Just an observation for what it's worth...

[sarettah]

Originally Posted by Hammer

I made lots of money with mainstream sites before I started building adult sites in '96

Hmm... I would be interested in knowing where you were making money on the net prior to '96. Not doubting it, but those are the extremely extremely early days for anyone making money on the net. I know folks in adult that were doing it but most of the mainstream stuff (at least that were selling product, not building/coding) weren't making diddly from what I could see back then.

But back then I was just trying to keep the bills paid because there were 3 kids to keep fed and clothed and I missed jumping on the net train.

So I definitely could be wrong, as usual )

[Hell Puppy]

I will agree with the original statement that adult techniques work better for mainstream than vice versa....

BUT, i think one of the main differences in adult versus mainstream overall is mainstream tends to think long term. Adult is more of a quick buck and strip mine mentality. Get all you can right now, forget about tomorrow.

I think this largely equates to the risk factors. We're all one Visa regulation away from having our business model fucked.

The economics are also broken in adult in that it basically forces the shave and shady marketing to stay competitive where the affiliate is concerned. Wnat a really large program? You'll never be a top 10 program unless you're paying $35+ per signup. Meanwhile, is every signup TRULY worth $35 right now?

[softball]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

I will agree with the original statement that adult techniques work better for mainstream than vice versa....

BUT, i think one of the main differences in adult versus mainstream overall is mainstream tends to think long term. Adult is more of a quick buck and strip mine mentality. Get all you can right now, forget about tomorrow.

I think this largely equates to the risk factors. We're all one Visa regulation away from having our business model fucked.

The economics are also broken in adult in that it basically forces the shave and shady marketing to stay competitive where the affiliate is concerned. Wnat a really large program? You'll never be a top 10 program unless you're paying $35+ per signup. Meanwhile, is every signup TRULY worth $35 right now?

"We're all one Visa regulation away from having our business model fucked."
Now that is a pearl.

[softball]

This business is a lot like the recreational drug dealing business of the sixties. It began with a lot of idealists doing it for fun, then for fun and profit, then for pure profit. When the pure profit motivation set in, the scumbags, opportunists, nasty gun toting rip off artists, got involved and the fun was over. Then came cocaine. Just a little at first, then it hit hard and heavy and the business went to hell in a handcart. In this business, the cocaine was the pop ups, spyware, adware, cj's, phone re directs etc. etc. They may have been innovations but they made surfing for porn nasty and risky. The money flowed and we were slipping on the milk and getting our shoes stuck in the honey. But, just like the sixties, it ended. Those who were in for the long haul stayed. A few made a lot of money and bailed. Some, like the redirect guys, spammers etc. became marginalized and bailed because they never could really do business, just scams.
The last real innovations that made shitpots of money were more content driven like Bang Bus and GGW and Milf Hunters. Now that same expertise is being displayed in 2.0 stuff. Personally, I like hanging out in niche where customers like everything to be the same....every day. Like Groundhog day. There is still a big market in adult for those who want to settle down and do an honest business. But you know how it goes, you can fool some of the customers some of the time, and some of the customers all of the time. But you sure as shit can't fool all of the customers all of the time.