MONTREAL – Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Sex.com is back. After an extended court battle, flight to avoid prosecution, two ownership changes and several false starts at a new life, what has been called “the world’s most valuable domain name” was reincarnated as a combination tube site, dating playground, live sex market and, according to a spokeswoman, “much more.”
YNOT.com asked Sex.com’s public relations manager Helena Holland for the details.
YNOT: Define Sex.com as it exists today.
Helena Holland: Sex.com is an online social community, entirely user-based, where content is almost entirely user-generated. Our users can browse and discover pictures, GIFs and videos, as well as store and organize their favorite content, sourcing internally from other users, their own files or external sites.
The content is almost completely user-generated because we also work closely with content producers to make sure their content will be used in a legitimate way, that they are properly credited and that our users have access to the latest and best quality content.
We also work with various adult performers and their agents to showcase individual performers through a page of their own. The performer’s page contains their latest work as well as a little bio to allow users to get to know the adult star better. We also run a blog where our writers cover the latest industry and sex-related news and stories.
The website has had quite a history, hasn’t it?
You can say that again.
Sex.com was first registered in 1994 by Gary Kremen, who also registered Match.com. A year and several attempts later, Stephen Cohen, a con-artist, succeeded in stealing the domain by sending a forged fax to the registrar company. A high-profile, six year legal battle ensued, during which Cohen turned Sex.com into a highly lucrative porn empire that earned approximately $100 million during litigation.
In April 2001, Kremen won the case and recovered the Sex.com domain name. The court ordered Cohen to pay $65 million in damages, whereupon Cohen refused to pay, faked bankruptcy and moved his assets out of the country. An arrest warrant was then issued for him, at which point he escaped to Mexico to avoid sentencing.
Four years later, in October 2005, Mexican authorities arrested Cohen in Tijuana for immigration violations and handed him over to American authorities. He was charged with civil contempt, and the $65 million he owed Kremen jumped to $82 million.
In 2006, Kremen sold the Sex.com domain to Escom for $14 million. The purchase didn’t work out for Escom, which ended up filing for bankruptcy four years later, in 2010.
Sex.com was up for grabs once again. Clover Holdings, an offshore holdings company and current owner of the domain name, acquired Sex.com at auction for $13 million.
Why did Clover Holdings re-launch Sex.com in its current form?
The current iteration of Sex.com was officially launched in May 2012. Knowing the power of such a strong domain, we felt that with the right people behind it, we’d be able to really push the site to the next level and truly compete with the largest brands in the industry.
What sort of response have you had to the re-launch?
If we wanted to be technical, since we took over the domain two years ago we’ve seen organic traffic jump from 80,000 visits per month to well over a million weekly visits from major search engines.
Our direct traffic alone could support us for the next few years, but we’re more concerned about delivering the best possible content and user experience for our users and advertising partners.
Signups to the site and our returning visitors are also steadily growing. Our blog engages with our dedicated followers on a daily basis — it really has something for everyone. So far I’d say the response has been great, but there’s always room for improvement.
Does the name Sex.com still attract a lot of newbie traffic?
Definitely. We have the great fortune of having this amazing domain name. Everybody, at some point or another, has typed “sex.com” into the address bar, if only out of curiosity. That curiosity is directly reflected by the high percentage of new visitors we receive on a daily basis.
What does Sex.com offer users?
We recently overhauled our mobile site and have also begun development on some new sections of the site. We’re going to do our best to put the users at a click’s distance from everything they could possibly want from their favorite adult site. There will be more interaction with performers, better quality content and plenty of added features that will make us a one-stop shop for everything adult.
What is the financial model?
We’re quite happy to offer quality content to our users who may choose to subscribe or purchase from our content and advertising partners.
What are Sex.com’s plans in the mobile space?
Currently, our plan is to better ourselves every step of the way. We’ve recently put together an awesome, intuitive new mobile-friendly site and have seen great growth with it.
We intend to remain on the forefront of the socially charged mobile market and to have our users be able to share their experience and favorite porn pics and videos with their friends. Most of the social activities happen on mobile platforms, and although social media outlets don’t favor porn as shareable right now, we believe sex is naturally social, and what’s natural will eventually prevail.
Do you hope to make Sex.com a “sex portal” for surfers?
Well, that all depends. Our responsibility is to our users. If in listening to our users and looking at our statistical analysis we notice things that are missing, that our users want or that are currently trending in the adult industry, we believe it’s our duty to make those things easily accessible.
That being said, we’re doing everything we can to make sure there’s only one place they’ll need to go.
