starting a paysite but need a few pointers

[noooze]

so i might be very very close to start a paysite but then i started thinking...

how do u project yourself against hackers and stuff. anygood programs for it ?

allso - was thinking about payments. the easy thing wouldt be ccbill. but ... hmmm... not too crazy about 'em. dont know why really....
anyone else knows of anyplaces to look ?

[SirMoby]

Pennywize and Strongbox will offer protection from hackers. If you order Strongbox make sure that Ray does the install himself and not the folks at AdultWebware as they couldn't install thier own product on my server. I used Pennywize for years but now use Strongbox.

Most affilaites that you'll want to promote your site will already be familiar with CCBill so from that standpoint they're a good choice. You could always purchase MPA3 or NATS and use multiple processors but that's a big expense for a starting site.

If you're looking for content management I'd recommend http://awizsoft.com/ as I've been using it for years. Again, the folks at AdultWebware weren't able to even install thier and test thier product so stay away from it.

[Cleo]

Another vote for Strongbox. This is what we use for the paysite that I manage in my sig and are very happy with it.

[juggernaut]

MY frist question is what OS are you going with? MS or LX? If you are going with MS and IIs stopping hackers is done threw the IIS no text files or permissions on directories etc. Im using whoson.com and they work great for stopping the hackers as I can set the software to auto block someone from iis after a certain amount of hack attempts. But the software is in the 300 range. as far as a LX box make sure you get some extra support on the box from the hosting company if you are not up to speed with it. Its totaly 180 degrees differant then MS and that was the point of making that OS. One that works 99% of the time.
Nice thing about ccbill and their payment systems for merchants is for a linux box after you set up your pages and payment options everything is downloaded in a zipped folder which all you have to do is upload it and your done. I also heard Paycom.net is good also. But from my experience most customers know about ccbill and feel safe with them. It's like telling a person that graigslist is a good place to look for things but when they get their you know odds are they will go right back to ebay.
I'm not really sure who you are and I'm not sure how much experence you have doing this but heres some advice from a paysite owner that I wish I had before I started. And please dont take this as I'm jumping you. If you are somewhat new to this business then I would say be very careful. Getting American payment processors is not that easy these days. Banking is always and issue.
"Don't start a paysite till you master getting traffic, dont start a camsite till you mastered everything."
Hope this helps.

[LindaMight]

I use Strongbox and recommend it 100%. That is my two cents on the security/hacker issue.

As far as starting a pay site at this particular time ....I say......RUN and never look back.....

Linda

[LB]

Strongbox again here.

Just ordered another 6 licences to add to the pile and it is honestly the best way to stop bruteforce attacks and leaked passwords.

Pennywize is more of a solution to already leaked passwords rather than prevention.

[LindaMight]

Hey...can I really change what it says below my avatar? I hope so!

Linda

[LindaMight]

Opps...sorry...I mean above....

[Cleo]

You can ask to have what it says after your 500 post. Until then it keeps on changing from a list made up by the board owners.

[noooze]

great help peeps - i say thank you

i'll have a look at these programs * two thumbs up! *

[Danielle]

http://www.stopthathacker.com/ Works great and has been around for a long time.

Hugs,
Danielle

[noooze]

stop that hacker seems like a great program
better take a good look at it

and ohh.... tons of tons of work

[Toby]

Most of the advice in this thread has been about preventing hackers. I just wanted to emphasize the most important piece of advice posted, as it had nothing to do with hackers.

Originally Posted by juggernaut

Don't start a paysite till you master getting traffic...

[noooze]

I wouldt agree . no doubt about it.
lucky its not a porblem - I master my niche and building traffic no problem.
have allso teamed up with a guy who is much mkore skilled than me

[Toby]

Best of luck, and please let up see when you have it ready to go.

[terry]

I use strongbox on my sites and have to say its the best so far. I also use sitedepth for content management because I found that one to be the easiest and best as well. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe if you order SiteDepth now you get Strongbox for free... contact Omar and tell him that Terry sent you.

http://www.strongboxxx.com
http://www.sitedepth.com/contact.php

Good luck!

[GunnCat]

CCBill. Strongbox. In that order.

[furrygirl]

Originally Posted by Toby

Most of the advice in this thread has been about preventing hackers. I just wanted to emphasize the most important piece of advice posted, as it had nothing to do with hackers.

Not everyone does it in that order. I personally think that creating your own unique thing is a better bet financially than working to build someone else's empire. I wouldn't want to be dependent on a sponsor for my livlihood. If I screw up, it rests on my shoulders, but if I'm going great, I reap the reward, too.

Although, after two and a half years of paysites, I think that once I get my third one online this fall, I'm going to be brave and try making my first free site.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by furrygirl

Not everyone does it in that order. I personally think that creating your own unique thing is a better bet financially than working to build someone else's empire. I wouldn't want to be dependent on a sponsor for my livlihood. If I screw up, it rests on my shoulders, but if I'm going great, I reap the reward, too.

The same rules don't apply when you can create your own original content for the cost of your own time and equipment.

When you have to pay to buy content or pay models to shoot your own, the economics are far different.

Most of us are just homely old farts that no one would pay a dime to see nude on a web site.

(I apologize to everyone for that horrific visual, especially at the dinner hour.)

[furrygirl]

Originally Posted by Toby

The same rules don't apply when you can create your own original content for the cost of your own time and equipment.

When you have to pay to buy content or pay models to shoot your own, the economics are far different.

Just to clarify: of the three sites I currently run, one is a store with an inventory investment, one an "amateur" site of me ("free" content), and one is purchased content. My third paysite I'm working on is also purchased content.

Purchased content, in my opinion, is far simpler (and often cheaper) than making your own content. Content, even of oneself, doesn't just "happen" out of thin air. I invest money in clothes and lingerie, a dozen pairs of sheets and duvets, toys and props, hotel rooms, travel, sometimes paying photographers (and soon, a video guy), along with two digital cameras and a decent computer. Plus, my time is worth something, even if it's not a directly out-of-pocket expense.

Being able to just go shopping online for pic sets is actually a far easier and cost-effective way of making paysites.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by furrygirl

Just to clarify: of the three sites I currently run, one is a store with an inventory investment, one an "amateur" site of me ("free" content), and one is purchased content. My third paysite I'm working on is also purchased content.

But you learned your "webmaster lessons" on your own amateur site. Single girl sites where the girl alone or with a boyfriend/spouse are the owner, performer and webmaster are a unique entity, and the same rules simply don't apply. In fact my own very first adult site was just such a site in 1997. A whole lot more than just the rules have changed since then.

Originally Posted by furrygirl

Purchased content, in my opinion, is far simpler (and often cheaper) than making your own content. Content, even of oneself, doesn't just "happen" out of thin air. I invest money in clothes and lingerie, a dozen pairs of sheets and duvets, toys and props, hotel rooms, travel, sometimes paying photographers (and soon, a video guy), along with two digital cameras and a decent computer. Plus, my time is worth something, even if it's not a directly out-of-pocket expense.

Being able to just go shopping online for pic sets is actually a far easier and cost-effective way of making paysites.

Perhaps, but unless you pay premium dollar for purchased content, said content is neither original nor exclusive to your site. Which is one of the major selling points of amateur sites.

I'm not saying that building a successful paysite can't be done as a first adult site, but I'd guess the success rate increases drastically when the "webmaster lessons" are learned building non-pay sites first.

[Vink]

Originally Posted by furrygirl

Not everyone does it in that order. I personally think that creating your own unique thing is a better bet financially than working to build someone else's empire. I wouldn't want to be dependent on a sponsor for my livlihood. If I screw up, it rests on my shoulders, but if I'm going great, I reap the reward, too.

That's how I feel now. It's took me four years of making other people rich to decide I have to start my own paysite. You ever have a sponsor send you a pic of their new ferrari? I have, it made me feel like an ass. That was from a guy that I was one of his first affiliates and I busted my ass sending him traffic and in 3 1/2 years never sent me a Christmas card.

[noooze]

hahaha never sended you a x-mas card.
u know - when i'll go online i'll be the first one to send a personal x-mas card to anyone sending more than 50 signups a months

bwt - what processors are good ? was thinking about ccbill as they are easy to work with. shot them a mail a few days ago and is waiting for answer. what i wouldt like to do is offer like 25 $ or 30 $ pr paying signup.
partner program will give me very little income as theres some huge expenses to be payed no porche for me

[noooze]

trying to figure out the best possible way of doing this

most of you wouldt prefeer to get payed pr signups right ? as a new program it wouldt be more easy for me to go with a strict recurring program for partners.

hmmm i dont know - best thing wouldt to be able to give a free signup trial of one day and then just pay affilates 20 $ flat. but will probably go broke on that - for now atleast

i have made more money with recurring programs than i wouldt ever do on a full week of work on a normal job....

anyway - anyone having any thoughts a about processors please put it here

thx everyone for you inputs... very helpfull

[furrygirl]

Toby: I'm not saying that the two aren't different beasts, but I disagree with the idea that being your own model is the cheap and easy way of starting a paysite. As for quality bought content, I'm not sure how much that runs per set, but I do know how much my outfits/props alone have cost, and I'd imagine they're more than comparable. (Ever been to a lingerie shop or seen the prices on quality toys?) Besides tangible costs, there's a whole additional world of work and hassle that comes with being your own content (from pedicures to tit jobs to potential stalkers to babysitters). From this side, the grass sure does look greener if you can just go shopping for the exact pics you want on a content provider's site.

Nooze: the reason I would recommend CCBill over a merchant account is because a lot of webmasters prefer CCBill affiliate programs. There seems to be less worry about shaving, getting checks on time, and having enough sales to get a check.

edit: Before you decide what kind of PPS payout you'd want to have, you should operate the site for a while and see what your retention is like. (Unless you have a nice investment to pay affiliates from the get-go and want to take the risk, of course.)