Webmaster's Corner

Interview with Widearea

DFN: This week's interview is with Widearea.

Lets get the real basic stuff first...
Widearea My name is Widearea, I'm 32 and I live in the California, USA.

DFN: How or why did you pick your nick?
Widearea The nick comes from the first freesite Voltar had me build. It was for the BBW niche, and is taken from the WAN concept - Wide Area Network - using a play on words for a big girls site call the Wide Area Fatty Network.

DFN: How often do you try new building ideas, or using new sponsors?
Widearea I tend to try new sponsors quite often. It was only until fairly recently that I would even attempt to improvise on some of Voltar's newbie projects, but I will try new building ideas if it seems to make sense.

DFN: And how often do you build new sites?
WideareaI build tons of galleries all the time. The last freesite I made was three weeks ago. Before that I finished a mass produced, 100 site project that used only 100 pics, 10 pics per site repeating those images ten times.

DFN: How many hours a week are you able to put into your business?
Widearea No matter how much time that gets put in, it's never enough. I always have something I am planning to start or finish with tons of stuff on too many burners. But I put in sixty to eighty hours these days on any given week.

DFN: Do you do everything by hand? or do you use some scripts to automate your work?
Widearea I write html by hand. I hand submit to a handful of tgps and link lists, but I also use a submitter program and I try to automate as much of the building process as is possible. I find that I am doing more hand cropping on images these days for thumbs and stuff, but I think I don't use automation enough because I don't know how, or I am too stuck in some habits.

DFN: Do you have any tips for us on how you stay focused and organized working for yourself?
Widearea I admit I have trouble staying focused, but the thing that helps me is when I get a check from somewhere. I see that something I did paid off so it's always in my interest to keep it up... Voltar has been helpful in introducing me to the idea of some sort of routine. Sticking to a plan and getting a list of things done can really do wonders for that sense of accomplishment and it can help to keep the stamina.

DFN: Can you touch on how and why you got involved into this industry, and how long you have been doing it?
Widearea I quit a day job after the boss got on my case for using the T1 for downloading massive binary audio files. I snapped and decided I didn't need his stupid job or his cheesy T1 line. I decided to start freelancing for graphic design. Being on the web daily, I saw that adult material was in your face, and I saw that there must be some profit in it. I loomed about until I discovered Voltar on an old message board/community and began to take his instructions, slowly learning that it was possible to make money in the adult industry. It's been three years and change, and I am slowly growing the business, always learning that there's always something else to learn.

DFN: Can you give a brief background on your history in this business, and where do you see yourself in one year and several years from now?
WideareaA brief history: I started making freesites on a freehost. I got a small virtual host and kept building and submitting freesites. I learned about hubs, and then I began to try tgp'ing. I built a bunch of AVS sites for an AVS system now defunct. I built the Triple. The triple triple. Then the triple triple triple. I wrote an article on web graphics called Wide's World for the DFN for a while. I hooked up with an old friend who runs a paysite and became the marketing manager. I moved to a dedicated host. I have been trying to balance that job with my own efforts ever since.

DFN: What area in terms of site building do you specialize in, if any?
Widearea Man, I wish I had a specialty. I am good with graphics, but I disdain doing it all the time.

DFN: What do you consider to be your strengths in this business?
Widearea I am honest. I like being an adult webmaster.

DFN: What do you consider your 3 best niches?
Widearea Transsexual, mature

DFN: What is the best advice you were given when you were first getting started in this industry and what advice could you give a newbie just starting out these days?
Widearea I liked hearing "Build, submit, forget." I would say definitely that getting to know other webmasters is key, and having a place to learn is crucial.

DFN: What do you think the worst thing going on with future of our industry right now? ...and what is the best?
Widearea The oversaturation of paysites and webmasters, coupled with the decrease in new internet users is not the best thing for business. The fact that search engine traffic is tougher to come by, and the movement by many site owners to be softer on the surfer, offering more pics, more hardcore, more of what used to push them out to pay for a membership, all make for alot of anxious nights at my house on frequent occasions. The best thing is when someone innovates (and it does happen) and you can catch the wave when it begins. Even better, there is still potential for anyone to come up with something that just plain works.

DFN: Any additional insight you would like to give on being an adult webmaster?
Widearea It takes hard work. There is no get rich quick thing going on.

DFN: And finally... do you have a URL you want to plug?
Widearea Strap-On Galleries