A Family Affair
by Brandon Palmer
Few people would argue that the online adult market is, first and
foremost, a business. Certainly webmasters should enjoy their work,
but unless they're doing it as a hobby, the bottom line is still to
make a profit. So therefore, customers, one might reasonably conclude,
should be treated as little more than dollar signs. Communicating
with surfers is just a waste of time. Herd them in like cattle, slice
off what you can get, and send them on their way. As long as you've
got their credit card numbers, who cares what they think, right?
Wrong!
It's easy to forget that the Web is not just a huge cybermall, with
customers lining up to fork over their hard-earned cash. Many surfers,
particularly gay men, are looking for something more from adult sites
than just sexually graphic material. Many of them actively seek out
an online community, a place to meet and socialize with people who
share their interests, and of course, a sexual marketplace where their
voices are not only heard but valued. It's no longer enough for a
gay adult site simply to offer quality images or movies. The successful
site must now also offer an interactive environment.
Unfortunately, there are no "quick-fix" techniques for making an adult
site more user-friendly. It can take months and even years to establish
a reputation for customer service and communication. The best place
to begin is by actively participating in the online gay community.
Message boards, chat-rooms and newsgroups are just a few of the numerous
free services that attract gay surfers, providing the astute webmaster
with an opportunity to directly interact with his or her future customers.
Keep in mind that message boards are typically intended for recreation,
not as a venue for self-promotion. If you do mention your site, be
careful not to come on too strong with your sales pitch. Lisa Turner,
the Marketing & Advertising Administrator for Badpuppy.com,
warns that unsolicited promotional posts are not always welcomed on
message boards. "More often than not, the static info is quickly removed
when they figure out that a posting is of a commercial nature," she
says.
Turner states that she's received far more positive results from chat
rooms. "We have people in several chat rooms at different times of
the day," she says. "They'll just be talking to people, finding out
what they like in an informal setting, maybe casually mentioning our
site. We make every effort here at Badpuppy to make sure the actions
appear non-commercial." Spam e-mails with customized invitations have
become increasingly popular, as it at least simulates a more personal
approach to marketing. Many webmasters, however, are undecided on
its effectiveness. "I know people who swear by them," says Terrence
Smalley, the Marketing Manager for Freya Communications (www.MenOnTheNet.com).
"But I personally hate them and would never use them. If I am going
to do a mass e-mail, I only use double opt-in lists from different
suppliers, because then you don't have to worry about upsetting possible
customers."
Whether using chat-rooms, message boards, or bulk e-mails, special
care should be taken not to unwittingly upset or offend your potential
customers. This is a very real danger for webmasters who may be unfamiliar
with the type of terminology commonly used, or frowned upon, within
the gay community.
"Many of the straight webmasters I work with have a problem understanding
the context in which many words should and should not be used," says
Gary Alan, the CEO of gay adult resource portal GayWideWebmasters.com.
"I have a list of terms I ask them to avoid - such as fag, Mary, lil
boy, Nancy boy, pussy boy. These should be avoided not only from the
derogatory standpoint, but when they are used in the wrong place,
they can infuriate a surfer."
Avoiding the wrong words does not by itself guarantee that you will
be able to lure a surfer to your site. Alan claims that there is a
stylistic difference between interacting with gay surfers and straight
surfers. "For a straight site, my approach would be pointed," he says.
"Something like, 'Hey buddy, you can get this chick and all her friends
for less than the price of a six pack and burger!' But for a gay site,
I would probably take a less pointed but equally effective approach.
'Let me tell you, I joined this site myself. You won't be disappointed.
The sex is XXX and the price is perfect!' A small variation in wording
makes a big difference in sales."
When surfers begin to filter into your site, this is when regular
contact becomes the most crucial. Terrence Smalley insists that it
is the webmaster's responsibility to initiate communication with his
users. "You should be the one to contact them first," he says. "Don't
wait for them to make the first move, because most of them won't bother
until they're upset about something. Always be honest, and don't bullshit
them when they come to you with questions or concerns regarding their
membership." Smalley also sends a monthly newsletter to his regular
members, regardless of whether he has any site news to report. "Sometimes
I'll just drop a note to say hello," he says. "Or, maybe just remind
them that I appreciate their business. As long as your members know
you appreciate them and you take care of them, they will stick with
you through the good and bad."
While communicating with your members via occasional e-mails is a
great first step, it's a far cry from the communal atmosphere that
most gay surfers crave. Perhaps the best example of how an adult site
can be transformed into a virtual community can be found at Badpuppy.com.
Originally designed as a free BBS home page, it went on to become
a highly successful membership Web site in 1995, due almost exclusively
to the fact that their regular subscribers considered themselves collaborators
more than customers. That may sound like a lot of marketing hot air,
but according to Lisa Turner, the Badpuppy site has always been committed
to giving their members an active role in determining content.
"We have a forum where our members can communicate with each other
and with the Badpuppy staff," says Turner. "Our members' feedback
is used not only to make specific decisions on content, but also in
questions of site interface and navigation itself. We read the member
forums on a regular basis and participate in comments, questions and
troubleshooting." The Badpuppy staff pays particular attention when
memberships are terminated. "When a member cancels, we traditionally
ask for feedback regarding their reasons," Turner says. "This has
allowed us to focus on certain items we were lacking, which would
have made a difference in someone's decision to cancel." But, she
adds their pledge to keep members involved have made cancellations
a rarity. "I can honestly say that we have a multitude of original
members who have been with us from day one," she says. "If you listen
to your members, allow them to contribute and actively participate
in the site, they'll be loyal to you for a long time to come!"
The Badpuppy devotion to customer service may seem like nothing more
than common sense, but it's a rarity in an industry driven by profit.
By placing a precedent on building a community for their audience
over forcing conversions or sales, Badpuppy has been rewarded with
a dedicated and fiercely loyal membership that rivals any of the biggest
adult sites, gay or straight.
"If you listen to your customers," Turner says, "you'll be building
them a home away from home that they have actually played a part in
creating. Allow your members to become a part of the decision-making
process, and they'll feel more a part of the site and family!"
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