I've broken a Record! My stats since Feb 13 - 1:5608.5!

[terrytowel]

People are probably sick of hearing this but...since Feb 13 I've only made two sales (both of them CC Bill). For the past month my stats have been 1:5608.5 (for a total of 11,217 clicks covering two sites).

I don't think I have ever reached over 10,000 raw clicks with making only two sales. One of which canceled their membership after one month.

I think that is a record for the lowest sales anyone can ever have on the planet.

Oh well, time to look for new sponsors. Anyone have any suggestions?

[basschick]

you've heard it from me before, but time to make your own avs sites that match your nice. you can include nice juicy stories about the guys you've done at the baths as well as pics. you picked a hot niche - it's still amazing to me that there are no quality paysite in it.

[abostonboy]

you've heard it from me before, but time to make your own avs sites that match your nice. you can include nice juicy stories about the guys you've done at the baths as well as pics. you picked a hot niche - it's still amazing to me that there are no quality paysite in it.

Agreed! Couldn't say it better myself.

[dzinerbear]

I've said this before, but I think the concept is flawed.

First, if I'm into bathhouses, I'm going to go to them, not watch other people having fun at them.

Second, most of your content isn't even real bathhouse stuff, it's just guys in towels. That's nothing against you, you're trying your best. The content you want just doesn't really exist. But just think about it, if bathhouse content is so exciting, why aren't the big producers making it? Maybe it's just not that interesting to most gay men.

Third, while your focus is bathhouse stuff, guys showering, and guys in towels, there's no clear cut niche. Think about it, when I go to a bathhouse, I'm not going to go and do just anyone simply because they're in a bathhouse. I'm probably going to look for a hairy guy, you might be looking for a jock, and Lloyd will be hunting down Asians. So when I come to your site, yes everyone "is at" a bathhouse, but the types of guys are all over the map. If there's not enough of what I'm into, I'm going to move on.

I know this site is near and dear to your heart, but it's not working for you. Why don't you try an experiment? Pick a niche of guys you like and put up a new site focusing on that. Just leave the bathhouse thing for a while and stop agonizing over it. Maybe it'll kick in later, or maybe it'll just become a labour of love when you have figured out how to make more money.

Sometimes you just have to throw in the towel (pardon the pun) and accept that something isn't going to work out. Sometimes we have to accept that we have the odd bad idea. It's not bad to fail at things, it's how we learn.

I started a bear link list a few years ago, I thought it was going to be huge. Nothing like it really existed. I put it up and no one except Fister submitted anything to it. After a couple of months of trying, I just left it where it was and I stopped worrying about it or working on it. Eventually it started picking up some traffic, and maybe it would have morphed into something big if I had the time to spend hours and hours developing and growing it. But frankly, I didn't have the resources to pour into a bottomless pit. It was a great site to grab traffic and send it to my own stuff, but Bear Universe was never going to be a great hulking traffic hub. Something I thought was a great idea, just wasn't. I moved on.

Why don't you go back through all of these threads on the boards and write down every suggestion everyone has given you. Then, pick a new domain name and start something different and applies all of those ideas to that.

Tony, I really believe that you can make money in this business, otherwise I wouldn't waste my time talking to you and making suggestions. I just think that maybe you need another vehicle. Create a freesite hub maybe, submit freesites to link lists and make money that way, and put a link on your freesites to your bathhouse site and maybe it'll pick up some sales.

But for sure if you started a freesite hub you could make money. Three weeks ago I put up four freesites ... they sold well initially, and they're still selling. so there's definitely money to be made out there Tony. basschick's AVS idea isn't a bad one either.

Sorry to be so harsh and I hope some of what I says helps you.

Good luck
Michael

[basschick]

Michael, the guys being in towels works better if you have the stories about how you met and sucked off (or got sucked) by each guy. i strongly believe that bathhouse would make a great paysite niche - there are plenty of niches in porn that webmasters thought guys would rather do than see that worked out okay. anything situational, really.

but it's true that it would be much easier to find an under-represented porn niche with a sponsor or sponsors you really like and create free sites that match that niche.

[Chubbs]

I've said this before, but I think the concept is flawed.

First, if I'm into bathhouses, I'm going to go to them, not watch other people having fun at them.

Second, most of your content isn't even real bathhouse stuff, it's just guys in towels. That's nothing against you, you're trying your best. The content you want just doesn't really exist. But just think about it, if bathhouse content is so exciting, why aren't the big producers making it? Maybe it's just not that interesting to most gay men.

Third, while your focus is bathhouse stuff, guys showering, and guys in towels, there's no clear cut niche. Think about it, when I go to a bathhouse, I'm not going to go and do just anyone simply because they're in a bathhouse. I'm probably going to look for a hairy guy, you might be looking for a jock, and Lloyd will be hunting down Asians. So when I come to your site, yes everyone "is at" a bathhouse, but the types of guys are all over the map. If there's not enough of what I'm into, I'm going to move on.

I know this site is near and dear to your heart, but it's not working for you. Why don't you try an experiment? Pick a niche of guys you like and put up a new site focusing on that. Just leave the bathhouse thing for a while and stop agonizing over it. Maybe it'll kick in later, or maybe it'll just become a labour of love when you have figured out how to make more money.

Sometimes you just have to throw in the towel (pardon the pun) and accept that something isn't going to work out. Sometimes we have to accept that we have the odd bad idea. It's not bad to fail at things, it's how we learn.

I started a bear link list a few years ago, I thought it was going to be huge. Nothing like it really existed. I put it up and no one except Fister submitted anything to it. After a couple of months of trying, I just left it where it was and I stopped worrying about it or working on it. Eventually it started picking up some traffic, and maybe it would have morphed into something big if I had the time to spend hours and hours developing and growing it. But frankly, I didn't have the resources to pour into a bottomless pit. It was a great site to grab traffic and send it to my own stuff, but Bear Universe was never going to be a great hulking traffic hub. Something I thought was a great idea, just wasn't. I moved on.

Why don't you go back through all of these threads on the boards and write down every suggestion everyone has given you. Then, pick a new domain name and start something different and applies all of those ideas to that.

Tony, I really believe that you can make money in this business, otherwise I wouldn't waste my time talking to you and making suggestions. I just think that maybe you need another vehicle. Create a freesite hub maybe, submit freesites to link lists and make money that way, and put a link on your freesites to your bathhouse site and maybe it'll pick up some sales.

But for sure if you started a freesite hub you could make money. Three weeks ago I put up four freesites ... they sold well initially, and they're still selling. so there's definitely money to be made out there Tony. basschick's AVS idea isn't a bad one either.

Sorry to be so harsh and I hope some of what I says helps you.

Good luck
Michael

LMAO @ the visual of Lloyd "hunting" asians. All sweaty in some camo. lol

--Chubbs

[abostonboy]

LMAO @ the visual of Lloyd "hunting" asians. All sweaty in some camo. lol

--Chubbs

LOL. I missed that one. Actually, they hunt me. :D

[abostonboy]

Tony,

Let's talk tonight. What Michael said is true as well.

Here is my 2c. There may or may not be a market to make money selling porn on a bathhouse site. As Basschick said try to send traffic to your own AVS site and see. As of now, the bathhouse sponsors have sites that suck or as Michael pointed out are not bathhouse sites.

Michael hit the nail on the head. You can make money in this business. You have two sites. That's not a lot.

It's much easier to create 100 free sites in various niches and make money than trying to develop two sites. Companies that have one or two sites and can make them successful are very rare.

Ask Bjorn how long it took him to develop gaydemon and start making money. And that is with a site with broad appeal.

[terrytowel]

If I could give everyone I hug I would do so. So everybody, consider yourselves hugged. I just wanted to share my pathetic stats, because it is so mind-blowing! I don't think anyone in the history of this business could have lower stats than I. I mean really it is just WOW!

That being said, I couldn't agree with everyone more. My problem is that I'm so broke, I have no cash. So while everyone has plenty of great ideas, (and Lloyd has been extremely generous with me) I need money to make money. Which is why I'm probably going to have to go back to work, to make some cash, so I can do some of these new things people are suggesting.

So thanks again everyone, and Lloyd I'd love to talk on the phone with you sometime. Just let me know.

PS anyone know of a virtual part-time job or in Toronto, please let me know. At this point I'll do anything.

HUGS ALL AROUND! - Tony

[abostonboy]

Tony,

Hit me up. I have content for you. Toss me your contact info via PM on this board. Not sure I still have it on this laptop.

If you can't make money with Kai and Matt H then I will quit porn.

lloyd

[basschick]

so promote bm for starters. i'm sure lloyd and the rest of us will help you, and there's plenty of promo content there. once you get the hang of it, you can promote several sites.

here is my take on bathhouse porn. lots of closeted straight guys fantasize about bathhouses but are afraid to go, so you have your market. but developing a paysite quailty avs tour - that will take either a financial investment and some knowledge or else the time to create the site.

lloyd is right - it's a lot easier to promote as an affiliate than the develop a site. on the other hand, if you have plenty of bathhouse specific traffic, an avs site could be worth doing when you have the cash.

[abostonboy]

Tony,

I will design you a few free site templates that sell. Show you how to change the content. Also have the stats, so I know what sells. We have some UGAS webmasters that are doing 1:40.

[dzinerbear]

Tony, what do you need money for? Register a domain name, download some sponsor content, make freesites and submit them by the end of the week, get a cheque from ccbill by the end of the month. It's that simple.

If you need some money to register a new domain name, hit me up, I'll help you out.

If you want to hit me up, I'll give you the name of a sure fire sponsor who always makes me money.

Michael

[xstr8guy]

DON'T ABANDON BATHHOUSEBLUES!

I do agree with Michael that BHB will probably never be a huge money maker. But I do think it can continue to be a great traffic generator.

I would continue with the new blog concept and make it a little slicker and more fun and funky. Sometimes your tone gets too serious and dare I say... depressing.

There is a lot of curiousity about bathhouses in much of the gay community. No offense to Michael but he lives in Toronto (as do you) where you can walk out your front door and go a few blocks and pass by 3 bathouses on your way to get a coffee. So many gay men don't live within 200 miles of the nearest bathhouse. I used to live in Minneapolis where bathhouses were outlawed. And when I moved to Dallas, I was too nervous to go to one.

My partner had a lot of experiences in the bathhouse culture, in fact, he use to work at Flex in Phoenix MANY years ago. I finally got up the nerve and asked him to take me to one. But up to that point, I was VERY curious and aroused by the whole idea. I would have loved to have found your site back then. But I would have really wanted to hear about the exciting and raunchy sex that goes on... not some rant about how bathhouse culture is so negative. That doesn't turn me on and want to learn more.

Your real challenge is to make money though. Good blogs about ANY topic can make sales to just about any sponsor. Traffic is the key. Do you think visitors to PerezHilton.com are going there for gay porn? No, but he makes a fortune by selling blogad space to a variety of sponsors including porn.

But I don't think anytime soon, you'll be rolling in dough generated by BHB. So take the advice offered above and branch out into non-bathhouse niches. What type of man attracts you? THAT is THE niche you should start with. Build AVS and freesites... hell, even try some TGP galleries. But stick with whichever method brings in the most money. Then branch out into other areas AFTER you become the master of the niche you love.

And as always... GOOD LUCK!

[dzinerbear]

That's why I said maybe it'll become a labour of love. Abandon it until you find another way to make money, then when you've got a steady income coming in, you can pour your heart into BHB and not worry about it making money.

:)

Michael

[terrytowel]

Well thanks to everyone for their support.

Lloyd I've sent you a PM, so that takes care of that.

I agree with what everyone here says. BHB gets enormous traffic and has a terrific SEO. With its terrific targeted traffic, and I emails from other webmasters wanting to do a link exchange. Half of its traffic actually comes from Google search words. So it is a natural companion to pair it off with an AVS site, or to create freesites as well.

Thanks for your offer of cash for a domain Michael. I may get in touch with you for some help. We'll see, but it is very nice of you to offer.

I'm not abandoning BHB, but as Michael suggested it will be probably put on hold until I can make some serious cash.

Thanks again to everyone for their thoughts and comments.

HUGS – Tony

[Rand]

Maybe this has something to do with it....

I went to your site BathHouseBlues and clicked where it says "Click Here" and nothing happens.

I think that link is meant to bookmark your site, but first of all, that shouldn't be a book mark link... it should lead to some options for purchase. Second, if it IS indeed meant to bookmark your site, it didn't work in FireFox, at least nor for me.

My first reaction is to rethink your page. The "Click Here" link doesn't even look like a link or a button.

My 2 cents.

[terrytowel]

Saw that, thanks it will be removed.

[terrytowel]

Anyone else having problems with CC Bill?

Or is it just I? Yes I know I started a thread on my rock-bottom sales, so we don't need to critique my site. So let’s not go there, but discuss CC Bill.

But March is shaping up to be my worst month ever on record.

I have not made a sale since Feb 29, 2008. My stats since that day have been 0:5500. And that is covering two sites. And even if I hadn't made any sales, I could always count on re bills. But even that is not a sure thing. Almost all of my re bills have canceled their memberships. It is like they are leaving in droves.

Since Feb 13, 2008 (one month) I've only made two sales, and the stats are a mind-blowing 1:5937.5 (for a total of 11,875 clicks!).

People are clicking, but not buying.

Now I'm really worried as the next three weeks, I don't have any money coming in at all!

I might have to hit up this board for donations just so I can eat in the next month, as it is getting pretty dire here. I mean I'm not going to have any money coming in for the next three weeks!

[fetishlad]

Hi Tony,

Sorry to hear about your bad sales. Some tips from me:

1st - I know this sounds racist but maybe take out the Asian reference - Asian is a niche - not to everyone's liking. Call yourself a gay man instead - then visitors can "imagine" in their own way.

2nd - insert some hot pics on the index page between ALL the text you have. (maybe reduce text - how many cities have bathhouses?)

3rd - bathhouses - like others said s a small area - why don't you also say you like scenes in bathrooms, shower scenes, shaving (etc) AND get links (+ pics) to these type of sites. - It makes sense for a visitor.

4th - the thumbnail pics on the gallery page - they are distorted - I wouldn't click on them - looks like a link to a bad designed website.

5th - TAKE OUT links that are NOT affiliate with out of your index page - you have a links page - put them on there. All these lists, search engines etc - they will allow you to put them on your links page.

6th - "bathhouse videos" links to your blog - but NO videos ..... As a visitor wouldn't like to be "lied to" - maybe find a solution to that.

7th - you got hundreds of blog listings on your index page - all visitors can go there and spend their money there instead of with you. Put that list right down on your page - your site is NOT a blog - gaybathhouseporn IS your blog.

That is my 2c

X Hendrik

[terrytowel]

Hi everyone,

Yes the never-ending saga of Bathhouse Blues.

First thanks to everyone for their help. I truly appreciate it.

Fetishlad, I agree with a lot of what you have said. But I also agree with Michae and others, who have said that this site is not a site that makes money. So I need to focus on something else.

However what I think I'm going to have to do is re-instate my banner farm and porn on the side of my index page. I got rid of that a month ago, and through some research (on past sales) that is when my sales decline started happening. The minute I got rid of my banner farms, I stopped selling.

Yeah I know it is unpopular and people have urged me over the years to get rid of my banner farm, (in increase my SEO) but it’s either that, or starve (which I’m going to be doing the next month as I’m not going to be receiving any money for the next three weeks!)

[abostonboy]

I am thinking to try Google adsense and not make it a porn site. Worth a try. I think that site could be allowed to use adsense.