[Question] Web hosting for (NSFW) content.

[Anonymous]

Hey all. I recently purchased a domain through WordPress (just their premium level, not the professional account), and want to move it to a different host. Specifically, I want to move the domain to a host that allows hosting and advertising content of a mature nature, and which will allow me to install an age gate. I really do not care if the host supports WordPress sites. In fact, I'd really rather that it not. I can do a lot more layout work in CSS and HTML5 for free than I can get free by trying to shoehorn my CSS into someone else' WordPress theme. The important thing here is the advertising angle, I'm looking to supplement my income with some discrete online ads - otherwise I could leave the site on WP, they allow mature content, you just have to report yourself to the abuse team.

 

[PatrThom]

So your question is...what, then? Is it that you want to know if any of us know of a host(ing provider) that would be appropriate to your stated needs?

--Patrick

 

[GasBandit]

Pretty much any web hosting will let you use advertising, that's just code snippets you embed in your page html. You gotta be selective, though, about what affiliate network you go through - some of them don't check their buyers closely and your site could end up being a malware vector.

I've got adult content on my website, but it's kinda "under the radar" so to speak, as I don't know if my hosting agreement actually prohibits adult content or not. But there's probably also cheaper/better hosting out there than what I'm using, I'm just locked in by inertia really (and it's a local company, so I can say I'm "keeping my money local" and all that nonsense few people actually care about).

But perhaps you can check out some of these guys:
http://www.hostsearch.com/adult_web_hosting.asp

The one that stands out to me right off the bat is sitevalley.com, they have a 20% off coupon and a rate under $4/mo when you pay annually, with unmetered storage and bandwidth. That's a pretty sweet deal. Of course, I can't speak on how they deliver on their promises...

 

[PatrThom]

some of them don't check their buyers closely and your site could end up being a malware vector.

Ha ha I think you mean most.
It's getting so hard to avoid obfuscated malware that the Web is going to lose its "free" advertising model not because the ads are annoying, but because people are just tired of being poisoned. All it takes is one drive-by install and suddenly you're blacklisted.

--Patrick

 

[GasBandit]

Ha ha I think you mean most.

Really, I mean pretty much anyone who isn't google.

Though, really, most big porn sites seem to be using clean networks now... it's the tame niche interest sites that are the new typhoid marys. An elderly great uncle of mine recently fell victim to ransomware, and all he ever does is look up crap about sailing and genealogy.

And, as always, god help you if you go to song lyric websites.

Really, I don't know why everybody doesn't have an adblocker. I do. Which is a little ironic considering I have a monetized youtube channel. That still pulls in about $15/mo, entirely off of content I made 3 years ago.

 

[Anonymous]

So your question is...what, then? Is it that you want to know if any of us know of a host(ing provider) that would be appropriate to your stated needs?

--Patrick

Yes, sorry. Little bit too stoned when I made the post. The question is, "does anyone have any experience with this sort of hosting, and if so, could they suggest a good host?"

The recommendations here were a good start, but unfortunately I found that, while it's relatively easy to find a web host for a porn site, if you instead wanted to review and discuss products related to a substance that's legal in some capacity in 44 of 50 US States, but is still illegal federally, you're gonna have a bad time. Yeesh, I gotta do something about all of my run on sentences. So in the end, it looks like the best host for me may be one more along the lines of Cloudflare. Expensive, relative to those porn hosting companies, but they definitely do have a bit more clout when the government comes knocking, what with their backers and the location of their headquarters given the current political climate.

 

[Denbrought]

If I were in your situation, I might look at where gwern hosts their content. Whatever you're thinking of hosting sounds quaint compared to their psychotropic reviews (which include schedule I drugs that aren't state-legal).

As for ad revenue, you might want to boostrap without it and go with Patreon once grown, if you think you'll be popular enough. I know of several people who openly use the proceeds of Patreon to do, or talk about, pretty illegal stuff (e.g. gwern, Mister D., The Third Wave, ...).

Otherwise, the discussion above covers everything I could think of.

 

[Anonymous]

If I were in your situation, I might look at where gwern hosts their content. Whatever you're thinking of hosting sounds quaint compared to their psychotropic reviews (which include schedule I drugs that aren't state-legal).

As for ad revenue, you might want to boostrap without it and go with Patreon once grown, if you think you'll be popular enough. I know of several people who openly use the proceeds of Patreon to do, or talk about, pretty illegal stuff (e.g. gwern, Mister D., The Third Wave, ...).

Otherwise, the discussion above covers everything I could think of.

I hadn't even considered Patreon. Otherwise, it looks like Cloudflare is the one to use (they're hosting gwern and several other sites of that ilk).