Want to get a glimpse of what we are up against when it comes to Free Porn? Check this out

I said right in the first paragraph that I am not talking about lowering monthly membership fees. I would say this has virtually fuck all to do with conversions, maybe retention on the extreme end but not much different between $10 and $30.

While we're on the subject though, I put a paysite up with a friend years ago to win a bet. It cost $89 per month and converted at 1:200. I marketed it to people that frequented cam sites and used junk content and feeds from one of those cam places.

I partner with a small midwest US producer of traditional femdom content on my social site. He turns a healthy profit from having his content and promotions scattered across my site. It's beyond me why so many programs cling to the old $29.95/month screw you model which is clearly not working.

Yes, there will always be ppl who will sign up to old school sites. But those old school sites/networks needs to be of super quality to make any serious amt of sales in todays market. Over the years I have seen thousands and thousands of sponsors/programs and honestly, imo there are maybe 10 or 15 networks/sponsors in total who offers really super quality. I am not saying there arn't other sponsors who got some good titles here and there. Question is, is it worth $29.95 recurring monthly? If the market says no, chances are they will turn down $14.95 or $9.95 too

I'd like to plug Kink here as an example. They are old school with a hint of modern. They will make it (unless they do some unbelievably stupid things) simply because of their extreme uniqueness and quality.

Is it worth $29.95 *the first month* is really the first question you have to ask. Because if the site has no interaction then the only thing that changes on the site is a few updates. Even if the site updates every day, think about it... Person signs up for the first month to get access to 3,4,5,6,7,8+ years of content all for $29.95..... then these guys expect that person to pay another $29.95 each additional month for what, a most an additional 1% of new content??? Once they seen what you have they either downloaded it or watched as much as they want for that month and they moved on.

It's one (big) obstacle to get people to sign up initially for a picture and video site, but it is almost impossible to get them to rebill... besides the ones that forget, which likely makes up the vast majority of the ones that don't cancel after the first month. I am not saying that no one is doing, some sites are still retaining, but they are few and far between and its only g oing to get worse and worse.

So its getting harder and harder to make new sales for these sites and when they do they give the members no incentive to rebill, pay the same price to see a this -><- new content, every month? its crazy that people are still clinging on to this model.

Exactly. And you seem to think they'd leave our member area to go to some feature rich site with blogs and other shit. While in reality they're heading straight into the places like this one:

http://85.17.187.83/saff/index.php

Then they go straight to the download link, grab stuff and wank. And it's all happening in a deafening silence. Check this thing, it's half facebook size and it's silent like a fucking cemetry. Like a fucking tombstone.

They're doing there exactly what they did in our member area for years - download clip and wank, repeat. Only talk if you want more shit or more of this girl or something needs fixing. Otherwise, shut up and wank. The only difference is that they're getting their shit for free now thanks to DMCA.

Get rid of sick places like that, and things will be back to normal in no time.

Member to member videochat? Do Jesus... That's some pretty special community you have there. So you're basically saying that middle aged overweight mostly white guys (typical members) would videochat with each other while sitting in front of their monitors pants down and wanking? Jesus fucking Christ... But OK, if you somehow managed to have them doing that and even bitch when the shit is not working good for you... Although for me that sounds as something completely irrational.

Our members would not even talk to girls, let alone to each other. We tried that and many other sites in the niches we work with tried that too, and those live shows never attract more than 10% of members (which corresponds with the Mutt's estimations above pretty well), and make no difference whatsoever to the bottomline.

It's funny, these sites manage to monetize the content better than a lot of the programs they are ripping.

you people are doomed.

/thread

You're absolutely correct.

Of all the things we've tried over the years, member forums where you discuss what to shoot next with your members and take requests, that's about the only thing that works and it works GREAT.

We're not taking member requests currently because we're overstretched logistically, and we've learned the hard way it is better not to take member requests at all than not deliver what was promised. But if I'm to share a piece of advise with my fellow paysite/program owners - if you can accept member requests/scenarios and than deliver what's promised, $150 vbulletin script will be the best investment you made in your lifetime.

That's the kind of interaction that works - members would not talk to each other, most of them would not even talk to girls. But they WILL talk with you the producer, if you're willing to listen and answer and consider their suggestions for your new videos. Member participation in the creation of videos DOES increase loyalty and retentions.

I'd not recommend going 100% member requests route though because you'll end up being a weirdo site. 25-50% of updates shot using member ideas/scenarios is just fine.

Starting a racket where you are essentially threatening to air peoples viewing habits in public if they don't pay you isn't exactly going to dissuade that sentiment. Quite the opposite.

Shap Thanks for sharing, the comments are a good indications how "other" people are thinking about our business and in a way they are right!

This business is dying, there is simply too much free porn available, totally no innovation and/or chances going on and the consumers have multiple ways to spend their time online.

For sure floating on the same business model that once made you successful is definitely not a guarantee you will be successful in the future.

In my opinion by embracing new technologies, using other business models, offering your member base extra features, initiate star alliances with other companies in adult space there is a way to create a turning point.

Free porn will never disappear but it would be nice if their will be a definition of rules/penalties for each of us to use to minimize the quantity of free porn.

As for my own activities, I'm already looking for 4-5 months for the ideal partner to do some real voodoo magic and syndication but till today no results yet.

Till then we are doing a lot of innovating mainstream software development which we can later in adult space.

Like that's going to happen.

The vast majority of people have done nothing to change the way they operate. They still pay way too much to throw traffic at sites that except for HD have changed little in the last 5 years. They still don't spend enough on what the customers pay for.

Some sites still think adding 5 scenes that are exactly the same as the 500 already on the site id the way forward. Most sites contain bland "girl on a sofa/bed" porn. The same scene over and over again. How many sites employ on a full time or part time or even buy in from the top shooters in the business. People like these;

Viv Thomas
Pierre Woodman
Bill Wright
Jack Harrison
Steve Hicks

And I'm sure the list can be added to. All shooters working still in the porn industry and have always been "Guns for Hire". Except the Porn Internet could or would never pay them enough. But the DVD industry can and does. Yes the DVD industry has been hit, but they still can afford these guys.

How many sites have lots of live content, how many sites have a really good twist to their porn. AND how many sites just churn out the same porn they've been churning out for years?

How many sites update with a scene that makes the member want to stay?

I recently re reviewed a top site and was appalled at the basic mistakes being made by a shooter many praise here. So I sent the owner an email of suggestions to improve the content he's adding. Didn't even get the courtesy of a reply.

To sell successfully to a repeat buyer, you have to have something worthy of buying.

</rant>

PayPal has their dirty hands involved again. No surprise.

I am sure PayPal has made millions on theft - also with the sale of stolen goods on eBay.

so change your content so that it makes money for you when it gets shared.

there are more than 107 changes you could make that would do that.

Although I totally agree with you, imagine how many times Jobs was told that by the record and film companies whilst trying to launch iTMS.

I guess you are forgetting about the price of PRODUCTION.