EmpireAvenue is a good game but not yet business ready

I joined Empire Avenue a few months back, first to evaluate, then in hopes of finding a platform that would provide business value for my particular needs. The platform has evolved and has added thousands of fantastic users. It is an addictive game but is not yet a business tool. My reasons for leaving Empire Avenue (EA) should help you understand if it is a platform for your business.

• EA has done an excellent job of aggregating social media conversations for individuals. However, it is not designed as a listening platform and searching for useful customer information is not feasible.
• Individual value, your personal stock price, is primarily driven by your social media activities. This system has evolved a great deal and superior to what it was months ago. However, it is a game and, in order to see your “value” increase you must regular login and use the system. The need to bring users back on a daily basis, which is critical for the game, requires constant time investment to ensure your “value” grows.
• The power of community inspires me. Within EA you can create and grow communities but the lack of community tools limits the scale, and therefore the usefulness of communities. After growing the second largest community on EA (more than 600 users) I shut it down as the value no longer equaled the value returned.

I am sure that the team at EA will ultimately address these issues and that one day I will be back. However, for now it is important to remain focused on business tools that deliver business value with a reasonably ROI. As a game with eventual business value I recommend it. As a tool that’s ready to use today I cannot (yet).

John

Originally posted on Government 2.0 in Action.