If you’re a serious webmaster and feel like moving past the title of affiliate and onto bigger and better things, AVS sites are a great way to get started.  Essentially, AVS sites allow you to run your own paysite without having to deal with the headaches of payment processing and other miscellaneous complications.

An AVS (Adult Verification System) is a large network of pay sites that are all accessible with one membership.  Memberships to these systems vary in price and they generally allow full access to all the sites within the network.  There are a few different types of AVS sites, all of which have their advantages and disadvantages from a webmaster standpoint.

Shared Content AVS: 
A shared content AVS is one in which all the sites in the network use the same content.  A great example of this type of site is Adult Bouncer.  As a webmaster, you are given a sub-domain and free content to start your site.  It’s up to you to make the tour design and a member’s area.  You don’t have to buy anything to start up a site like this.  In that same token, you can’t add any content from outside sources, so it’s hard to separate your site from the rest.

Independent Content AVS:
Independent content AVS sites are a bit more advanced but pay off much more in the end.  In this case, you get your own domain and your own content, so all the sites within the network are different.  The AVS will supply you with the payment processing solution and your only job is to maintain the site.  The advantage here for surfers is that they get access to hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of sites with varying content, so retention is likely to be higher.  A great example of an independent content AVS is Cyberage.

There are many great ways to grow your paysite regardless of what system you choose.  You can create hosted galleries, free sites, or any other promo tools.  AVS sites typically have a webmaster referral program so that other affiliates can choose to promote the site(s) that you made.  The more promo tools you have available, the more likely it is that your site will be promoted. 

Starting up a site under an AVS is a great way to get your foot in the door and to learn the ins and outs of running a paysite.  In the case of creating a site on a shared content AVS, the only risk involved is time wasted.  Creating a site on an independent content AVS is a bit more risky, but much less so than venturing out to create a paysite of your own.  If you’re ready to make the plunge, take a look at our listing of AVS Programs availble for promotion.