Do we think too much?

[Guest]

Since I got into this business and started visiting boards like this and GFY, I've read numerous topics about all kinds of things like content quality, site layouts/design, how to create good thumbnails and so on. Topics full of detailed analysis and ways to tweak one's efforts.

Then I look at my stats and I find that many of my best converting sites aren't the best looking ones, they don't have great promo content (or much of it) or they have pretty poorly designed FHGs. There are sites that are appealingly designed, have lots of quality promo content and great FHGs that I've never made a sale from.

I'm not saying that the 'lower quality' sites are the best converting, but rather that in my experience the design, galleries and promo materials don't seem to make any difference either way.

So the question is, do we think too much about these things? Are we wasting time in trying to perfect designs and galleries when maybe horny surfers aren't as discriminating as we perhaps give them credit for? Do sites that convert well have an intangible quality beyond the basics that makes them successful?

[Jock Strap]

yes

[Mattyboy]

I've always thought that good design is overated and very basic stuff works just as well.

I saw one of JT's gallerys he did for one of our sites a while back which consisted of a white page, 2 thumbs and 1 banner - that was it.

As basic as it could possibly be but made good low ratio sales :)

[WordsforHire]

Everyone has their own personal taste - some surfers will want really busy, over flowing with content while others will want the neat design and layout...You can't win lol

[Geezer]

Not just about design but also stats, where they cam from how they got there did they click this did they click that.
I mean I have hear people doing all kinds of bollocks when building a gallery, it's a gallery nothing more nothing less. Build, submit, forget ;)

[fredicus]

:agree:

[Paul Markham]

Without links to specific pages it's hard to tell the reasons but a couple of stories come to mind.

One was at the recent AOE show in Budapest and the Content seminar. They were discussing the benefits of going to HD video. The general consensus of opinion was it has to be HD to succeed.

Until I came in with the comment that the quality of the image is the least important thing when selling porn, assuming people can see it. It's about the quality of the fantasy, the belief of the performance and the level of the porn.

It's not going to help sign ups if the image is fantastic if the porn is crap.

Problem is it's easier to buy a HD camera than it is to get a model to put up a high porn performance.

The other story is about a gallery submitter who could not work out why a particular gallery did so well, especially over some of the ones he thought would do well. After looking at the galleries it was obvious.

One was of a great looking girl, beautifully shot, perfect at posing and zero interest in what she was doing. Probably counting the pictures the shooter was doing and thinking of going home.

The other was of a girl who, if I did not know better, was 5 minutes away from jumping on the photographer and fucking his brain out. She was showing her pussy inviting it to be fucked, she was in positions that said "Stick it in me" but best of all was the lustful look on her face.

Shooting the first scene is easy for any decent photographer and model, shooting the second scene is very hard. Knowing the difference is also tough, unless you're the kind of person who buys a lot of porn!!!!

[Geezer]

It's not going to help sign ups if the image is fantastic if the porn is crap.

But you keep telling us your site does so well.

[Paul Markham]

But you keep telling us your site does so well.
They do well considering the traffic that get.

So you can work it out for yourself why.

[SGS]

It's not about thinking too much.

It's more about knowing what you are doing.

[Paul Markham]

It's not about thinking too much.

It's more about knowing what you are doing.Very true. some could think until their brains melted, but if you do not know what you're thinking about it's a waste of time.