educational

Speaking Gay Internationally

The GayCrawler.com search engine team has studied the searches carried out during recent visits to their Internet directory dedicated to the gay community. This study is based on searches carried out during the months of April, May and June 2004 on more than 53,000 keywords, and was undertaken thanks to the technology of Click4gay.net, a leader in sponsored links advertising in the gay market.

This top keywords list reveals the differences in interests between the gay and lesbian communities of Europe and North America. Similarly, Anglophones, Francophones and Hispanophones do not share the same search topics.

The top keywords list is divided between North American and European Internet users, and according to six search themes. Searches relating to adult sites (pornographic) are at the top of the list with more than 58% of searches. The "dating and chat" theme comes in second with 16%, followed by travel (12%), business (7%), sports (4%) and, finally, the "help & support" theme concerning support and rights defense associations (3%).

Here's the top 10 keywords / phrases in each category:


58% "adult"

US/Canada
1. gay sex
2. free gay sex
3. gay sex toy
4. gay sex video
5. gay sex porn
6. gay bear
7. first time gay
8. pornstar
9. asian sex
10. latino sex

Europe
1. gay sex
2. gay sex toy
3. free gay sex
4. gay sex shop
5. gay sex pic
6. adult sex shop
7. gay phone sex
8. first gay sex
9. gay black sex
10. free gay sex videos

16% "dating and chat"
US/Canada
1. gay dating
2. gay chat room
3. gay personal ads
4. interracial dating
5. black gay dating
6. adult dating gay
7. dating gay jewish
8. christian dating
9. gay profile
10. personal pic
Europe
1. free gay chat
2. uk gay chat
3. gay chat line
4. gay dating uk
5. speed dating
6. dating in spain
7. personal ad
8. uk personal
9. gay profiles
10. personals profile dating

12% "travel"
US/Canada
1. travel agency
2. travel guide
3. travel agencies
4. travel mexico
5. travel montreal
6. travel nyc
7. travel miami
8. san francisco
9. caribbean
10. gay cruise
Europe
1. travel agent
2. travel guide
3. travel agencies
4. travel insurance
5. travel gay asia
6. travel turkey
7. Las Palomas
8. Sitges
9. Benidorm
10. Mykonos

7% "business"
US/Canada
1. gay shopping
2. gay sex shop
3. real estate
4. gay business
5. underwear
6. shopping
7. gay dvd shop
8. finance gay
9. chamber of commerce
10. business directory
Europe
1. gay sex shop
2. underwear
3. gay night club
4. gay wedding
5. clothes
6. gay marketing
7. gay shopping
8. gay dvd shop
9. finance gay lesbian tax
10. gay business venture groups

4% "sports"
US/Canada
1. gay water sport
2. gay game
3. gay rodeo
4. gay hockey
5. league softball
6. cycling gay
7. gay volleyball
8. gay golf
9. gay outdoor
10. scuba diving
Europe
1. gay rugby
2. gay soccer
3. gay ski week
4. gay rugby players
5. gay games
6. EuroGames
7. gay Cycling
8. gay league
9. gay golf
10. tennis gay

3% "help & support"
US/Canada
1. marriage support
2. teen support
3. gay lesbian support
4. adoption gay support
5. civil right
6. right activist
7. first time sex
8. gay right in Canada
9. equal gay right
10. aids gay hiv
Europe
1. support parents gays
2. gay marriage support
3. gay rights legislation
4. gay teen help
5. gay lesbian support london
6. gay parenting
7. adoption gay couples
8. gay rights in america
9. gay civil weddings
10. gay organisations

Keywords from the adult and dating themes highlight the difference of interests of a racial or ethnic nature between Americans and Europeans. The travel theme also indicates that these communities do not choose the same "gay friendly" destinations. As for business, underwear and DVDs are very popular, and North Americans rank three keywords relating to business in the gay community. Rugby and soccer are apparently more popular in Europe! Finally, marriage and adoption dominate the last theme.

The origin of users is also interesting to study. North Americans are a majority, but we can also see that residents of North Africa are present among Francophone users. Most surprisingly, Hispanophone users come mostly from the United States, rather than from Spain!

Here's the breakdown of languages by country:

English Speaking
1. United States
2. Canada
3. UK & Ireland
4. Australia
5. New Zealand
6. South Africa
Spanish Speaking
1. United States
2. Spain
3. Uruguay
4. Argentina
5. Chile
6. Venezuela
7. Costa Rica
8. Republica Dominicana
9. Peru
French Speaking
1. France
2. Switzerland
3. Belgium
4. Quebec Canada
5. Luxembourg
6. Morocco
7. Algeria
8. Tunisia
9. Lebanon
Others Languages
1. Germany
2. Netherlands
3. Finland
4. Poland
5. Sweden
6. Greece
7. China
8. Russia
9. Thailand

To conclude, note that 68% of our surfers use categories to perform searches.

Through the GayCrawler.com service, users may access more than 25,000 sites in more than 327 categories of specific interest to the gay and lesbian community. Each site indexed in the GayCrawler.com database is individually registered by surfers who have a detailed knowledge of the topic; this means that search results are more reliable and, therefore, more relevant to GayCrawler.com users. Anybody can submit a pertinent Web site to be added to the database. However, GayCrawler.com might refuse a Web site if its content is considered inappropriate.

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

opinion

WIA Profile: Lainie Speiser

With her fiery red hair and a laugh that practically hugs you, Lainie Speiser is impossible to miss. Having repped some of adult’s biggest stars during her 30-plus years in the business, the veteran publicist is also a treasure trove of tales dating back to the days when print was king and social media not even a glimmer in the industry’s eye.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

Fighting Back Against AI-Fueled Fake Takedown Notices

The digital landscape is increasingly being shaped by artificial intelligence, and while AI offers immense potential, it’s also being weaponized. One disturbing trend that directly impacts adult businesses is AI-powered “DMCA takedown services” generating a flood of fraudulent Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Building Seamless Checkout Flows for High-Risk Merchants

For high-risk merchants such as adult businesses, crypto payments are no longer just a backup plan — they’re fast becoming a first choice. More and more businesses are embracing Bitcoin and other digital currencies for consumer transactions.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

What the New SCOTUS Ruling Means for AV Laws and Free Speech

On June 27, 2025, the United States Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, upholding Texas’ age verification law in the face of a constitutional challenge and setting a new precedent that bolsters similar laws around the country.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

What You Need to Know Before Relocating Your Adult Business Abroad

Over the last several months, a noticeable trend has emerged: several of our U.S.-based merchants have decided to “pick up shop” and relocate to European countries. On the surface, this sounds idyllic. I imagine some of my favorite clients sipping coffee or wine at sidewalk cafés, embracing a slower pace of life.

Cathy Beardsley ·
profile

WIA Profile: Salima

When Salima first entered the adult space in her mid-20s, becoming a power player wasn’t even on her radar. She was simply looking to learn. Over the years, however, her instinct for strategy, trust in her teams and commitment to creator-first innovation led her from the trade show floor to the executive suite.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

How the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act Could Impact Adult Businesses

Congress is considering a bill that would change the well-settled definition of obscenity and create extensive new risks for the adult industry. The Interstate Obscenity Definition Act, introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, makes a mockery of the First Amendment and should be roundly rejected.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

What US Sites Need to Know About UK's Online Safety Act

In a high-risk space like the adult industry, overlooking or ignoring ever-changing rules and regulations can cost you dearly. In the United Kingdom, significant change has now arrived in the form of the Online Safety Act — and failure to comply with its requirements could cost merchants millions of dollars in fines.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Understanding the MATCH List and How to Avoid Getting Blacklisted

Business is booming, sales are steady and your customer base is growing. Everything seems to be running smoothly — until suddenly, Stripe pulls the plug. With one cold, automated email, your payment processing is shut down. No warning, no explanation.

Jonathan Corona ·
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 ·
Show More