Ads On Websites and Surfer Perceptions
 

For years now I have NOT had ads on my paysite network of 32 adult websites called Porn Nerd Network (PNN). You know the kinds of ads I mean: cams, dating, penis pills, those 'Better Than Craig's List" and Flash-type Brazzers ads and, of course, the dreaded pop-ups (or pop-unders). I was so proud of myself, not being like all those "other websites" where the advertising is either so overwhelming as to induce seizures (all that LFASHING) or redundant (ads you see everywhere). My sites were "clean", with a single purpose in mind: sell the Membership.

Besides, don't affiliates GO APESHIT over "traffic leaks"? Even if that traffic leak is a necassary traffic trade via a recip link? Yup - NO TRAFFIC LEAKS. Also affs wouldn't get a cut of the revenue generated by ads so it's really not fair...

This was always my thinking. But then I started showing my sites to surfers who gave me some interesting feedback. You see, the absence of any advertising was telling them my websites weren't "legit" (their phrase)!! They had become so used to seeing flashing ads on every porn site they visit that when they failed to see them on MY sites they thought, well, that "something must be wrong".

The people I showed my sites to (I was at a Super Bowl party with about fifty people) were prepared to "quick click/close" a pop-up then were taken aback when no pop-ups appeared. So are ads good or bad? Good if they make you money, I do understand this basic principle. LOL But I mean even if they DON'T make you money are they worth having on your site simply for 'credibility'?

You know things are bad when a paysite uses or contemplates using generic garbage ads.

Well that's the thing: times aren't BAD, they're quite GOOD. LOL But the reaction from "non-Industry types" was very interesting. It seems (some) people expect to see ads on sites and when they don't see them they move on. Funny.

Never heard that before.

Generic tube ads have no room on paysites.

Why fix what isn't broken?

If your sites are doing well and converting well and growing well (which I assume they must be based on the many posts I've seen you make here on GFY about your growing business) then why change it up based on the opinions of a few drunken dudes?

Perhaps the reason you've been doing so well is partly because of the fact that you don't have any ads on your site..

Split-testing could be your best bet if you're really doubting yourself, otherwise I think you should just stick to your original plan. It seems to be working out so far :2 cents:

I agree totally - which is why I do not have them (and have never had them). It's just that the reaction from so many differant types of people wondering where all the ads were was interesting (and weird). LOL

OK the voice of reason has no place here on GFY! LOL

But thank you, I was considering this, too. Being a bit isolated (as many webmasters are, spending hours in front of a monitor) it's easy to lose perspective. I don't often run into people who view my websites, not in person, so the feedback was interesting.

Interesting enough to change? Probably not but was wondering what others' experiences were as far as ads, etc. I still feel like it would split the focus of the very point of a paysite: to sell Memberships, not dating or cams.

Maybe because a 'few drunken dudes' is a small sampling of most paysites traffic base?

I would imagine at night and weekends when most signups happen, that a lot of the guys signing up to paysites have had a few drinks and are bored and horny sitting at home.

A couple of my buddies said similar stuff when I showed them a few of my adult sites.

'where are the ads'
'how do you make money'
'doesn't seem legit'

I don't know if they thought I was showing them free sites or paysites but they were definitely presented in a 'you have to pay to see the pink' scenario.

Hey PornNerd-

Just sent you a message on ICQ

Bryce
611305339 ICQ

Chances are a large percentage of your membership base uses the services you mention (cams, dating, interactive porn:winkwink:, etc.) regardless of whether you have them in your members areas or not. Why not have them buy and use these services through a reseller they already know and trust?

In addition to the obvious benefit of generating backend revenue for the merchant (you) that you can then spend on growing your business or run promotions for affiliates, etc., it also validates your network as a well-established 'adult supermarket' (i.e. making it appear more legit)

p.s. Ads for upsells in your members areas don't have to look ugly. :thumbsup

Do these people actually visit paysites or just tubes?

How many of those people were women and what were their reactions compared to the men?

Good question. Most of them did not make a distinction, saying "I go to porn sites" but when I asked "which ones?" I got both tubes and paysites as answers (and a TGP thrown in there, too).

I think the lines are being blurred between tubes, paysites, "porn" in general, which is part of the problem maybe.

There were about 20 people who sat down and checked out the sites. 15 were guys and 4 were women. The reactions to the content was differant and interesting: guys drooled while the girls smiled, some shook their head, but none of them went wild. The guys? "Oh that's hot!" and "I wanna fuck HER!" kind of responses. LOL

Now imagine the reactions of those same women if you had those "frathouse" style ads.

I can kinda see the reasoning, it probably just looks like one big fake page with no content when they don't see supplemental ads.

I don't think that general users know the difference between paysites and tubes because most tubes/tgps/etc offer more content than paysites themselves do. Also, most big tubes have pay options to get rid of ads, so the lines are blurred there, too. When landing at a paysite join page, I believe most users are shocked they have to pay to see more than 3min trailers.

Do as Ruth suggested Do A/B Type testing "Split-testing could be your best bet" Try that then come back here if you don't mind and let us know what that did! Thanks
TOM

Memberarea ads are fine, thought we were talking tours here?

I assumed (and was referring to) members area ads/upsells.

You are right, we are discussing Tours. MAs and upsells etc are a whole differant beast. LOL

What I was wondering (to your earlier point, saying correctly how tube ads have no place on paysite tours) was something like putting ads on the Tours but NOT dating, cams, etc, but rather the ads I use for my sites on tubes. In other words, ads for my other paysites. This might solve the 'credibility/where are the ads?' issue.

A-B testing here I come (again)!