I am sure that all of you have heard of ZIPContent! They have been marking their spot on the Adult Web for about 3 years now with their outrageous prices and instant buy-download system. You've probably even licensed a couple of sets from them at one time or another. Well, I had the great opportunity to Interview Vish, the original brain behind ZIPContent and part-owner of the entire ZIP Family. He had some time to discuss many issues with me about the biz. Check up on the interview below, it's a good one....
Girly: I would like to start of with thanking you for this interview. I want to begin with some background info so that we could have an idea of how ZIPContent came about. We all know that you've been in this business for over 3 years now, but what made you consider entering this wonderful Adult Industry and why?
Vish: I've been working online designing and promoting sites now for just about 4 years, I started on the non-adult end of the web and moved my ass over to where the money was. Of course the adult web wasn't as saturated is it now. When I started making a little money, I started to see the potential of what I could accomplish if I had a lot more time on my hands. So I quit my day job and gave the Biz my 100%. It was a long road, I can say that it took well over a year before ZIPContent came about, before that I was starting up thumbnail galleries, free sites, pay sites, AVS sites, you name it, I was doin it. It always was and still is a constant learning process.
"The one thing I can say is that I honestly think we have one of the best instant buy-download-licensing systems out there." |
Being new in the business and on a tight budget I just couldn't afford the hefty amounts of cash content was going for back in the day, so I decided to get a couple of models together and sell the content for a damn cheap price, took a month or so and profits started to roll in! Since then I got partnered up with a childhood buddy of mine (Tony) who had some great programming skills. He quit his day job and helped me create the entire ZIP family of services including our custom buy-download licensing system.
Girly: How do you feel being the first Downloadable Content Provider and what made you decide to use ZIP files as opposed to CD Roms?
Vish: Well, it does feel great given the fact that there are so many providers now that offer their content via downloads or FTP, being the original is always a good feeling. When I started our service, CD Roms we're IN all the way…I came up with the idea of offering ZIP files for download cause I couldn't afford a CD burner…that's the honest truth! What can I say, I was on a really, really tight budget.
Girly: Next, when you first started with ZIPContent, how hard was it for you to attract clients and how long did it take before ZIPContent started rolling?
Vish: Well before we shot our first models, I already had the site up and running, it basically outlined the concept of what I was planning. I invited anyone that was interested in checking out the first picture set to get on an e-mail list. I got about 30 webmasters interested within a couple of weeks of getting listed on the major resource sites. As soon as the first set went up for like $18, I mailed the list and sure enough most of them ended up licensing a copy, it basically went from there, set after set, the list kept getting bigger. It probably took about a month or so before I started seeing decent profits. Don't forget I was broke, it didn't take much to make me happy! I was pleased to know that I probably had a great thing going more than anything else.
Girly: I wanted to ask you if you ever shoot your own content, and if so what do you think are the benefits and/or disadvantages Adult Content Providers have with shooting their own girls?
Vish: We started out by shooting our own content. Nowadays we buy exclusive pictures from certain photographers that have been with us for quite some time. I mean we aren't brokering for anyone, we did that at one point but there were too many hassles that came along with it, the content we have now is shot for the most part exclusively for ZIP according to our requirements. So we are sort of producing it I guess…just not hands on anymore.
The problems with shooting on your own is nothing more than the obvious. It takes time, time and more time. Something we don't have much of right now. So it's easier for us to hire a few reliable photographers that will deliver the product like we want it. If you got the time, money and skill to shoot your own content, go right ahead, it will save you some money on the front-end and give you even more control over the content you will be getting from the production.
Girly: Vish, what are some of the problems, in this biz you have to expect the unexpected, a newbie who wants to start his own Content Provider might encounter?
Vish: The main problem with us are the haters...what the fuck is up with them? Don't get me wrong you got some damn good people in this industry that wanna help and do things the right way to help the adult biz. People need to understand that there is room for everyone in this business. Don't need to step on others to get ahead, I really hate that shit. Quite some time ago I had a couple of providers telling me our content is too cheap??? Thanks…for the Breaking News!! We KNOW that, we know what we're doing, our clients expect cheap prices so we give it to them, we're not cutting off premium content providers. I have lots of respect for the high-end providers like Matrix Content and David Lace, they got some awesome models and high end content at great prices. We ain't hurting them, they ain't hurting us, there's room for all of us. That's why we're all still around after all this time.
Girly: Some of us noticed that you have just recently expanded your categories of Niche sets, why did you decide to add such a variety of content to ZIPC and what are the advantages of doing so?
Vish: We recently did an online survey with our mailing list and the most common request that came up over and over again was the lack of variety and updates on ZIPC, so we decided to offer a lot more categories of pictures and now update a couple of times a week. Just giving them exactly what they want. I can't forget that the true ZIP supporters have been around with us for quite some time, they are the ones feeding us, gotta keep them happy! (Smile)
Girly: You are obviously competing with other Content Providers out there, but what type of service and quality can a client expect from ZIP that stands out from all of the other Providers?
Vish: Well, there are a lot of good content providers out there, no question about that. We handle our client's needs, try our best to keep them satisfied. If someone isn't happy with a set, we will usually refund them or exchange their order, no questions asked. We try to answer e-mails promptly, even though as of late we had some e-mail problems and took some time getting back to certain people. We changed our e-mail server and everything is fine now. The one thing I can say is that I honestly think we have one of the best instant buy-download-licensing systems out there. We always get people asking us where we got it or if we can sell the script. Tony (Tech) put it together and it will stay exclusive to ZIPContent, who knows, we might end up selling it or something down the line.
Girly: I want to touch a sensitive subject that all webmasters truly hate: Stealing Content. What are your thoughts about this issue and has it ever happened to you?
Vish: You'll always have your content stealers, its part of the Biz, impossible to stop them all. More often than not, it's just newbies who don't know any better. We usually get e-mails from loyal clients that inform us of anyone that might be using our content without a proper license, and we deal which each case accordingly.
Girly: What would you say is the best way for a Newbie or any other webmaster in the starting up a Content Provider, to promote his/her service?
Vish: Just like you would any webmaster service or site for that matter, get listed on every single resource site out there, no matter how big or small they are. Every hit counts. Hit the boards, but don't spam chat boards that don't allow it, just get involved in the community. A mailing list is always an essential tool, get webmasters subscribed to a weekly updates letter, don't steal e-mail addresses or buy spam lists..no one likes that shit. A little advertising money also doesn't hurt! (Smile)
Girly: Do you have any thoughts or comments to add about the Adult Industry in general or about Content Providers?
Vish: Well, for one thing, many types of services are getting way too saturated. Some control would be good, but with all due respect, I think the biz as a whole is doing pretty good, growing as always. A tip for new content providers, try something different, go after a niche that hasen't been tapped yet and produce content for it…there's always room for more, just don't keep trying the same stuff.
Girly: According to you Vish, is there room for ZIPContent to expand even further in this Adult Market, and if so what are your future plans?
Vish: Of course, there is always room to improve. Right now we plan on filling up all the new categories we have available with lots more content. We will also continue to push the enveloppe and keep offering the lowest prices possible. We also have a couple of BIG new ZIP services that will be opening up sometime this year, look out for those, there are gonna be awesome!
Also make sure you check out our brand new Ultimate Set. It's got 1525 Pictures for Only 89$, straight up! The pictures are brand new and are not sold and will not be sold in individual sets on ZIPC. Got some fresh new faces and over 25 models in more than 30 different sets. All for one crazy price…now that's what I'm talking about!
Girly: Once again, thank you for participating with us in this interview. I am sure that all of your comments will be of great use to other fellow webmasters. We hope that ZIPContent will continue to amaze us. Talk to you soon.
Vish: No problem, I appreciate this. Glad to get some things off my chest! Best of luck with everything!
Make sure you stop by ZIPContent.com and check out their great selection of adult content including their one of a kind Super Specials. They put new sets all the time and amazing new offers all the time.
SUBMIT