How personal do you make it?

[gaystoryman]

On another 'board' the question popped up, about how personal do you make your sites? I mean do you encourage the surfer to participate, other than just say pulling out the CC to buy, or do you just use your text / images / market strategy to talk about the benefits only.

I am trying the more 'personal approach' with my latest 'revamp of Gaystoryman' and its a gamble, but I wonder, does anyone really care about trying different styles of approaches? or do you just stick to a set formula, because well, others do.?

[Bec]

It depends which site is is. I have some that I really work on the site's "persona" ... others are out there just to move traffic to upsell sites and so on.

I do think any paysite that can have a spokesperson or persona has an advantage over one that doesn't. I know of a few solo girl type sites that have members rebilling month after month because of the attention they lavish on them.

[Lee]

Personalization on paysites doesnt work.

All surfers want to know is how much porn they can get and how much it is going to cost PERIOD.

The type of sites webmasters compare when it comes to personalization and porn are standard porn sites and 'solo' model sites where the 'member' isnt actually just buying porn, they are buying 'friendship' so yes, with solo sites interaction is required.

If a surfer/member wants personalized or interactive porn, they'll join a solo model site or a live cam/chat network, not a 'porn' site.

Regards,

Lee

[gaystoryman]

Personalization on paysites doesnt work.

All surfers want to know is how much porn they can get and how much it is going to cost PERIOD.

The type of sites webmasters compare when it comes to personalization and porn are standard porn sites and 'solo' model sites where the 'member' isnt actually just buying porn, they are buying 'friendship' so yes, with solo sites interaction is required.

If a surfer/member wants personalized or interactive porn, they'll join a solo model site or a live cam/chat network, not a 'porn' site.

Regards,

Lee

So basically you are saying, that putting a 'face' to a paysite is not of any benefit? Interesting when you look at many trigger words where it is one on one, which is why I would also assume that putting a 'face' to the site would help encourage sign ups from outside, plus retention. I also think it would lead to more trust, to encourage upsells.

Maybe I just went to the wrong business school... ' :kickcan:

[Lee]

So basically you are saying, that putting a 'face' to a paysite is not of any benefit? Interesting when you look at many trigger words where it is one on one, which is why I would also assume that putting a 'face' to the site would help encourage sign ups from outside, plus retention. I also think it would lead to more trust, to encourage upsells.

Maybe I just went to the wrong business school... ' :kickcan:

Putting a 'face' on a site isnt the same as 'personalization' though.

Giving the user a 'personal' experience means they get to do much more than just join and view porn, they get to inter-act, say what they want in the site, chat with the models, chat with other members, define layouts, upload their own pics, etc, etc.

All of that, apart from the potential to land the site owner in a lot of legal trouble by allowing the member to have access to YouTube/MySpace type features, is actually cutting the site owners revenue potential down, why offer the surfer personalization within the paysite when for the price of another membership, they can join a live cam network and make you some more $$$ in the process via the upsell?

Putting a 'face' on a site, in the sense of what you are talking about it basic branding, making your site stand out over the countless others and giving it a 'face' isnt the only method of doing that, and it certainly isnt the most cost effective way of branding a site.

Most of the time, the people who tell you that surfers 'want' personalization inside a paysites members area:

1) Dont own paysites.
2) Say it because it sounds good.
3) Wouldnt do it themselves if they did own a paysite.
4) Dont have a clue what 'surfers' actually want.

Regards,

Lee

[Lee]

Just to prove my point, when asked in a recent poll if interested by 'live' chats only 9% of respondents said that live chats made them stay a member longer....

http://www.pornusers.com/replies_view.html?id=3187

When asked what porn surfers hated most in membership sites, a whopping 0% of all respondents said no interactivity.

http://www.pornusers.com/replies_view.html?id=2506

When asked if every porn site should have a trial membership 89% of respondents said yes.

http://www.pornusers.com/replies_view.html?id=4682

As you can see, im not just spouting crap either, surfers tend to agree with me.

Regards,

Lee

[gaystoryman]

Well I think my concept of 'personalization' is different. I am not talking about inter action like putting up pics, or even chatting with the models. Seems that would be costly, and lead to models doing stuff on the side I'd not be comfortable with. (from business perspective)

Putting a face on a site, is a bit more than just branding, though I suppose in a broad sense it would be similar. I just think that in how we approach the surfer, is too cold, too ineffecient. It doesn't build up trust, which may or may not be important but I think it is.

I guess it depends on the style one wants to project. But interesting discussion, as it does help clear up some things I was questioning in the old noggin. Perhaps the term should be personable, rather than personal. Just seems that so many sites, are cold, are too similar that it doesn't lend itself to being more stable in a long term, but then again I do see some pretty staid sites that do keep on making money.

[Chilihost]

All surfers want to know is how much porn they can get and how much it is going to cost PERIOD.

I don't agree with this at all. The more personalised a site, the more the member feels comfortable and wants to stay (and rebill) longer.

I hope Lee from MiamiBoyz or Ren from MenWithCams or Diesel from DieselLive...even anyone from JustUsBoys drop in and give their points of view on this thread. All these webmasters do fantastic jobs of personalising their sites and building a community of loyal, dedicated members.

[Bec]

Plus RandyBlue, Corbin Fisher, Jake Pays ...

[Lee]

I don't agree with this at all. The more personalised a site, the more the member feels comfortable and wants to stay (and rebill) longer.

Did you miss those poll results i posted above? You know, the ones where the SURFERS/MEMBERS actually told us what they want inside sites?

Also, comparing MWC and DieselLive to regular porn sites, like i mentioned above it stupid, there is no comparision because they arent traditional porn sites, they are livecam/solo model sites, which i already said the surfer joins because they want to become 'friends' with the performers, not because they want to jack off or get their porn fix.

Regards,

Lee

[Lee]

Plus RandyBlue, Corbin Fisher, Jake Pays ...

Yep id love to hear from those guys, because it quite clearly isnt the quality of their content that makes the surfer rebill when coupled with their market penetration and brand name

Regards,

Lee

[Chilihost]

Did you miss those poll results i posted above? You know, the ones where the SURFERS/MEMBERS actually told us what they want inside sites?

Also, comparing MWC and DieselLive to regular porn sites, like i mentioned above it stupid, there is no comparision because they arent traditional porn sites, they are livecam/solo model sites, which i already said the surfer joins because they want to become 'friends' with the performers, not because they want to jack off or get their porn fix.

Regards,

Lee

Am I reading this right? Are you calling me stupid?

[Lee]

Am I reading this right? Are you calling me stupid?

No im saying comparing a live webcam site to a paysite is stupid.

Its like comparing an apple to an orange.

Regards,

Lee

[Xstr8guy]

Did you miss those poll results i posted above? You know, the ones where the SURFERS/MEMBERS actually told us what they want inside sites?

I've looked over those polls you posted before. The polls are geared at straight surfers and the number of people polled are miniscule. Useless.

[Dzinerbear]

Sorry, I strongly disagree here. I think surfers are tired of all the "this is the hottest site on the planet" and "we have 120,000 photos" BS and the one-page tour model that cons them.

Universal Bear is one of the most successful bear sites out there and it's highly personalized. I don't just talk about how hot the men are, but I talk about what I'd like to do to them and I talk about personal sexual experiences (whether they're true or not, is another issue). And I get countless e-mails from members saying how much they love the hot talk.

I've also got members who are still rebilling from the very first year the site opened. So I'm doing something right.

Now mind you, UB isn't a paysite. But it's also not your typical AVS site in the true sense of the word.

Furthermore, a lot of porn surfers are pretty lonely people. I think that personalizing a site can make them feel a deeper connection with a site.

For the record, Ian I think you're on the right path. I think your site is already appealing to a different crowd than your regular run of the mill porn site. You're attracting people who don't mind reading ... hell, people who can read. I think personalizing it makes sense. And it's certainly worth trying it out.

Michael