Vivid Swayed by the Court of Public Opinion

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On July 6th Vivid Entertainment offered Casey Anthony a XXX contract. To say the public was shocked and appalled was a sever understatement. There was a cry of outrage all across Twitter. The loudest cries came from the adult stars who were extremely vocal about their disgust with Vivid and were making calls for a boycott from their fans…and from the stars!

Isis Taylor TweetWhen people with 51,000 followers ask them to stop buying Vivid, and then ask their friends who also have tens of thousands of followers to stop buying Vivid, you will feel the power of their influence. The ability to reach literally hundred of thousands people within a matter of minutes is a flex of muscle that most people cannot match.

Well, being lambasted on Twitter and Facebook, in the blogs, in the news, and on the message boards had an effect because Vivid withdrew the offer before the end of business the same day they made the offer. Hersch stated, “It has become obvious to us that Vivid fans, and people in general, want nothing to do with her and that includes a XXX movie.”

The court of public opinion released its verdict hard and loud and in the process demonstrated the power of social media. Never before has public opinion had the swiftness and the strength that social media provides. Not only do people have a vehicle for their voice but the have access to huge networks on a massive scale. In moments like these you see the power of influence and how a few influential people asking for support can spread their issue across the internet, and therefore the world, like a wild fire in a tumbleweed field. What previously took huge media influence, possibly orchestrating incredible numbers of people to protest, and would take weeks if not months to express the depth of disapproval about an issue can now take less than a few hours.

The power of your influence is not just for selling or getting people to your website, but can be used for social good as well.

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Dot XXX at Ynot

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The Dot XXX panel at the Ynot Summit was definitely the highlight of the show.  The panel featured Eric Bernstein from Embalaw, the Free Speech Coalition, Vaughn Liley from ICM Registry (aka Dot XXX), and Conner Young from Ynot. The talk quickly got tense, especially between Vaughn and Tom from Free Speech.  Despite some tension a lot of information was put out, and misinformation was clarified. For instance, Vaughn said that India has not banned Dot XXX. Also to help combat some of the potential SEO challenges, Dot XXX will be launching their own search engine. Of course this does not solve the Google or Bing SEO issue, but it could create some interesting adult search and marketing options.

A new development is that you can now unblock a domain that you previously blocked. This had been a big concern for people. They were worried that if they blocked a domain it would be permanently inaccessible. The parking fee got everyone stirred up. Yes you can park your domain, but you will pay to do it. Meaning if you are getting Dot XXX simply because you don’t want someone else to use it you will have to pay a few hundred dollars more per year to not use it and keep it parked. Though dot XXX said why would you want to park a domain that is getting traffic. A good point if you are an adult site. But if you are not an adult site and you don’t want anyone attaching .xxx to your domain name, you are going to pay a hefty fee.

Here is a video of the panel if you would like to watch it in its entirety.

 

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ICANN opens up TLD Registration- Are you ready for .Sexy?

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Friday Feature Photo Tara Lynn Fox Adult Trading Card

Friday Feature Photo: Tara Lynn Foxx on her limited edition Adult Trading Card

So .XXX is not the only top level domain that is throwing their TLD into the ring. ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), the organization that oversees TLD’s is opening up registration.

For most people we never think about our TLD, except maybe when you are registering a new web address (URL). In the adult industry, with all the hullaballoo about .XXX, I think it is safe to say that TLD’s have become a common topic of conversation. Whether you are for or against it, .XXX is making people think about the importance of their web address real estate.

.Com is the prime real estate on the internet. It is such prime real estate that most people assume you are a dot com. If you don’t have the prime domain then you might  be sending web traffic to the site that does own your dot com.

Every once in a while a site like GoDaddy.com will try to convince us that a TLD like .CO will be the next .com. This is more a marketing push to get people to register .co instead of, or even in addition to, a .com. Of course there are other issues with .co, like people thinking it is a typo or mis-remembering it as .com. To date, dot XXX is the only alternative TLD to gain traction as a plausible dot com replacement.

Despite dot com continuing to dominate website naming conventions, a few have managed to worm their way in. The TLD .me is one that is gaining popularity as it gets incorporated into URLs and in certain ways become phrases, like tungle.me a calendar and meeting scheduling website. “Hey, just tungle.me” is becoming a phrase people are starting to hear. Show.me is a real estate social network.

Another TLD that has made a splash is .ly. You might be wondering what sites use that. Well, how about Bit.ly. This is the number one website used for shortening web urls for social sharing. Almost every adult star and adult website will be familiar, and have likely used, Bit.ly at some point in their social marketing ventures.

So despite the overwhelming cost ($184,000) to submit a new TLD to ICANN, do not be surprised if you start seeing some interesting ones out there like .you or .whatever or .sexy. They may not overtake .com but will any of them get traction? Or will dot XXX be the only top TLD to cause a stir?

Tara Lynn Foxx is this weeks Friday Feature Photo. Make sure you chat her up on Twitter @taralynnfoxx. She is a great gal to tweet with. Not only will she keep you up to date with her appearance and updates to her site, but she might get a little flirty in her tweets with you. I love a good flirty tweet!

Hit up the Adult Trading Card Company to learn how to get a card like hers! Follow them on Twitter @ATCCompany

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Video from Exxxotica Miami

The Pretty Things Peep Show gave everyone a great show at Exxotica Miami with some Burlesque and Sword Swallowing. And please forgive the video quality, they were taken from my phone at the show.

The fire tassel dance by Go-Go Amy

Here is the video of the sword swallowing.

Some Classic Burlesque dancing by Go-Go Amy!

2 Live Crew gave a rare performance. Here is part of “Me So Horny”

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Pictures from Exxotica Miami

Exxxotica Miami was a lot of fun. I schmoozed with a bunch of gorgeous porn stars and saw some things that might make you blush if I mention them. The Tweet Dirty to Me panel I did with Pete Housely from Pornstar Tweet and Michael Fattorosi was great.

Here are some of the pictures I took…I hope you enjoy!

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18 Tips to Rock Any Conference

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18 Tips to Rock Any Conference

  1. Drink in Moderation. At adult conferences drinking is as much a part of the social business as the social business. Most people start drinking by early afternoon and don’t stop until late night. If you are trying to do some business make sure to drink a lot of water between the alcohol. You are there for business and need to make sure you keep your head about you.
  2. Go to Bed. There are tons of parties.  I mean tons. Everyone has them and you will be invited. But you are there to do business. Though some business will happen at the parties, most will happen during the day.  So go to the parties, socialize with everyone and then make sure to get to bed at a reasonable time. You don’t have to stay at the party all night to make your social presence known.
  3. Collect Business Cards. Ask for them.  Get as many as you can. Do not try to remember who they are, and who they are with, and think that you’ll just look it up later. If someone does not offer their card, be sure to request one.  If they don’t have one, give them one of yours, or ask them to write their information on a scrap of paper or the back of another card.
  4. Give your card to everyone. Give it to every person you meet. You never know who might be a great connection for you.  Bring more cards than think you will need, and hand them out like candy!
  5. Call me! If someone wants you to send them information, or wishes to talk to you more in depth about something, ask them to email you later. Request that they mention what you are discussing in the subject line. It might feel awkward to do this, but they won’t mind.  Plus it gives them an easy intro to connect with you via email.
  6. Take Notes. When someone gives you their card, make notes of the conversation as soon as you’ve finished it. If the conversation is generic, then make a note of what the person looks like. This will refresh your memory when you follow-up with them later.
  7. Know your purpose. Are you there to meet people to help your business? Meet people who can help your career? Grow your network of connections? Get people familiar with you? Work on personal branding? Or generally be at the right place at the right time?Make sure you know why you are there, because that will affect how you meet people.  You always want to have your agenda first, otherwise you will not get the value out of the venue.
  8. Work your angle. Now that you have established why you are there, make sure that you are putting your agenda first in all conversations.  If you want to grow your social networking, get people’s twitters and tweet them from your phone. If you are pushing a product, start a conversation and make a segue to talk about the product.  Make sure that despite all the glitz and glam you always have your agenda at the forefront.
  9. Know your pitch. A lot of times when you are networking with people they will ask you why you are there and what you do.  Make sure you have a succinct response that answers their question and opens up the topic for conversation. End your pitch with a question that ropes them into further conversation.
  10. Have a plan. Know in advance whom you want to meet (directly or the type of people), which speakers you want to hear, and what tradeshow booths you want to visit.
  11. Set appointments in advance. If you know that there will be people that you would like to see, call or email a weeks in advance to schedule a time to meet up. Do not just plan to “run into them” because it might not happen. And then if it does, you might not actually be able to talk.
  12. Do not focus on meeting the celebrity speakers. While meeting famous authors, speakers, and other gurus is fun, you are one of hundreds who will come up to them and shove a card in their hands. Better to meet the other people going to their talks. You can make some great connections that way.
  13. Talk to the people sitting next to you. When you walk into a seminar, take the time before the presentation begins to say hello to the people seated around you. You are there to network and meet people, so just start off with a simple hello.
  14. Ask questions of people you meet. Never lead with your “elevator pitch”. People are more interested in themselves than they are in you, so ask them questions to help them get to talking.
  15. Put your technology away. Do not run to your phone, BlackBerry, or laptop at every break. When you are working on electronics you send the message that you are unapproachable because you are busy. Utilize the time on breaks to converse with others. If you need to get on your tech, plan some time away from everyone to do what you need to do.
  16. Do not automatically send a LinkedIn or Facebook request. So often people immediately send social networking link requests to people they just met. However, different people have different policies about whom they link with. If they believe in only connecting with those whom they have established relationships, you make it awkward if you send them a link too early (which they then ignore). Instead, when you send them a follow up email, offer your LinkedIn or Facebook and give them the option to follow you. Immediately following them on Twitter is okay, as Twitter does not require a mutual connection acceptance.
  17. Read their stuff. Many people are active bloggers, twitterers, authors, etc. If people are posting online, take a second to read their work, look at their tweets or check out their website. It is a great ice breaker when you send your follow up email.
  18. Introduce others. When you meet great people, make sure to introduce them to other great people. Be generous with your connections. Don’t worry about what you will get out of it, because your generosity might end up in some business.

 

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@ATTC – The Business Cards of Porn

ATCC LogoI first met the Adult Trading Card Company on Twitter. Like many of the people I meet, we become friends because we tweet back and forth. I liked their tweets and appreciated how engaged they were with their tweeps. At the Adult Expo I finally got a chance to meet the man behind the tweets.  It was like a long lost reunion. I saw their booth and said “ATC” they said, “Yes”. I said, “I’m 7 Veils” and then we slow motion ran towards one another and embraced. Ok, that last part didn’t really happen like that, but we were both really excited to finally meet each other.

Since then we have continued to tweet.  As a girl who use to collect baseball cards and get the players autographs, I love trading cards. These are great cards. They are an excellent way to promote your image and make it as easy as a business card to pass around.  I am going to be using the ATCC trading cards for many of my Feature Friday Photos!

 

Mariah Chase ATCC card

Friday Feature Photo: The voluptuous Mariah Chase featured on her ATCC trading card.

JP Berkman started the ATCC in 2010, after seeing talent hit the convention circuit selling 8x10s that were a waste of money for the fans and performers—they cost the performers too much money and once the fan got them home, they would realize (whether married or single) that the 8×10’s would end up in a box in the garage or the trash. Out of this, ATCC™ was born—it all started with female performers like Lizz Tayler, Tara Lynn Foxx, Sophie Dee, Aurora Snow, Debi Diamond, Mary Carey and many more who were ordering cards from him and selling them at conventions and signings and on their websites. The trading cards are collectable and are small enough to carry around in your back pocket or wallet. What makes these cards truly unique are the girls’ stats and fun facts on the back—you really get to learn about the girls. In 2011, ATCC™ is branching out into a new market with their retail cards featuring a wide variety of the top names and brightest newcomers that will soon be hitting Adult stores, magazines stands and comic book stores—pretty much everywhere! These are the trading cards your mother warned you about and you will want to be on our team. Soon, Adult Trading Card Company™ cards will be the industry standard and replace 8x10s…forever.

 

ATCC has changed the trading card and Adult business in less than a year. JP Berkman started the company in 2010 and sold the cards directly to the talent. The girls sold the cards at conventions, on their sites and at signings. In 2011, he is rolling out a retail line of cards. Thirty girls will be part of the pack, but over 100 girls have been photographed. The names of the 30 girls won’t be revealed until the cards street—but, there will be something for everyone and more than one girl to love. The pack will feature five random cards and a sample of Wet Lube (one of the sponsors). Some of the packs will have a card personally signed by one of the 30 girls—and we’re pretty sure guys (and girls) will be buying multiple packs. The retail packs are set to make their premiere in July and the anticipation is growing. Look for ATCC at a local convention in the future—JP  will have some of the girls in the packs signing. With a thriving wholesale and soon to be a retail company, JP Berkman is on top of his game and has a product that is quickly becoming the industry standard. You heard it here first.

For more information, visit the ATCC website,  www.adulttradingcardcompany.com and follow JP’s adventures on Twitter at @ATCCompany.

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How Sticky are You?

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Naked Woman covered in chocolate holding a strawberry

Is your website just sticky or does it have audience loyalty? Social media builds trust.

Have you seen the recent study was showing that SEO was better at building sticky traffic than social media?. I believe this. When you go to Google and search for a site, you intend to spend time on that site. You are looking for it, and the search engine helps you find it. Boom…sticky.

Social media is not a tool for click-throughs, though you will get them.  It is not a tool for sales, though you will make them. It is not a tool to drive traffic, though you will do that.  Social media is a tool to build relationships with your audience.

This is more than click-throughs and short-term sales. This is more than singular traffic.

When you build a relationship with your audience you are creating:

  • Brand recognition
  • Loyalty
  • Positive customer service
  • Authority
  • Lifetime traffic
  • Trust

“The best part of relationships is they are protectable assets. When someone likes you, trusts you or finds you credible, it’s very hard to take that away.” –Why Social Media Matters

Relationships take time, and this is where studies that look at traffic sources and declare that SEO is more effective fail. They are looking at the one time click.  They are not looking at the lifetime business relationship.

Relationships are based on multiple experiences. They are built from a history of experiences and exposure. The formula is simple; the more you interact the deeper the relationship. And because the company view is built off this relationship, one bad review or blog post is not going to be able to sully that reputation.  Because your reputation is built from interpersonal relationships, it will not be tarnished by anonymous slander.

Yes, SEO is a wonderful tool that everyone should use. However, you are not comparing apples to apples when you compare SEO to social media.  SEO looks at searches. Social media looks at relationships. And let’s face it, when you really like a brand because you tweet and Facebook with them, you don’t need to search for their website because you already know their domain (and studies can’t identify how much direct traffic came from social media followers…yet).

 

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SEO vs. Social Media: The Traffic Throw Down

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Click-throughs and stickiness are two paramount issues for web businesses. Click-throughs are the number of people who click on a link, and stickiness is the amount of time someone stays on your site.  There is always contradictory information about the issues of sticky click-throughs and social media.  Some people say that social media is not as good as traditional SEO.  Some people say that it is better.  I am here to tell you that they are both right.

Xbiz just posted a story reporting that social media generates less traffic than search. When you dig deeper, the breakdown is not as simple as that. There was a huge variance according to industry.  For instance, the study showed that 42% of new visitors to news sites came from social media, but for sports sites it was only 5%. Overall search traffic still dominated the majority of unique visitor traffic, however social media unique visitor traffic, while only 11%, was on the rise.

What Xbiz did not highlight was that the study was not specifically related to Adult, and it does not have any figures that highlight the trends in Adult Industry. It was a look at all web traffic to all kinds of sites.

The study was conducted by Outbrain, a company which provides widgets to publishers, designed to keep readers on their sites longer. What the study also published was the chart of the top traffic sources for websites:

Top 20 Traffic Sources from Outbrain

Notice that Facebook is in the top 5 and Twitter is in the top 10.

What they also did not tell you is there is no mention at all of the Adult Industry. In fact, when you look at the findings it actually looks unlikely that they considered Adult entertainment at all.

Does this make the study irrelevant to Adult? No. It is still relevant to some extent – what it does tell you is that SEO is still an important aspect for creating a strong web presence.  In fact, SEO is relevant for social media as well.  Social media is about relationships; SEO is about clicks.

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