kitely as a vacation/holiday home, which came up in the original mentors meeting and in the ensuing forum discussion.

Here are the subsequent suggestions that have been met with positive reactions from others:

Graham: Change your world in seconds

Another day, another world
...and the 7 themes , one per day, might be:
creative/artistic/visual
performing/music/
entrepreneurial/commercial/shopping
enquiring/exploring/learning
playful/gaming
social/"hanging out"
geographical/situated
... and get a [Oculus] Rift in there somewhere

Minethere: Open your eyes and be truly free!!
Can you imagine, can you truly imagine, the wonders of being free?

Marstol: What can you get for $5?
Thirty hours in paradise - every month
Kitely - 2 regions, 100,000 prims, 30 hours, $5 a month

They're your worlds, make them what you want -
Kitely - 2 regions, 100,000 prims, 30 hours, $5 a month

[Graham Mills]

Good summary, Dot, but you left out the "Big projects" perspective, I think. That would presumably be why Devokan is here (OK, Devokan is a little/big federated project)

Clearly these represent quite different perspectives on the benefits of Kitely compared to SL and ultimately Ilan and Oren will have to decide which works best for their company and long-term vision.

As far as "Another Day, Another World" or "Change your world in seconds" goes, this could work a number of ways:

• Miney suggested use of an animated gif to show different worlds on different days (not necessarily 7 though, I think)
• Having two worlds share a split image might work
• Have an overlay on an image of a world, the overlay showing a timeline of days across the image with the dial set to a particular day and theme, e.g.

Code: Select all

MON---[TUE]---WED---THU---FRI---SAT---SUN---
..............|
..............|Creative

You could also have the dial vertically oriented and even have it change days via an animated gif.

This concept doesn't seem to be getting much support so I'm not continuing with it. Of course, if anyone wants to pick up the torch and run with it, be my guest.

[Ruby O'Degee]

Although I decided not to participate in the mock up "contest," I am trying to follow these threads about Kitely promotion and Kitely Market promotion. It appears the brainstormers are discussing several types of ad campaigns at once, and I am getting confused. The banner ads are being discussed here? Graham, are you still talking about banner ads? Does anyone still run profitable flashing banner ads? I gather you are not talking about banner ads.

At one point, and before this became such a fuss, i thought about mocking up a splash screen in flash --- fence boards turning to reveal a new world every time a new user hit the screen. Of course the Kitely logo would fly over the white fence . In the lower right corner thy user could opt out (SKIP). All users want options.

Some individuals only want to get to the pricing chart. My favorite pricing charts include what "I will get" compared to "what I will get from the other company." I don't need to be WOWed by the chart. I just want the facts with more green check marks.

By the way i decided against the fussy flash fence. I think today's internet smartees want a clean beautiful design (could include a world photo), a good looking trademark or logo and a working link. They prefer CSS in their ads (one font, one or two colors, less flashing lights and beautiful artwork or photography). Kids too. Don't sell them short. I see 98 of them everyday. Successful little coming along costumers and their parents, or as Ilan says converters (or whatever he calls them). They are master "skippers."

Is there a place where the splash ads are being discussed? Will the splash ads be written in HTML5 or Flash? Could the brainstormers please find out the specifics and let the thread watchers like me know?

How about placement? I noticed that Ilan commented on audience. I am very interested to know how "audience" will be considered? No one writes a story without considering their audience.

How about placement? Not the audience sort, but the discussion about the placement of words and graphics? Where is that discussion? I was glad to see that Ilan talked to size after a number of posts that were not directed at dimensions, but I do need to differ with one statement he made in the other thread.

People are brainstorming after which people will help with the actual graphic design. This is the process we had with the Transfer Station redesign. Which turned out great (thank you Dot, Ada, Dennis and the others who helped ). I suggest you give people more credit, there are very competent design professionals here.
.

This promotion discussion is not at all like the transit station discussion. My expectation for the transit station was to have it say nearly nothing. I know that sounds bad, and I don't mean that the vertex station is not lovely in its own right. it is very nice, but I wanted the station to say very little about my stories, and only a few words about how to get to them. The station discussion mission was accomplished. The promotion discussion is not going so well. I agree with John Steinbeck, an artist doesn't always work best in a group setting. On the other hand a group can define parameters and present them to the artist - and then be pleasantly quiet. while the work and the revision takes shape (courtesy of the artist).

If I were a "converter" (or whatever you call the ppl who switch over from Sl or free use), I would want to know that I could build the most beautiful and immersive world on the web, before I spent my "free" time, the first $5 bucks or invested in the first graphics card I'd ever seen. When I "sell" Kitely to my friends, students and others, I don't limit their expectations for any reason, even for reasons of their time and investment. I always tell them that it is worth it. Then I sit back and let them take their time to invest. If they are inspired by seeing what can be done, they make the trip in. Even if they don't have the investment money now, they are starting to work on it. Their next computer will include a jam up graphics card and the first place they will stop is Kitely. In the meantime they will experiment with Kitely by using SOAS or Kitely on a borrowed computer.

All this to say, most professional designers would ask a lot of questions, before they provided their work (particularly when they are doing it for the love of world building)

Edit: You are right Graham about the "big projects angle." it is my belief that big projects are one of my favorite Kitely things. I will be working on Nigh Earth forever and i am happy to know that I have "all I can use" minutes.

[Graham Mills]

I believe we are talking about banner ads but I missed a lot of the early discussion so there's a distinct possibility that I am seriously off-piste.And point taken about animations.

[Ruby O'Degee]

Thank you Graham for the clarification.

I like to use animation in my builds and graphics, but I always think about those Blak Opal ads. Nothing blinks -- I am not a buyer, with the exception of some building or gadget products. And yet I couldn't help but see the Blak Opal banner - simple, clean, beautiful model striking a lovely pose, and high quality resolution (no blur or stretched texture). So this avatar outfit I don't want to buy for way too much money compels me to take the link, and I do buy. I bought tons of her outfits, not just for me, but for my "benefactor," who uses this one indulgence to dress me up like a doll.

Why, because the ad is a "converter" of even the most educational oriented and penny pinching school marms around.

Confession: I did wear a undershirt with some of the more revealing outfits, but I made sure it was black lace and that it did not take away from the design.

[Dot Macchi]

Ruby, I'm shocked!

Yes, we're talking banner ads (hence the title of this thread). The example of how the Blak Opal banner ads work is a good one.

Ruby and I have just been discussing this inworld, and came up with the following suggested specification:

Go for a simple graphic banner ad, with the words to the right and the photo on the left with one focus object;
OR a simple background with only words.

Given the reported success of the Kitely main webpage, it might be sensible to reuse elements from that.

As a reminder, the ad sizes are as follows:
Top Banner -- 728x90 pixels
Square Banner -- 200x200 pixels
Side Banner -- 160x600 pixels

[ShowStopper Eclipse]

What do you guys think of this square banner:

[Constance Peregrine]

What do you guys think of this square banner:

heck, i like this one-))))) lol

[Constance Peregrine]

Thank you ShowStopper, I like it

I think it is intriguing enough to get people to click it. It'll probably result in a high bounce rate as people don't know what to expect but as we aren't paying per click that shouldn't be an issue. If we then use the few seconds we get before people close the landing page to tie in the concept of freedom to using Kitely then we may be able to drive adoption with this ad.

Do you have this image in a lossless file format as well? (24bit png)

[ShowStopper Eclipse]

Thank you ShowStopper, I like it

I think it is intriguing enough to get people to click it. It'll probably result in a high bounce rate as people don't know what to expect but as we aren't paying per click that shouldn't be an issue. If we then use the few seconds we get before people close the landing page to tie in the concept of freedom to using Kitely then we may be able to drive adoption with this ad.

Do you have this image in a lossless file format as well? (24bit png)

Yes. I'll add the image as an attachment.