In recent years, adult entertainment has become one of the most profitable industries in the world. With porn businesses alone bringing in more than $97 billion, starting your own online venture is definitely worth considering.
But what does starting an online porn business actually entail? Which steps do you need to take, and what resources can you count on? We’ll answer these questions below and cover all the basics you’ll need to become adult entertainment royalty.
Let’s begin.
Starting an Online Porn Business: A Step-By-Step Guide
Before you can start bringing in the big bucks, let’s take a look at what you need to think of when launching your porn site.
Depending on your overall goals and the type of content you want to share, you can choose between the following porn site models:
We’ll go into a little more detail on each one in the sections that follow.
These websites are extremely common — think XVideos, XNXX, and similar industry giants. Their appeal is simple: users upload a bunch of content, be it their own or from other sites, and make it freely accessible to everyone. In this equation, you’re the one making great money via different types of ads.
A big disadvantage of a tube site is the competition. Namely, scaling up and standing out from all the other players is quite difficult. Of course, it isn’t impossible, but it will take a lot of smart marketing and quality content.
However, the payoff is definitely impressive. You can make a fortune with minimal effort and investment, which is an appealing concept to many.
On the other end of the spectrum, we’ve got paid subscription platforms such as AdultTime. If you decide to run one of these, user subscriptions will make up the bulk of your earnings.
Now, the content you upload will need to be top-notch for people to want to pay for it. After all, why would they spend money when they can enjoy thousands of tube site videos for free?
That’s why paid sites are a good idea only if you create your own original content or have access to high-quality licensable videos from another source. Otherwise, you’ll have trouble getting people to sign up.
While the first two options require uploading already recorded content, webcam sites are all about the live experience. Chaturbate is an obvious (and wildly successful) example, as are Camsoda and Bongacams.
As a cam site owner, you’d make money off of model commissions, be it from subscriptions, tips, or merch sales. So, there’s no denying that the earning potential is great — but so are the requirements and expenses.
For one, your site will have to be sophisticated enough to offer live streaming, a bunch of payment methods, designated merch stores, huge group chats, and so on. Plus, you’ll depend on your models and how much traffic they can drive to your site.
While it might appear profitable to upload and sell every type of porn under the sun, it’s a tactic that’s been used countless times already. In other words, standing out will be extremely difficult.
That is why you should choose a specific niche that your business will service and cater to. Your options are endless, and the more specific you get, the better.
For example, posting plain amateur porn likely won’t get you too much attention, especially in the beginning. But dabbling in cosplay porn or a specific fetish — that’s a whole different story.
When it comes to niches, it’s best to pick from what you already know and love. Whether you’ll download content from other sites or shoot it yourself, it will make for a more enjoyable experience.
After picking your niche, you’ll need to come up with a catchy and memorable domain name. Your domain should grab everyone’s attention and make them wish to see your site, so picking it carefully is crucial for success.
Although it might seem like a simple task, it’s one that you should take your time with. So, think of some good puns, use wordplay, and make sure the result fits your brand and vibe.
Pro tip: Resources such as Thesaurus.com and Urban Dictionary are a great place to start your domain brainstorming adventure.
Most mainstream hosting providers claim that they allow explicit content. However, the reality is a lot more vague and unpredictable. In short, your content might get taken down even if you seemingly comply with all the rules.
So, when starting your own porn site, it’s better to choose a host that actually caters to adult creators. Vicetemple is a great example, and their hosting plans are equally suitable for newbies and seasoned players alike.
With them, you can rest assured that your goods will always be available for your audience to enjoy. Even more importantly, you’ll have full control of your site and what you share.
And finally — the step you’ve been waiting for. It’s time to actually start your own porn website.
Depending on your coding knowledge and your budget, you can do that in two ways. The first is to build your website from scratch on your own or pay someone to do it for you.
While this approach will give you complete creative control, it will also take a lot of time, effort, and money. If you lack any of them, you will find the second option a lot more appealing.
Namely, you can pay for an adult WordPress theme and have a functional, responsive, and visually appealing site up and running in record time. These templates are fully customizable, and they include everything you’ll need.
With your site finished, all that’s left is to create — or download — some sexy content and upload it. What you do will depend on your niche and target audience, as well as the site type you went for.
In any case, promoting your content and making sure it reaches your audience is crucial for making it big. For starters, you can advertise your business via social media — anything from Twitter (or X, as it’s now called) and Snapchat to Instagram and Reddit. Aside from that, using SEO to your advantage can also do wonders for your ranking and reach.
If you’re thinking about dipping your toes into adult entertainment, there is no better time to start than the present. The industry is at its most profitable, so starting your own website can easily make you a fortune.
This guide is an excellent place to begin your journey and find out the basics — the rest is up to you. So, do your research, use our steps as starting points, and slowly start building the next big player in the porn industry!