How to Encourage Participation and Player Loyalty in Virtual Worlds

Companies operating virtual worlds for children and young adults should use moderators not just to devise and enforce safety guidelines but also to enhance game play, according to a new paper from eModeration. The report, How to Encourage Participation and Loyalty in Virtual Worlds, is released to coincide with the US-based ‘Engage’ Expo, where there has been much discussion about how to engage consumers in online communities and MMOGs (massively multi-player online games). 

How to Encourage Participation and Loyalty in Virtual Worlds outlines how the role of the moderator has evolved from monitoring online communities to becoming an active in-game, or even character-based host that enhances the experience for players.

Recommendations included in the report detail how companies should: use moderators to set and enforce user policies, and adopt in-game roles to help children engage with the various activities within the game; use humour and quirkiness to engage more effectively with children; and get parents involved so that they trust the site and encourage their children to visit.

The paper has been drafted by Tamara Littleton, a respected pioneer and authority on virtual world moderation, who was a member of the Home Office Sub-Committee that advised the UK government on moderation of communities to help safeguard children. eModeration is one of the few moderation agencies providing moderation services and consultancy services for virtual worlds aimed at children. The full report can be accessed here.