Originally Posted by signupdamnit

It's been over a decade since I owned a pay site so I'm not the best person to ask. But based on my observations as an affiliate I think it's possible to make a middle class life doing that ($35k) and it's even probable. Some can make more but no one is getting rich and if they are there are special conditions. For instance don;t think you're going to become a millionaire because the guy who used to own a major tube and wants you to submit to his friend's CPP tells you he made a million dollars last year from his paysite. That's a special circumstance.

I think the problem with it is two fold:

1. Dwindling returns. As the amount of your free content and your competitors free content increases along with the amount of people who are willing to buy decreases there will be less return per video impression at the tube. There isn't anything revolutionary here. It's been happening for years and is the trend.

2. As the tubes realize they have you over a barrel and that you are dependent on them their terms will become less friendly. Instead of ten minute videos they will want 20. Instead of allowing you to put a big watermark on the video they will want no watermarks. Instead of letting you put up your videos without an affiliate program they will demand it. Then instead of taking rev share they will demand PPS. Then maybe instead of allowing any processor they will require that all traffic sent from them uses their approved processor. Then maybe one day you need to purchase a submitter's account as in the old TGP days or pay per submit. You get the picture.

If you do it then get the money while you can. Don't expect to get rich. Don't expect it to be easy. Expect diminishing returns month after month at some point. Expect increasing amounts of bullshit from the tubes. And be ready to get out by about 2016 or 2018. Maybe sooner.