Amateur Appeal
Amateurs, what is the appeal? Every time I consider this question, I am immediately brought back to the popular 60s TV show, Gilligans Island. There were two younger females on that show, Ginger and MaryAnne. Now, there was no mistaking that Ginger was an absolute sex bomb, with an incredible body and gorgeous face. Then there was MaryAnne, the girl next door with pigtails and a sweet face. I remember watching Entertainment Tonight when they were doing a reunion special on the TV show. They did a poll of the show’s male viewers to see which girl they preferred and the majority chose MaryAnne. Now, why would most men pick the “plain jane” MaryAnne over the sexy, sultry Ginger? This same kind of behavior is witnessed in the online porn industry as well. It seems that the amateur sites featuring the “girl next door” types are the ones that are pushing aside the porn star sites and taking over the Internet.
So, why is it that many men prefer amateur girls? The answer is: because they are REAL! Surfers can relate to the amateurs because they are the type of people that seem almost attainable. The blond, tanned, porn stars with their perfect bodies and dirty ways are enjoyable to look at and even to imagine in fantasies. However, the percentage of men out there that can actually land themselves a gal in this league is pretty low. Many men prefer to see girls who look like girls that they have dated, or girls they went to school with, engaging in real sexual activity as opposed to watching porn stars “act” out their orgasms.
Another appeal that amateurs have is their relative “inexperience” or “innocence” in some cases. Part of the fascination with porn is imagining yourself acting out your sexual fantasies with the girl. Porn stars have been there and done that. They are used up and everyone in the business has had a piece of them. Amateurs, on the other hand, seem fresh and real (even though we know that most of the time this is not the case). They engage in sexual activity that looks real, not programmed or choreographed. Surfers look at them and think, “Hey, this is someone that I could have”.
Amateur models also interact more with surfers and give them more for their money. Most amateur websites incorporate webcams into their mix, in which the girls will perform live shows for their customers. This is a feature that is usually lacking on most of the professional porn star sites. Another feature that is popular on amateur sites are diaries. The girls write either daily or weekly about their lives, their adventures, their turn-ons, etc. This gives the surfers the feel that they know them personally and it adds to the feeling that the girls are actually real and attainable. Lastly, amateur sites look “amateur”. Many look like they were constructed and are maintained by the girls themselves. This appeals to the surfers over the big sites that all look like carbon copies of one another. It also once again adds to the whole “real” feeling.
Let’s look at some real examples in our industry of the differences between the professional porn star sites versus the amateur web girl sites. The best known and perhaps hottest porn star as well as the woman who is pretty much the queen of the online porn world is Jenna Jameson. There is no denying that she is hot, has a kick ass body and can do some incredible things in front of the camera. Her site has a huge member base, looks awesome and is well run by a team of professionals. However, her site is fairly impersonal. It does not reach out to the members as individuals and it does not give you a feel for the “real” Jenna. It is good for people who would like to fantasize that they could actually get a girl that looks like Jenna Jameson, but it does not do much for the average Joe who wants to see some interaction with someone who seems fairly attainable.
Now, let’s take a look at an amateur web girl site. Nina of Nina Knows Best has become very popular among surfers as well as a respected member of the Webmaster community in the past year. Nina is the perfect example of the “girl next door”. She has that sweet, innocent look and her pictures and videos look real and it seems as if she is actually enjoying herself in them. Her site contains a bio that tells all about Nina and her likes and dislikes. She also performs live shows for her members. She even has a book club in her members’ area where they will read books and then review them together. Now, this type of site will appeal to surfers because it is very personal. They can see that Nina is a real girl and they get the feeling that she is trying to please each and every one of them. Nina’s site is something that members can keep going back to on a regular basis.
While the popularity of the blond, big breasted, porn stars will probably never diminish completely, there is a new breed of stars that have emerged and who are gaining popularity on the silicone filled and makeup plastered competition. Men will always desire the unattainable, because they look at the porn stars as something of a dream or fantasy. But, there are many men out there who are realists and are beginning to look for something that seems within reach. The amateur web girl sites are the ones who appeal to this group of people.
