The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success

Chapter 32. Gaming

This may seem like an odd category for a business to take seriously, but online gaming is a magnet that attracts large numbers of people with a common interest. Gamers come together to interact and communicate with one another, and they tend to be influential within their groups. Gamers represent a special kind of social network. If your business could somehow tap into the wisdom of this crowd, would you be inclined to take the category seriously? What if you could buy a billboard that appears prominently in one of their games or secure a virtual product placement? The point here is that wherever people congregate, there's an opportunity to influence word-of-mouth promotion.

The games introduced in this chapter represent a mere sliver of what's available in the online gaming world. This chapter's goal is to help you become familiar with how this category functions within the social media ecosystem. The applications (games) selected are as follows:

• 4×4 Evolution

• Entropia Universe

• EverQuest

• World of Warcraft

As you read each profile, keep in mind that its features and functions may or may not be right for your particular business. Use the Tool Scorecard at the end of the chapter to help you determine which of these tools qualify for further consideration when you begin creating your social media strategy in Part III of the book.

4×4 Evolution

Company Name:	Terminal Reality Inc.
URL:	www.terminalreality.com
Location:	Lewisville, Texas, United States
Founded:	1994
Revenue Model: ...