I joined Empire Avenue two months ago on 4/25/11. It is kind of like Twitter over four years ago in that most people don’t seem to get it. It is an influence stock market.

When your Purpose and Motive in joining and participating are clear the experience is more worthwhile.

You can join EA to;

1. Amass virtual wealth, called Eaves
2. Develop a high dividend yield. Over 1% is popular with investors
3. Connect with new people and nurture existing networks
4. Get people you don’t even know to increase your follower counts on Facebook Twitter, Flicker, YouTube and Linkedin
5. Sell products and service that you sell other places
6. Learn about the mechanics of virtual investing, and thereby real investing
7. Find someone to finally fix that computer problem

Once you join, you typically take part by buying and selling shares in other people who have also joined.  Their value is based on social activity or online influence on major social networks as well as social activity on Empire Avenue, including the buying and selling of shares with the virtual currency called eaves.

The customary gaming part in social sites is present with all kinds of achievements that give not only pretty medallions, but also more eaves.

You can also buy your way in with cold hard cash if you want to. You can buy eaves, the virtual currency, and you can buy upgrades, advertising and luxury items.

Once you decide why you want to join keep that focus in mind as you make decisions about buying and selling shares, participating in communities and so on.

How to Start

1. Go to www.EmpireAvenue.com and register after you consider your ticker. Four letters is cool or use your typical online name – whatever you want to be known by.
2. Fill in your profile completely.
3. Upload a smiling photo of yourself.
4. Write a full and complete BIO so people can get to know you.
5. Fill in at least 50 interests. If you add 50 you earn some eaves. 🙂
6. Connect your Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, YouTube and Flickr accounts.  If you have large followings people will buy your shares right away.
7. Connect RSS feeds. Keep in mind that Empire Avenue (EA) only tracks your top five accounts. So, just put in your top five blogs and then request that they be upgraded by clicking on that button.
8. Join a few communities, again based on your motive, and engage with people.  Remember you earn eaves for your social activity on EA.
9. Be sure to visit the Settings / Edit profile and fill in the requested information there to completely fill in your profile.
10. Think about the kind of people you want to engage with. Whose attention do you want to get?
11. Start buying shares. You may want to get the attention of people who;

• are in your industry,
• might become customers,
• live in your area,
• are influential,
• offer really high dividends,
• that might increase dramatically in share price, you get the idea.

You don’t have to buy back. Just because someone buys your stock, doesn’t mean you have to buy theirs. Some people believe you should. Make your own rules that fit with your purpose and motives.

That’s how I suggest you get started on Empire Avenue.  I will write a few more posts about Empire Avenue in the future.

Go to www.EmpireAvenue.com and create an account.  Leave a message below about your experience.