Making the MultiPass Decision

[Bec]

I'm looking for feedback on moving sites into a multi-pass arrangement.

I know that on the str8 side, a lot of the old school programs have a lot of doorway tours and all pretty much share the same content pool. Giving access to all of them really doesn't penalize them in regards to the labor involved for providing exclusive content to the same number of domains, and gives the surfer the impression they're getting a ton of porn sites for one price.

On the gay side, I'm not seeing a lot of that type of presentation. Domains for the most part house their own niche content and contain a variety of exclusive, purchased sets/movies and feeds to fill them with.

If you aren't really cross sharing content between various domains, what prompts the decision to offer multi-site access? What are the pros and cons to doing so?

[Lee]

You know, this is something i have seriously considered offering with Condom Cash but, ultimately, i think id be doing the members areas a dis-service in doing so.

As it stands right now, members who join our sites get access to the niche content in the site they join plus, a couple of additional niches that are what id consider to be 'cross over' niches within the members areas for example, if a member joined Mature Dudes, they would also get access to 'some' of the bear content from Only Bears, 'some' of the tattoo content from Tattooed Guys and 'some' of the content from Retro Male.

By offering up access to all the content we have available using a multipass scenario i really do think from a business standpoint, it will be counter-productive.

That being said, there is definately a place for multipass sites i just dont feel that right now, offering that option is something i need to be doing on Condom Cash not only because it cheapens the site but, also detracts from the potential revenues our affiliates can make from the program.

I know personally that id rather have a chance of making 50% x 24 sites costing $29.95 that making 50% on a single site offering access to all the content priced at $29.95

Regards,

Lee

[gaystoryman]

For myself, I just don't know if such a set up is worth the hassle. I mean it does give an impression of great value, assuming you do the back end right but not many do, least not some of the one's i have seen.

What gets me is that some will sell you a membership, then when you get inside you see all these bonus sites but the pics/videos for the niche you signed up isn't there... you have to literally wade through all the other sites to find them.

Worse too is that when you join Site A and all the galleries are Marked Site C. Then when you get to Site C, you notice that its initial sign up price is $10 less than what you paid for your niche specific site that isnt.

Personally I think pissing off customers that way is short sighted and narrow minded. But hell, just my opinion. :coffee:

[maxpower]

I would like to offer multiple sites all with one pass, but with the transient nature of most viewers I think it would cost me sales in the long run. I might give access to another closely related site if the original site is small but yet again, I think it would just be better to add most of the others sites content to the smaller one if it would fit at all. Like when I open my twink foot fetish site, I will also add most of the content I have in my main stream twink site as well.

[basschick]

what about having 4 different sites, each with their own content - and members get access to all? our reps tell me those retain like crazy, and that way members won't find the same content on multiple sites.

[Bec]

What you said makes sense Lee. Cross passing to same niche makes sense, so does cross passing into say smaller sites that might be created to serve as your own smaller "feed" sites.

Easiest to explain would be say I have 5-6 sites - totally non related niches. I build an erotica story site ... and let all have access to it as a 'bonus' site. Whether I update it or not, is optional.

Ian - I know EXACTLY the type sites you're talking about! I've even done reviews and have said, hey, you get these other 5 sites no matter which you join, so go sign up thru site C because you get em all for 10 bucks less!

[maxpower]

Well I would really like to do that Bass, but worry I would burn out all 4 with one join. I would offer some different content in all 4 even if I keep them separate, and I believe I will experiment a bit with it as far as combing them. I just really think it will not help much, most people join a site to have fun for a month or 2 then drop off to explore something “new” even if the new site is 65-70% the same as the previous one, after all I would say 50% of every twink site is about the same as any other large one. Smaller sites with all exclusive content would not be the same, but they for the most part are pretty small sites.

[Bec]

what about having 4 different sites, each with their own content - and members get access to all? our reps tell me those retain like crazy, and that way members won't find the same content on multiple sites.

I know some programs do this, and that's part of why I posted this question. Is the money better longterm to give them all out on one multipass as opposed to trying to get surfers to join each individually? Do surfers buy into more than one site on a monthly basis? Or do they tend to stick with one, maybe two, so retaining them is the better marketing strategy?

[Lee]

Do surfers buy into more than one site on a monthly basis?

Some surfers actually join the same site 3 times in a week then wonder why the site hasnt been updated LOL

I had that happen a month or two back, guy joined on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and wondered why the content was all the same... The reason being, we update on a Sunday LOL

Regards,

Lee

[Chilihost]

its a known paradigm in business that its cheaper to keep an existing client than it is to win a new one. If you can keep 10 members for one extra month and the price is losing one member that would have joined one of your other sites, then you are 9 billing events ahead of the game.

[gaystoryman]

Well despite the resident authority on what surfers do or don't do, I think that your idea has merit Bec. Sometimes many are unaware of the other type of sites and so perhaps using Lee's process, limited content from the other niches would make economic sense. It could also add a bit more retention to a site, as they could explore while awaiting the next update to the site of their choice.

Man is a curious creature by nature, so if the other sites are different enough, you never know. Just might add some interesting results. :coffee:

[Bec]

Some surfers actually join the same site 3 times in a week then wonder why the site hasnt been updated LOL

I had that happen a month or two back, guy joined on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and wondered why the content was all the same... The reason being, we update on a Sunday LOL

Regards,

Lee

LMAO - now he wins the :max: duncecap award! Even you have to admit, this isn't NORMAL purchasing behavior!!

[maxpower]

its a known paradigm in business that its cheaper to keep an existing client than it is to win a new one. If you can keep 10 members for one extra month and the price is losing one member that joins one of your other sites, then you are 9 billing events ahead of the game.

Ya if it really worked that way in the real would it would be nice, but 75% of viewers look at your site like a rented movie from blockbusters, they might keep the movie a bit to long and have to pay a penalty but are going to bring it back soon. If they have gotten access to all 4 sites with one rental 3-8 months down the line they are not going to be coming back “a few will of course” but most will never join that site again. This is why “new” sites do so good and after a year or 2 your sales go down.

[Lee]

LMAO - now he wins the :max: duncecap award! Even you have to admit, this isn't NORMAL purchasing behavior!!

Yeah i know its not 'normal' would be damn nice if it was though LOL

The best thing of all though, he has cancelled his 3 memberships but, they all rebilled before he cancelled LOL

Regards,

Lee

[Bec]

Yeah i know its not 'normal' would be damn nice if it was though LOL

The best thing of all though, he has cancelled his 3 memberships but, they all rebilled before he cancelled LOL

Regards,

Lee

I'm assuming he hasn't charged back then ... or you wouldn't be quite so happy about it