Today's Shap Advice on how to make your site better

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  • Shap
    Confirmed User
    • May 2001
    • 8313

    #1

    Today's Shap Advice on how to make your site better

    Hi Everyone!

    Still making my way through the AskShap mentoring and coaching emails. While I'm doing that I thought I'd share some advice that I think a lot of people can use and apply immediately. Here is a common email I'm getting.

    "Hi Shap, I own TubeXyz my site is stuck in traffic and not growing. What can I do to improve?"

    Alright let's use the Tube example. Let's say I want to start a Fetish porn tube. Here are some of the main steps I would take in my research and planning of my site.

    -I'd go to The Porn Dude - Top Porn Sites List! and any other site with a list of tubes. I'd research on alexa the actual biggest tubes (i.e. porndude doesn't have youjizz etc). Create a master list of the biggest adult tubes. Then create a list of the biggest niche tubes.

    - I'd visit each one and view them as a surfer. I'd make a list of what I liked and didn't like about each. Hell if you have to drop your pants and whip out your cock then do that. You need to really think and feel like the surfer. You have to BE the surfer.

    - I'd visit the top tubes/sites in each niche category. I'd go through the same practise of viewing them as a surfer.

    - I'd revisit all of the top sites and then start making notes as a website owner. What do I like about the design. What do i dislike. What would I change. What do i think works.

    - I'd review the top niche sites. What elements do the best do better than the others? What do I think the reasons the top guys are the top guys. Is there anything being done on other tubes that hasn?t been applied to the Fetish Porn Tubes? Ie is Jamo.tv doing something in the asian market that i can use on my fetish tube.

    - I?d create a list of the fetish free sites and visit them. Any recurring themes that seem to work or be popular.
    - I?d create a list of communities in my niche/fetish and visit them. Get involved as a surfer. Research what is popular. Which sites are being linked to? What type of videos? Are most links going to general tubes or fetish tubes? If it?s not going to fetish tubes why not? Ads? popups?

    Alright now you have data and some perspective on what is needed to compete. Start building your site. Try to implement the ideas you have. Once you?ve designed the site now review and compare your site to the top tubes. Ask yourself this question. If you are the surfer and you have the choice would you visit your site or Pornhub? Why? Why not? You have to build a site that is better than your competition. There is no point in launching a CopyCatCookieCutterTube.com. Those days are over. If you are going to launch something make it worthwhile. Make it the best. For your launch remove all advertising. Remove all popups. Do you think having an annoying popup will get a surfer to prefer your site over PornHub? You are in competition with every major tube. If you can?t compete and be better than them then don?t launch.

    This method can be applied to every type of site. I use the tube example because that is the most common email I've received so far. So now I can simply direct them to this post and not reply the same thing again
  • CaptainHowdy
    Too lazy to set a custom title
    • Dec 2004
    • 94727

    #2
    Thread too useful for GFY standards. Please delete.

    Comment

    • PornHero
      Confirmed User
      • Feb 2001
      • 1381

      #3
      reading now...
      PornHero.com

      Comment

      • j3rkules
        VIP
        • Jul 2013
        • 22111

        #4
        Awesome thread Shap. One of the best threads posted recently.

        Comment

        • BigFurry
          Confirmed User
          • Nov 2003
          • 1574

          #5
          Solid advice

          Comment

          • NatalieK
            Natalie K
            • Apr 2010
            • 20106

            #6
            Originally posted by Shap
            I'd visit the top tubes/sites in each niche category. I'd go through the same practise of viewing them as a surfer.
            Hi Shap, loads of amazing advice as usual, although, the above, yes, it's possible to get this right, only if you're thinking of the majority of people...

            you could have a different fetish to others...

            So watching other sites to see what would you'd like to see is pointless because you'd do what you want anyway as not everyone's the same. There'll be niche there no matter what you like
            My official site Custom vids Make money & get into the businessFirst time girls
            Skype: GspotProductions - "Converting traffic into income since 2005"

            Comment

            • TheDynasty
              See Signature
              • Apr 2016
              • 5882

              #7
              Great Thread Bookmarked!
              Try out WP-SCRIPT The Best Tube Script

              Comment

              • Shap
                Confirmed User
                • May 2001
                • 8313

                #8
                Originally posted by GspotProductions
                Hi Shap, loads of amazing advice as usual, although, the above, yes, it's possible to get this right, only if you're thinking of the majority of people...

                you could have a different fetish to others...

                So watching other sites to see what would you'd like to see is pointless because you'd do what you want anyway as not everyone's the same. There'll be niche there no matter what you like
                There may be a niche but the way content is laid out and delivered is independent of niche. A nice layout is a nice layout.

                Comment

                • Sid70
                  Downshifter
                  • Dec 2002
                  • 16413

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Shap
                  Hi Everyone!

                  Still making my way through the AskShap mentoring and coaching emails. While I'm doing that I thought I'd share some advice that I think a lot of people can use and apply immediately. Here is a common email I'm getting.

                  "Hi Shap, I own TubeXyz my site is stuck in traffic and not growing. What can I do to improve?"

                  Alright let's use the Tube example. Let's say I want to start a Fetish porn tube. Here are some of the main steps I would take in my research and planning of my site.

                  -I'd go to The Porn Dude - Top Porn Sites List! and any other site with a list of tubes. I'd research on alexa the actual biggest tubes (i.e. porndude doesn't have youjizz etc). Create a master list of the biggest adult tubes. Then create a list of the biggest niche tubes.

                  - I'd visit each one and view them as a surfer. I'd make a list of what I liked and didn't like about each. Hell if you have to drop your pants and whip out your cock then do that. You need to really think and feel like the surfer. You have to BE the surfer.

                  - I'd visit the top tubes/sites in each niche category. I'd go through the same practise of viewing them as a surfer.

                  - I'd revisit all of the top sites and then start making notes as a website owner. What do I like about the design. What do i dislike. What would I change. What do i think works.

                  - I'd review the top niche sites. What elements do the best do better than the others? What do I think the reasons the top guys are the top guys. Is there anything being done on other tubes that hasn?t been applied to the Fetish Porn Tubes? Ie is Jamo.tv doing something in the asian market that i can use on my fetish tube.

                  - I?d create a list of the fetish free sites and visit them. Any recurring themes that seem to work or be popular.
                  - I?d create a list of communities in my niche/fetish and visit them. Get involved as a surfer. Research what is popular. Which sites are being linked to? What type of videos? Are most links going to general tubes or fetish tubes? If it?s not going to fetish tubes why not? Ads? popups?

                  Alright now you have data and some perspective on what is needed to compete. Start building your site. Try to implement the ideas you have. Once you?ve designed the site now review and compare your site to the top tubes. Ask yourself this question. If you are the surfer and you have the choice would you visit your site or Pornhub? Why? Why not? You have to build a site that is better than your competition. There is no point in launching a CopyCatCookieCutterTube.com. Those days are over. If you are going to launch something make it worthwhile. Make it the best. For your launch remove all advertising. Remove all popups. Do you think having an annoying popup will get a surfer to prefer your site over PornHub? You are in competition with every major tube. If you can?t compete and be better than them then don?t launch.

                  This method can be applied to every type of site. I use the tube example because that is the most common email I've received so far. So now I can simply direct them to this post and not reply the same thing again
                  This is very basic approach. I mean, a no-brainer. But what's left behind is where do we get money to build that site and get fresh content?
                  Русня, идите нахуй!

                  Comment

                  • Shap
                    Confirmed User
                    • May 2001
                    • 8313

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Sid70
                    This is very basic approach. I mean, a no-brainer. But what's left behind is where do we get money to build that site and get fresh content?
                    You'd be surprised how few people do this

                    Comment

                    • PornMySex
                      Confirmed User
                      • Feb 2006
                      • 577

                      #11
                      You can have the best tube, if you don't know how to generate traffic it won't grow.

                      I have sites where visitors stay 8 minutes and visit a lot of pages, the direct traffic just don't grow by itself easily. You need a lot of se traffic and other sources to make the direct traffic grow.

                      Comment

                      • Shap
                        Confirmed User
                        • May 2001
                        • 8313

                        #12
                        Originally posted by PornMySex
                        You can have the best tube, if you don't know how to generate traffic it won't grow.

                        I have sites where visitors stay 8 minutes and visit a lot of pages, the direct traffic just don't grow by itself easily. You need a lot of se traffic and other sources to make the direct traffic grow.
                        You could be great at getting traffic but if your site sucks it's a waste. Chicken and egg

                        Comment

                        • PornMySex
                          Confirmed User
                          • Feb 2006
                          • 577

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Shap
                          You could be great at getting traffic but if your site sucks it's a waste. Chicken and egg
                          Nowadays it's way easier to build a great tube with a lot of long length hd videos coming from affiliate programs and have visitors staying more than 5 minutes on a site.

                          It's way harder to get huge traffic from search engine or other sources without buying and even harder to get direct traffic.

                          Comment

                          • robwod
                            Confirmed User
                            • Nov 2005
                            • 2540

                            #14
                            Shap, I'd like to just add that there are times when it is difficult to separate one's self from the developer perspective to the end user perspective.

                            One option I have used in the past is with the local colleges. Every one of them has a student union and a bulletin board where you can post "opportunities". You can, and I certainly have, put up a flyer asking for people interested in providing feedback for mature entertainment ... a focus group if you will. You can supply them with a list of sites to check out, or specific pages, and/or ask them to supply a list of the sites they visit and why. It's amazing what information you can get for Beer Money

                            You can also do something similar with Fiverr.... post that you're seeking "reviewers" and choose form various countries.

                            This is also great for "AB testing" because you can give one group a list of some sites and others a different list. Then compare.

                            Just thought I'd contribute to an otherwise already helpful thread.
                            NSFW

                            Comment

                            • Mediamix
                              Dutch Webmaster!
                              • Sep 2013
                              • 3228

                              #15
                              Originally posted by robwod
                              Shap, I'd like to just add that there are times when it is difficult to separate one's self from the developer perspective to the end user perspective.

                              One option I have used in the past is with the local colleges. Every one of them has a student union and a bulletin board where you can post "opportunities". You can, and I certainly have, put up a flyer asking for people interested in providing feedback for mature entertainment ... a focus group if you will. You can supply them with a list of sites to check out, or specific pages, and/or ask them to supply a list of the sites they visit and why. It's amazing what information you can get for Beer Money

                              You can also do something similar with Fiverr.... post that you're seeking "reviewers" and choose form various countries.

                              This is also great for "AB testing" because you can give one group a list of some sites and others a different list. Then compare.

                              Just thought I'd contribute to an otherwise already helpful thread.
                              Great advice! Thanks.
                              Sig too big

                              Comment

                              • Shap
                                Confirmed User
                                • May 2001
                                • 8313

                                #16
                                Originally posted by robwod
                                Shap, I'd like to just add that there are times when it is difficult to separate one's self from the developer perspective to the end user perspective.

                                One option I have used in the past is with the local colleges. Every one of them has a student union and a bulletin board where you can post "opportunities". You can, and I certainly have, put up a flyer asking for people interested in providing feedback for mature entertainment ... a focus group if you will. You can supply them with a list of sites to check out, or specific pages, and/or ask them to supply a list of the sites they visit and why. It's amazing what information you can get for Beer Money

                                You can also do something similar with Fiverr.... post that you're seeking "reviewers" and choose form various countries.

                                This is also great for "AB testing" because you can give one group a list of some sites and others a different list. Then compare.

                                Just thought I'd contribute to an otherwise already helpful thread.
                                Awesome idea

                                Comment

                                • PornDiscounts-V
                                  Confirmed User
                                  • Oct 2003
                                  • 5744

                                  #17
                                  Oh fucking wait just one minute!

                                  Are you saying that we should all use common sense?

                                  Are you fucking crazy?
                                  Blog Posts - Contextual Links - Hardlinks on 600+ Blog Network
                                  * Handwritten * 180 C Class IPs * Permanent! * Many Niches! * Bulk Discounts! GFYPosts /at/ J2Media.net

                                  Comment

                                  • Paul Markham
                                    Too old to care
                                    • Jun 2001
                                    • 52942

                                    #18
                                    First step in improving sales. Empathy with the consumer.



                                    Blowout deal. 880 videos, 2,400 image sets, plus many RAW videos. $500.
                                    PM me for a deal. Skype Paulmarkham70

                                    Comment

                                    • bns666
                                      Confirmed Fetishist
                                      • Mar 2005
                                      • 11553

                                      #19
                                      good advice
                                      CAM SODASTRIPCHAT
                                      CHATURBATEX LOVE CAM

                                      Comment

                                      • NatalieK
                                        Natalie K
                                        • Apr 2010
                                        • 20106

                                        #20
                                        Originally posted by Shap
                                        There may be a niche but the way content is laid out and delivered is independent of niche. A nice layout is a nice layout.
                                        agreed Shap, the layout is maybe more important than the content to begin, on entrance...

                                        as the old saying goes "first impressions last"
                                        My official site Custom vids Make money & get into the businessFirst time girls
                                        Skype: GspotProductions - "Converting traffic into income since 2005"

                                        Comment

                                        • Shap
                                          Confirmed User
                                          • May 2001
                                          • 8313

                                          #21
                                          Originally posted by Paul Markham
                                          First step in improving sales. Empathy with the consumer.
                                          Empathy is so important!

                                          Comment

                                          • Paul Markham
                                            Too old to care
                                            • Jun 2001
                                            • 52942

                                            #22
                                            It's important to know who, what and where to sell. Selling another slab of meat in a market chockablock with similar slabs of meat. Is stupid. Which is why Tubes convert 1 in many 1,000s of views.

                                            Empathy with a buyer reveals, he wants more than slabs of meat, more than soundbite logos, more than false promises, even true ones are taken as false when they're needles in a haystack.

                                            A sample needs to sell the product, not slate the appetite. It needs to entice, lure and go through the basic steps of arousing the curiosity of the buyer. That can't be done today with clips of people fucking, except for slinging traffic and hoping.

                                            So what does the buyer want, that can't be found on a Tube site?

                                            Suggestions, please. It should be easy. If you empathise with buyers and not free surfers.



                                            Blowout deal. 880 videos, 2,400 image sets, plus many RAW videos. $500.
                                            PM me for a deal. Skype Paulmarkham70

                                            Comment

                                            • CDSmith
                                              Too lazy to set a custom title
                                              • May 2001
                                              • 51460

                                              #23
                                              Excellent post Shap. My only note would be something I've always said to prospective webmasters in the past who want to run a large multi-niched 'database' type site (such as a tube) which is this:

                                              Don't only promote what YOU like. There are millions of surfers out there who are into a ton of things I myself, or you, would never be into. Many are willing to pay to get it. None of them care what YOU the site owner is into. Find those niches and give it to them. Shemale, gay, lego sex, balloons, hard bondage, whatever, if it's legal it's fair game and you can bet someone out there wants it. Present each one as if it's your all time favorite. Over time see which ones sell. Give those ones top billing but still include the others.

                                              Originally posted by Paul Markham
                                              So what does the buyer want, that can't be found on a Tube site?
                                              Main question for any site, especially these days.
                                              Promote Wildmatch, ImLive, Sexier.com, and more!!

                                              ALWAYS THE HIGHEST PAYOUTS: Big Bux/ImLive SIGNUP ON NOW!!!

                                              Put some PUSSYCA$H in your pocket.
                                              ICQ me at: 31024634

                                              Comment

                                              • Shap
                                                Confirmed User
                                                • May 2001
                                                • 8313

                                                #24
                                                Originally posted by CDSmith
                                                Excellent post Shap. My only note would be something I've always said to prospective webmasters in the past who want to run a large multi-niched 'database' type site (such as a tube) which is this:

                                                Don't only promote what YOU like. There are millions of surfers out there who are into a ton of things I myself, or you, would never be into. Many are willing to pay to get it. None of them care what YOU the site owner is into. Find those niches and give it to them. Shemale, gay, lego sex, balloons, hard bondage, whatever, if it's legal it's fair game and you can bet someone out there wants it. Present each one as if it's your all time favorite. Over time see which ones sell. Give those ones top billing but still include the others.



                                                Main question for any site, especially these days.
                                                Agreed 100% I've learned that a few times. Started a boob tgp with the idea that people wanted to see Stripper type fake boob chicks quickly learned it was all about natural when it came to boobs. Same when we started GayTube. Started with me trying to coordinate what type of content to use on it. But when we handed it over to someone who understood the surfer the site went from not growing to absolutely exploding.

                                                Comment

                                                • NoWhErE
                                                  Too lazy to set a custom title
                                                  • Sep 2005
                                                  • 10583

                                                  #25
                                                  Refreshing to see a thread with actual information to help someone successfully launch a new project. This is a great primer.

                                                  Good work Shap.
                                                  skype: lordofthecameltoe

                                                  Comment

                                                  • Paul Markham
                                                    Too old to care
                                                    • Jun 2001
                                                    • 52942

                                                    #26
                                                    Originally posted by CDSmith
                                                    Excellent post Shap. My only note would be something I've always said to prospective webmasters in the past who want to run a large multi-niched 'database' type site (such as a tube) which is this:

                                                    Don't only promote what YOU like. There are millions of surfers out there who are into a ton of things I myself, or you, would never be into. Many are willing to pay to get it. None of them care what YOU the site owner is into. Find those niches and give it to them. Shemale, gay, lego sex, balloons, hard bondage, whatever, if it's legal it's fair game and you can bet someone out there wants it. Present each one as if it's your all time favorite. Over time see which ones sell. Give those ones top billing but still include the others.



                                                    Main question for any site, especially these days.
                                                    I would disagree about promoting what you don't like. The odds of understanding what a surfer will like drop increasingly and the time is better spent on promoting porn you do like and understand.

                                                    It's as crazy as me shooting gay porn.

                                                    Tubes are the biggest threat today. For 99.99% there is no real need to buy porn when tubes are better for consumers. Giving consumers a reason to pay for porn on the site one promotes or owns is essential.

                                                    So why do so few sites give that?

                                                    Are they waiting for VR to be too expensive for Tubes and so essential for consumers, people will have to pay for it?



                                                    Blowout deal. 880 videos, 2,400 image sets, plus many RAW videos. $500.
                                                    PM me for a deal. Skype Paulmarkham70

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