ReblogMe shut down because of this…

In November 2018, Tumblr decided to get rid of any NSFW content on their platform. Big news because this social media platform was primarily known for this content. The result? Tumblr went from having a value of over $1 Billion, to more or less $3 Million.

But like everything in this world, nothing really dies. As Lavoisier, the famous French chemist, said, "Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed."

Reblogme.com, a site that welcomed NSFW (Not Safe For Work) content, launched in December 2018, just a month after Tumblr's ban. They saw a chance to bring in users who needed a new place for their NSFW blogs and communities.

Smart move… Until it wasn't. Reblogme closed less than 6 years after opening.

You need to know why, because what happened is a warning for every entrepreneur trying to make it on the internet, and to everyone that made it online.

You are not out of danger.

NSFW: The Great Website Killer

Why is running an NSFW business such a challenge? Even if it’s not related to your business, keep reading.

First off, hosting costs can be sky-high. When you're dealing with adult content, you're talking about a lot of high-resolution images and videos. That content takes up a significant amount of server space and bandwidth. The more popular your site gets, the more those costs climb. It's not uncommon for NSFW sites to have hosting bills that are several times higher than your average website.

Then there's moderation. You can't just let anything fly on your site. You've got to make sure all the content is legal and consensual. That means constantly screening for things like underage content, non-consensual material, and copyrighted content. It's a full-time job, and you need a dedicated team to handle it. Plus, if anything slips through the cracks, you could be looking at serious legal trouble.

Speaking of legal issues, that's a whole other headache. Laws around adult content vary wildly from country to country, and even from state to state. You've got to make sure you're complying with all of them. That means age verification systems, content restrictions, and a whole lot of paperwork. It's not just time-consuming; it's also expensive. You often need to hire specialized lawyers to navigate it all.

Monetization is another major hurdle. Most mainstream advertisers and ad networks won't go near NSFW content. They're worried about damaging their brand by association. So, you're left with a much smaller pool of ad partners, and they often pay less. Plus, a big portion of your potential audience is used to getting this kind of content for free. They're not always willing to pay for subscriptions or premium content.

Finally, there's the reputation factor. Being known as an NSFW site can really limit your growth potential. Mainstream investors, business partners, and even payment processors might not want to work with you. They're concerned about the stigma that comes with adult content. It can be a major roadblock when you're trying to expand or raise funds.

So, while there's certainly a market for NSFW content, it's a tough business to be in. The costs are high, the legal risks are significant, and the potential for growth is limited. It's not impossible to succeed, but it's definitely an uphill battle.

Reblogme, NewTumbl, Onlyfans…

Reblogme wasn't the only one trying to fill the void left by Tumblr's NSFW ban. Another player, Newtumbl, also jumped into the fray. They were betting on becoming the new go-to spot for all that adult content that suddenly had nowhere else to go. But just like Reblogme, Newtumbl couldn't make it work in the long run. They, too, ended up shutting down.

Not much doubt about who was using Reblogme.

And then there's the whole OnlyFans saga. They tried to ban NSFW content, but backtracked real quick after seeing the backlash. They claimed it was because of pressure from banks, but I'm not entirely buying it. Sure, banks can be tricky when it comes to risky content, but it's hard to believe that's the only reason they reversed course so fast.

If I had to guess, I’d say they were trying to see if they could go mainstream, and it blew up in their face. Blaming external factors is convenient, but it's usually not the full picture.

Internet changed, and is still changing. Back in the 2000s and early 2010s, there was a lot more freedom and a lot less moderation. For better or worse, we're now living in a more sanitized online world. Just look at the recent changes to App Store rules, which made it way harder for apps with NSFW content to get listed.

The internet is constantly evolving, and if you build your business on shaky ground, it won’t last. That's why adaptability is so important. You can't just assume that what flies today will be okay tomorrow. You've got to be prepared for the rules to change, for public opinion to shift, for new competitors to emerge.

It's not just NSFW businesses that have to worry about this. Any online venture can be impacted by these kinds of changes. Maybe it's a new law that affects your industry, or a shift in user preferences, or a technological breakthrough that renders your business model obsolete. The point is, change is inevitable, and if you can't adapt, you're going to be left behind.

That's what happened to Reblogme and Newtumbl. They built their businesses on a foundation that was always a bit shaky, they couldn’t adapt to the vey demanding market they set themselves on, and they finally had to shut down. That’s called survival of the fittest.

Survival of the Fittest

In the online world, the ability to evolve with the times is a must for survival. If you can't keep up with the changes, you'll quickly become irrelevant. It's a concept known as "digital Darwinism", and it's an unforgiving reality that every online business has to face.

Just like in nature, where species have to adapt to changing environments to survive, websites and online companies have to continually adjust to shifts in technology, user preferences, and market conditions. Those who don't, well, they go the way of the dinosaurs.

MySpace is a classic example of digital Darwinism in action. Remember when MySpace was the undisputed king of social networks? It was the go-to place for connecting with friends, sharing music, and expressing yourself online.

But then Facebook came along, and everything changed. It wasn't that MySpace was suddenly terrible, or that people were worried about privacy. It was simpler than that: Facebook was just better.

Facebook's interface was cleaner and more user-friendly. It made connecting with real-life friends a breeze. Features like the News Feed kept users coming back to see what their connections were up to. In short, Facebook took the core concept of MySpace and improved upon it in every way.

MySpace, on the other hand, failed to innovate and adapt fast enough. As a result, it was left in the dust as users migrated to Facebook.

This is the essence of digital Darwinism. The most adaptable wins.

And that’s why, to survive, you should never rely only on a single source of income.

Digital Dependancy

Putting all your eggs in one basket is a recipe for disaster. If you're relying on just one platform, one type of content, or one way of making money, you're setting yourself up for a fall.

But, there is a but. You can't avoid depending on other services altogether.

It's just not possible.

Almost all the servers out there are run by Amazon. When it comes to credit cards, you're pretty much dealing with Visa or Mastercard. And let's not forget about Google that controls most of the online traffic.

You need these services to run your business, but they also have the power to crush you. Just look at what happened with Google's latest HCU update. Big websites that were getting hundreds of thousands of clicks suddenly found themselves with just a few hundred. Years of hard work down the drain, just like that.

A website that was ‘killed’ by the HCU from Google

And then there's the TikTok ban in India. Thousands of creators had their livelihoods ripped away overnight.

The hard truth is, the businesses you depend on don't really care about you. They're looking out for their own interests, not yours. That's why diversifying your income streams is so important.

But how do you actually do that? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Don't put all your content on one platform. Spread it around, so if one site goes down or changes the rules, you're not left high and dry.
Look into different ways of monetizing your content. Ads are one thing, but what about sponsored posts, affiliate links, or even creating your own products?
Build an email list. This gives you a direct line to your audience that isn't dependent on any one platform.
Consider branching out into different types of content. If you're all about writing blog posts, why not try your hand at videos, podcasts, or even courses?
Keep an eye on emerging platforms and trends. You never know when the next big thing is going to come along, and you want to be ready to jump on it.

This is just some ideas, there are many ways out there to diversify. What matters is that you don’t rely on one service only.

Diversify and Monetize Your Business

No matter what kind of business you're running, there are always several monetization and audience sources options out there. If you've got a blog that you're making money from through ads or products, you need to have different places where your traffic comes from.

A good rule of thumb is making sure no more than half of your traffic comes from any one source.

If right now, 80% of your traffic is from Google, you need to put more time, money, and energy into social media. Whether it's Pinterest, Facebook, or Instagram, the more places you're getting traffic from, the better.

But let's circle back to our first example - Reblogme. Their problem wasn't traffic, it was that they couldn't make money from the traffic they had. The cost of hosting all that content without giving their audience enough reason to pay up was what did them in.

So even if you've got traffic coming from all over the place, it doesn't mean much if you can't turn it into cash. That's where the second big question comes in: what's the best way to make money from your audience?

Everyone wants attention. Attention is the main thing that brings in the dough, the main thing being traded. The big question is how to turn that attention into cold, hard cash. What's the best and most effective way to do it?

Reblogme didn't crack that code, and neither did NewTumbl.

Getting people's attention, is what Marketing is about. If you want to know the best psychological tricks for doing that, check my article on the subject.

And if you want to see someone who's a master at turning attention into money, you should check out my article about John Hinckley.

Monetizing should be your main concern even before starting your business. What do your competitors do? Does it seem like they are having good results? Do they use ads to attract their audience?

Check your competitors, and check other businesses from other niches. Find the inspiration where money is.

End Words

So, what can we learn from the whole Reblogme and Newtumbl fail? Well, it's not just about adult content. No, this is something every online business needs to think about.

In the fast-moving digital world, change is the only thing you can count on. Platforms come and go, algorithms get tweaked, and what people want shifts over time.

If you want to build a business in this kind of environment, you've got to adapt.

Look at Patreon. They used to be host all sorts of content, even NSFW. But as they got bigger and their goals changed, they decided to get rid of the adult content. It was a big shift, but because they had different types of content and weren't just relying on one thing, they were able to make it work.

Now, on the other hand, look at Threads. They popped up right when Elon Musk was taking over Twitter, probably hoping to catch all the users who weren't happy about it. But Twitter didn't go down in flames like some thought it would, and now Threads is having a hard time finding its place and keeping users around. It just goes to show, betting everything on someone else's problems is a risky move. Adapt, yes, but don’t take bets (if you aren’t Facebook).

The big lesson here is that in the crazy world of online business, being able to handle changes is your best bet. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Mix things up early and often. Stay on your toes and always have a backup plan.

Take a page from Reblogme, Newtumbl, Patreon, and Threads. Embrace change, watch out for risks, and always be ready to adapt.

The market doesn’t wait, go for it.

Reblogme Shut Down, Here’s Why.