I guess it also depends on the niche you're in. If it's a niche where you have alot more competitors, then perhaps exclusive is your best bet. If you can shoot your own content, that much better.

I was wondering about plugins and if surfers are really looking for the extra bells and whistles and if you have a full enough site, are they really looking for more stuff?

How about chats? Have any of you added them to your sites? Are they busy?


Edit: Adding..........Dickman's Designs ROCK!! I like their work!

choose your payment processor very carefully - use recommendations.

Who would you recommend?

Im not a fan of bells and whistles, that of course is just a personal opinion. I have no hard data either way if members care which way it goes in regards to those.

I would say do the following no matter the route.

Provide the absolute best value for the dollar to your members. They will gladly pay more if the quality and value is present.

Worry more about keeping customers over aquiring new ones. Customer service should be a top priority.

Offer as many options as possible with the content you do have. A huge image size next to the reduced image size, 2-3 movie types, clips as well as the full length video ect.

Listen to your members requests. If they feel they have an impact with the site they will stick around.

Be very picky over quality. It is your money your spending and it will be your site associated with it, demand what you want when you buy.

FAC, thanks a million, I appreciate those wise words.

Came back from supper and was hoping I'd find some more advice.

So I'll just bumpity-bump-bump :)

ask more questions :winkwink:

What is required - server-wise for a small paysite?
Is a mirror necessary right away? Or at all?
Protection? Who/What do you recommend?
What percentage, do you think, should go back into advertising?

Have any of you been sabotaged by competitors?

1. The best hosting you can afford with a small dedicated server.
2. Not right away.
3. I like pennywize others like different programs. Reliable techs that should be at your hosting company help alot ... see 1.
4. Depends on when. I would devote at least 80-90% of the sites proceeds back into the site for the first few months at least (6 I would say).

Keep in mind you work for your affiliates they do not work for you.

I'm really weary of getting affiliates right away so I'll really be working for myself - and I'm quite demanding.

Never be the 50th poster in a thread.

Haha....shit I was just going to do that and finally say 50! and get it right.....ah well you fucked my plan....shit la merde!

Is it good to be #52 then? :winkwink:

Well we have proof that any post is good....even if it's just a
:) Eventually they pay off :)

Odds are you will end up with a camera out of this so now you can fix that custom content issue.

I'll end up with a camera? How so?

BTW, I'm sure others have a shitload of questions that I'm really not thinking of right now.

We have people nice enough to answer the questions (and not being offensive) how about asking some?

i think when opening a paysite you need to be able to send at least 5-10 signups a day on your own
do the math what a waste it would be if you cannot generate a decent number yourself

and starting out with an affiliate program from day 1 is just stupid
you are not experienced enough to do that.

promote it on your own and start learning how it works

hope this helps you :winkwink:
its a little thank you for the dmoz help you offered me hehe :thumbsup

If you get thread of the day you get one. My bets say you will get it.

I know enough to know I do not know enough so please everyone take my thoughts as mere opinions tested by myself with my own products.

i used to use IBILL when i had a paysite years ago, and i don't have one anymore, so i can't recommend anyone. i'm sure someone here can.

I do not know if you "need" 5-10 a day or are you talking trials?

If I sent 10 a week at 30.00 each thats nearly 300.00 a week not counting rebills, (1200.00 a month) which may not be bad for someone looking to supplement their income.

Do limit promotion to yourself and maybe a few friends to work out the kinks instead of jumping into the affiliate arena.

FAC.....nobody's going to take your word to the bank.....help & advice is all we're asking for and thankfully, you're obliging.

I doubt it'll win thread of the day......there are a few posts regarding the big-sig sale :)

Actually - experience is good enough for me. Theory doesn't work well on the marketplace - people don't always react as the textbooks say.

Another question - is it wise to get 900 billing? & Do you think a secondary processor is a good idea?

I agree that I should test it with my traffic. It's the traffic I know - and I think the signups won't be a problem - I hope!

As for the DMOZ help - you asked for help....you got it. As long as you don't ask for listings - it's all good. :-))

900 billing is alot like check billing. True you will get alot of returns or uncollected and it may cost you a little in bandwidth. Yet if you do not accept it your just leaving money sitting on the table.

Well a backup is good. I personally do not like cascading though.

FAC, as long as it pays it's own bills, grows in a stable fashion, surfers are happy and recurring, I'll be happy with that. If I don't forget anything or have taken care of all ends possible beforehand, it should grow. I'm just worried that something out of nowhere pops up that I hadn't taken into consideration beforehand.

Time will tell I guess.

I think I should get that. I remember at one point EscortBiz had found a way for them not to fuck you over. I wonder if it's still that way and if he is going to put that out on the market.


Do you know if Europeans mind the USD billing? Do they prefer other methods of payment?


EDIT: FAC, sorry if I'm drilling you.....any time you want to stop, let me know......hopefully someone else will take some of the pressure off ya! Thanks, it's appreciated!

Most for me have not said much and we have plenty of overseas members. I am sure other payment options would only help though. I know I been fiddling with the ccbill dialer now for a bit, figured why not.

Dont worry about asking questions. Its more fun than just being sarcastic in threads (which I am going to go do some more of now while you prep a few more).

Are you seeing better results? All US customers though, right?



How about processing companies, what has to be ready for them when they come to see it for compliance? The legal stuff, do they recommend it or do you need to get your lawyer to set that up for you first? The entire site has to be behind password protection or do they provide that for you?

Results are still out on dialer. We do already have a mix on non US members.

What needs to be ready (based on ccbill).
1. enough content to justify a members area.
2. title 18 info.
3. they password protect.

Lawyers are always a great idea.

What amount is considered enough content to justify a members area?

If money is tight I would go for a mixture. If it non-exclusive you have to make sure the quality is top-notch. None of the bargain basement 200,000 pics for $4.99 shit LOL

A shockingly low amount, actually it is very sick. I would never try to start anything on the lower end of the spectrum, though I am sure it hovers near what could pass on an AVS site.

Biggest mistake is to pay too much for hosting and signing long contracts :(

Actually, I've looked at a few sites 'new sites' lately and wasn't impressed with their content - or lack of.

Out of curiosity, do any of you recycle your content? After a year or so, or do you remove your updates? Anyone updating daily?

How about hand picked affiliates! Talk to them on the phone! Know where they live! Get to know and trust them. Any doubts, skip 'em. That way you have some people pushing your site and you avoid the BS.

If I were one of your affiliates, I would have something to offer, that others didn't. that adds value to my site!

What's considered a long contract? 1 Year? 2 Years?

Where the server is concerned, I think I'd be covered. I have great guys who have taken care of me since our initiation assfuck when we got in the biz 5 years ago. That was one fucking fiasco I'd never go through again!!

Once content goes up it stays up. I could use the script so that new members go through the old stuff first and get older updates ect, but see no reason in it. Maybe if I was doing cookie cutter front ends and redundant back ends I could understand the logic.

We working towards daily updates.

.htaccessing your front page ;)

On hosting? Geeeeze, one month - been stung a time or two. Need a way out, incase something is wrong.