How Do You Increase Rebills?
 

Hey everyone!

There are so many differant strategies for retaining Members and increasing the number of monthly rebills yet I've been studying analytics from 2009-2012 and I'm seeing some interesting trends and would like some feedback.

(Now I'm also hoping affiliates will chime in here because signups are so hard to come by these days that I would think rebilling Members would be a high priority....)

While I have been in the Adult biz a relatively short time (2008-) and therefore cannot comment on the "Golden Age" of online porn (1995-2005). I have only my own stats and experience to compare things to. So here goes:

(Mister Peabody World launched Jan.15, 2009 with 4 paysites; we now have 32 so take that into consideration here.)

2009
Average rebill: 6 months
2010
Average rebill: 5 months
2011
Average rebill: 4 months
2012
Average rebill: 3 months

It's weird because as I add new sites (about 1 every 2 months or so) and bonus material (several HD feed companies) the rebills are going down, not up or even holding steady.

For my websites I have extremely unique and limited content (generally; some sites have hundreds of scenes etc) so I can understand someone going through all that MILF Mia has to offer (for example) then canceling as that site does not update any longer. But the bonus feeds update every single day and there's all the other sites in the network...


So what do YOU do to keep Members in 2013? Are you seeing the same trends? What are your strategies for the future?

:helpme:thumbsup

Baseball Bat method has always worked!

On a serious note

Why would people really pay? You can get everything for free ? Sorta like newspapers I guess, you can get all your news for free online now, so
why buy a paper?

communicate with your members :2 cents:

Those are incredible rebills, even though declining. Still good.

You can remove the ccbill price description in member welcome email and add some custom text about all the other stuff offered.

One word. Interaction.

3 months for 2012 is pretty good

i love these kinds of threads so thanks for starting and sharing your numbers

you really need unique rare content they like + extra perks help to keep members rebilling long because these days members join so many sites and with so much stuff out there they really dont care much to keep a membership like they used to
many times they prefer joining to download and cancel and then rejoin a few months later to catch up on what they missed

to help with rebills i tried streaming only on some new sites where members cannot download anything
sure it may piss off a few but those that really like the content rebill longer
also it will protect you from piracy at the same time

These days I prefer PPS over revshare for new programs. I dont trust anyone with my rebills anymore and I rather cash out quick than rely on a program owner who 1 day might say fuck it and stop paying.

Can I ask, the content you have in the site, are you literally just 'adding' new content or do you take some of your existing scenes and 'rotate' them through?

We found that rotating content, not just adding new scenes/sets works well, it basically allows you to make the member think they are getting more than they actually are, after all, if your highest rebill length on average is 6 months, why not only have 6 months worth of content in the members area and rotate whatever you have 'extra' through to make it seem like you are adding more?

There is a fine line when it comes to content in members area and updating, if you continually add content to a site that has a 6 month retention rate, you're basically throwing good money away, because you ONLY actually need 6 months worth of updates. If that makes sense?

Joining and canceling, then re-joining is definitely a pattern I see more of these days.
And you're right, there are SO MANY choices out there I guess I should be happy for any rebills. LOL


Ahh, this explains why FreeOnes doesn't get back to me on more ways to promote my sites even tho you're already an affiliate. (And no matter how much I kiss your sweet European butt, too.)
Bummer for CCBill programs, eh?

Rebills are good, but R.O.I is better in essence is what I'm saying.

30 sets for example, gives you 7 months of [weekly] updates.

Take 4 of those sets and put them in a 'reserve'.

Any time an update happens, take the first set in the members area and throw that into the reserve, whilst taking the first set in the 'reserve' and put it into the members area.

Affiliate perspective here.

I would say the two main ones besides the obvious "update regularly" are:

1. Don't have deceptive cross sales and upsells. My worst converters (for rebills) have these as well as more refunds and chargebacks. I had one sponsor who had horrible rebuills and CB ratios but they quit with the BS and now they are getting back to the normal (or the new normal anyway). Stay away from prechecked or deceptive one-click upgrades. When your surfers see these things I theorize that it puts them on the defensive and makes them more apt to cancel (or CB when they get hit).

2. Keep your content off the pirate sites. If members see they can get it all for free one day after you publish it then why should they pay? Try to turn would be pirates into long term customers. Let them spend hours looking for a certain scene only to give up and decide to join! And btw don't give tubes (especially the ones with a history of piracy) more than you give your affiliates. That is saying "Fuck you!" to them.

Back in the old days rebills were great and would go on for 3 - 5 years routinely with the old AVS (adult verification system) systems. It made one's income build and build. Part of that was the lack of free content and the lack of it all being in one place.

which companies do you use for bonus feeds?

A large percentage of my members will sign up again after being away for a few months; some after 1,5 years... so if they come back to check the site again they don't want to see stuff they allready have seen... i don't know about MrPeabody's sites and returning members.... but it is a thing to think about.

start a feedback button or option from ur members to know what you could add .. Even do a members area vote or poll... Whatever it takes to keep them engaged

I put polls up in the members area and let them pick everything from the next update to what videos are made, what changes or stays the same, I let them run the site, afterall why would you want anything that the members do not want or ask for? Even the ideas for videos are picked by them. They can send it outfits/clothes pretty much anything they want.

Uhm no, ccbill is ok by me. Besides that (I think) I always reply so no idea who you are trying to contact?

One word reply. Agree.

Regular updates in members area.

You'd actually be surprised just how little that actually matters.

Sometimes members will stay with a site because they simply can't find the content anywhere else.

Sssshhhhh :winkwink:

I agree, for exclusive content.

I read in old threads, Mr. Paul Markham used to rotate the content and members didnt like it, its like fooling them.

When I had less paysites and most of them were "amateur solo girls" I did this and it was indeed successful! Now that I have so many sites I think need to hire someone to do this or find a good script that could do it automatically.......awesome input tho and thanks for reminding me (us?) on the value of this strategy. :thumbsup




More great points! I don't do upsells and cross-sells are CCBill programs only (mostly friends of mine LOL plus a few sites I know convert well for others).

Piracy is a cat-and-mouse game, as you know, but I do use content removal companies.
And wouldn't rebills of 3 YEARS be oh so amazing today? :pimp


This ties in with the 'rotate your content' strategy. I see this pattern too, Members canceling then re-joining months (or even years) later. Gotta start a-rotatin'.....:)



Ahh you know I love Mr. Roald!! Your avatar is so colorful...:)
But I contacted Petra on December 17 of last year after checking traffic stats. I get hardly anything from FreeOnes so I'm not even sure how much (if any) business FreeOnes is doing with PeabodyCash websites. I know you guys are an affiliate and I know I have a few of the best-converting websites anywhere so I was looking to see how we could work together more.

Maybe I contacted the wrong person out of the blue like that and/or it was the Holidays. I always blame myself first. Haha!!

Anyway, maybe you and I can ICQ or something equally dirty soon. :food-smil10

Members typically don't like it when they join via magic join links ;)

But, if you know you have a 6 month retention rate on average, even if you also know some members will join again in a year or so, simply having enough content to fulfill a 6 month time-frame (to be on the safe side id say 8 months) the benefits of having the majority of members retain for 6 months vs. losing a member who has already joined and come back and cancels, is a no brainer, id rather lose a months rebill from a few members each year than have to constantly throw a few hundred bucks into the site month after month.

Its a number game ultimately, and is one that has been prevalent in the industry since the inception of the PPS business model. How many exclusive PPS multi-site programs do you think 'actually' add fresh, exclusive content to their members area every month?

If you want something custom, to your exact needs like we use, feel free to shoot me an email [contact @ pixelsquaredesigns.com] :)

Thanks, I will do that this week. :)

Value value value

But, truth be told, in this economy, I think your price is a little on the high-side.

For the best rebills, a dollar amount that isn't worth thinking about will rebill indefinitely.

I'll take $1.00/mo from everyone on the planet over $50/mo from 100,000, any day.

The answer to your question in part lies in the post left by a guy named beaner... earlier.

The trick is to not get them to cancel after the first 15 minutes of being a member.

Do you really think that offering all this wonderful new content each and every day really matters? Bottom line, stop people from immediately cancelling and you just increased your bottom line.

PEOPLE FORGET TO CANCEL!

Drop me a line and lets see what we can do, roald @T freeones. com :thumbsup

one prominent guy here (cough cough, the claudia marie producer) offers a hi res stream, with a lo res download, goal being to decrease piracy, & increase retention. dont know how thats working out though. but i think claudia marie does interactive things as well so i would guess his retention is better then just the standard download model.

Actually, thats a pretty smart idea.... :thumbsup
Umm.. mind if I `borrow` it?

Sounds like a plan. Will send you one later today. :)

The best thing that you can do for your customer retention is to offer exemplary customer service. There is so much competition out there these days, and if customers feel that they will not be able to turn to you to resolve their questions and concerns, they will move on to someone who will.

We live in a world of instant gratification, so setting up a ticket system, and promising your customers that they will receive a response within 24 hours isn't enough either. While they're waiting for you to respond, they're going to surf around for sites that offer similar content, and you'll lose them. Offer them a means of contact where they can connect with a live person instantly, and make it highly visible on your website. Live Chat usually works really well.

I'd be more than happy to discuss this with you further. You can email me at [email protected], or skype me at ass.shauna

The right way:
Mentioned a few times the more updates of what the member actually joined for will keep them around. At least as long as they are interested in the content. True fans are gold. And by updates I don't mean filler, but the real updates they joined to see. It's a ton more work but have seen positive results with our LB sites by increasing updates.


The bad:
Trick them with fake cancellation pages or deceptively named charges on their card like "ATM Fee" or "Petrol Fuel". A few programs have been outed for that before.

Wouldn't that be nice.

Yes, then I would have........six BILLION dollars!!! Brahahahahahahaha!

in 2012 the avg sale from ccbill sites generated $28 for us. These are all non PPS sites. So the point is some sites are seeing higher avg than 3 months. while that might be the avg some sites have almost 0 rebills. From an affiliates perspective it's tough to say because I have not personally seen the inside members area. I have to believe consistent updates is the key. But also as an affiliate that helps market the site and increases the quality of the tools. So those updates I believe are critical.
I agree with the PPS preference. I much rather push a PPS and let the program worry rebills. It's obvious based on this data that a program paying out $35 PPS is going to make a ton more money in the long run if they have a ton of content. I could go on a rant about the value of a sale to a site but to answer the question I believe new updates and not plug in feeds is the solution. Having feeds is just a waste of money.

Why the heck not? That is typically one of the first things I ask from a site owner, if they wont let me see the members area, even for an hour, they don't get promoted, as in my mind, they are hiding 'something'.

I think that is a big reason many in the industry don't actually understand what makes a site rebill, they throw links up to all their sponsor offerings without actually taking a few minutes to check out the members areas on those sites.

Any program with a good members area, for the most part isn't going to mind showing an affiliate what is inside their sites, unless they are stuffed with content from the 80's, upsells, content feeds that make no sense being there and just look like shit overall.

This is an excellent point! I allow access to my Members Areas for affiliates who ask but 99.9% never ask. LOL

My situation is a bit differant, too, in this way: being "Mister Peabody" and marketing my sites as "mine" (even tho the content is from others) makes joining my network an almost personal thing. So if a site has only 20 videos on it, well, it's sort of understandable cause it's just 1 of 32 sites, and poor ol' Mister Peabody is building this shit himself, one at a time, so he's doing his best.....LOL

I set it up that way so I wouldn't have Members constantly complaining about this or that (even tho some do and always will). I'm NOT a giant porn company, with thousands of scenes updated thrice daily (yes, i said "thrice"). LOL So I gotta spin the uniqueness angle.