BARCELONA — In what its CEO calls a "return to its roots," Private Media Group has embarked on and soon will debut a major expansion of its Internet business.
In the next few days, the European adult company plans on launching 11 new sites in five languages, while adding four new language versions of Private.com.
"In short we are multiplying our B2C presence by 60," Private CEO Charles Prast told XBIZ. "From one site in one language to 12 in five languages."
The 11 news websites include TightAndTeen.com, RussianTeenAss.com, BlacksOnSluts.com, PrivateCastings.com, PrivateMILFS.com, PrivateTropics.com, PrivateFetish.com, AnalIntroductions.com, MissionAssPossible.com, PrivateStars.com and TrannyTemptation.com.
Prast said that in the past year Private has localized its massive library and websites to exploit the brand even further in English, German, Spanish, French and Dutch.
"In fact, our team of local language copywriters and community managers in Barcelona have translated over 500,000 words — over 2 million keystrokes — and created 11 new sites which are fully adapted to this underserved audience," Prast said. " We have created social media accounts in the major languages and worked with our billing partners to implement better buy interfaces. Our 5,000-scene library has been optimized to this market."
Prast noted that the company has even reinvented its PrivateCash.com affiliate program, creating more than 500 banner ads in various languages to promote the sites.
"We offer a compelling product to affiliates to capture these non-English speaking clients," said Prast, who added that Private is actively seeking content partners to monetize its content on "local-friendly" platforms, which not only includes Internet but through European MSOs, DBS operators and its new PrivateTV channel.
Prast, citing a 2011 research by the European Commission, said that the rollout of sites in multiple languages reaches an underserved market for online audiences.
The study said, for example, "35 percent of Germans only browse websites that are in German and 40 percent would not communicate in a language other than German in a professional context," Prast said. "When it comes to a complex transaction — like carrying out a banking transaction online — 81 percent of Germans would not do this in any other language than German.
"Other research also underscores the importance of language in buyer behavior. In fact, some 52.4 percent of people only buy from websites in their own language, and language is particularly important for complex and larger purchases. Language is also more important for post-sales support: 74.7 percent of people say availability of after-sales support in own language influences their buying decision."
With the latest rollout nearing completion, Prast told XBIZ that the company, which for years went through corporate upheaval and turmoil, is making a comeback in a very meaningful way.
"Private is the only true pan-European brand, and we have returned to our roots," he said.
