This exchange for an adult video streaming website demonstrates how unrealistic some people’s estimations are for costs for website design specifically for Adult related websites. Please be aware that website design is a professional task and to achieve good results that last years you have to make an ‘investment’ in your website by hiring website designers that have the experience and skillset to give you exactly what you want.
This exchange is an example overview of conversations we had at a recent Internet Marketing / website design conference:
[Website Design Company] Hello, would you like to tell us about your website / website project / requirements? If you have a project plan please could we see it as well please (dont worry if you dont have one)
[Adult Website Client] I purchased a domain several years ago and for various reasons it has not been developed into a fully operating website. I am now looking to develop the website and hopefully to begin trading in the near future.
I am looking to develop the website so that it can be used to sell both DVDs and perhaps Bluray discs, together with offering an HD download and streaming service. The content of the website is what I would describe adult sexploitation films of the 1960s and is heavily influenced by the cult director Russ Meyer. I would not describe the site as being adult, but owing to the nature of the sexploitation genre there is female – mainly topless – nudity in most of the films that I have shot so far.
I am intending the website to be primarily a film based site and the central part of the site will be the video player. I want this to be like entering a virtual cinema with the player being able to show both 720p and 1080p (full HD) films.
There may be some photographic material made available, but this would have to be done as a Photobook with a selection of different shots of various models and not just a set of 70 shots of one model made available for download. The idea of a 32 to 48 page booklet appeals to me because it would hopefully invoke another 1960s icon Harrison Marks. I cannot compete in terms of quality, but the spirit could be recaptured.
I have drawn up a very basic outline of how the front screen of the website could look, but it is very badly drawn and I would have to have a better go at it before scanning and sending it to you. The front screen though should have a 720p video player as the central piece playing the latest trailer. I have already made a 720p “Coming Soon” trailer with my Film Editor and that could play as a replacement for the current front page before the website is fully up and running.
On the hosting side I have had a high level chat with the registrar. The dedicated server plan they have appears reasonable, but they provide no technical help and it seems that would be left to me.
On the financial side I have had a very good discussion with a payment provider. They have been very helpful and are definitely geared up to handle whatever pricing plan I come up with for the website. They are very experienced and handle the website for my friend who is a topless adult model.
I hope this gives you some idea of what I am looking to do. I am hoping that we can take things forward. Please let me know if the content of the proposed website would cause any difficulties for you or your company. I look forward to hearing from you and to discussing matters further.
[Website Design Company] Before we fully consider the project can you answer these these ‘initial’ queries (project specific questions asked – see below for questions with client answers)
[Adult Website Client] I have reviewed the points you have raised and my answers (along with the questions) are noted below. I have also attached a sketch of how the front screen may look, but this is very rough.Thank you for your help with this and I look forward to hearing from you.
Q1. How many video files are you going to have on the site? and what is
the average file size? – an estimate would be good at this stage. Initially (at site launch). Have you got a maximum capacity in mind?
A1.This is still to be finalised, but there be at least between two to three video files made available on the site every month. They would be about 15 to 20 minutes in length. The estimated size per file based on 720p is approximately 2.75GB for a 20 minute file. I do not have exact figures for the 1080p files yet as none have been created, but I should have this soon. There may also be 480p files offered.
Q2. What is the File Format of the video files?
A2. The files will be H.264 based files, but they would be made available for streaming via either Flowplayer or JW Player. These appear to be playable readily on mobile devises and that is the way I would like the site designed. It has to play on both laptops and mobile devises such as iPad.
Q3. For the streaming video is this a Free Service, Paid Premium Service
or Both – Would you like users to be able to watch a clip then pay to watch
the full video?
A3. The streaming video will always be a paid servcie. This I am discussing with the payment providers. There will be “Coming Soon” trailers on the site which will not be chargeable, but these will not run for any longer than 2 minutes.
Q4. What other features would you like: example: Would like a Splash
Page for Over 18s. Or a First Time a person sees the page they have a Login
form where they need to REGISTER before they can see the content.
A4. There should be a Splash page and all content can only be viewed once you have confirmed your age as 18 or over and paid to join or paid for a one off SD – not HD – download. The trailers will be viewable by simply verifying your age.
Q5.What are your expected estimates for initial visitor numbers and
growth expectations
A5. I am hoping to attract at least 500 paying visitors per month with the hope that this may rise to 1000 or 2000 over time. At this time I cannot say how many there will be initially.
Q6. What is the purpose of the photobooks / are they to be sold ? Do you
need full admin control of these?
A6. The photobooks are a more upmarket way of putting glamour photos on the site that can be downloaded once you have signed up i.e. Registered with the site. These will always be items that have to be paid for via the monthly membership fee.
Q7. Please send us your design draft (dont worry if its in a draft format)
A7. I have drawn up a draft of the page after the Splash page that visitors will see. I am very flexible as to how this will look and what will work best.
Q8.Can you give us example websites that do exactly what you want
A8. Two examples are attached of the initial pages that you see when you type in the web addresses for two adult porn stars. One is handled by the firm that I am corresponding with about handling the payment side of the website.
I favour the first adult website approach as I can adapt that interface quite easily and use three photos of three individual models, rather than three of the same model. However, the second adult website does give a slightly stronger warning.
Q9. What Dedicated Server requirements did you give godaddy?
A9. This was discussed at a very high level. We did not actually discuss any deals in depth. They mentioned the Economy Deal. They were of the view that they were not fussy what went on the server as long as it was legal and that I arrange to look after it. A link is attached to the various dedicated server plans that they offer.
Q10. Do you have a budget and timescale for this project?
A10. I am still working on the editing of the various films and working shooting more video and photos too. I was not intending to launch the website until next year, but I thought it was better to get things moving now anyway. We can discuss the budget once you have let me know how much all of what I want to do is going to cost. Then I can work out if some things need to be dropped or other things added on.
[Website Design Company] Thanks for the reply to our initial website design questions. We asked about the budget as we have wasted countless hours putting proposals together for very large and complicated website projects where the potential website owner has simply said things like, ‘we only had £349 available for this project’ . So to avoid any confusion and problems with budgets if you give me a ‘broad’ idea of your budget limitations here I will tell you pretty quickly two things:
1) if we are interested in the project
2) if its possible to complete the project within budget.
Our quotes will give you a few variables that you can decide upon at a later date but will also give you the ‘recommended’ option based on your project requirements
[Adult Website Client] Sorry for not being clear enough about the budget, but I am not entirely sure how much this website should cost. However, in general I had expected it cost at least double if not treble the amount you have quoted in your email.
Also just to be clear – no adult material will be appearing on my website. With going into detail there are no male actors in my films. Also the whole tone is like the 1960s so we have topless scenes, but not much else. Rather like the first adult website in fact. If you would like to discuss matters further, please let me know.
[Website Design Company] I was not quoting any amount but simply using that amount to demonstrate how some people have expectations about website costs that are far smaller than is realistic to produce a website for their requirements.
Taking your expectations that the website may costs three times the figure in the ‘example’ given you are expecting the website to cost about £1000, on the information provided we estimate that your project will cost between £4000 – £5000 with an additional monthly cost for your dedicated server.
[Adult Website Client] Thank you very much for coming back to me so quickly.Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I had no idea that the website I was considering would cost so much. I had certainly not anticipated that the cost would be anywhere near £5000. Unfortunately, I shall not be able to proceed on this basis. Thank you for your time and assistance with this matter.