Viral Videos and Social Networks

With the advent of the web and social networks like YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace, it became easier than ever to reach millions of people with your message. Bill Tancer, author of Click: What Millions of People are Doing Online and Why It Matters, says that social networking are now the most visited spots on the Internet, eclipsing even porn.
   
If enough peple start spreading the word, an unknown can now become a household name overnight. Dutch singer Esmée Denters was discovered in 2006 after posting her cover versions of popular songs on YouTube. She eventually wound up opening for Justin Timberlake during his European tour and is now finishing up her first studio album. And Actress/writer Lisa Donovan posted her short films on YouTube  a few years back, under the name LisaNova, and developed such a following that she eventually  landed a featured role on MADtv.
   
As an advertising tool, using social networking sites are now almost indispensable – and usually free. But it’s not just for individuals. Creating viral videos and maintaining an identity on social networks is now something that even mainstream companies are doing, from food and car makers to Hollywood studios.
   
Unfortunately, social networking sites don’t provide an easy entrée for adult sites due to their rules prohibiting risqué material. MySpace and YouTube have both been known to delete offending accounts.           

While it’s true that adult social networks are gaining in popularity – the X-rated version of Youtube XTube – the potential for truly widespread exposure only exists at mainstream sites. With the anti-porn rules, how can webmasters take advantage of this new advertising medium that has proven to be so important for mainstream businesses?
   
The trick is to be creative and to find ways to get your message across without crossing the line. For instance, Enzyte ran humorous ads hyping their alleged male enhancement product on television networks across the country withour ever incurring the wrath of censors. (Although they weren’t able to avoid the (non-enhanced) long arm of the law. They were indicted for fraud and money laundering in 2008.)
   
Many gay adult studios have been able to cross over and make strong impressions on social networks despite their limitations. Raging Stallion Studios recently posted a MySpace video teaser for their upcoming cowboy epic To the Last Man. It’s non-explicit, but an effective way to drive patrons to the studio’s site while increasing awareness of the film. The company also did the same thing last year with their award-winning title Grunts. Likewise, Michael Lucas posted a MySpace trailer for Gigolo – and his film La Dolce Vita even had its own page.
   
Lucas has been posting online information about his features for years and agrees that the additional visibility has helped to boost awareness of his Lucas Entertainment projects. “I can’t say that doing this or doing that has helped sales by 20 percent, but I do know that it has been valuable,” he says.
   
Hot House Entertainment is yet another studio with a MySpace presence, which they use to spotlight some of their hunkiest performers. The online pictures are definitely erotic – with models pictured in swimsuits – but there is never actual nudity. Sister Roma, art director for Hot House, says the company has been on MySpace for about a year. “We didn’t do it as any sort of recruiting tool,” says Roma. “We did it for our fans, to keep them updated with information about us and our models.”
   
Hot House has since gone even further with their efforts, posting interviews with Roma and different adult industry performers on YouTube.  And even though the performers might discuss their work on an adult film project or the launch of personal blogs containing nudity, the segments are allowed – because they never contain sex, nudity, or pornography.
   
Roma admits there have been times when debatable material has accidentally been posted and then subsequently taken down. “You have to be very careful,” Roma says. “There can be no pubic hair (on MySpace). They are very clear about what can be up.” On one occasion, a photo they had posted was removed by MySpace for unintentional violations.  “They took it down and told us why,” says Roma. Entire accounts can be deleted without any warning or recourse, so it’s reassuring to learn that MySpace actually gives a fair shake to those who consistently observe the rules – since unintentional infractions are almost inevitable.
   
Lucas says it’s important to be mindful of what is submitted to these sites, suggesting that “two guys looking at each other” can be as erotically charged as something more explicit – and an equally effective way to convey one’s message. This creative insight betrays Lucas’ true nature – that of a skilled artist. Rather than hampering expression, the challenge of limitations can often result in extraordinary work. Some artists even prefer working under constraints.
   
Roma suggests configuring your accounts to be private, in order to better control who can view an author’s posts. That’s just an additional precaution, though. When it comes to promoting adult-oriented works on the large, mainstream social networks and video sharing sites, it’s all about respecting the rules and working creatively within a site’s boundaries.
   
“Keep it clean,” says Roma. “The world is watching!”

Contact Jim Farmer at: [email protected]