Content Providers vs. Webmasters
 

The adult industry has certainly changed when we talk about content providers. They no longer rule the nest as webmasters are developing their own content in addition to content swapping.

Content providers that had the "big boy" mentality assuming they owned the industry and that webmasters had no where else to go to add content, are finding their sales dropping and leads drying up. Their attitude then becomes that of a trapped animal in a corner. For some providers they seem to forget the idea that in order to grow these days they are required to serve / help webmasters.

Example::

After reading comments about banners that make annoying sounds forcing those that you are hoping to sell content too run and turn their speakers off - then when these webmasters (*that you hope will buy from you) mention to turn it off or they wont do business with you - the content provider rather than seeing their advertising is annoying say to the webmaster - "your loss if you dont do business with us"

A very smart ass attitude that shows that not much has changed for some content providers out there. The webmasters are smarter and more equipped now to produce their own content - taking free affilliate programs and content swapping over paying a monthly fee.

In conclusion, I can only hope that for those that genuinely wish to assist and work with webmasters in a professional way are the ones that will survive as cream rising to the top. This also includes how they treat their own employees.

I have been privileged to know and work with some of the best in the market and I do feel that the problem does NOT (*I repeat DOES NOT) apply to all content providers - it is going to be up to the webmaster now who dictates which companies will survive in the adult industry.

Very true :thumbsup

There is another side to this you didn't mention. Content providers that realised they could make more money by starting their own pay sites :)

I was in the fortunate position of firstly being a Webmaster and partnered with a pornographer.

Well look at it this way:

Webmasters (customers) have needs or demands, you (content providers) depend on webmasters for rev and such to a extent.

If webmasters say yo i need this or that , then its common smart business to adapt to the changing needs of webmasters or they will go with another source that meets their demands

agreed

yep, the industry is changing. For years we've provided custom and exclusive content for numerous webmasters. With the influx of a zillion guys and their digital cameras, prices keep dropping and dropping.

For this reason, we still produce custom work for quite a few people, but are also venturing into partnership deals with a some large companies and some traffic folks....diversify and survive

see sig :)

that is another very good point - more than often content providers tell webmasters what they should be buying instead of being flexible to webmaster needs.

That is why it is important for providers to work together rather than apart so that if a webmaster asks for a particular set of pictures they can get it all in one package from one source for the same price rather than get hit with too many prices and all of them higher than the source

State of the industry seems to be a popular topic lately:

We are dependent upon the webmasters to be successful - unfortuanely some companies have forgotten that and came to the conclusion that they were dependent upon them - which at some point is true. As every industry does - change happens.

Those who embrace it survive those who don't well ......

:2 cents: Good businesses is good businesses - Do onto others has you would have done to you... What comes aroung goes around...

the cliques march on -

This industry has and is suffers from the same problems the software industry is suffering from they forgot to ask the customer what they wanted be it end user or webmaster.

So they (end users/webmasters) went out and did it for themselves. Big surprise.

Adapt or perish.

The proof is in the numbers.

MMV

sorry it doesn't work that way - that is a race to oblivion - and that race is in the final stretch. you bend to what webmasters want and you wind up selling content for pennies - content isn't cheap to produce. The reason u see blowout sales is content providers can't get enough sales at a fair price so they're doing it either as a way to cash out of the business or to make some quick cash to move on to other projects.

Smart shooters are doing what Gregg says - forming partnerships with people who have what they don't, traffic, or striking out on their own with their own paysites. The whole business is consolidating - fast.

Creating partnerships, traffic etc. is what smart "shooters" do - as we did with AEBN but I disagree and think you missed my point since I was not talking pricing of content and I dont feel that "bending" to webmasters does not mean you have to lower your prices. I do bend to help webmasters out which doesnt mean that I need to lower my pricing since that only leads into a downward spiral ultimately leading to the death of the provider.

One of my points that was not addressed was the attitude of some providers who have a superior mentality enough to say, "then go somewhere else" approach as was the case of another thread when someone complained about banner noise.

When it comes to producing content, if you do not listen to your webmasters you may be in left behind when the selection of content you hold so dearly becomes obsolete or overexposed to the point that they dont need your services anymore.