MyDungeonSpace Account Cancelled
» F/m Weblogs
Since a very few of you have used My Dungeon Space to reach me it seems a good idea to post this note.
A few days ago a new message notification email arrived from MDS. I went to the site to read the message. It was a notice that my account would be limited, diminished or something if I didn’t pony up some cash.
Given that I’d never used MDS for much of anything and don’t really require additional online visibility I decided to delete the MDS account. Mostly to prevent future email distractions.
Trust me, I don’t resent anyone’s desire for lucre, filthy or pristine. I could use several heaping helpings of it myself. But I was a mite surprised.
Through several sites I’ve sent MDS a reasonable amount of traffic. Were I running a similar enterprise I would cultivate my sources of visitors.
Given that MDS is an attempt to create something like a MySpace for kink I wonder if they really understand the model. MySpace is one of the poster children of what O’Reilly named Web 2.0. The defining nature of Web 2.0 is that users create content - as it is so unhappily called - that content entices increased membership.
The successful Web 2.0 sites don’t ask for money. They just want you and whatever you may add. I’m not a big fan of this but I’m wise enough in the ways of the internet to understand the logic.
One of the privileges I would lose if I didn’t give MDS some cash was the ability to upload and store content, like multimedia. Having no multimedia that was no problem. What I did contribute was a few blog entries. E.g., additional pages. A canny webmaster wants all the extra pages that can be had, certainly for free.
Were I addicted to images and clips I can think of several sites that would reward me for uploading them. My contributions would be used to entice additional memberships.
As far as paying for access. CollarMe and CollarChat are free. What ever the limitations of those sites they have a much wider outreach than MDS. (As are most fetish oriented websites.)
Were I wanting to pay then - honestly - I’d probably open my wallet to Bondage.com or Alt.com. I’ve mocked Various, Inc.’s enterprises. But if you can step away from your personal biases Various’ sites have a huge and active membership. It will take a wizard of kink marketing and very, very deep pockets for anyone to ever really make inroads. If ever.
I get emails every week from people wanting me to do things for them. Write sex toy reviews, become a columnist. I’m not fool enough to think that is because they admire my talent (even if they say they do). These webmasters see me churning out lots of words and hope they can get some for nothing. And I do admit to smiling at the naοve bloggers who succumb.
But I’ll credit those webmasters. If you want to start a fetish oriented site don’t ask for money. Ask for everything else.
Comments
I agree with you whole heartily on this topic Richard, as a ‘site’ owner you know the running costs..I get mad when sites state they have turned to cash due to running costs. I often wonder just how much interest the webmasters have in the topic or if it’s the cash cow that creates the interest.
Posted by: MissBonnie | October 16, 2007 10:37 PM
You know I can relate, I had my account canceled at a religious website, for another reason. What is ironic is that I had an opportunity to present my work to said website and then ended up getting removed… That website fancied it self an Eastern Orthodox alternative to My Space. Fancy that, like MDS fancied it self a kink alternative to My Space. I prefer diverse communities. I would rather find religion or kink on My Space and be able to mainstream it rather than keep it away in some special education classroom.
Posted by: Beauty | October 17, 2007 1:36 AM
Being on the web as a producer and webmaster since the web’s conception I’ve seen many evolutions.
I own both subscription and free community sites. Even free sites want traffic to upsell affiliate programs. Even with the best intentions to educate and support the community, the reality is we still have to pay for hosting, site work, graphics, etc. I didn’t build my sites to get rich, hell no. But I did build them to express a lifestyle I truly love and the more time I can spend teaching, networking, training well then yes, I will market myself appropriately.
If a website produces content- movies, pictures, articles- then of course you’re paying for content. If they provide a service then its their job/business. I keep femsupreme free- the forums, articles, forums podcast, etc., however if you want access to hardcore pics & movies then you upgrade.
Meanwhile Sex Slave Academy requires a membership and not just because it has content, which it does but because its interactive training so now its a question of the time I can afford to spend there based on memberships.
If my venues were self sufficient where members are providing the content then I assume I would be reselling ad space. In fact thats how I found you again looking for ad space to promote my web sites.
Posted by: Dianna Vesta | November 10, 2007 7:13 AM
I don’t see any problem with charging for content or services.
But wanting people to upload content and charging them or charging them for nothing special is self-defeating.
Webmasters need a logically consistent goal, plan, policy. There’s plenty that can be had for free.
Posted by: Richard | November 12, 2007 3:58 PM