This holds particular true to those of us engaged in the online adult space. Thanks to the universal reach of the web, we all have access to a global audience. And what is more, the allure of pornography has universal appeal, too.
But whilst the whole world might dig porn, it is important to remember that each territory demonstrates a propensity to its own particular niche: the U.S. might get off to L.A.-produced factory porn, but the rest of the world does not necessarily share the same appetite for such material.
For example, the Brits tend to prefer edgier, less glossy porn and are partial to 'dogging' — a euphemism for engaging in sexual acts in semi-public places such as a secluded car park, or watching others doing the same.
As for the Germans, they tend to be partial for all things fetish; with extreme niches such as watersports selling particularly well there. And, unlike the Brits, they have a very open and tolerant attitude to nudity generally, with mixed-sex spas and swimming venues being the norm there.
If anything, Germany's neighbor Austria demonstrates an even more voracious appetite for all things fetish, with hardcore material having been freely available at newsstands long before the advent of the Internet.
Gay material seems to convert particularly well in Arabic-speaking markets, not least since being homosexual is considered a crime in such countries. Somewhat hypocritical really, when you consider that Persian kings used to pleasure themselves with boys half their age there. The result? Gay Arabs have little choice other than to go online to satiate their carnal desires, as our Alexa ranking in such countries bears witness: Phone billing works well there, thanks to a combination of low credit card penetration and the level of anonymity that phone billing offers such surfers.
Interracial porn seems to convert well on traffic from African countries, whose Internet penetration is miniscule when compared to the rest of the world and therefore represents a huge growth opportunity as we look forward to the future.
If you are already selling any of the niches alluded to and want to increase your bottom line, just remember to communicate with prospective customers in their own native language. Whilst the pics and vids we peddle transcend national boundaries and need no translation per se, when it comes to the important bit — paying you — pitch your prospects in a language they understand: theirs!
Also bear in mind that most of the world does not have credit or debit cards, so you should consider making alternative billing such as ours your primary, not secondary, processing mechanism in conjunction with traffic from such countries.
Doing so will allow you to make more money in the flat 'always on' interconnected world in which we all now live.