The Future is Bright! - A State of the Industry Commentary from Cyndalie Ashlock, of
Klixxx Magazine
Over the past six years I have watched the adult Internet industry flourish with exponential growth similar to the days of the Wild Wild West, where webmasters of all skill levels found opportunity and success, and money was ours for the making. I have also watched as our industry has consolidated, with profits harder to mine from the depths of the Web - again, for both industry veterans and newbies alike.
As the Internet continues to draw new users by the millions each year, the legal and political landscape has changed to further regulate the industry, making the risk factors and liabilities of doing adult business online a reality. Since year 2000, the reality of these risks have both scared webmasters away from the adult industry and forced programs to increase their own internal regulations and methods of doing business online. Yes, the global Internet audience is growing, but industry-wide compression factors including the limited number of search engines available now for promotion and restrictions on their use and the proposed mandate for .xxx domain name extensions for adult sites, have forced the adult webmaster community to realize that the "adult Internet" is actually shrinking. Big business continues to take over more and more online properties, making it increasingly difficult to extract adult traffic for free.
Perhaps it is because my industry foundations were built working for companies who provide services for adult webmasters, such as billing and Web hosting services. Or possibly, it is because of my successes working in the webmaster resources arena, writing numerous articles, and helping to run the AdultChamber Webmaster of the Year Contest. I have formed a solid belief that the future of our industry lies not only in the success of the providers and programs which drive new technology and revenue opportunities, but most importantly our future lies in the hands of those we teach and with whom we share solid information; webmasters of all skill levels, in all corners of our industry.
Joining the team at Klixxx is another fruitful step in this direction, which I not only enjoy, but believe in - Webmaster Education. By sharing not only our experiences, but the lessons we have learned from them, and taking the time to help a fellow webmaster along the way, we are investing in the future of the industry.
Although it is important to know who you are doing business with, from affiliates to content providers, limiting who we do business with based on how much traffic they have, or how long their site has been up, can only hurt both company and industry in the long run. By supporting the establishments and resource centers that, like Klixxx, invest in sponsoring webmaster education and strive to bring the best information possible to webmasters new and old, together we can pave the way to long term success through times of expansion and recession.
By working with Klixxx Magazine and Klixxx.com, it is my hope to continue doing what I believe in, and the work I truly love. Whether it is keeping up with the latest techniques in search engine marketing or keeping pace with legal decisions that affect our industry, it is our goal to invest in webmaster education, always put our best foot forward, and strive to make our industry strong, leaving a path to a better future for those who follow in our footsteps. I am happy to add my expertise to a solid Klixxx industry team, and I look forward knowing that the best is yet to come.
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