Category Archives: Marketing

Internet, Marketing, Sex Work

SEO for Adult Websites

Adult SEOIts imperative that you work on your SEO (search engine optimization) if you own a website. When you have an adult website you have to work twice as hard at your SEO to get half as far. It’s something that’s easy to neglect but you shouldn’t.  Google is always changing their algorithm and in the process your SEO will bounce around. Just when you are where you want to be WHAM Google switches something up and you’re two steps back. Stay on top of your SEO game and spend a little time every month or week or day whatever you can and polish up your SEO.  Google says they don’t penalize adult sites and that we are all on an even playing field. If you believe that I have a bridge to sell you in some prime swamp land real cheap.

With that being said here are a few easy ways to start working on your Adult website SEO. Remember there are 100 ways to skin a cat, so find some things that work for you and work at it. Having your site in the top 10 search  returns with your preferred keyword on Google will make a huge difference to you bottom line. Its a numbers game the more people who see your site, the more options you have for making money and it is after all, all about the money.

  1. NEVER USE BLACK HAT TECHNIQUES:  Lots of adult websites over the years have resorted to black hat techniques in trying to get their websites ranked higher. This is not a long term strategy. Sure you might get a few gains but those gains will be short lived and short term and you will get penalized eventually. That is much harder and longer road to return from.  Use traditional “white hat” SEO techniques. Remember SEO takes time. Invest it, It’s worth it.
  2.  LINK EXCHANGE: You have to do link exchanges with trusted sites. Start with colleagues/competitors in the same niche, I know this seems counter intuitive  “If I link competitors my potential customer might go to them instead of me” Sure that’s possible but the benefits from links from a trusted  site outweighs the possible loss or sharing of a customer or two. Remember you want MANY eyeballs on your site. Having a high domain authority and many backlinks helps you get higher in google’s rank.  Lots of colleagues and competitors will balk at this but keep working at it.  It benefits you both, smart people will know that or understand it. Oh and don’t be a dick and bury their link that’s not cool.
  3. DOMAIN AUTHORITY, PAGE AUTHORITY AND  BACKLINKS: Use a DA/PA checker and start tracking your work. A few good back links can raise your domain authority a couple points in a day. Also use a back-link checker to see who your competition is linked to. Get linked to those places too. There’s some debate as to NF (no follow) or F (follow) links and which is better to have. Sure you want follow links, but don’t count out NF links from high ranking sites. I wouldn’t spend all your time on them but don’t count them all out completely.
  4.  INTERLINK YOUR CONTENT: Help google to index your site quickly by interlinking your content. Don’t go hog wild but a couple links on some key blog posts or where a customer can find additional content they might like on your site helps.

Bonus: Check your website speed (you want it fast and so does Google) and make sure your site is mobile friendly. These two things really do matter and they are mattering more and more every time Google updates how they rank sites.

Jenny DeMilo: Dominatrix, Hypno-Domme and former GFE Escort
Follow Jenny DeMilo on Twitter

Save

Save

Clips, Internet, Marketing, Money Management, Sex Work

Sex work and payment processing

Its hard out there for a hoe! Being in one of the highest grossing industries doesn’t mean you get the benefits that anyone else would working in a “real” business. If you’re selling any kind of adult material from video to audio you will find a major roadblock to making money. Payment processing. It gets us all.  Since adult work is considered high risk most payment processors wont touch you with a ten foot pole. Those that do will take a giant chunk of your money. Sometimes upwards of 40%. That’s a lot of cash to give away to someone for them basically doing very little to actually doing nothing. A quick rundown of some options for selling your content and making money.

Paypal: Plain and simple Paypal is not adult friendly. Do not sell your material using them as a processor they will freeze your account.

Stripe: Its right in their Faq’s Adult content or services are a no go.

C4S: If you make video or audio C4S is an option. C4S is like old faithful, strong steady and they have been around forever. Thousands of people have studios with them, so its easy to get info on how they do business. They will host your content and they have their own customers to sell to  which means they bring traffic. They have a long standing reputable reputation. All that is great. They take 40% of every sale. That’s not great. Ive had a studio with them for years, customer service is great, they send me my money like fucking clock work and i rarely if ever seem them in pissing matches in forums with model. That’s called professionalism.  They are worth a look.

IWC: I Want Clips, popular with some people, others hate them. They pay out 70% and have contests where you can compete for more sales ( fun.. not) and occasionally have payouts that increase on holidays, which is a nice feature. I heard there was some kind of multilevel system where the more in sales you make the larger % you can take home of your cash. That may have changed, I’ve been alerted by a user of the site, its a straight percentage. It’s worth asking the question of you decide to use them. I have heard mixed opinions about how much traffic they actually bring to the table. Their niche is femdom more specifically video femdom. They are a small mom and pop shop, actually IWC has two dads. They have a lot of complaints about lack of customer service and a mysterious user agreement I haven’t been able to get my hands on but they could be a viable option if you fit their niche and don’t feel like you will have any issues that need addressing or immediate attention.

Niteflirt: A phone sex site where you an an independent contractor can use their platform to take calls or do webcam shows. However you can also sell your content which they call “goodies” video, audio, photos all kinds of things can be uploaded there for sale.  They have a large built in audience but its hard to get noticed on the site unless you pay for top placement so you need to bring your own traffic until your audience finds you. They also take 30% of every sale. They have been around a long time so some of the features seem dated as they don’t do updates very often but Niteflirt is a workhorse, put in the effort and this one  pays off, in spades.

CCBill:  a long standing adult payment processor. Ive been using them for years. It works out to about 12/14% of each sale but depending on your weekly gross that can go down.  You will need to build your own site to sell your content on and you will have to pay the yearly fees to Visa and Mastercard which can come to 1000 per year. Yes, you have to give them a chunk of money for the honor of them taking  a % of every sale.  Welcome to the world of being a “high risk”  content provider. They don’t bring any traffic that’s on you but I have found their customer service excellent and my account rep is always happy to help me if i have questions.  Also if you are a Hypno Domme you know how hard it is to find a processor who always you to use the world “hypnosis” CCBill does not have that restriction.

Clipvia: I told you they were shady years ago. They finally shut down after stealing money from so many people. Good riddance.

Kinkbomb: Shady AF – They shut down

If you have any platforms to add to this list? Get in touch with your experience!

Escorting, Fetish Model, Internet, Marketing, Phone Sex, Pro Domme, Sex Work, Webcam

Creating Your Own Demand

Rule_34We all know about Rule 34: There is a fetish for everything. Everything has potential to turn someone on. It’s one of the best things about being a sex worker. You get to create your own niche to the extreme. But how exactly do you build demand once you’ve created your niche? The good news is that it is essentially really easy. The bad news is that it is time consuming. But nobody is going to be successful doing nothing, so I’m just going to assume that you’re not lazy and that you want to fucking work. First off, get your ass on social media. You can’t avoid social media anymore when you’re creating your demand. Hashtags are your best friend on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. But it’s so much more than that!! You have to also network. The sex worker community on Tumblr is one of my absolute favorites. People constantly build each other up, dish out hate on creepers, and reblog advertisements. Just remember that you’re expected to do the same! Use watermarked photos of yourself to advertise your services, whether you’re a pro-Domme, cammer, PSO or escort. Don’t just post the photo though, include your website(s) in the description!

Do a bit of research. Who are the people who have similar interests and where do they hang out? There are forums for just about every kink these days, and forums are a great place to start conversations with potential clients/customers.

Own what you do. Are you a POC into cosplay? Show off your geek knowledge along side your cosplaying photos. You have a personality (even if it’s a made up one), use it to your advantage. By making yourself a relatable individual, people will feel connected to you and more likely to support your services. This can be a problem when you’re a FemDom, as there is a fine balance between being too accessible and not enough. Find that balance! Do something different from everyone else. Nobody likes a copycat. Don’t copy other people!! It’s in poor taste. Standing out from the crowd will make you stand out in peoples’ minds.

Don’t wait for other people. You own you. You control what you do. You cannot expect to sit around and wait for others to make you successful. That’s not how this industry works. Find what you want to do and do it. Don’t wait for companies to hire you. Don’t wait for approval from anyone. Just fucking do it.

Nobody cares about your success more than you, so why on earth are you not doing anything about it? 

Sydney Screams: Fetish Model, Clip Producer, Adult Actress, Radio Talk Show Host

Escorting, Marketing, Sex Work

Do The Math

back-to-school-retro-school-classroom-1408441525-view-0If you’re new to escorting or even if you’re not new sometimes its hard to tell what it is you really need to have to make money. As an independent escort it your own business and as with all business it takes money to make money. You can cut down on some of those costs by putting in a little time into figuring out what you really need to spend your money on and what you don’t. Making sure in the process to get value for money. Website: Though you don’t need a website to be an escort, it’s probably a good idea to get one.  Having a website shows some measure of legitimacy. If you are a little web savvy you can put up your own site. If not there are people who can do that for you. What they charge will vary far and wide. What you will get for that money will also vary. You should think carefully about what it is you want and what you are willing to pay to get it. A simple site works just as well as a very complicated site with all the bells and whistles. If you hire a web person to make you a site who does a lot of escort sites, make sure to do what you can to make your site look unique. You don’t want to look like everyone else. Your site should reflect you. Think about it from your client side, he’s weeding though a lot of sites and though a lot of potential escorts. Stand out! Oh and for gods sake if you put up your own site pay for your own hosting and a domain name. Don’t use a free site thats asking for trouble. Many are not adult friendly and you run the risk of waking up one day and your sites been deleted.

Photography: Every escort needs photos. Photos are going to sell you to potential clients more then anything else you do. Think about what image you want to project. Are you sweet and young? Are you dominating and fierce?  Are you quirky and alternative? What ever your assets are you want to project those in your photos.  Don’t just hire the dude who shoots all the hookers. What that is going to get you is your photos will look like all the other hookers photos. Hire someone you’re comfortable with (lots of creepy dudes with cameras out there), that you can trust (especially if you don’t show your face), who will design a shoot that is unique to you. Get references from other women in the business. Really look at someones portfolio. If they have 100 photos of skinny girls in lingerie and you’re fuller figured then that’s not your guy. If all they have to show are photos of white girls and you are a different shade then thats not your guy. If their portfolios are filled with pictures of landscapes and puppies then id think twice about spending your hard earned cash on that guy. Make sure they can do what it is you want and that they aren’t just putting up their lucky shots. Remember its easy to make a model… look like a model. Prices will also vary a lot so shop around.  If an average shoot in your area with a sex worker friendly photographer is 300 bucks and that gets you a set of usable retouched photos, then what should you get for a 1200 shoot? Also remember that as an escort you need to get new photos often, keep that in mind so when you are budgeting for shoots.You will need to do at least one shoot a year and you probably should do two.

Video: This is a thing now and frankly I don’t know why. Oh I know why some “clients” might like them. These are the same guys who can’t pull the trigger unless a girls got 500 reviews. But video isn’t necessary. It’s not a thing you need to have to work, even at the high end. Anyone that tells you that is selling something.  Does everyone need to have a Victoria Secrets style video to promote herself? The short answer is no.

Advertising: This is something you will need to invest in and put in some trail and error. Not all advertising works for all girls. Your BFF might really get a lot of work off a site that you get nothing off of. People in New York might pay for ads on a site that works, while in Detroit that same site will suck for bringing in clients. There is not rhyme or reason to it. The best thing you can do is set yourself a monthly advertising budget and then see what works for you. Try different things one at a time, then measure the success. Make sure you track hits to your website and ask your clients where they saw your ad. Not all of them will remember and some will get it wrong but absent of a customer satisfaction survey its the best you have to measure whats working. Also think of non traditional advertising venues like review boards, screening sites and social media.

Putting a little thought and time into determining what it is you need then adding up what that will cost is the best thing you can do for your business. You don’t need a ton of money but you should be setting some aside for these types of things. Do the math. Lots of people out there are looking to take advantage of you because they think you are rolling in escort dough and if you are new there are people who will tell you you need all the things and you can buy them from them of course. Be smart, be skeptical and don’t get taken advantage of.

Jenny DeMilo: Dominatrix, Hypno-Domme and former GFE Escort

Follow Jenny DeMilo on Twitter

 

Escorting, Marketing, Sex Work

4 things you can do when your advertising venue disappears

Panic!You woke up one morning to find the main place, your go to advertising venue, where you advertised for your escort business has suddenly disappeared. It’s gone, vanished, poof… into the mist! It’s normal to feel panic when something like this happens to you and it does happen. It happens more often than people think. You don’t know what to do. How will you make a living? What options do you have to advertise? How will you eat and keep a roof over your head. Before you do anything drastic like walk the streets and put yourself into harms way or see un-screened possibly unsafe clients take a deep breath, a big step back and think.  There are always other options available to you. One website isn’t the end all be all in escort advertising even if that website had a bit of a monopoly on the local market. There are other ways, other options in how to make things work for you and your escort business. You just have to find them.

1. Find new advertising

Hopefully you didn’t have all your eggs in one advertising basket. Sometimes though there is only one good place to advertise in a city or rather one place that has all the business. If you find that place isn’t there any longer then it’s time to find a new advertising venue. Google your city +escorts or any combination there of and look at all the new possible places for you to put up an ad. If the old place that no longer exists was free to advertise and everything else costs then time to pay up. Welcome to the big leagues, the real world where you have to invest in your business. Its called the cost of doing business and its now time to step up your game. You want to chose wisely, don’t go giving your hard earned cash over to just anyone. Do some homework, pick a new place, pay for an ad and most of all, track your results. If it doesn’t work then dump it and try a different one. Try the high end glossy website with expensive ads, try the down and dirty classified ad style site. See what works for you. Be aware that everyone else who used that site is also looking for new advertising too and keep that in the back of your mind while you pick out some new places to advertise. The worlds oldest profession isn’t going go away just because one website is gone. That business will migrate somewhere else, you just have to find it. If your regular advertising site went away because of government interference, your potential clients might be a little gun shy as well and not want to come out to play until things calm down, so maybe the next option is better suited for you.

2. Tour

Get the hell out of dodge for a while, try something new. Go to a new town and make a killing. Turn adversity into profit. Chose your city wisely, don’t go where 100 other girls are all flocking to because they are in the same position as you are. Check out some possible 2nd tier cities or maybe even 3rd tier. Be creative hit a few different places or find one and stick to it and turn in into a working vacation. Odds are you need a vacation anyways.

3. Network with other sex workers

Ask your peers what they are doing to weather this storm. Other sex workers can often be your best resource. Don’t copy them outright though or you might find that you no longer get any support or guidance from them. Ask them how they are handling the change, see if you can glean any insight. You might find their answers enlightening.

4.  Try other kinds of work

Always wanted to give exotic dancing a try? Nows your chance! How about looking into web-camming or of you’re really bold look into acting in some adult films. None of that appeals to you? Then how about looking for a real job (provided you don’t already have one) dust off the resume and see what the big bad world has to offer you. It doesn’t have to be forever and no you wont get paid hundreds of dollars an hour but you might make enough to keep  roof over your head and the lights on for a while until you figure out your next steps.

It can be a scary thing when something you’ve come to rely such as advertising on is suddenly gone. It can and does happen from time to time, this is good reason to diversify your options moving forward. Never put all your eggs in one basket because this business is ever changing, always under attack and you don’t want to find yourself in a tight spot when then change hits you or your city.

Jenny DeMilo: Dominatrix, Hypno-Domme and former GFE Escort

Follow Jenny DeMilo on Twitter