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jayeff · 04-22-2007, 04:03 PM

This business has become crazy because of attempts to live in the past.

Until 1999 or so, it was almost impossible not to make money in online porn. The next 4 years took a little more effort, but a couple of functioning brain cells was enough. Since then, more competition and almost zero innovation, has made it progressively harder to break in.

So yes, I agree with Paul that all the encouragements for newbies are essentially a con. But then I figure that anyone foolish enough to believe that money is just lying around, waiting to be picked up, deserves everything he gets.

What bothers me a lot more is what the refusal to let go of this outdated approach to affiliates says about the sponsors still using it. Not only in those gold-rush years was there are flood of newcomers, but a high percentage of them would earn reasonably for themselves and therefore their sponsors.

Nowadays that flood is massively diminished, a far smaller percentage are going to earn anything useful and more sponsors are fighting over them. But instead of switching tactics, most have turned up the heat. Message boards full of competitions and utterly inane posts, are just one symptom.

What also hasn't changed is that once an affiliate is signed up, he is pretty much on his own. Never mind that he or she is unlikely to get any useful guidance: far more sponsors can be criticized for the crap they put out for promotions, than the number who should be praised for producing good material. What other industry would openly acknowledge that banners (the traditionally common sizes anway) are largely ineffective, yet often provide little else? Promotional text, hosted galleries and RSS feeds are most notable for their absence or pathetically poor standards.

It is really hard to believe that the sponsors who are already reduced to appealing to the short-bus kiddies, will still be around in 5 years. But many others, albeit less obviously, are no more forward-thinking in any practical sense. If it is becoming harder to get active affiliates in the first place, then surely it is time to start putting more emphasis on developing and keeping those who do show some promise?

What passes for affiliate marketing and development is "Win $5000 in this thread" at one extreme, and self-indulgent, incestuous parties, sorry shows, at the other. In between where the majority of affiliates exist, there is next to nothing. Sure that may be the territory of mainly small and modest affiliates, but these are the guys with the potential for growth. The resources some sponsors spend on keeping whales (most of whom aren't likely to be going anywhere anyway, since by definition they earn well), is wholly disproportionate to the amount spent developing tomorrow's whales.

04-22-2007, 04:03 PM
jayeff Confirmed User Join Date: May 2001 Posts: 2,944	This business has become crazy because of attempts to live in the past. Until 1999 or so, it was almost impossible not to make money in online porn. The next 4 years took a little more effort, but a couple of functioning brain cells was enough. Since then, more competition and almost zero innovation, has made it progressively harder to break in. So yes, I agree with Paul that all the encouragements for newbies are essentially a con. But then I figure that anyone foolish enough to believe that money is just lying around, waiting to be picked up, deserves everything he gets. What bothers me a lot more is what the refusal to let go of this outdated approach to affiliates says about the sponsors still using it. Not only in those gold-rush years was there are flood of newcomers, but a high percentage of them would earn reasonably for themselves and therefore their sponsors. Nowadays that flood is massively diminished, a far smaller percentage are going to earn anything useful and more sponsors are fighting over them. But instead of switching tactics, most have turned up the heat. Message boards full of competitions and utterly inane posts, are just one symptom. What also hasn't changed is that once an affiliate is signed up, he is pretty much on his own. Never mind that he or she is unlikely to get any useful guidance: far more sponsors can be criticized for the crap they put out for promotions, than the number who should be praised for producing good material. What other industry would openly acknowledge that banners (the traditionally common sizes anway) are largely ineffective, yet often provide little else? Promotional text, hosted galleries and RSS feeds are most notable for their absence or pathetically poor standards. It is really hard to believe that the sponsors who are already reduced to appealing to the short-bus kiddies, will still be around in 5 years. But many others, albeit less obviously, are no more forward-thinking in any practical sense. If it is becoming harder to get active affiliates in the first place, then surely it is time to start putting more emphasis on developing and keeping those who do show some promise? What passes for affiliate marketing and development is "Win $5000 in this thread" at one extreme, and self-indulgent, incestuous parties, sorry shows, at the other. In between where the majority of affiliates exist, there is next to nothing. Sure that may be the territory of mainly small and modest affiliates, but these are the guys with the potential for growth. The resources some sponsors spend on keeping whales (most of whom aren't likely to be going anywhere anyway, since by definition they earn well), is wholly disproportionate to the amount spent developing tomorrow's whales.