What makes a First Class Site?

As I build my newest site I was just wondering what everyone thinks makes a really a First Class Site?

I am sure the people around that shoot their own content will say exclusive content, but how much of it in pics and vids? I have really seen quite a few really big exclusive content sites that really have very little exclusive content and lean on their non-exclusive content they offer in other sites in the same package, that do VERY WELL.

How many other sites should come with 1 membership, and do you see that being a must?

Some will say you must have the best processors, but do you need Ccbill and Paycom?

Do they have to offer NATS for you to count the site as first class?

Convertibility of the site numbers are at the top of my list

Some will say “just a huge amount of good content stupid”, but how many pics/vids/feeds/cam shows would you say is a huge amount?

What are your thoughts on this as affiliates and members site owners.

Sales.

Regards,

Lee

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Originally Posted by Lee

Sales.

Regards,

Lee

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Well if you go by sales what sales, recurring memberships then allot of these old sites with 20 year old content would be counted in that. Now thats ok, but really most of those programs are 1999.

But I do think convertibility has to be at the top of the list for any affiliates.

exclusive content?

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Originally Posted by DEVELISH

exclusive content?

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Ya man I am sure allot of people would say that, but how much what type Vid/Pic that is a bit to easy just to say exclusive content you know. :drumstick:

I'd say that depends on what you do...

glamour amateurs? don't think so
light and bright dungeon fetish pics? no way!
hairy 35 yrs old twink boys? uh uh

My idea of an exceptionally well done site would be an exclusive site that is part of a network of exclusive sites that the members get access to all of them. Each video should be done is several formats to fit all connection speeds and should also come with a complimentary set of digital stills that the member can browse through on gallery pages or download a zip.

Updates should be at a minimum of once a week with more being even better and the whole thing should be disaplyed on a website based strictly around the idea of simplicity of design

the affiliate program should give credit to the affiliates no matter which billing option was used for the new member and rev share and if possible PPS should also be offered. Up to the minute stats that accurrately reflect the traffic that is being sent from each affiliate as well as which sites in the network are selling best that week and a weekly newsletter to keep affiliate informed of any important news or to receive a list of that weeks FHGs and HFSs.


spaz

i know of a few excellent non exclusive sites. www.videobox.com is definitely one of them. please note that a site need not be all that graphical enhanced to look good - but it must be thoughfully laid out for function and appeal.

here's my list of what makes a first class site - and i may add to this later.

excellent quality video in at least 3 sizes and 2 formats. they would be offered in full videos and clips and would stream and be saveable.

would include profiles or movie descriptions at least several sentences long - not just sex text but something to make members feel involved.

would have a thoughtfully and attractively laid out member area.

any vidcaps would be as high quality as they could be made but then saved at quality level 7 or 8 - because who needs 200k each pics?

pics would be color corrected, optimized and the thumbs would be big enough to see what's going on. sites with 50pixels thumbs on their galleries are NOT top notch.

has a tour that truly explains what the site is about and what will be found inside.

would offer good models for the type of niche the site is. for example - no one who looks over 22 max or hairy or hunky on a twink site. if the site is about rimming, there should be rimming in EVERY set that is core content - and not just a couple seconds of it, either.

any bonus content or plugins would be clearly labeled as such - it would not be offered as fake site content unless it was quality and uses the site's headers, background and footers so it seems seemlessly part of the site.

bonus content / plugins would be at least fairly well organized, not just thrown all over a page.

any advertising would be minimal and would not intrude on the overall experience of the site. that means no blind links, no big ads between listings, no listing upsells on the main page as a listing, etc.

good member communication. no member should have to wait over 12 hours to hear back from someone (that's for smaller/1 person sites - i realize a person's gotta sleep).

updates are dated so members know how often the site updates.

For me it's an active, first-class design (something creative and catchy, with visual flair and flavor), truly sexy content that doesn't look like it was felched from every other program on the Net, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, a point of view.

Thax Bass your opinion on this was and is well sought after, I have to say I am on track with most of that.

You really think all images should be limed to 200k?

Thinking about adding zips for all images, but I do see a down side of that

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Originally Posted by XXXWriterDude

For me it's an active, first-class design (something creative and catchy, with visual flair and flavor), truly sexy content that doesn't look like it was felched from every other program on the Net, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, a point of view.

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Ya I think the convertibility of the tour is about the biggest thing, after all if you can not get them in you can not keep any of them.

no, but all vidcaps should be because they are lower quality and while many programs may save them at 200 or even 1000k, the truth is that a 720x480 vidcap looks the exact same quality at 7 or 8 as at 10 because of its inherently lower quality nature. if we're talking about vidcaps from full sized HD video, they are bigger and better, btw.

the sites that have really impressed me lately offer 2 sizes of pics - so guys on dialup are taken care of but those of us who are on broadband can see a high quality pic in a nice big resolution. i was in a site last night that offered the pics in your choice of 600 px, 1200 px, 2000 px, 3000 px and for the newer sets, 4000 px. i see things like that in high quality straight sites like ftvgirls.com a lot but i don't see it - yet - in gay sites.

to be honest, our pics aren't that big. they are just over 1000 pixels on the large side and saved at a quality level of 8. they range from 150k to 300k. i think that's a good inbetween size but we look forward to adding a second pic size in the future. i wouldn't offer digital stills below 800 px if only offering 1 size pic, because on 1024 600 px looks like a postage stamp ;)

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Originally Posted by maxpower

Thax Bass your opinion on this was and is well sought after, I have to say I am on track with most of that.

You really think all images should be limed to 200k?

Thinking about adding zips for all images, but I do see a down side of that

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A top tier site is one that can compete with the standards of quality set by the current leader group of the niche.

The webmaster point of view is different from that of surfers though. You could look at that in itself a couple different ways. A site isn't going anywhere unless surfers like it. On the other hand they can't be given the opportunity to like it unless they are sold on becoming a member or even see the site in the first place.

There is one site from the boom era that comes to mind. In my opinion one of the biggest marketing blunders in the history of their niche given the ultra high quality photo content they had. The site should have expanded into something huge, but today they are reduced to being a BadPuppy AEN site. This is almost certainly attributed to their long history of having one of the worse tours I've ever seen, and the chain reaction of events caused by a lack of sales.

So content isn't always king.

Ya I think Traffic is King myself
Convertibility “tour” would be Queen
Content being the Prince or Princess “my attempt to be PC :)”

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Originally Posted by basschick

no, but all vidcaps should be because they are lower quality and while many programs may save them at 200 or even 1000k, the truth is that a 720x480 vidcap looks the exact same quality at 7 or 8 as at 10 because of its inherently lower quality nature. if we're talking about vidcaps from full sized HD video, they are bigger and better, btw.

the sites that have really impressed me lately offer 2 sizes of pics - so guys on dialup are taken care of but those of us who are on broadband can see a high quality pic in a nice big resolution. i was in a site last night that offered the pics in your choice of 600 px, 1200 px, 2000 px, 3000 px and for the newer sets, 4000 px. i see things like that in high quality straight sites like ftvgirls.com a lot but i don't see it - yet - in gay sites.

to be honest, our pics aren't that big. they are just over 1000 pixels on the large side and saved at a quality level of 8. they range from 150k to 300k. i think that's a good inbetween size but we look forward to adding a second pic size in the future. i wouldn't offer digital stills below 800 px if only offering 1 size pic, because on 1024 600 px looks like a postage stamp ;)

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THax bass, I will sure look into some of that once I get all the content up that is, I really like that you gave numbers too I am a numbers kinda guy :signhere:

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Originally Posted by maxpower

Ya I think Traffic is King myself
Convertibility “tour” would be Queen
Content being the Prince or Princess “my attempt to be PC :)”

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Is this where I can make my Holy Trinity joke?

yes, this is where ;)

btw, max - good thread topic.

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Originally Posted by maxpower

Is this where I can make my Holy Trinity joke?

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Originally Posted by basschick

yes, this is where ;)

btw, max - good thread topic.

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THax Bass, you really did help me know where I stand as well as others I am sure, after all this stuff is your bread and butter. In some ways I wish I have seen as many sites as you have, but again in other I am really glad I have not had to look at many of them :eek: