Can Porn do Web 2.0?

Probably not, not unless it is a hookup site. Reading a blog entry over at Christine.net about the interactive panel at SXSW where porn publishers talked about their best business practices, and not a one of them mentioned web 2.0. But they did state:

This contradictory path to success is also reflected in the content itself. As Styn slyly commented, people aren’t watching porn for its production values. And again, low production values means that the content appears more real. Very few producers are able to justify the extra expense of raising the production values, relative to the additional revenue that is brought in. In addition, the frequency of video releases is prohibitively high. 5000 video units sold is a good number, so you have to make lots of videos, and make them cheaply. Source: Christine.net

Given that production values tend to be low, because of the more “real experience” that is required (maybe that is why the “Cult of the Amateur is so popular”) of web sites in the porn biz, then Web 2.0 in terms of maps becomes irrelevant.

However, tools like communications, RSS feeds, and video on demand are adoption points that would make sense if the quality standards were kept where they are now. So there are some web 2.0 technologies that make a lot of sense, especially if they can be kept more under the wire, like an RSS feed that has no pictures, but is configurable by hair color or some other characteristic that the user has specified.

It makes sense to use the personalization schemas, and configurable data feeds, technologies like YouTube (which we have at PornTube), and others that get people in the door, looking for the up sell to the premium content where companies make money. If you know of a porno site that is using web 2.0 to deliver a more customized experience, let us know, we would love to talk to you.