Thoughts on tubes and Adaptability

[digitaldivas]

All of this is in my humble opinion. Yes, tubes that are stealing content, hosting whole scenes, scrapping sites, or stealing legit scenes and re watermarking them are fucked and a scourge of the earth.

Digitaldivasonline.com, when it was launched Jan 2005, was doing 2-3k per month like clockwork. And i was promoting maybe 100 sites in 3 niches. Toplists, webrings, and other webmasters actually returning email and working out link trades were pretty common. My US alexa was about 800k

Fast forward to 2009 and I really am aggressive about grabbing conversions, I have about 850 more sites indexed and DDO is totally much more, of an immersive experience to the user. Money is about double. Finally starting to promote my concept and I am happy thusfar. Through visitor trends, you know that many more surfers are gravitating towards videosites than pics. Thats a no brainer, of course. In 2005, it was all about my galleries. In 2009, it's all about the webcams, videosites, and up and coming sites. Talent that have not been "exposed to death" and offer the surfer something new. My US alexa is about 200k

I think that one of the reasons that tgp's, mgp's and the like have all, but disappeared is that everything went to scripts. Creativity went out the fucking window and webmasters just fed galleries and didn't even know what they were slinging to surfers, much less the quality of the galleries. People got fucking lazy, you were too cool to return link requests, emails offering networking, etc and webmasters just referred them to a fucking retarded script traffic page and, um yeah. People who fail to grab the attention of a surfer in the first 10 seconds, are fucked. Why in the hell would a webmaster have a script based tgp feeder or link script is beyond me. The sites look just like the next one out there, everything got fucking boring. Scripts got penalized on the SE's. The same tired bitches spreading their legs in a different outfit got old. Video, that claimed to be "niche" with a 400-300 size window and shitty pixelation and that god awful green or red video color that looks like you ran it through some color filter, when actually, whoever shot it and post produced it had not clue on color correction, must less the same for images. That would tell a fetishist first off that you and your concept was fucking poser! Oh, Oh, and the model was so not into it and was possibly one of the most "non erotic" footjob scenes I had ever seen. ...and I didn't even think that shit was possible. So your sufer is gone with the wind, no ribills, no upsells and whats worse, he or she is a pissed off surfer and you will never seen them again... ever.

I know I am just ranting to a point, but I see some people bitching and complaining about how conversions suck, people suck, tubes suck, yada, yada. Then I go to the sig, see what the webmaster is pimping and no fucking wonder! The content looks like shit, the preview pics are all a puke shade of red green or yellow, the video looks like shit and there is really nothing in or on the gui and beckons me to pull out my wallet and plunk down 30 bucks to jerk off all month to your content. Especially, as a surfer, if, in my mind, I could jerkoff and download your members section in a fucking day. I'm just sayin...

Some of the sites on Digitaldivasonline, of course are more popular then others, some of my affiliate convert 1:50, some, 1:50000 But all have a passion for what they are doing. So I feel a passion to continue promoting them. Taking time, building shit, making the design beautiful, putting on their best face, like a kid right before his first fucking date. ...Even if it takes me a week to hand build a gallery page. That gallery page is what separates me from 90 percent of my competition as an index. Because I looked at every gallery, grabbed and cropped the hottest part of the image and if I didn't get a half chub by just looking at the gallery, it didn't go up. And digitaldivasonline converts like a motherfucker. So if the webmasters got fucking lazy, the surfers, in turn got lazy. Why click through a 500 text link mgp, when you could watch video and jerkoff whle you shop and ooooh, lookie there, to the right are 5 similar videos of the same tag of the video that I am currently jerking off too, how convenient. Click, Click, Click... cum.

Webmasters cannot be lazy asses and complain about how lazy ass their clientele is, in the same breath, or at the same time.

Now, that surfer that just blew his wad, originally may have been looking for a great titty site to join before his pants came down. I am still sure, he still has the 30 bucks in credit to buy that membership, but his buy was an impulse buy. We, us, every producer, webmaster, traffic broker, content provider, hosting company and design firm, pretty much epitomize that word. What do we provide as a group? We provide visitors and users a means to cum, orgasm, blow their wads, whatever.

Why would you buy a Karina Heart membership over a Samantha 38g membership, or visa versa? Because although each girl has huge natural tits, each looks different, has a different allure, etc. One girl will "speak" differently than the other to a surfer. It's because of tastes, of course. It is the webmasters job imho, to package each girl appropriately. I just think if the photographer obviously needs to take a lighting class to not have yellow or green pics, for the love of god, the other site is much more likely to convert if the content is nice and pretty. Ok, back to tubes. The surfer who just blew his wad, for a hot lesbo preview will eventually come back and buy that membership. Yes, even from a tube. But unfortunately, looking at an industry that has always been "gimmie, gimme" and instant gratification, conversions take longer now and user-brand relationships are now 80 percent trust and passion. Unlike 97-99, where just jerking off to "any video" on a computer screen was in itself, a journey of technological wonder, lol.

People are much more savvy now. Surfers want shit that is "archivable" There are still, if not more, serious connoisseurs out there, especially niche fetish, that will pay good money for quality, original content in HD or professional pictures, but with 70 percent of the "shit porn" and oversaturated models that is out there, that has just been regurgitated over and over since '99 or '01, that content imho, is fucking worthless and unmarketable. If your slinging it, your basically may as well be slinging slinkies or rubic cubes or yatzee games or some shit like that.

Fetishism, perversion and getting off on chicks scrapping their nails on balloons are all erotic desires that are deep seeded needs and wants, no way, is any economic situation is going to damper my desire for my foot fetish or thirst for that. I just think that because the economy is shitty, which is making surfers more stingy, of where they are spending their money, which is in part, making more production houses that put out high end erotica more popular, which in turn weeds out the "turnkey" bullshit, script site jockeys and the crap "content farms", deceptive advertising front end sites... which in turn unfortunately weeds out the people new to the Biz that are just "jumping on the bus at the wrong time", which in turn makes the surfer less trustworthy of adult sites in general because the newbs are here today, gone tommorow, thich in turn makes the conversion a much more intricate game, which in turn pisses off the "og" pornsite webmasters to declare that there is no more money in porn... because now you wait weeks, months or even years for a conversion that in '97 took only a hot chick with big tits in a polular video format, etc. etc.

People are bombarded with mass media every single day. over 200 commercials, advertisements, promotions, etc. Cable channels are 700 to 1000 per package. Everything, bigger, better, faster and in all new STUNNING HD! YAY! Youtube, twitter, facebook, network, network, network...

If your operating a one deminsional portal of anything and it's not options, community, interaction, etc. your linear and already dead, electronically speaking, of course.

Tubes, are community, voices, comments, interaction, choices, not having to open this video format and that video format, etc, etc. convenient+usability+choices+interaction+archivabl e grade content=wave of the future.

There is abuse, sure there is, just like there was abuse of those stupid click scripts when toplists came out in 1998. Or we were bitching because the newsgroups were stealing our shit! Remember that? Same demon, different coat! But nowadays, new media lasts until it has served it's purpose, then it is thrown to the side and newer media has a 3-5 year heyday, then onward and upward. Some notable casualites, iomega zip and jaz drives, aol, iwon.com, flash, vcr's, high 8, digital tape, excite.com, aol hometown pages, those fucking annoying "rent a pixel" ad spots, etc, etc. But in the end, it is all about my surfers and what they want to do and how they want to interact with my index. I would much rather have them thinking about joining one of my affiliates than my competitors, even if it takes them 6 months to buy a fucking membership nowadays, like some nervous old lady. I think if your mindset is not longterm at this point, that your doomed. And for the billionth time, adapt or die. Promoting my affiliates though an official tube seems like the natural progression for me and my business model.

[UniqueMovies]

Love the brain dump. I read every word.

[2012]

Originally Posted by digitaldivas

think that one of the reasons that tgp's, mgp's and the like have all, but disappeared is that everything went to scripts. Creativity went out the fucking window and webmasters just fed galleries and didn't even know what they were slinging to surfers, much less the quality of the galleries.

So what script are you using for your tube ?

[Agent 488]

not going to read that.

[digitaldivas]

Originally Posted by fartfly

So what script are you using for your tube ?

open php where i can PERSONALIZE it

[Bman]

Good read.
Selling content I find the same thing.
I remember getting into the industry and a lot of the big companies got eclipsed by those starting reality sites.
You are seeing a lot of the same thing now...this is a youthfull business what is new is hot.

[digitaldivas]

Originally Posted by Bman

Good read.
Selling content I find the same thing.
I remember getting into the industry and a lot of the big companies got eclipsed by those starting reality sites.
You are seeing a lot of the same thing now...this is a youthfull business what is new is hot.

It is and sorry for the typos and having your eyes see lines after the read, from your monitor screen, jeez. But imho content has to be fresh, professional looking and packaged very nicely these days. "knock your socks off" content, producers that are out there not just trying to fuck their talent, but market them. any and all bodily features captured on film to be pimped 300 different ways to sunday will always sell. You have taken your booked talent and just made her a multidimensional pool of sensuality, her tits, her vagina, face, makeup, outfits, feet, legs, ass, etc. All to be branded and marketed. And not to mention, you very much just maximized your booking fee and got good rock solid content for every penny for your dollar.

I think the same TOTALLY holds true for sites that sell the concepts of your sponsors, the vision that they had and tweaking it to suit your needs and conversions. And money or not, sometimes, you just gotta love what you do to get through those tough times.

[Barefootsies]

Adapt or die.

[Bman]

Originally Posted by digitaldivas

It is and sorry for the typos and having your eyes see lines after the read, from your monitor screen, jeez. But imho content has to be fresh, professional looking and packaged very nicely these days. "knock your socks off" content, producers that are out there not just trying to fuck their talent, but market them. any and all bodily features captured on film to be pimped 300 different ways to sunday will always sell. You have taken your booked talent and just made her a multidimensional pool of sensuality, her tits, her vagina, face, makeup, outfits, feet, legs, ass, etc. All to be branded and marketed. And not to mention, you very much just maximized your booking fee and got good rock solid content for every penny for your dollar.

I think the same TOTALLY holds true for sites that sell the concepts of your sponsors, the vision that they had and tweaking it to suit your needs and conversions. And money or not, sometimes, you just gotta love what you do to get through those tough times.

I just think that the webmasters are ahead of the curve. They see imagery all day and get bored before the surfer. When they see something new they know it will have the same pop in the eyes of the surfer. I dont blame them for being fickle it's part of adapting. However there are those that know how to use content properly and those that don't.
Eeverything is sellable including shit...they just call it Fertilizer and charge extra! ;)

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by Bman

I just think that the webmasters are ahead of the curve. They see imagery all day and get bored before the surfer. When they see something new they know it will have the same pop in the eyes of the surfer. I dont blame them for being fickle it's part of adapting. However there are those that know how to use content properly and those that don't.
Eeverything is sellable including shit...they just call it Fertilizer and charge extra! ;)

A lot of webmasters and BROgram owners and even photographers think like webmasters (or whatever their title). Not like the consumer.

I can't tell you the number of conversations I have had on ICQ or at conferences with people where some BROgram will tell you the customer wants this or that but it is not based on ANYTHING they have picked up from the actual CUSTOMER. They are just parroting board lore, or what they THINK the customer wants. That is why a lot of these programs and sites are failing.

The smaller companies, the mom and pops, are not having these issues. They are in more direct contact with their fan base, and often times know each others names, and where from, and what they like. A lot of good feedback directly from patrons, and members. A lot, have forums where they interact with their fan base, and keep their finger on the pulse of demand.

This is why they are uneffected, or minimally, by this economy. If you give people exactly what they want, they are not going anywhere. The more they feel a part of the process, the more they remain loyal.

It is something few larger companies practice, but the grass roots guys and gals do.

[digitaldivas]

Originally Posted by Bman

I just think that the webmasters are ahead of the curve. They see imagery all day and get bored before the surfer. When they see something new they know it will have the same pop in the eyes of the surfer. I dont blame them for being fickle it's part of adapting. However there are those that know how to use content properly and those that don't.
Eeverything is sellable including shit...they just call it Fertilizer and charge extra! ;)

I agree and thats an awesome analogy. And it's true!

[digitaldivas]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

A lot of webmasters and BROgram owners and even photographers think like webmasters (or whatever their title). Not like the consumer.

I can't tell you the number of conversations I have had on ICQ or at conferences with people where some BROgram will tell you the customer wants this or that but it is not based on ANYTHING they have picked up from the actual CUSTOMER. They are just parroting board lore, or what they THINK the customer wants. That is why a lot of these programs and sites are failing.

The smaller companies, the mom and pops, are not having these issues. They are in more direct contact with their fan base, and often times know each others names, and where from, and what they like. A lot of good feedback directly from patrons, and members. A lot, have forums where they interact with their fan base, and keep their finger on the pulse of demand.

This is why they are uneffected, or minimally, by this economy. If you give people exactly what they want, they are not going anywhere. The more they feel a part of the process, the more they remain loyal.

It is something few larger companies practice, but the grass roots guys and gals do.

Oh yes BF, mos def, the smaller sites have a pulse on their niche, because if they do not make that "minimum" per month, hosting, model fee's, etc. They can find themselves offline too. And they absolutely are aware of this. Some sites are on a razor thin line every month, in terms of profitability. But they keep chugging away and going to sleep every night thinking of how they can "out innovate" the competition. Good luck to the smaller production houses and godspeed!

There are also sites that just have it down. They have the great shots, the angles that the surfers love and again, great quality HD video. They are branding themselves each and every day and I fully anticipate that these concepts will be around, 3-5 years from now. I also believe that the Biz is getting more and more "nicro niche". At least in terms of mom and pops clearing under 50k per year. Or combining their concepts into one, like Astrids Angels, been around since at least 2001, they own 5 satellite sites and they are combining their pantyhose and nylon concepts into one nylon megasite, as an example. Many new business models coming out for the smaller companies this year and I suspect into next.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by digitaldivas

Oh yes BF, mos def, the smaller sites have a pulse on their niche, because if they do not make that "minimum" per month, hosting, model fee's, etc. They can find themselves offline too. And they absolutely are aware of this. Some sites are on a razor thin line every month, in terms of profitability. But they keep chugging away and going to sleep every night thinking of how they can "out innovate" the competition. Good luck to the smaller production houses and godspeed!

There are also sites that just have it down. They have the great shots, the angles that the surfers love and again, great quality HD video. They are branding themselves each and every day and I fully anticipate that these concepts will be around, 3-5 years from now. I also believe that the Biz is getting more and more "nicro niche". At least in terms of mom and pops clearing under 50k per year. Or combining their concepts into one, like Astrids Angels, been around since at least 2001, they own 5 satellite sites and they are combining their pantyhose and nylon concepts into one nylon megasite, as an example. Many new business models coming out for the smaller companies this year and I suspect into next.

True dat.

[NaughtyRob]

Best thread in a while and right on target.

[Jack Sparrow]

Read every word of it.
Good, very very good read, and your getting it right to the spot.

[digitaldivas]

thanks. just my perspectives on things and the state of the Biz, but I am very glad that the majority of all of you agree. Nice to know that others are of the same mindset.