So, if you were talking to someone who was just getting into the industry, do you think starting a paysite would be a good first step?
So, if you were talking to someone who was just getting into the industry, do you think starting a paysite would be a good first step?
Don Mike
DonMikeCali@gmail.com
I honestly would start off a free site and join different affiliate programs then move on to making a paysite. That's just me though, what do you think? :bandana:
Eddie Bastian
Account Executive
1-800-685-9236 x240
http://www.adultwhoswho.com/person/person.html?id=00756
Most will say it is not the best first step, however for us, it fit our business plan. We have always focused on networking through trade events and believe that a paysite allows for smoother entrance into the industry.
The most common reasons for failure within the first year seem to be the lack of computer skills to manage the updates, hosting and 50 other things you have to know just to maintain. I bet most newbees would go pale if they peeked at how much we have invested in software and books alone.
Our first site, a turn-key was our test-bench and Leggo box, and our start up monies, our education. We have seen many of the sites started when we did, gone or bought up.
If your long term plans, include a year or two of learning a VERY convuluded business and lots of trail and error, you just might be a smut peddler. :glasses:
For new folks who can't commit 14 hour days or the sometimes scary out lay of funds .. start with a blog .. build a network of honest and helpful folks, by being honest and helpful. Really look at where your skills and talents fit in what part of the industry.
Don't know what "put to your server means" and you don't have a geek on hand? Then it might be the right time to take a few continuing Ed courses, so you can have the knowledge you should have, to keep control of what you have and will continue to work- so hard for.
Now you might be ready to learn traffic and implimenting affilate programs. Personally I think anyone is NUTs to enter the adult industry, and unless they are ready for the long-haul, should do anything else.
no, it isn't. and if they did so, i'd STRONGLY STRONGLY recommend they hire a consultant who they research the hell out of first to manage the project and do some mentoring so after the site was up, they know why certain things were done - probably the opposite of what they would do on their own.
i have watched people who felt they understood porn and the industry well enough to a start paysite or before they were ready. i've seen many spend over $25,000, a bunch spend over $50,000 and a couple spend over $100,000 before they admitted they were failing and didn't have the experience and the knowledge to pull their sites together. i worked for these people as a consultant and it was amazing but often EVERYTHING they were doing was wrong. man, could i tell you stories!
Madame,
To be fair with your comments though, a lot of what you are 'actually' involved with in running your site is handled via Badpuppy so in that sense, you arent really running a paysite, at least not in its totality as you dont have to worry about processing, gaining new affiliates, traffic, retention, etc not trying to just dismiss you or your site BTW.
That being said, there are also people in the industry and, on GWW right now who i WOULD expect to have their own paysites that dont which is something i dont understand given that the amount of work to actually run a site, once you have the basics and behind the scenes stuff down is minimal.
I beleive, as do a lot of other people, that marketing is one of the most vital parts of working in the adult industry, if you cant sell the surfer, then you have no chance of running a successfull site, to some this ability comes naturally, to others, no matter how hard they try, they cant do this.
Therefore in my mind, it stands to reason that the first thing a new webmaster should learn is marketing, not just the art of marketing but practical market techniques used in the adult industry, free sites, tgp galleries, aen sites, the hardest type of things to market, then once they have their knowledge, move on to paysites, blogs, reviews and all that other funky stuff.
Regards,
Lee
Start with AVS sites and build quality, not quantity... make them 'mini-paysites' and develop a dense and sticky hub site (or multiple niched hubs) to capture and keep traffic. Once you've mastered that, and it may take years, you should have the skill necessary to run a great paysite.
AJ and I have said many times if we knew everything we know now, we would probably have started in traffic.
You don't have to mess with content, cranky models, card fraud, password hacking, or any of that. Granted, you still, for a successful traffic biz, have to do very regular updates and constant marketing, but I'd choose traffic any day... if demand in the marketplace suddenly changes, you can change course nearly instantly and start promoting different sites.
The other thing I tell people all the time is... while I think you can still be successful with a new paysite, I do think it's a lot harder than even 2 years ago. And I think we will continue to see consolidation, both among affiliate programs and traffic sources, in coming years, so it will most likely get increasingly harder for new entrants to become large programs, at least to do so quickly.
I would have to say I would start with a free site and explore everything that is out there. This will give you a chance to submit your new site to all the search engines and get traffic coming to your site. You can get content from several affiliate programs that offer videos and images that you can use on your free site. You can have a section for that as long as you link back to the affiliate program that is giving you the content. I would also venture into VOD and get some links up for that to pull some extra rev in. I think a site like Juicygoo is a great example of how to make money off of a free site without having to deal with membership fees. Once you get the hang of it and you have income coming in from all the affiliate programs that you are promoting you can think about starting a paysite. That's just my thoughts
I would say avoid paysites for newbies. Ive tried it and failed and spent money doing it. Do what im doing now. Learn to sell sponsors. If you cant sell sponsors you cant sell your own site.
Id say automate! But do it smartly. You can build freesites with a script and get away with it IF you have a ton of templates and keep adding new ones. Ive recently learn this the hard way.
Id say also stop and review your business model reguarly. Every time i do this i make more money.
Right now ive learnt that using the same template is piss poor so next week when im off work ill spend time designing as many templates as i can. Newbies have to stop and be critical as often as they can imo.
On the boards, id say dont defend anyone. The people who are attacking those that you are defending will allways turn on you. Also remember that there are a few complete pricks on every board. Dont fight them, ignore what they say and remember it costs so much to sue that only the lawyers get rich, so let them say what they like, and dont get wound up by it.
I really do love this post :heartu:Originally Posted by gaybucks_chip
advice to a newbie, don't get into this business unless you are willing to work your ass off for the first few years and not make much money :broccoli:
Tell them to run away... but in all seriousness, if they don't have the skills and knowledge, I just don't see them learning it by starting with a paysite. Personally I believe it is something they need to work up, and learn.
my pennies worth
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Lot of realistic replies in here so far. I have to concur that starting out with a paysite isn't a good idea, as tempting as it may be to "just go for the big bucks". There's too many who try it without a solid understanding of marketing and without knowing how sites get promoted via freesites, avs sites, tgps, blogs, hubs and so on.
It also helps if they have basic web skills. I've done sites for people that didn't (and still don't) know how to ftp to their domain. And it sure doesn't hurt to have some understanding of creating the html pages and/or minimal graphics.
Halleluiah! People think it's as easy as throwing up a few photos on a site and raking in the bucks. It's a lot more work. I think a paysite could work if you really commit to it, but there are many easier ways to cut your teeth and learn by doing than to jump right into a paysite. But there have been people who have never taken a piano lesson and sat down to play like they've done it all their lives. So there's an exception to every rule.
Don Mike
DonMikeCali@gmail.com
my advice to newbs - go to this board, adx and awi and read, read, read. then go to cozy and learn, learn, learn. this should take no less than 2 weeks or you're not going deep enough.
as you read, note all the most interesting and informative posts and tutorials and go back and read them again after a few days off to let everything sort of settle in your brain.
now you're ready to ask some questions and begin to decide where to start - link list, free site, link dump, tgp, avs site.
one more piece of advice - don't think that your mainstream or business experience has you ready to do anything in adult. some very successful mainstream designers who work for large corporations failed in adult. it's very much its own thing, so speak softly and you'll make friends who can really help you out.
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