educational

Abuse, Neglect, Encouragement and Guidance

How do YOU treat the visitors to your Web site? All too often, visitors to 'adult' Web sites in particular are treated with an appalling lack of respect — and this not only hurts our sales, but the industry as a whole. Here are a few thoughts on the different ways in which surfers are, could be, and should be treated:

Abuse
The bottom rung of the 'decency' ladder, abusive sites use blind, deceptive and misleading links, thumbnails, and advertisements, and do so at their own increasing peril. Launching surfers into console hell, springing dialers upon the unsuspecting prospect, altering their browser settings without the choice or knowledge of the surfer, and doing so in an effort to make a sale, simply doesn't make any sense. For those Webmasters who have so far avoided prosecution by the FTC for the use of such deceptive and unfair trade practices, be warned; you are skating on thin ice, and some of you deserve to be held accountable for your actions.

While the goal of a free site is to send the surfer off to the sponsor before he eats your bandwidth, there are decent and legitimate alternatives to the aforementioned tactics. Justifying your actions by saying that free site surfers are bums and freeloaders just out to glom free porn doesn't cut it. Being hounded by a pack of hungry dogs is not the fault of the dogs, if you're the one who started feeding them in the first place:

The feeling that if you abuse your surfers long enough they will eventually pay for porn doesn't cut it, either. Prospects who have been kicked in the nuts by one site or another may have developed a bad perception of the adult industry, and a perception that leads them to believe that they will be treated the same way even on a pay site. Furthermore, why would they ever trust YOUR recommendation about the greatest source of porn in the universe? You just sent them off to console hell:

Neglect
Far better for the surfer, but no more profitable for the Webmaster, sites that neglect the prospect are doing both parties a disservice. You can build a beautiful and very clean site that doesn't use any of the deceptive tactics employed by abusive sites, but that doesn't do anything to make a sale, either. While the surfer may be happy with what you've given him, the overall experience leaves a very benign, 'beige' sort of feeling:

With nothing for the prospect to get 'excited' about, there is nothing to compel an immediate, and positive purchase decision. A few galleries sprinkled with banners is simply not enough anymore. The problem then lies all too often in a Webmaster desperate to make sales, and looking to abusive, rather than encouraging techniques to try and increase revenues. Climb up the ladder, not down, and you'll find a much better view.

Encouragement
This is where you "should" be. Sites that encourage the surfer by making book-marking easy, and offering help with voluntarily setting their home page to your site. Sites that 'talk' to the surfer, using text and table ads more than banner farms. Sites that strike a decent balance between content and up sell, offering what they claim they do, and helping the surfer find more.

Sites that 'encourage' surfers rather than abuse them, earn their trust; and as any good salesman can tell you, trust equals cash. You are not only helping yourself, but the industry as well. Prospects who visit your site will have a consistent and pleasurable experience; one that leaves them hungry for more. Since you treated them fairly, they are more likely to listen when you encourage them to visit your sponsor's site. The trust you have earned will then translate into more sales, and more revenue on your bottom line:

Guidance
This is where you 'should' be heading. In our increasingly competitive marketplace, heading up the ladder will pay more handsome dividends than heading down. It amazes me how few adult sites actually 'talk' to their visitors, treating them like intelligent human beings whose trust and respect they are trying to earn.

All too often I see an approach aimed towards 'bottom feeders' and I have to ask myself why? Why target the lower orders when the high-end has the discretionary income to purchase your product, and the desire to avoid the waste of time and energy that surfing free porn entails? Sites who can provide guidance to these folks and earn their trust and respect will profit.

Many adult surfers who would otherwise be lost in a sea of pop-ups and misleading offers are waiting to be educated. They want to be shown where to find quality porn, and they have the means to purchase it. They don't want to be treated like greasy-haired sleaze balls who wear trench coats and hang out by playgrounds. They are adults looking for online adult entertainment, and they are unfortunately awash in a giant ocean of crap that does nothing but leave a poor impression of the industry as a whole — an impression that develops a real reluctance towards whipping out the plastic and hitting the "Join" button. Sites who can provide guidance to these folks and earn their trust and respect will profit, and all it takes is to talk to the surfer intelligently, and treat him or her the way that YOU wish to be treated.

Anyways, I'm done rambling and will climb off of my soap box now. I hope that I've given you something to think about, and a fresh perspective from which to view your site with. If you agree or disagree with my presumptions, then click the link below and let us all know about it...
~ Stephen

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

profile

WIA Profile: Leah Koons

If you’ve been to an industry event lately, odds are you’ve heard Leah Koons even before you’ve seen her. As Fansly’s director of marketing, Koons helps steer one of the fastest-growing creator platforms on the web.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

What France's New Law Means for Age Verification Worldwide

When France implemented its Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law on April 11, it marked a pivotal moment in the ongoing global debate surrounding online safety and access to adult content.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

From Tariffs to Trends: Staying Resilient in a Shaky Online Adult Market

Whenever I check in with clients these days, I encounter the same concerns. For many, business has not quite bounced back after the typical post-holiday-season slowdown. Instead, consumers have been holding back due to the economic uncertainty around the Trump administration’s new tariffs and their impact on prices.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Optimizing Payment Strategies for High Ticket Sales

Payment processing for more expensive items, such as those exceeding $1,000 per order, can create unique challenges. For adult businesses, those challenges are magnified. Increased fraud risk, elevated chargeback ratios and heavier scrutiny from banks and processors are only the beginning.

Jonathan Corona ·
profile

WIA Profile: Lexi Morin

Lexi Morin’s journey into the adult industry began with a Craigslist ad and a leap of faith. In 2011, fresh-faced and ambitious, she was scrolling through job ads on Craigslist when she stumbled upon a listing for an assistant makeup artist.

Women In Adult ·
profile

Still Rocking: The Hun Celebrates 30 Years in the Game

In the ever-changing landscape of adult entertainment, The Hun’s Yellow Pages stands out for its endurance. As one of the internet’s original fixtures, literally nearly as old as the web itself, The Hun has functioned as a living archive for online adult content, quietly maintaining its relevance with an interface that feels more nostalgic than flashy.

Jackie Backman ·
opinion

Digital Desires: AI's Emerging Role in Adult Entertainment

The adult industry has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to embracing new technology. From the early days of dial-up internet and grainy video clips to today’s polished social media platforms and streaming services, our industry has never been afraid to innovate. But now, artificial intelligence (AI) is shaking things up in ways that are exciting but also daunting.

Steve Lightspeed ·
opinion

More Than Money: Why Donating Time Matters for Nonprofits

The adult industry faces constant legal battles, societal stigma and workplace challenges. Fortunately, a number of nonprofit organizations work tirelessly to protect the rights and well-being of adult performers, producers and industry workers. When folks in the industry think about supporting these groups, donating money is naturally the first solution that comes to mind.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Consent Guardrails: How to Protect Your Content Platform

The adult industry takes a strong and definite stance against the creation or publication of nonconsensual materials. Adult industry creators, producers, processors, banks and hosts all share a vested interest in ensuring that the recording and publication of sexually explicit content is supported by informed consent.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

Payment Systems: Facilitator vs. Gateway Explained

Understanding and selecting the right payment platform can be confusing for anyone. Recently, Segpay launched its payment gateway. Since then, we’ve received numerous questions about the difference between a payment facilitator and a payment gateway. Most merchants want to know which type of platform best meets their business needs.

Cathy Beardsley ·
Show More