educational

Tackling The Technology Curve

The online adult entertainment industry was once seen as the obvious replacement to the old-school video business, but consumer preference has instead caused a melding of mediums, with punters picking porn on disc, despite the convenience of Internet delivery.

Sponsored by Vivid Entertainment and hosted by XCritic.com, the ongoing Vivid Sex Tracker Survey series continues to provide interesting insights into the various ways that porn is viewed, revealing an array of intriguing results warranting further consideration.

A recent survey finds that 28.4 percent of respondents have in excess of 100 DVDs in their personal porn collections.

For example, a recent survey finds that 28.4 percent of respondents have in excess of 100 DVDs in their personal porn collections. Given the popularity of online adult content it might be surmised that these replies are skewed by an older audience that is used to the comfort, “safety” and permanence of tangible discs — but quality obviously plays a role in the equation, with 40.2 percent repeatedly viewing their DVDs from three to five times and being satisfied enough with the experience to continue collecting this premium porn.

The audience age question also arises when looking at the 56.7 percent of respondents that say they do not use a Smartphone or tablet to view adult content; especially given the rapid uptick in the number of predominantly younger consumers using these devices — but don’t think that these viewers are adverse to using the latest technology, since more than half of respondents (55 percent) follow or interact with their favorite stars online.

This high level of interaction shouldn’t be any surprise, however, since 60.8 percent of viewers buy adult movies because of the star in it. This pattern of preference extends throughout a performer’s career and serves as the basis for the long-term “relationships” that can result from the pursuit of fandom.

For example, for their favorite directors, survey respondents chose Jenna Haze, followed by Mason, Joanna Angel, Axel Braun, B. Skow and Robby D., while favorite bloggers include Chanel Preston, Kayden Kross, Stoya and Riley Steele, illustrating the widespread appeal of performers beyond their performances.

Among this survey data’s lessons for adult marketers is a reinforcement of the value of developing a performer’s personality, taking a longer term vision than simply making the next box cover. Also, the role of technology should not be overstated, as the legacy viewing systems used by active collectors provides a balance of bandwidth and fidelity that is otherwise unavailable to many consumers.

For example, some folks have slow Internet connections, or they may fear viruses from downloads, or perhaps want a physical, portable copy. Regardless of their motives, the profitability of discs (and direct Blu-ray ISO downloads) makes this audience a valid component of adult marketing plans for years to come.

Just be sure to include a hook (and a direct link for Internet enabled devices, such as Smart TVs) for viewers to access your star’s social media presence, so those fans that are still willing to pay for porn can easily communicate and cam with their on-screen idols — while you cash in by riding today’s technology curve.

Related:  

Copyright © 2026 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

opinion

A Creator's Guide to Starting the Year With Strong Financial Habits

Every January brings that familiar rush of new ideas and big goals. Creators feel ready to overhaul their content, commit to new posting schedules and jump on fresh opportunities.

Megan Stokes ·
profile

Jak Knife on Turning Collaboration and Consistency Into a Billion Views

What started as a private experiment between two curious lovers has grown into one of the most-watched creator catalogs on Pornhub. Today, with more than a billion views and counting, Jak Knife ranks among the top 20 performers on the site. It’s a milestone he reached not through overnight virality or manufactured hype, but through consistency, collaboration—and a willingness to make it weird.

Jackie Backman ·
opinion

Pornnhub's Jade Talks Trust and Community

If you’ve ever interacted with Jade at Pornhub, you already know one thing to be true: Whether you’re coordinating an event, confirming deliverables or simply trying to get an answer quickly, things move more smoothly when she’s involved. Emails get answered. Details are confirmed. Deadlines don’t drift. And through it all, her tone remains warm, friendly and grounded.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

Outlook 2026: Industry Execs Weigh In on Strategy, Monetization and Risk

The adult industry enters 2026 at a moment of concentrated change. Over the past year, the sector’s evolution has accelerated. Creators have become full-scale businesses, managing branding, compliance, distribution and community under intensifying competition. Studios and platforms are refining production and business models in response to pressures ranging from regulatory mandates to shifting consumer preferences.

Jackie Backman ·
opinion

How Platforms Can Tap AI to Moderate Content at Scale

Every day, billions of posts, images and videos are uploaded to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X. As social media has grown, so has the amount of content that must be reviewed — including hate speech, misinformation, deepfakes, violent material and coordinated manipulation campaigns.

Christoph Hermes ·
opinion

What DSA and GDPR Enforcement Means for Adult Platforms

Adult platforms have never been more visible to regulators than they are right now. For years, the industry operated in a gray zone: enormous traffic, massive data volume and minimal oversight. Those days are over.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Making the Case for Network Tokens in Recurring Billing

A declined transaction isn’t just a technical error; it’s lost revenue you fought hard to earn. But here’s some good news for adult merchants: The same technology that helps the world’s largest subscription services smoothly process millions of monthly subscriptions is now available to you as well.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

Navigating Age Verification Laws Without Disrupting Revenue

With age verification laws now firmly in place across multiple markets, merchants are asking practical questions: How is this affecting traffic? What happens during onboarding? Which approaches are proving workable in real payment flows?

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

How Adult Businesses Can Navigate Global Compliance Demands

The internet has made the world feel small. Case in point: Adult websites based in the U.S. are now getting letters from regulators demanding compliance with foreign laws, even if they don’t operate in those countries. Meanwhile, some U.S. website operators dealing with the patchwork of state-level age verification laws have considered incorporating offshore in the hopes of avoiding these new obligations — but even operators with no physical presence in the U.S. have been sued or threatened with claims for not following state AV laws.

Larry Walters ·
opinion

Top Tips for Bulletproof Creator Management Contracts

The creator management business is booming. Every week, it seems, a new agency emerges, promising to turn creators into stars, automate their fan interactions or triple their revenue through “secret” social strategies. The reality? Many of these agencies are operating with contracts that wouldn’t survive a single serious dispute — if they even have contracts at all.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
Show More