What exactly is a "toplist"
 

I mean I think I know what it is, based on what came up at Google..I was wondering how it relates to what we do as porn webmasters. Is it a variation of a link list? Or more of a way to trade hard links? Is it something a relative newbie might look at to stip up traffic?

It's basically just another way of building traffic and ranking sites on the toplist based on the hits they send. The more visitors you send, the higher position on the toplists you will get which usually means more traffic back.

It can be general or niched, but isn't really like a link list. Instead of trading links, it's more like trading traffic. A newbie could easily use one to try to build a little traffic.

I used them a lot way back prior to this century, still use a couple now, Cleo runs a good one. Not great quality traffic, but traffic of any quality is better than no traffic. Most of the ones I've seen lately though have sites with titles that suggest illegal stuff and are basically CJ's, stay away from those. I'd actually use more toplists if I could find ones that are themed and don't allow the crap that is on most of them.

Can you configure or customize them to have them look unique...or do you use them out of the box as is?

I have a few toplists.

They all use the same basic script.

I think a picture is worth a thousand words.
So take a look and you'll see what can be done.
(None of them are the out of the box look)

Nude Pornsite
Sex Linklists
Nasty McNasty
Only Gay Men

Hope this helps.

I have fairly good luck with them as long as they're tightly focused on a niche and within my current range of traffic.

I think you should have stated why you were asking about toplists. It could be using others toplists to generate traffic or starting your own.

Looks like you are talking about starting your own? Getting other webmasters to sign up for it in the first place could be a big challenge. If they go there and you have very little traffic or listed sites, good chance they won't sign up. At the very least to give it a good chance you'd have to have a good amount of traffic flowing to it from the start. The key is to get many others sending good traffic to the list.

I know for me, before I will sign up for some one else's toplist, I want to see I have a chance at a good return. Hard to tell with a new one.

Sheepguy, if you have any cfnm sites/pages I have http://www.allfreecfnm.com/toplist/autorank.html you are welcome to add to :)