How to Make Money in Second Life

Working at home has been the dream of millions for years. With the invention of the Internet that dream has become reality for many resourceful men and women who have set up a virtual storefront, forgoing the more traditional brick-and-mortar establishments. In recent years, social networking has taken on a whole new dimension in the form of 3-D virtual worlds where people can visit, meet others and live out their dreams--whatever they may be. For some, that dream is making money online.

Second Life has opened a world of possibilities for every entrepreneur, with money-making methods for individuals of any background: programmers, designers, inventors, even clubbers who prefer earning their cash in a rather unusual way--dancing.

The exponential increase in popularity of Second Life can be attributed to many factors (the freedom to travel anywhere, meeting others all over the world, limitless possibilities in "avatar" creation--your physical representation in the virtual world) but perhaps the biggest reason is the Second Life Exchange, or SLex; this is the key to every Second Life business owner's success. The SLex allows you to buy or sell Linden dollars, the in-game currency, exchanging real money for digital and vice versa. In this way you can create your virtual fortune and exchange it for cold, hard cash.

So just how do you make money in Second Life? The options are seemingly endless, and you may even discover a niche no one else has thought of yet. Some methods don't even require any skill as it were, just a willingness to help others with their own business. The more common ways are listed here to get you started on the path to virtual wealth. We'll start with methods everyone can use right away and move on to more complex business structures:

Camping. No, not the kind with marshmallows, tents and poison ivy. Some areas in Second Life feature equipment, such as benches to sit on, that you can use which will net you a few Lindens every hour. That's right, people will pay you to stay on their property. Why? There's a little thing called "dwell": basically, the more people who hang around a given area, the more beneficial it is to the owner of that property. If they can entice people to camp out with the offer a few Lindens, they consider it a small price to pay. You won't get rich with this method, but it can give you a few extra Lindens to help get your own business started.

Surveys. Along the same track as camping, there are places in Second Life with links that take you to surveys you can complete for Lindens. Some are simple questionnaires to fill out, while others require you to complete sponsor offers. Make sure you read the fine print before completing any survey, but doing these can net you anywhere from 20-100 Lindens each.

Dancing. At first glance you may wonder why on earth anyone would pay to have people come dance at their club. But just as "dwell" is important for land owners, club owners need dancers as a type of advertising to promote their business and are willing to compensate the participants. If you'd like to go this route, you would most likely have to invest a few Lindens for an avatar that looks like a regular club-goer and purchase a few catchy dance animations (which you can find in a virtual script store), but a regular clubber can make more money than the previous methods.

Owning A Store. This is the first option that introduces a way to earn a regular source of income. You can sell practically anything you can think up, whether the product is virtual or physical. Many real life businesses have opened a branch in Second Life because the potential for foot traffic from people around the world is enticing. 3-D designers and scripters have found a market for all kinds of in-game commodities from avatar skins and fashion accessories to furniture for digital houses, but your product doesn't have to be in pixel form. You'd have to rent or buy a parcel of land for you to put your store on, but for many store owners this investment has returned to them several times over.

Construction. Would you rather create buildings than sofas? Second Life offers a great number of tools for construction projects, allowing you to create buildings ranging from the everyday to the whimsical. This method of making money is more time consuming than others, but also has the potential for a bigger profit margin. Everyone who wants a constant presence in the virtual realm even when logged off needs some kind of building, both residential and commercial. You can specialize in a certain kind of theme, or make yourself available for custom projects. Land owners who buy islands are always looking for designers to make the land more appealing, and are willing to pay a construction designer for assistance. This option may be for you if you have an eye for architecture and a knack for 3-D design.

Owning Land. By far this is the most expensive option, but also has the biggest return on investment when handled properly. Many people are aware of this method mainly thanks to a land baron named Anshe Chung, who invested a small amount of change in Second Life land a few years ago and recently held a press conference (in the Second Life realm, of course) announcing she had become the first virtual millionaire simply from buying and selling online land. As insane as that sounds, it's a fact that people are willing to pay a price--often a hefty one--to achieve their goals in a virtual world, including purchasing a home that fits their avatar's lifestyle. You can purchase an entire island (also called a "sim") and design it to look however you imagine it, from a quaint New England town to a Japanese garden, then sell portions of the land to people interested in such an environment. The catch? Each sim currently costs $1,675 each, with a monthly maintenance "tier" fee of $195. There are "half-sims" and lower to accomodate many budgets, but those who want to get serious with the land business usually set their sights on entire sims. Quite an investment to be sure, but selling parcels of the land allows you to transfer the cost and tier fees to your customers.

Escort. Easily the most controversial business to be involved in, the sex trade in Second Life can be profitable if you're willing to endure the stigma many people attach to the idea. New arrivals often choose this route to start making money until they've acquired enough to open a shop in a more mainstream commodity. Escorts with a pleasant face and outfit can charge a considerable sum, and with Second Life's easily customizable scripts virtually anything is possible (and allowed, with some obvious exceptions.) Exotic dancing can also earn you some extra money, as long as you invest in tasteful dance poses and animations.

Whatever you choose, make sure it's something you enjoy. Don't feel you have to stick with something if you just don't like it. Just like a job in the real world, you can quickly burn out when signing online becomes a chore. Try a few different things before focusing on a single aspect. Who knows, you may even discover a niche in a market you'd never even considered before.

Second Life offers virtual moneymaking opportunities that can't normally be accessed in the real world. With a little time, strategy and patience, your name might one day stand with Anshe Chung's as a digital millionaire.