Do You Think 'Adult Webmasters' Still Have A Bad Name In Mainstream?

[Lee]

Ive not really seen this topic discussed much in the last few months since the adult industry started to bridge itself into mainstream a little more.

So i just wondered what you all thought on the subject.

Do you think adult webmasters are still frowned upon in the mainstream web?

Regards,

Lee

[Dzinerbear]

Oh definitely.

When I was negotiating with MANcheck, I was working on a website for a freelance client. This client and I had gotten to know one another very well and I did a very nice site for him. I was finishing up some stuff at their office. Arnold and I spent the day nattering about this and that. I had told him that I was excited because it looked like I was going to be getting a full-time contract with a company I'd worked with before.

I kept it all very vague and general, I didn't mention the company name (MANcheck) or what they did. And he accepted that until about 3 p.m. that day, he finally asked, "Well what do they do?"

I'm not a good liar or bullshitter. I'm also not ashamed of what I do. So I simply said, "They run gay porn websites."

His immediate reaction was: "Is it legal?"

A week later we were talking and he said he might have some more work for me with another client, but he said he'd only hook me up if I promised not to mention to his wife or the new client what I do.

When I finally told my parents what I was doing, they immediately asked: "Is it legal?" They no longer ask how my work is going.

Another time I was in a meeting with two other designers and a freelance client. The client was talking about doing something, I forget what. I explained that it wasn't a good idea because doing so-and-so was a typical tactic used by porn sites to get better Google rankings. Everyone changed the subject quickly, and later in the car, one of my friends said, "I don't think it's a good idea to mention porn sites to our clients." When I explained that I was simply explaining and stating a fact, she stood firm, and added, "Yes, but some clients might think that you're comparing them to a porn site."

If you're trying to get mainstream work, you're going to have to figure out how to get it without ever mentioning that you have worked in the adult business.

It's funny, a good portion of the planet looks at porn, they love it and enjoy it ... secretly ... most of the rest of the planet is lying about it ... and just about everyone shuns anyone who has the balls to stand up and say, "I work in porn."

I'm also never astounded to see how ignorant people are about porn and the Internet in general. Oprah did a show a while ago about upskirting (people who shoot video from a camera located at ground level and pointing up a woman's skirt). During the course of her monologue Oprah said that if you Googled "upskirting" you'd get something like 6 million sites. The audience gasped because everyone thought that there were 6 million sites with pictures shot up womens's skirts. No one mentioned how Google actually works and that those results are giving you any site mentioning the word "upskirting" in any capacity.

Generally speaking, I think non-adult biz people think we're all a bunch of CP's hanging around bus stations waiting for the next bus to arrive from the country with Eve Plumb coming to claim her big break in the movie business. (Okay, the first 20 year old who says, "Who is Eve Plumb?" gets a whack in the head from the old, bald guy.)

cheers
dzinerbear

[RainGurl]

i agree. a while back I thought about going back into the mainstream world. When I would interview with prospective companies they did not appreciate the fact that the bulk of my sales/marketing experience was in adult. Funny thing is that they were also so far behind adult...technically and otherwise, and making a lot less money. While adult and mainstream companies may dabble in the others business, i doubt mainstream will ever fully accept it as a viable business option. just dumb.

[BigasMoe]

If we do have a bad name then where do I get mine!!

[Squirt]

Frowned upon the mainstream web.. yes.

My Bcentral mailer account was closed because it was adult. I didn't spam, my emails were all G-rated and to existing customers that signed up for my email notices. The specific reason given by Bcentral.. after mainy emails.. was because the site it linked to was adult oriented. Even though it was opt in from my own customers they still closed it.

A new hosting company I've looked into doesn't state in their terms that they don't accept adult but when I asked them via email specifically if they do, they don't respond, but they do respond to my other emails.

Adult internet is still taboo in the mainstream web.

[Dzinerbear]

A couple of months ago, I asked WebLogExpert (a stats analysis program) if I could promote their software on my adult sites (they have an affiliate program) and they said at the time that they didn't accept adult sites as affiliates.

So even people who clearly stand to make money off of porn without actually selling porn don't want to be associated with porn.

Cheers
Dzinerbear

[Squirt]

"So even people who clearly stand to make money off of porn without actually selling porn don't want to be associated with porn. "

Yes I agree. I wonder why? Could it be the slash and burn marketing techniques of the straight market? The spamming, ripping customers off etc? ( sarcasm here )

[basschick]

Squirt - i see FAR more ripping off and unethical practices in mainstream than in porn. every piece of spyware i ever got was from "mainstream" sites, for example.

a lot of non-porn webmasters ask me if what i do is legal - and seem rather sceptical if i say yes. some people won't do business with me- and these aren't people who know that i own my own sites.

i'd say a resounding "YES" - porn webmasters are looked down on by mainstreamers.

[Lee]

Originally posted by basschick
Squirt - i see FAR more ripping off and unethical practices in mainstream than in porn.

I agree with you on that statement whole heartedly.

It seems that although many mainstream companies / webmasters seem to think that 'porn' webmasters are illicit in what they do, they fail to see the constant theft, conning and scamming that comes from within their own side of the web industry.

Regards,

Lee