Simple things work best when looking for sign ups.

[Paul Markham]

I knew that telling surfers about the updates was converting and retaining. What I did not realise was if we step up a notch it would jump like it has.

About 3-4 weeks ago we started to rotate some of the content that had been on the site for over a year. We took them out and put them into the "Updates" program. Holding it back at least a month before re introducing it to the site.

We also started to buy in more content, so long as it was similar to ours. So every day the member got a new video and a 2 new image sets. I'm sure retention worked a bit better.

We then moved up anther step in going to 2 videos and 4 image sets every day, half new half in rotation. Retention definitely upped.

Then inside and outside the tour we told people what they will get in the future next weeks updates and on the tour only what was last weeks updates. This was all completed a week ago, the same day I was telling everyone the World cup was a good thing for sign ups.

Seems it has nothing to do with the WC, it's all about showing the surfer what he's getting and what he's missing.

Conversions on affiliates traffic is up 25%, retention it's tough to tell as it's too early, doubt if it will hurt though. "I'm cancelling my membership because I can't handle all the new porn you keep putting up" :lolup:

Will move to 3 videos and 3 sets a day soon.

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by Paul Markham

I knew that telling surfers about the updates was converting and retaining. What I did not realise was if we step up a notch it would jump like it has.

About 3-4 weeks ago we started to rotate some of the content that had been on the site for over a year. We took them out and put them into the "Updates" program. Holding it back at least a month before re introducing it to the site.

We also started to buy in more content, so long as it was similar to ours. So every day the member got a new video and a 2 new image sets. I'm sure retention worked a bit better.

We then moved up anther step in going to 2 videos and 4 image sets every day, half new half in rotation. Retention definitely upped.

Then inside and outside the tour we told people what they will get in the future next weeks updates and on the tour only what was last weeks updates. This was all completed a week ago, the same day I was telling everyone the World cup was a good thing for sign ups.

Seems it has nothing to do with the WC, it's all about showing the surfer what he's getting and what he's missing.

Conversions on affiliates traffic is up 25%, retention it's tough to tell as it's too early, doubt if it will hurt though. "I'm cancelling my membership because I can't handle all the new porn you keep putting up" :lolup:

Will move to 3 videos and 3 sets a day soon.

Traffic is king when it comes to getting signups.

But content is king when it comes to retention.

[Paul Markham]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

Traffic is king when it comes to getting signups.

But content is king when it comes to retention.

Would you send traffic to a site that converted 1:2000 or a site that converted 1:200 assuming the traffic took the same effort to get?

[Hell Puppy]

Originally Posted by Paul Markham

Would you send traffic to a site that converted 1:2000 or a site that converted 1:200 assuming the traffic took the same effort to get?

Obviously 1:200.

But first off not all traffic is created equal. And conversion rates are as much impacted by the proper filtering of the traffic as they are the tour which they are being sent to.

I know MY traffic very well, I can pretty reliably predict what they'll buy and what they wont.

But even with that, a totally blind link will have a very bad conversion rate compared to a link that discloses the type of site you're being sent to and that it is a paysite...

[Paul Markham]

Originally Posted by Hell Puppy

Obviously 1:200.

But first off not all traffic is created equal. And conversion rates are as much impacted by the proper filtering of the traffic as they are the tour which they are being sent to.

I know MY traffic very well, I can pretty reliably predict what they'll buy and what they wont.

But even with that, a totally blind link will have a very bad conversion rate compared to a link that discloses the type of site you're being sent to and that it is a paysite...

All those things are equal for this discussion. Unless you are saying you will work harder for a site that works badly than you will for a site that works well.

You will send your traffic to the guy who makes you the most money for the same effort. Unless you want to go out of business.

Now tell me what makes the difference of converting at 1:200 and 1:2000.

ON EXACTLY THE SAME TRAFFIC.

[Hammer]

Originally Posted by Paul Markham

Now tell me what makes the difference of converting at 1:200 and 1:2000.

ON EXACTLY THE SAME TRAFFIC.

The niche
The tour
The quality of the content in the tour
Exclusive content
The uniqueness of the site

[fusionx]

Originally Posted by Paul Markham

I knew that telling surfers about the updates was converting and retaining. What I did not realise was if we step up a notch it would jump like it has.

....

Then inside and outside the tour we told people what they will get in the future next weeks updates and on the tour only what was last weeks updates.

...

Seems it has nothing to do with the WC, it's all about showing the surfer what he's getting and what he's missing.

This, to me, is the entire key. Of course, you need traffic and quality content. But, what you wrote about above is what most sites lack.

Think of the service industry - bars, resturants, etc. Even barbershops. What brings people back? Is the the food quality? Some places that do fantastic business have average or only slightly above average food. In bars and clubs, a budweiser tastes the same pretty much everywhere.

The really successful businesses make the customer feel wanted. They feel informed, and they feel in control. They feel like they are a part of the environment - a very welcome, necessary part. That's what you're doing, Paul, and it borders on genius in this industry

[softball]

A good website should function like a trip to Ikea. The outside should project your image. The quality of the product should ultimately generate its own loyalty if you have planted your seeds well and have patience. When you enter the website, like Ikea, you should be directed down a path that is well thought out from the beginning to the end. You should have a mix of big and small ticket items. Small priced items will break the ice for many and develop trust to spend more money. And finally, the customer should be encouraged to spend more money than he planned, but have a smile on his face while he does it. If your site is welcoming, honest, and easy to navigate your surfers will eventually convert to customers.

[Paul Markham]

Originally Posted by fusionx

This, to me, is the entire key. Of course, you need traffic and quality content. But, what you wrote about above is what most sites lack.

Think of the service industry - bars, resturants, etc. Even barbershops. What brings people back? Is the the food quality? Some places that do fantastic business have average or only slightly above average food. In bars and clubs, a budweiser tastes the same pretty much everywhere.

The really successful businesses make the customer feel wanted. They feel informed, and they feel in control. They feel like they are a part of the environment - a very welcome, necessary part. That's what you're doing, Paul, and it borders on genius in this industry

I feel one of the biggest problems this industry has is it's collective images and service it offers the membership. We complain about the surfer not wanting to pay for porn, then try to extort it.

There are many sites that do it the right way, I just want to stand with them.

But think of it, $30 a day will buy a new piece of non exclusive content. Do you think giving the members 1 piece a day will make 2 more members stay on for another month?

If all sites did it this way how much of a threat would "Free Porn" be to us?

[Grump]

A long standing axiom of sales is that it is easier to keep an existing customer than it is to get a new one. Once they're members the hardest work is done, keeping them is easier than it was to get them but you still have to work at it.

Like Paul I have found that retention increases with frequent updates, daily updates have worked best for me and the more in each update the better. Promoting the updates as much as possible in tours also helpes.

Adding filler content (games, news, silly photos, jokes, etc) to the site content updates showed me a small increase in retention and generated some positive comments with no negatives, as long as the customer doesn't think that the filler is the entire update, make sure they see the new porn added clearly.

Not knocking the importance of traffic, you have to have it. But once you get them signed up it's easier to keep them than it was to get them in the first place, and frequent and frequently mentioned updates seem to do it for me.

[Rox]

Good thread, thanx :-)

I'm an advocate of rotating your own (exclusive) content in and out. Members will download the vids/pics they really like when they first find them, so it's not like they're going to miss that content if it becomes unavailable for a month or two.

And with that, I'll close up the laptop and get to the office... I've got an update to do! ;-)

[Paul Markham]

We are finding the updates page is the most often page last visited before the join page on our stats system. Is it the the page that tips the balance?

Originally Posted by Grump

A long standing axiom of sales is that it is easier to keep an existing customer than it is to get a new one. Once they're members the hardest work is done, keeping them is easier than it was to get them but you still have to work at it.

Like Paul I have found that retention increases with frequent updates, daily updates have worked best for me and the more in each update the better. Promoting the updates as much as possible in tours also helpes.

Adding filler content (games, news, silly photos, jokes, etc) to the site content updates showed me a small increase in retention and generated some positive comments with no negatives, as long as the customer doesn't think that the filler is the entire update, make sure they see the new porn added clearly.

Not knocking the importance of traffic, you have to have it. But once you get them signed up it's easier to keep them than it was to get them in the first place, and frequent and frequently mentioned updates seem to do it for me.