Do You Need A Blog?

Before I begin my long commentary on how to make the most of blogs, I thought it best to begin with why you need a blog.

As a primer, read Is blogging here to stay? Can you use it?. When ready, proceed...

In the MySpace/Social Networking talks with erotica authors, Autumn Seave of Inky Blue Allusions said:

Blogging is huge in making yourself known. Not just promoting your site, but letting people know who you are and why you do what you do. People tend to do business with people they feel they have a relationship with. So, MySpace is great for blogging and revealing part of yourself that allows people to be comfortable with you.

This is an important thing in our business. You know The Whore is all about being a classy bit of tail, but let's face it: our business has an image problem.

The number of people who have concerns over how we run our business is huge ~ and not without reason. Bait & switch links, memberships that are nearly impossible to end, charging for content that is free elsewhere etc. all these things nasty little crack-whore webmasters and other disease ridden sluts do, these affect public perception every time a person considers your site, publication, shoppe etc.

A blog can do much to counter-act these apprehensions.

As Autumn said, people feel more comfortable doing business with those they know. If they at least feel you are a real person, they'll be more likely to trust you. And your blog can do that ~ how is for later.

This of course is all on the premise that you have a website or business that your blog accompanies. What if you want your blog to be your business?

While it's true there's money to be made by being a blogger with affiliate programs or selling ad space, this is trickier. You are selling the product of another (or many others). So your reputation is just as vital; others will apply your credibility to the evaluation of who/what you are selling.

I don't recommend just signing up for any & all the affiliate programs you can. And I certainly would expect that you have an interest in ~ if not passion for ~ the niche or topics you plan to talk about. Because random uncaring posts are like that skanky crack-whore sex: no one's interested unless desperate. (Sex with a pro may be loveless, but it's not without it's care.) And with so many prime locations already staked out, desperate folks won't even find you.

In recently interviewed Richard Evans Lee, who has more blogs than I can count at this time. Many of his blogs you'll recognize for he's quite a successful sex blogger. I asked him, "You've been doing this a long time, in Internet Years ;) Many "sex blogs" have come and gone during this time. To what do you attribute the longevity of your blog? Any advice for sex bloggers?" And this was his reply:

I enjoy doing it. While I do run ads I never expect it to support me. Too many bloggers start in search of profit. They usually fall by the wayside.

If you don't get some sort of personal fulfillment and pleasure from having a sex blog - or any blog - it is best to not bother.

So I guess the best way to answer the question, "Do you need a blog?" is to decide if you are ready to invest the time, care and even passion into it? If the answer is 'No' ~ or you disagree with what's been presented here and you believe you can make a fast easy buck ~ then I'd say, "Stop being a $5 crack whore licking the public's face!" It's not sexy and you're ruining the images of the rest of the quality escorts.

If the answer is 'Yes', then stick around, subscribe to the newsletter, and I'll tell you more.

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Sugasm

Sugasm is: The best of this weeks blogs by the bloggers who blog them. The list highlights the top 3 posts as chosen by Sugasm participants as well as editor's pick etc.

I just made This Week's Picks (with Arrogant Penis) and that's rather cool. But I'm not just whoring myself here ~ I'm suggesting this as a means to whore yourself.

How Sugasm works is that you submit a link to your sex writing, erotica, or other sexy blog bit via this form.

Once the next week's issue (list) has been posted, and you've made the list, you repost the linklist within a week. This means your blog whores all participants (and gives you some 'free' content to post) ~ and all those participants are also whoring your blog.

It's simple enough ~ but remember, only send in your best stuff. Other bloggers are evaluating you so don't waste their time or embarrass yourself with a bad entry. Better to skip a week than show-off something less than stellar.

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Social Networking on MySpace, Part Two

Continuing from Part One...

How consistent are you with managing your MySpace account? I myself intended to make weekly blog updates, but I sometimes feel lucky if I get in for messages etc. Do you think being consistent if not very active is important in social networking?

Carrie: I have to admit to not being that consistent with updating the blog on MySpace, probably because it's not my main writing blog. That is here. I also have a few other writing blogs dotted around the place that also get very few postings published to. I no longer have a personal blog to write on due to too many nasty comments and reactions. I log in at least once a day to pick up blog subscription messages, friend requests and messages. I think it's extremely important to do that because I want to keep the account updated and fresh for promotional purposes.

Jolie: My MySpace page is updated once a week. It's very important to update at MySpace on a consistent basis.

Autumn: I login at least once a day. I blog - well, I try to blog twice a week but I'm happy if I've added something interesting once a week.

Is it important? Definitely. People won't come back to your blog or your space if you don't have anything interesting to read/view/listen to. And if people write you messages and you don't get back to them for a week at a time they think you don't care. Once again, it all goes back to people feeling that they have a relationship with you. And actually developing relationships with people - not just putting in an appearance once in awhile.

What do you use MySpace for? (Here are some ideas, feel free to add your own ~ and if more than one purpose, please guesstimate percentages.)

Marketing/selling to clients/customers.

Networking with other professionals in your field.

To establish connections with press, writers, publications you hope will help promote you.

The free blog service.

Ability to start a group/community devoted to yourself or your works.

Socializing/staying connected with friends & family.

Really, it's just for the free link(s) to your sites &/or projects; you put little thought into its larger purpose.

Autumn: As I've already mentioned, developing relationships with potential readers/clients is important so that's the biggest thing for me. Not just potential buyers, but the ones who like to read for free as well. They are just as important as the buyers. (I'd say 50% is for this purpose!)

Meeting other people in the industry is important as well. There is so much to learn for someone who is so relatively new, like myself. IBA is almost a year old but I started out knowing virtually nothing. A lot that I've learned has come from people I've met ... (About 20% for this purpose.)

The bulletins are a great way to make people aware of new things you have to offer. For instance, my Members Area just opened in January, so bulletins are good for making people aware. I put on a pre-sale special in a bulletin (as well as the blog) so that people here would have a chance to purchase memberships at a drastically reduced price. (10% for bulletins)

Carrie: I use MySpace for Networking with other professionals in my field. I've received a few review requests via MySpace and establishing connections with press, writers and publications. I don't expect anybody to promote me though I've had one or two posts written about me and about my work. I would say it was about 50/50 on the percentages. I don't use MySpace for forming close friendships offline or for keeping in touch with family.

Jolie: I use MySpace for promotion.

Do you have specific goals with MySpace? (Say, hitting a number of friends, targeting specific audiences, recruiting etc.) Or do you just participate and see what comes of it all?

Carrie: I tend to just participate and see what comes out of it all. I'm quite lazy in that respect but really, it's more to do with the lack of time more than anything else. If I'd used it that way when I first started out on the Internet it would have worked out better but I didn't know about it right at the start so I missed out on that opportunity.

Autumn: Sara had some very definite goals. One was to hit 1000 friends by Christmas and I was very impressed that she did that. Another was to visit and comment on every friends page, which she also did. I, myself, not so much. My main goal is to update a couple times a week at least.

Jolie: I'd like to hit a goal of 1,000 friends, but it's not planned. I don't send out friend request. They come to me!

When it comes down to it, MySpace is just another way of networking ~ only instead of a professional organization, it's a much bigger pool with more 'public' to reach. This is good in the sense that you can reach more people, but also each profile or member is a single piece of straw in an immense pile... How do you stand out? What do you do to be found?

Jolie: I have over 800 friends, but I try to keep in contact with about 100 of them. A lot of people have me on their top 24 because of the contact.

Carrie: To increase my exposure I link to my profile from my main writing website, post comments on other friend's profiles on MySpace and I make sure my profile is attractive to look at. Most of the friend's requests I've received are from authors who I've worked with and reviewed their books/websites who have then gone looking for me on MySpace.

If you have a website or blog independent of MySpace, is there any difference between marketing/promoting it as opposed to your MySpace page?

Jolie: I update my website but it doesn't have the people interaction like MySpace does.

Autumn: Blogging, bulletins, and comments. And of course, responding to messages!

Carrie: I do have a website and blog independent of MySpace and I consider these more important for promotional purposes. My main website has been around for 6 years at various domains and I've worked hard to get it where it is today. It still requires more work, though, from me to get it higher up in the search engines. My daily traffic is really low compared to my partner's website! I consider my main website as more important than MySpace as it looks and reads more professional. It holds so much more information than my MySpace profile. I don't like to overload my profile at MySpace because it can then look cluttered and amateurish. There are no ads or pop-ups on my site.

Do you feel you reach more professionals in your area (for ex. authors meeting other authors or publishers) or more consumers (continuing the example, authors meeting book buyers or book reviewers)?

Autumn: So far I would say more professionals.

Carrie: I feel I've reached more professionals via MySpace. Mind you, I can't tell if any of the hits to my book on Lulu.com has come from MySpace or elsewhere! Few people go from MySpace to Hentracks or Sexography, though.

Jolie: Actually, both!

I find that I've had more interaction with and concrete results with professionals at MySpace ~ for example, this whole interview or conversation happened there ;) But when it comes to readers or consumers, not so much. To be fair, it's not always possible to 'see' transactions that occur at other sites. (Hits to my sites, but sales not so much.) Can you definitively state that you have made sales because of MySpace, and if so, pls. describe. If not a direct sale, what other deals or connections have made MySpace worth the time?

Autumn: Definite sales, no. Page views, yes.

Jolie: I don't have a way to tell about the print anthologies, but I have sold ebooks through my MySpace contacts. I've also received book reviews from MySpace friends.

Carrie: I can't say for definite I've received any sales or downloads from MySpace. I've got no way of tracking the hits or download stats of my freebies so I just keep them up there any way! I have had many contacts with authors though which enable me to reach them when I have review offers taking place. This is a good way of networking and it's given me an idea of changing the way I request review submissions. Hopefully, I can increase the amount of requests even further by adding the ability to accept them on MySpace.

I have made linking partners though, which is another important part of increasing your presence on the web.

So, there's a lot of effort which goes into social networking. Overall, do you consider MySpace a worthwhile endeavor?

Autumn: Absolutely. The more effort you put into it, the more you reap the rewards!

Jolie: YES!

Carrie: I would say that it is, definitely. I have had more chance of getting to know people in the same field and genre as me and it has connected me to some excellent erotic magazines thereby increasing my chances of publication. If you don't mind the ads I would recommend it to anyone for networking and promotion.

The Participants:

Autumn Seave: Webmistress of Inky Blue Allusions which features erotic serials (with personal bi-weekly email option or membership option), short stories, and audioerotica. Autumn & company have officially been on MySpace for about a year ~ "But we only really got serious about it around 4 months ago."

Jolie du Pre: Author of lesbian erotica and erotic romance. She also runs GLBT Promo and Ebooks by Jolie at MySpace. Her website is www.joliedupre.com. Jolie's been on MySpace since 2004, but says, "I didn't become active until May of 2006."

Carrie White: An Erotic Writer & Book/Website Reviewer. She also writes sex toy buy guides for a well known sex toy shop on the Internet. Her websites are Hentracks and Sexography. Carrie's been on MySpace for about 3 or 4 years, if not longer.

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Newsletter Subscriptions

It has been brought to my attention that there was a problem with subscribing to the newsletter. All gremlins have been removed and it's working correctly now.

My apologies for the errors.

Please subscribe (or re-subscribe) so that you get the newsletters ~ I promise not to trade, share or whore your information and the newsletters are not full of adds. (Less than this blog has, honest!)

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Affiliates and Product Reviews

Valentine's Day is another big adult buying season. You can capitalize on it with product reviews and affiliate links.

Focus on getting those product reviews written & published ASAP. Even those that are published too close to the holiday in terms of shipping time for consumers will bear fruit ~ Remember, folks receive cash and gift certificates. Your 'late reviews' may garner you sales after the holiday too.

If you have 'old' but hot products which you have positively reviewed some time ago, remind your visitors of these gems. You can even make holiday gift lists, "Top 10 Sexy Gifts For Women" etc., which link to those older reviews.

If your site isn't one of those that has been doing product reviews, this is difficult to begin now ~ there's very little time to get product, use it, write & publish reviews. However, there are some ways around this too.

Bloggers have it easy. Simply make an entry regarding all the 'buzz' about some new product. Do not lie and say you tried it, but mention how you predict it will be The gift this year, or mention how badly you want one. If you have newsletters (and if you don't, please remind me to smack you with rolled up newspapers!) you can do the same sorts 'entries' in those publications.

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Writing, Publishing & Editing Smut

I (finally) got around to publishing my thoughts at New Publisher Journal and this reminded me of an older post about the status of erotica. (I am not the only one thinking about that.)

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Social Networking on MySpace, Part One

You've likely all heard the hype about MySpace and other social networking sites. Praised as a huge boon for marketing, sites like MySpace sure do have potential and there's no shortage of articles on using social networking sites. Even Rachel Kramer Bussel's chimed in on the subject.

Once upon a time, any professional who didn't have their own URL was considered less than credible. Now enter MySpace and other social sites and suddenly you're told you're missing out if you don't register and begin blogging, posting bulletins and be-friending as fast as you can. If your own domain name and official website were necessary to branding, it now seems that you must be a part of another site in order to be cool ~ or at least accessible to the cool.

A presence at MySpace, FaceBook, Oomph or the like is not only a 'must do' to reach customers, but the number of contacts or friends has even been used like magazine circulation numbers to add to sales dollars. If public comments become testimonials about you & your products become the pull, the number of friends you have becomes business leverage.

Purported to be an easy tool for the marketer who believes in buzz Vs. ad dollars, is social networking the real thing?

I decided to have a few of my MySpace friends chime in with me on the subject. Meet the participants:

Autumn Seave: Webmistress of Inky Blue Allusions which features erotic serials (with personal bi-weekly email option or membership option), short stories, and audioerotica. Autumn & company have officially been on MySpace for about a year ~ "But we only really got serious about it around 4 months ago."

Jolie du Pre: Author of lesbian erotica and erotic romance. She also runs GLBT Promo and Ebooks by Jolie at MySpace. Her website is www.joliedupre.com. Jolie's been on MySpace since 2004, but says, "I didn't become active until May of 2006."

Carrie White: An Erotic Writer & Book/Website Reviewer. She also writes sex toy buy guides for a well known sex toy shop on the Internet. Her websites are Hentracks and Sexography. Carrie's been on MySpace for about 3 or 4 years, if not longer.

I began using MySpace, and any and all social networking sites that I belong to, for the same reasons: I got tired of all my associates and friends telling me to join ~ and that things would be so much easier if I would message them there. I eventually gave in. What brought you to MySpace? Was it a friend, or other social reason, or was it for business reasons?

Autumn: One of my writers suggested it as a means of reaching potential readers. But now that I'm here it is for business but also very social. I love talking to people and getting to know what makes them tick!

I know that part of building a business is having a presence on the Internet and MySpace is one of the biggest places to build a presence.

Jolie: Business reasons - promotion. I started to take MySpace seriously because other authors took it seriously.

Carrie: I don't think I was ever referred to MySpace. I probably came across another author's profile and thought, "Seems like a good idea."

I initially joined for fun I think but then, saw how it could be used for promotion so I started to really push it out. I found places that provided free MySpace layouts and codes and customized my profile to make it look more attractive.

What had you heard about MySpace? Any success stories?

Carrie: Since I joined, I've read numerous articles about the promotional opportunities on the site, and have decided to stick with my account. I've met a number of good writers on here and have been put in touch with many more. So, all in all, I think it’s a good way of networking and finding friends who write in the same genre as you. Another friend of mine, P.G Forte also mentioned how much better her sales of a particular book was after posting details about it upon her profile. So, I've added details of my books to my profile and am just waiting to see how well my sales do!

Autumn: I'd heard good things from others who are musicians and in other forms of the arts and when I realized that the adult industry has it's own presence here I knew I couldn't ignore it.

Is this your first try with a site like MySpace, or have you previously tried other sites like Friendster, Tribe, Ryze etc?

Jolie: This is my first try with a site like MySpace.

Autumn: This is the first time I've been serious. I dabbled in msnspaces (under a different name and for more personal type stuff) and hi5 (I can't even remember my name there!) but only playing around. And I guess I just didn't stay around long enough to really get to know anyone. Oh, and I did spend some time at CherryTap, which is fun, but I prefer MySpace.

Carrie: MySpace was the first site of this kind for me but since then I've joined Xpeeps.com which is an adult version and other community style blogs and groups, though MySpace is the one I'm most active on. I get some pervy contacts from Xpeeps but you kind of expect that to some degree. If you visit, I have to warn you, it's a bit more raunchy on there which includes my profile picture ;)

I think it's really important to get your name out there within your chosen field so I now have profiles all over the place even if I don't update them all the time.

Between blogging, sending/replying to messages, befriending others etc, how many hours do you put into managing your MySpace account?

Autumn: For myself, I'd say a couple hours a week. But my Queen of Marketing and Promotions, Sara Winters (i.e. BlueSW) spent the most time building the profile, editing blogs, promoting, building a friends list, and doing bulletins. At the beginning I bet she spent at least 10 hours a week. She rocks!

Carrie: I put in maybe a couple of hours a week which gives me plenty of time to answer messages, approve or deny friend requests, post on the blog and read comments etc. It's enough time for me to do what I need and keep the profile updated.

Jolie: 1/2 hour a day for all three sites.

As women, how much of your time is spent not only with 'spam' messages, but the unwanted pervy approaches? (Hey, I gotta ask!)

Autumn: I get 3 or 4 spam messages a week and 1 or 2 pervs every week. That is what inspired my latest blog entry "We're People Too!" I mostly ignore them but if they are particularly nasty I send them a message to let them know it is not appropriate. They are usually apologetic and stop.

Carrie: I've been pretty lucky so far and have very few if any spam or pervy comments. My only complaint is despite setting my account not to accept friend requests from bands, some still do trickle through. I've also been notified of a suspect profile on MySpace via my Xpeeps account and have successfully managed to get it closed down. I'm trusting too much some would say and up until now I allowed free rein on my comments. That's all been changed now and my password and email login as been changed too, due to unsuccessful login attempts on my account.

Jolie: Very little of my time. I'm careful about who I approve on my friend spaces.

As you can see, working social network sites requires some dedication and devotion of time. In the next parts we'll get into using the site features & discuss what rewards there may be.

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Case Study For Moving Target Markets: The Village Voice

A Case Study for moving target markets: The Village Voice

An example of the fluid, moving consumer is the change at the Village Voice. In attempts to go from appealing to the single reader they've fired Rachel Kramer Bussel and replaced her single self with not one but two married moms. With all respect to Rachel, it makes sense to accept that your readership is aging and that children are now a part of their lives.

But the way to make change wasn't full of sense.

Not just 'new', it's a sharp turn to the left that many readers didn't see coming. Many readers just don't know why Rachel's no longer there. They feel a loss ~ and it's not going to feel any better or familiar when they read who is there. It's a pretty big jump to take, married or single.

Problems with change aside, there's one giant problem that the Village Voice should have anticipated: who their readers really are.

That they moved sharply from one stereotype (of the single sexually free woman) to another one of sexless moms. Their readership may be aging and therefore getting married and having kids, but they made an assumption that their aging readership was some version of 1950's parents who slept in separate twin beds ~ not for the sake of TV censors, but due to the realities of limited time and fear of aging issues. Not all people age so, and fans of the Village Voice feel especially that they have not.

While the Village Voice may have been wise to remember their maturing readership, they sure missed the mark when they used old school marketing names and descriptions for consumer types.

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Better Aim With Snipper Marketing

In "A Market of One" marketer Greg Hoyos (friend of the blog) writes:

"One consumer. One person. Each one of us as the ultimate segment. No two of us are alike."

His thoughts are based on the fact that we are, each of us, an individual market unto ourselves; that as we have shrugged off labels and resist being labeled ourselves we have become less identifiable ~ at least as far as marketing is concerned.

His words are true. The complexities of which he speaks are often the stuff that makes a non-schooled marketing person cringe (and many schooled ones as well), but don't let that stop you from reading & learning. What Greg is saying is that many 'professional marketers' need to un-learn and then re-learn. Like old dogs learning tricks, it is harder for them than for many of you self-taught marketing folks.

His bottom line, or at least the most striking part to me, is this:

"What marketers need to do is look for new commonalities, accepting however that these are transient. They also need - and this is marketing heresy - to accept fuzziness in markets, not to expect precise returns for precise programmes, and to plan fast responses to a moving target."

What he's advising is the very stuff many of the best adult webmasters are doing ~ being aware that, especially on the Internet, people are moving and that you must be flexible and if not anticipate where they are moving to, at least be ready to follow.

It may mean, in fact require, that you be prepared to literally follow your consumers from place to place. Your advertising locations may change from MySpace to Oomph. You may be forced to change the format of your promotional efforts from the old way of thumbnail galleries to the new way of blogs. Did the technology change to meet consumer needs or did the consumer change in the face of new things? It's the chicken or the egg in the sense that in some cases it's one, in the next the other. But you need to think of what is available, what it is popular ~ with whom ~ and why, and what you'll need to do in order to be found.

Once you are found, what changes are your customers experiencing which you will need to deal with? Individuals get married, have children, get divorced, all of which affects their consumption practices (and volume), as do new jobs with higher incomes, the loss of a job, religious conversions, and growing older. While individuals do these things it is individuals which form groups: groups of married people, parents, born again Christians, senior citizens. While this was once the old school approach to marketing, it is no longer enough. I may be a parent, but do I view myself as one? With the birth of my child do I get a subscription to Parenting Magazine or do I keep Maxim? Do I get both? You may be over 60, but if you don't join AARP, are you really in that senior group? Maybe you're watching XGames, playing with your Wii, consuming Cheetos, and washing it down with Mountain Dew rather than coffee. There's no longer the old 'senior citizens' group, but several smaller sectors within (and nearby). Smaller markets, each with a more unique sense of individuality ~ and a greater fluidity or movement between groups. (For more on this, read The End of Consumer Segmentation?, also by Greg.)

This does not mean you change your niche with every trend you see, or jump-ship on what you already do, but rather that you modify actions, expectations and navigation. This does not mean you grab every tech gizmo you read about & implement it your site or in your business model, but rather that you see what is trendy (and therefore popular at the moment) and see what the 'it' factor is. For example, podcasts. Sold and told to us as the latest Great Thing, podcasting really appeals to a very small audience of youngsters. If your target audience is young hipsters, perhaps podcasts are the way for you to go; if not, why bother? At the same time, ponder why podcasts are popular to these young consumers and unpopular with other folks and see what you can see.

One thing is for certain: You will need to stop thinking of your ideal consumer as a large stationary target market of sitting ducks and think of them as a smaller flock of individual moving ones. You can no longer take random shots into the center of the large flock and hope you hit something (per the old adult webmaster number games); you'll need to pick them off one by one.

You are going to need better aim.

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Free PR Book Froom PRWeb

I received this email from PRWeb:

The rules of PR have changed.

The influence of the Internet has not only changed the way both the media and your customers choose to receive their news and find information, it has opened the door for a whole new set of influencers, including bloggers. All of this means more visibility for your news and, ultimately, more results for your business, but only if you understand online PR.

Keep your PR team one step ahead of the competition and extend the reach of your news, make sure your organization leverages 'The New Rules of PR'.

Authored by marketing strategist and online expert David Meerman Scott and updated for 2007, "The New Rules of PR" includes practical 'newsmarketer' tips from David McInnis, founder and CEO of PRWeb, the leader in maximizing distribution and optimization of your news online.

They include:

* Optimizing your news releases for search
* Utilizing online distribution services to reach thousands of web sites and blogs
* Leveraging advanced social media features including TrackBacks/PingBacks and Technorati tagging to extend the reach of your news
* Developing content that attracts your key audiences and drives traffic to your site

Use the power of the Internet to your advantage, learn the new rules of PR! Visit PRWeb and receive your free copy of "The New Rules of PR" today.

Regards,

Joe Beaulaurier
Interactive Marketing Manager

I downloaded it but have not read it yet; while I am certain it's not aimed at adult marketers, I'm certain it's worth the time. So grab your copy.

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Knock-Knock

Do you know who is at your door?

Well, actually it is 'click-click' ~ Who is visiting your website?

Why are they there?

Are they staying, buying, leaving?

In business, there are terms for this stuff: traffic, visitors, conversions, ROI, statistics & demographics, and of course, profit.

A good business person knows who is arriving at their site, why they came, if they are happy enough to buy, etc.

Of course, all this information helps you know how to get them back, how to find more like them, and hopefully how to sell more (both to them & the new visitors).

How much do you know about the folks you service?

Aside from tracking website visitors, knowing what keywords they searched for, or links they came from, do you know if they are male? Female? Queer? Over 30?

Are they happy to find you, or were they mislead by some link & left abruptly?

If they purchased, are they happy to do so again? Would they tell others how cool your stuff is?

Have you asked them?

The Whore sure is a tease today ~ all these questions, and no answers!

I'd love to help you find out. Subscribe to the newsletter, post your comments & questions, and contact me with your questions & ideas.

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Interview With Matt of Darker Pleasures (Part Two)

Just as it takes a masterful hand to deliver torture that teases & pain that pleases, it takes a master to deliver devilish digital delights. Matt, who runs Darker Pleasures, does just that.

Not only is his site first class, but so is Matt. Not many adult webmasters are so willing to share their advice & experience with another ~ let alone the webmasters with successful sites. Most ignore you, many provide rude refusals, and the others have bad advice (whether done on purpose to send you in the wrong direction, or just plain ignorance to how business is done, I can't say for certain...)

But anyway, Matt is a gem, and this interview (which started here) is full of lots of the same.

Do you run the site alone? (Any partners?)
I'm basically it. Christine Dannemont was instrumental in being our only model for the first year. I have a silent partner that owns the business and takes care of the bills, but I'm your Jack-of-all-trades.

Did you 'make' the site yourself, or hire a web designer etc?
Just little ole me. In fact, I've designed and created web sites for others I've worked with as well. Rico Tymann's now defunct "Strict Times" (defunct having nothing to do with my work, by the way) and Raven Twisted's "Terrorgasm" are examples. I've also done a couple of normal-people sites, but they'd probably rather not be mentioned here.

Do you create all the site content, stories & photos, yourself? Do you purchase any?
We did the first year and a good part of the second. Once we got some financial stability we started farming out the photographs to other photographers and models. We use Strict Times, Fantasy Modeling, Exxep Studios, and Shadowplay Imaging quite a bit, as well as others. I still did most of the writing with the help of the talented Elizabeth Faraday until mid-2002ish, at which time we started commissioning freelance writers as well. I tend to think we have some of the most talented writers in the field now, several of whom have been published in mainstream.

Oh, and I still write when time permits. I love blue moons.

How do the women models feel about the site?
Depends on the model. Some of them pretty much disavow our existence as being beneath them. That's unfortunate, but a lot of models start out in this biz and work there way into things they'd share with their families. Others are ambivalent - its work. A few really get into the scene and love it. I mentioned Raven Twisted earlier. We've also had a few others, and are looking at two more as I speak... um... type.

What is the worst aspect of your work?
That would either be the hours - I put in a whole lot of time at this, or the current political climate - our government administration doesn't care too much for what we do, and has pretty much made no bones about the fact that they're hunting. Looking over your shoulder, even when you know that you're well within legal bounds, is no fun.

What part of your work do you enjoy the most?
Writing. I love writing. If I could just write, I'd be happy as a clam. My serial novel, Families, is so much fun. I'd give an eye tooth (I'll keep my other body parts, thank you) to have time to go back and edit and expand some of my earlier stuff.

What traits do you think you have that have made the site so successful?
I like to think that the site's personality keeps people around. I inject a lot of me into the site, and I think folks like that. It doesn't hurt that we make sure both our pictures and stories are of the highest quality. I also think that we have a unique set-up that caters solely to one niche. We'll never beat out Playboy, Hustler, or Cyberpornmondowebsites of America, but we don't want to.

And which things do you find you need to improve upon or seek outside help (outsourcing etc) for?
Um... I'd love to get video clips back, but until Acacia Research is defeated and burning in Hades, that's not gonna happen. Otherwise, to be honest, I'd like to spiff up the place a little more, but I really think what we do works well. All the pros seem to think that our white backdrop is quaint (as opposed to "Porn Black") and the site simplicity lets members enjoy the stuff. Sounds good to me.

In percentages, how is your time divided on site work? For example, what percent of time is spent on marketing, subscriber help, content creation, site work like coding & design, etc?
My eyes are crossing here.

Coding and design - 30%
Marketing - 20%
Content creation - 20%
Editing - 20%
Customer service - 10%

But those numbers change as time goes on. After a while, there's only so much marketing you can do. I mainly tweak these days (marketing, not what you thought - get your mind outta the gutter). Sometimes, customer service goes way up, like when some idiot hacker manages to get hold of a list of old usernames and passwords. Hackers need to burn in Hades right next to Acacia, but that's a whole 'nother story into itself.

When you analyze the site in a business sense, what are the most critical areas? Marketing? Content creation?
Both, but without really good marketing, you'll never get anyone to come see your pretty content. Marketing gets 'em there and content keeps 'em there. These days, getting them there requires an act of Congress. Also, porn sites are a dime a dozen. The last time I read, there were something like seventy-three gazillion porn sites on the 'Net. You have to do something special. Pick a niche that hasn't been overdone and then make your site into a one-of-a-kind experience. You won't keep everyone, but the ones you keep will be there because no one else does what you do the same way you do it.

There's one more part to come!

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Too Big For Britches?

Chelsea Girl, of Pretty Dumb Things, has an excellent post discussing the Google & sex blogs situation, including the irony of press regarding the 'excluded' blogs not linking to said blogs.

In her article she quotes:

"So what if a few sex blogs drop down in Google search results?"

"The problem is that with so much power concentrated in one company, Google, one small mishap has the potential to punish small independent blogs or web businesses that depend on Google-generated traffic."

To which she replies, "with great popularity comes great responsibility."

True.

I however, cannot resist noting that this post is by a blogger who has the luxury of having a Web.BlogAds account. I say 'luxury' because this company isn't, according to my own personal experience and those of others who have whined and bitched to me, open to new ad space. This is to say that if you have a blog you cannot just register & host ads ~ you must be referred to them by a member or some magical means of contact for emails to the company regarding hosting ads are not even replied to.

No hard feelings towards Chelsea Girl (and the others in the Web Blog Ads network), I know this is not your doing; but it's quite frustrating. This is very much like the Google situation: A company with a great service ignores the needs of those it serves.

This isn't merely a rant without meaning or a personal grudge; it's one of irony. I know that ads the royal 'We' (corporately speaking) have placed via Web BlogAds performed really well ~ but treatment like this makes one wary, reluctant... Reluctant to refer others to the service, reluctant to part with more of our own money; because what if there is a problem and you are ignored then too?

Web Blog Ads shouldn't ignore bloggers with interest in hosting ads. More ad hosts mean more appeal to advertisers and more money in every one's pockets.

I know we were looking for sex blogs for many of our products and had there been more opportunities we would have tried them too (within our budget, of course). Since I know of a number of good, quality blogs with solid traffic were ignored, how many others have been?

Being selective may be a companies prerogative, but it should be exercised with auction. Google's selective process should be its algorithm which is about matching sites relevant to search terms. Web Blog Ads selectivity should be about offering a range of quality ad space relevant to the needs of advertisers. That's their service; that's their responsibility.

Update: I've since been accepted into the BlogAds network, including being part of the Women's Blog Ad Newtork.

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Affiliate Programs 101

Since in my business I offer affiliate programs, I'm often asked questions by affiliates (or those who wonder if they should become one) lots of questions about them. I do post helpful articles in my affiliate newsletters, but I thought I'd also post a series of articles here ~ a more permanent record, if you will.

So, today, we begin with Affiliate Programs 101.

Basically all the programs work the same. You get paid for either hits to other websites, or you get paid for sign-ups/purchases.

To me, the difference doesn't lie in which type you use, but rather how targeted the program is to *your* audience.

For example, if your site is an amateur webcam, and you don't do 'anything real kinky' you probably aren't best to choose bsdm & spanking affiliate programs. You should stick with more amateur sites, or at least those that 'look like you.'

Which does not mean blondes should only pick blond affiliates; I mean that you should remember who visits your site, and why, and give them more of what they want. For example, you might want one 'professional' blonde model site affiliate program to capture those who aren't into amateurs, as well as a few other amateurs (who are different enough from you so you don't give away your target audience), and perhaps some videos or sex toys of the same flavor as your site.

The more the affiliate program is tailored to you site visitors, the more likely the visitors are to be interested in the programs you offer.

And this is where the personal recommendation works much better than a bunch of banners. Folks like to feel you personally have used/tried the programs/products and like them. It makes them feel like they are a friend or at least among like-minded folk.

So, be selective in what you offer. And be selective in how much you offer...

Less is more, not just in what your models wear, but in affiliate programs.

A page with 20 blinking banners only distracts ~ No one knows where to go first!

By keeping your selections to a few per page, you can make them fit the page content, *and* make the recommendation stand out.

These are my opinions (of which I have many) ~ I'd love to hear your thoughts on & experiences with affiliate programs. If you'd prefer not to talk shop in public, send me an email. I may publish your question with my comments here, but I won't use your name unless I have your permission.

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Annoying Your Way To A Skanky Sale

Well, folks, it may come as no surprise that Gracie is one opinionated gal. And when it comes to working on the web, I am no different...

I have an issue regarding the general 'wisdom' of adult webmasters. OK, so what follows *looks* like a long list & more than 'an issue' but really, it is one issue...

I don't understand the desire, no, the marked effort, to annoy site visitors.

Here is a list of standard recommendations for 'free sites' to use to generate income. Note how all of these are more annoying than helpful:

Index or 'warning' page also containing banner advertising, and a link to your site which actually goes to a full page ad for another site. How many times have you searched for some information or personal kink, and ended up in a completely different place, with no clue as to how to get to where you were trying to go? Does it warm your heart or annoy the piss out of you? What reaction are you trying to get from a potential customer?

Put a "No thanks, let me in" link at the bottom of this full ad page, which goes to your site's main page. Yes, after a few experiences with the first bit, you do learn to look for this 'real link,' but does this really work? Have you ever 'accidentally' signed up for a pay site?

Honestly, I did once. (Huge blush, but I was a newbie!) However, after many threatening emails, phone calls, etc. I didn't get my $25.95 back, but I did the future billings stopped...

Did I ever go back to those types of sites again? Hell, No!

When I see that BS, I click back & out. I know I can find another, more honest site to work with ~ *and* I will gladly pay twice the subscription rate!

On your 'real main page' place ads along with your 'real' content. Usually these are obvious, but they drag page load time, and junk up the place.

Between the links to your 'real content' place more full page ads, with the 'No Thanks' links to continue. Jeeze, more of the same crap...

On your small gallery or content pages, load up with more advertising, and free content from sponsors. 'Sponsors' are just advertisers, mind you, so what you have is a loud, annoying, heavy page with little original content what-so-ever.

Place an exit console off your main page &/or other pages, so when a surfer hits the back button to leave your site, you have one more chance of making some money on that same traffic. Yeah, brilliant. It didn't work the first time, the first 10 times, it is *really* going to work when they are trying to flee as fast as they can...

This is the stuff that the so-called pros are trying to teach you & I?!

If this is how to 'maximize your income potential' then I have to say these pros are not making money.

Do any of these tricks really work? Other than the fact that newbies are arriving on the Internet each & every day, and they may be as dumb and clumsy, as I to find themselves paying for the wrong site, the newbie phase is on the down slide.

And it sure doesn't build customer relations.

If you cannot retain subscribers, they are not happy. Unhappy folks do not talk well about your site, or your business. They do not pass links along to their friends, doing your marketing for you.

Even a supposed 'free site' can make money. Respectable money. And they can do it with 'sponsors' certainly, but with tricking surfers?

Not for long.

I have said it before, and I'll say it again: You can have an adult business without being trashy.

Take it from a pro. Putting out for cash isn't demeaning unless you make it so.

Offer a classy service that shows respect for yourself & your site visitors, and you will have as much pride as you do cash.

The choice is yours... You can be a $5 skank no one wants, or admits to having had, or you can be earning several hundred dollars an hour by being a classy bit of tail folks want.

So, how are you going to service your customers?

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Does S E X Need USP?

USP stands for Unique Selling Proposition. It is the answer to the consumer's question: "What's in it for me?"

Many people in the business of selling sex seem to think that a USP is not needed. I disagree. There are many differences in the adult industry, yes. And having words like 'sex,' 'porn' and assorted specialist niche terms may be all you need for search engine success. But what about closing the deal?

If you want money in the till at the end of the day, if you want them to buy, then you need to tell folks why they should buy from you.

Your product or service needs to solve a problem, offer a solution, or save money. (Gracie will assume that it does, or it would not be for sale!) Obviously, 'shoot your load' is well, a bit 'generalized.' And it may not speak to the concerns of the website visitor. Sure, they want to get off, but that's not why they should hand their money over to you.

Looking at a more traditional business may make this a bit clearer.

Domino's Pizza sells pizza, but their USP is not about how tasty pizza is. Otherwise a consumer would be motivated to buy pizza in general. Even making them at home! So Domino's uses potential customer concerns to stress why Domino's is the place to call. Since they are a delivery service, which is a convenience, Domino's capitalizes on the 'fast' with the following USP:

"Fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed!"

A unique selling proposition tells the customer how you are going to meet or exceed their needs. With just a title or a short description you need to tell website visitors how your product or service will:

* Make life better
* Make life easier
* Save money
* Provide access to exclusive items
* Allow something that could not be done before

An easy starting point is to formulate a phrase that begins with "Buy from me because my company is the ONLY one that..."

And sometimes the best places to find ideas are not to look at other site's USPs, but to look at what complaints there are in our industry. Concerns such as privacy, legal issues, secure payment processing, customer service, quality, new items etc. are great places to examine your business.

Your USP should be short ~ a quick read, commanding attention, and hopefully memorable. And it must never promise things that are not true. If you do that, you will find yourself facing angry, rabid people.

Your USP is short tag line that conveys how exclusive, special, valuable your business is ~ and it should be used everywhere. On every single media, in every communication: email signatures, order forms, print flyers, banners, video/dvd jackets, business cards, newsletters, everywhere.

Tell them. Tell them again. And then tell them what you told them. It works in public speaking, it works for selling goods & services, and it will work for you.

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Personal Whoring

The start of a new year brings many awards for 'best of' the last, so this is the episode in which I pander for your votes. (I wouldn't be much of a whore if I didn't!)

You can vote for me, Gracie Passette, as Best Magazine/e-zine Editor (for Sex-Kitten.net) ~ and you can also vo