XBIZ
Kink Comes Out
When it comes to fetishes, the pleasure products industry is blowing the lid off of hidden fantasies with extensive collections and matching accessories to encourage deeper exploration of desires sometimes considered obscure and extreme. With a built-in consumer base of experienced fetishists, manufacturers are not only keeping the market fresh with innovation and options, but also attracting a crop of curious newbies. Through softened packaging, education and branding, even the most vanilla couples are being seduced into exploring fetishes.
Performance Testing for Hosted Ads
Ask any group of online marketers if they measure the performance of the third-party advertisements that appear on their site, or of their own ads, which appear on other sites, and you will likely hear a discussion centered on A/B split tests and click-through rates.
Free Sites 2012
Free, advertising supported websites are an increasingly dominant force on the adult Internet today. Deprived of any direct revenues from “selling” the content they contain, these sites have to find alternative ways of dealing with the cost of purchasing content — still one of the biggest expenses involved in running an adult website.
A First Date With Fans
Whether you are talking about the submit page of your site where potential new subscribers can enter their email address and desired user name, or the processing page of your site where credit card information is requested and billing information is required — the join page conversion content is by the most important aspect of your entire site architecture. Every other part of your tour, in one way or another, is created to lead visitors to your join page and the difference between profitability or failure often comes down to little more than being able to convert visitors into customers at the point of sale. Like a first date with fans, any chance of your site scoring is completely dependent on the outcome of their initial interactions with your join pages.
The Premium Value Of Exclusivity
One size does not really fit all; whether you are talking about shoes, or pornography — where exclusive content has long held an appeal for consumers — but the Internet has forever changed the dynamics of exclusivity, for better and for worse.
As Technology Evolves, So Does Content
Technology has a long history of affecting not only the distribution methods of adult entertainment, but also, the types of content that are enjoyed. As technology continues to evolve, so does adult content — and in the digital age, adult content is more diverse than ever. XBIZ contacted a handful of adult industry execs to discuss content trends of 2012; all of them offered their insights on the types of content that are doing well and the ways in which technology is affecting that content.
Wicked Pictures Unleashes ‘Men in Black’ National Ad Blitz With XBIZ
Wicked Pictures kicked off its national ad campaign for Brad Armstrong’s upcoming parody of the popular Hollywood franchise “Men in Black” on Wednesday by unveiling an elaborate multimedia ad blitz through leading news media portal XBIZ.com.
Focusing on Your Own 4 Walls
Being a total marketer requires one to cast a pretty wide net while seeking the latest information, tips, trends and techniques that may provide a competitive advantage to your company and its offers.
Harry Sparks: Porn With a Vengeance
Indie filmmaker Harry Sparks is a man without a niche, and that’s exactly how he likes it. After producing the 2007 Broadband Emmynominated documentary short “Shenandoah,” about the effects of global warming on Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, the Maryland-born producer, writer, and director soon shifted gears — and genres — to produce the horror films “All Hallows’ Eve” and “Rotkäppchen: The Blood of Red Riding Hood.”
Bridging The Billing Gap
It’s hard enough to make sales on the Internet today without your payment process getting in the way. Many customers subconsciously seek ways to avoid making a positive purchase decision; and sparing themselves the drudgery of filling out another online form — perhaps using the reduced functionality of typical a Smartphone’s micro-sized keypad, may be just what a prospect that is “teetering on the fence” needs in order to say “no.”
Time-Sensitive Promotions and Custom Content
On the day after the recent record-setting MegaMillions lottery drawing, as the sad realization that despite my single $1 ticket purchase, this author would not be sharing in the huge $656 million jackpot, the good folks at Dell sent me an e-mail whose timely subject line captured my attention: “Didn’t win the lottery? Try our Mystery Coupon.”
The Internet Really is For Porn
A new report is calling attention to the widespread consumption of online adult entertainment, and is opening eyes with some startling claims. It won’t come as much of a surprise to many of our readers, given the breathtaking bandwidth consumption now being reported by free tube sites offering streaming videos, but broadband and booty-shaking go hand-in-hand.
Blogger Spotlight: Meticulous Mentor
A self-proclaimed “sex toy encyclopedia,” Hey Epiphora began reviewing sex toys in 2007 for an online sex toy shop before launching her own platform to unleash her own “snarky, ridiculously truthful thoughts on sex toys” in 2008. HeyEpiphora.com has since blossomed into a trusted source for consumers looking for comprehensive product recommendations and commentary on modern-day cultural views on sex and its icons. She was even quoted in sex educator/author/adult filmmaker Tristan Taormino’s book “The Secrets of Great G-Spot Orgasms and Female Ejaculation.” In the latest edition of Blogger Spotlight, XBIZ highlights the personality and dedication behind HeyEpiphora.com.
Video vs. Blip Ads
As companies look for new ways to advertise, it’s important to take note of where people are getting their news, entertainment, and mail.
Sex Toys and Pop Culture: Life Imitating Art?
This month, we introduce a new “Talkback” section to NoveltyBiz to give industry members the opportunity to share their thoughts on the mainstreaming of sex toys. While many of the supporting responses relate to the booming sexual wellness category in mainstream retail, a significant portion of respondents recall being ushered into the mainstream thanks to Hollywood.
XBIZ TV: James Deen Goes From Starbucks to Porn Sensation
XBIZ TV on Friday debuted an exclusive new video interview with adult film star James Deen.
How Employee’s Social Media Use Can Harm Adult Companies
In a recent communiqué, adult industry attorney Dan Pepper of Pepper Law Group, (www.informationlaw.com), discussed several of the most important ways in which companies can be harmed by their employee’s use of social media.
Adult Search Terms Now Dominated by Mainstream Sites
Several seemingly “adult” search terms have recently become dominated by mainstream sites as the Google algorithm now ranks non-adult content sites on the first page for keywords that were historically considered to be profitable adult traffic sources. A search for terms like “lesbian,” “Ron Jeremy,” “Cunt” or many others in Google now reveals page one listings for several gay rights groups, mainstream movie credits and other mainstream content. What impact will this change have on adult site SEO, traffic patterns, domain values and profitability for adult webmasters?
If This, Then That
Many consumers today use a wide range of devices and services to interact with and stay in touch with clients, friends and family. Using their Smartphone to check Facebook status updates is a common example.
Driving Sales Through Interactive Technology
One of the biggest benefits of online marketing is the enormous depth and breadth of information that can be communicated to prospects — material far more robust than can be presented in a 30 second radio or television spot, or through full-page advertisements in print publications. Add to this the multimedia capabilities of the online realm and top it off with the one thing that online sales offer that no other medium (with the exception of dealing with in-person sales staff) can match: total interactivity — and it’s easy to see the possibilities of online interactivity.