Adult Netsurprise - Newbie Zone

Cash Traffic

5 Things to Know!

by Kath

Before you even whip out that Front Page 2000 editor and build that first adult website, there are a few things that you need to know. It is essential that you learn what you're about to embark upon before you dive in blindly. Being prepared will help you to succeed in this business which is known for chewing up newbies and spitting them out, usually in a very public display.

1 - The odds are stacked up against you. Everyone will tell you right off that the time to get involved in the adult net industry was years ago and that you my friend have missed the boat. In all actuality, that is not very far from the truth.

When the net was young and new, the adult industry rushed in to fill up the demand for quick porn and even quicker money as it paved the way into future. Pioneers started everything that you see now from the ground up. Adult webmasters invented top lists, click through programs, partnerships, TGPs - everything that we take for granted today.

Opportunity was not just knocking back then - it was banging on doors and was begging to get let in! Those who recognized it are here today to tell the tale. Those who missed it have stories of regret and are still struggling to climb to the top and succeed.

Is it too late? Some say not. There is always room for invention, creativity and hard work. If you think you've got the talent and the determination then you could be the next to succeed and pioneer the evolutionary changes that are always affecting how we do business on the net. The odds may be against you, but you may be the one to beat them!

2 - The adult industry is about to be legally abolished! Yeah, just remember that this is essentially the oldest profession in the history of the world. Do you really think it will just fold up and go away?

The adult Internet is always changing. Those who survive and make bank do so because they can adapt to change and find new ways of staying in business. Credit card companies are attempting to threaten the way we do business by placing tougher e-commerce restrictions and by refusing to do business with adult services. Local, state, federal and international laws are constantly a threat as our world searches for ways to regulate the Internet.

There are always new methods of doing business and new means to protect your business from the threat of legal action. Building legal sites using legal content with proper coding is one way to keep your head above water. Many paysites are also experimenting with alternate means of processing membership and sales transactions with programs like online checks, telephone pay systems and pre-paid e-debit cards. These are the people who will survive for the long haul.

3 - Get off the free hosts as soon as you can! Thieves, poachers - free hosting services have been called this and more. While a free hosting option can be a great way for a new webmaster to get started in the business, they can also rob you of sales and traffic!

Free hosts aren't exactly free - is anything really? They pay for the bandwidth you use for your freesite by placing banners at the top and bottom of your website pages. The traffic that clicks on their buttons, banners or text links helps to pay their bills.

So perhaps calling them "thieves" and "poachers" is a bit harsh. Free hosts serve a purpose and we've all used them at one point or another. It's still good to know up front that these services are not free and that you will make more money once you buy your own domain and pay for your own hosting service.

You can buy a good domain (.com, .net or .org) for $15/year or less on many ICANN accredited websites and can usually get a good, basic hosting package for $50 or less a month. Check out all the sites, think about what domain name you would like to register carefully before choosing (remember, you'll be stuck with it for at least a year!) and compare prices, always looking for specials and discounts.

The number one regret that most webmasters have is that they didn't get off the free hosts sooner. Learn from our past lest you be doomed to repeat our mistakes and share our regrets.

4 - Build ugly sites! It's true! There's a saying in this business and most veterans will nod their heads along, agreeing that this was true for them as well: "Build the first for show and the rest for dough."

Most webmasters start out wanting to build a beautiful showcase site that they can proudly show all their friends saying, "Look what I did!" They oooh and ahhh but usually you'll never make a dime off these first "gorgeous" websites. Remove the flashing backgrounds, high-resolution photos and for goodness sake disable and delete those damned midis! Then you're finally ready to start making some cash off all your hard work.

Believe it or not the ugliest sites can make the most cash. Just throw up a black background - some say black is preferred because it doesn't glow in the room at night alerting wifey that hubby has once again gone porn surfin'! - add some simple bold text, your sponsors banners and some really crappy looking thumbnail sized photos and you've got yourself a winning site. Okay, so it's not THAT easy but it is pretty close. The less you try to make a pretty site and the more you build a site that SELLS to your surfing customers the better! Remember - you don't want them to feast off the free content on your site, you want them to move on to the higher quality banquet on your sponsor's site so you can earn the commission!

5 - Never give up, never surrender! Okay, so I stole that line from "Galaxy Quest", but you know what I mean. Keep trying, keep building and keep learning. Those are the keys to success in this and any other business. Look for new ways to come out on top, build up a good "portfolio" of sites and make sure you always keep your ears and eyes open to what's going on in the industry around you.

There are many things you can do to help keep up with your colleagues. Joining a webmaster program and participating in online message boards, chats and workshops is a great way to get started. Attending trade show conventions, seminars and reading up on industry news is another recommended way to keep your finger on the pulse of the industry. Other ideas like talking to fellow webmasters; reading sponsor e-mailings about new programs and learning about new traffic methods are some other options to consider.

Bottom line: if you are ready to work and learn harder than you ever have before then this business is probably right up your alley. If you're looking to make a quick buck and not put any effort or time into it, then you'd better look elsewhere. Some people like to tout "work smarter, not harder" but that's not always the case. We all work in different ways and need to find our own niche. Work hard until you find yours and then my friend, you will be a web MASTER.