By mingling aspects of video gaming, social networking and communicating, virtual worlds have appeal for both genders and are an intriguing opportunity for those marketing to kids and teens, according to eMarketer's latest report 'Kids and Teens Online: Virtual Worlds Open New Universe'.

According to eMarketer, 24 per cent of the 34.3 million US child and teen internet users visit virtual worlds once a month in 2007. This will rise to 34 per cent in 2008 and by 2011, 53 per cent will do so.

Virtual worlds are essentially about connecting and communicating - two recurring themes for online youth. Theyalso allow kids to tap into their creativity, indulge their desire for self-expression and exercise their proclivity for exploration.

The good news for marketers is that most virtual worlds are capable of offering detailed information about how their users interact with brands and advertising.

"The bad news," says senior analyst and author of the report Debra Aho Williamson, "is that it is difficult to know what all this virtual interaction really means. What value is there in a person's avatar drinking a Pepsi? Or wearing a shirt bought from a virtual store? What if a person's virtual activities have no bearing on their real-world activities?"

eMarketer offers research and analysis on digital marketing and media by aggragating business research from about 2,800 sources, and brings it together in analyst reports, daily research articles and the 'eStat Database' which lists e-business and online marketing statistics in the world.