They're actual folks that are trying to make a supplemental income. "These people are not porn stars in the traditional sense.
XTube is making lots of money, but most of the amateurs posting videos probably can't yet quit their day jobs, said Stephen Yagielowicz, senior editor of XBiz, an adult industry trade magazine. The site receives about 56 million page views a day, he said. But about 40 percent comes from the amateur section. "We get lots of suggestions from people for things they want to see, things they want me to do."Īrilan says the Web site earns $140,000 to $160,000 a month, most of which comes from sales of studio-produced video-on-demand movies.
"I get lots of comments and compliments," said Antoinette who asked that we use her middle name for this article and who said she usually shields her face in her porn videos. Beginning next month, posters will receive 50 percent of revenues. Those who post the videos receive 60 percent of the revenue after processing fees. The audience pays 50 cents to $2.50 to view the short homemade porn flicks.
People who typically view free porn will be more willing to pay, the company believes, if they can get to know the models, form relationships and play a role in directing the action filmmakers produce. Xtube's business model hopes to harness popular Web 2.0 innovations like wikis and social networking. "How you keep users on your site and how you monetize the site is the real challenge. "Everybody has got free porn," said Justin Arilan, XTube's sales and support manager. XTube, which also offers thousands of free videos, thinks it has solved the problem of getting people to pay for porn by offering users something different.
With so much free media available on the Internet, sites have long struggled with how to get users to pay for content, whether it is Facebook, the Wall Street Journal or the band Radiohead.Īs it has in the past, the porn industry is showing others how to make the Internet profitable. While plenty of amateur pornographers or exhibitionists have posted their work online for free, some do-it-yourself pornographers are now posting videos to a new section of the video-sharing site - and making money on it. I'd say I'm nice looking, sure, but otherwise I'm pretty average."ĭespite not being a porn star, Antoinette's films are explicit displays of hardcore intercourse that if released in cinemas would earn a "XXX" billing. I don't want to be a porn star," she said.