Category: Blog

Kinksgiving of Curiosities

A major challenge I have as publicist is sometimes I have to do publicity for something that can’t have press coverage. This would be next to impossible if it wasn’t for social media. For example, many BDSM events don’t consent to being in press releases or having press show up for an event. The original plan for The Dungeon Store was conceived during COVID, when events were cancelled or virtual, and emphasis was placed on interviews, new products, and content placement. This weekend, The Dungeon Store is keeping busy. They’re at the Baltimore Playhouse on Saturday November 11th for Kinksgiving of Curiosities, a food/clothing drive and play party. More on this event can be found at https://fetlife.com/events/1355465

The Dungeon Store will also have a table at the Academy of Fetish Arts Vendor Fair in Cleveland, Ohio this weekend. Visit https://cle-afa.com/event for more on the event, and for what the academy has to offer ahead. For these events, instead of a release, this got sent out over social media profiles for The Dungeon Store, and I’ve used my Fetish Artist profiles on social media to boost them further. The food drive party also went out on The Dungeon Store’s newsletter this week. This allows us to push in the directions we need to, without drawing mainstream attention.

When Do I Dial Back on a Social Network?

Social media has become at least 60 percent of my work day, monitoring sites, making posts, gathering data. Social media has even become a big part of sending press releases out as we’re directing traffic to where the stories place.

We think of the big names as the only social media, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes a smaller network has more of who we’re selling to, like Tumblr has more fandom oriented profiles. Given that social media is also about the next big thing, we have to keep looking for where to jump next.

The Dungeon Store is spread across many social networks you may have never heard of, like PinXsters, and Lips.social, making them early adopters with varying degrees of success.

Is there a reason to pull back on such campaigns? Yes, and this goes back a long way. While it’s handy to have dominant branding for free across a social network, one has to consider how many people are watching and who are left.

When I go to post, I’m looking at how many others have posted? When was the last time I posted? How much of this feed is from my client?

When anyone goes to a social network and find posts from only one or two members, that’s bad. It makes the web site look bad. Guests feel they’re going to be drown out by spam. While I can give some engagement, if a client or two are the only ones left, there’s a liminal creepiness as if our brand is haunting the site, not participating in it.

So if I go onto a site, and I’ve been the only one posting recently, I’ll hold off so someone else can get a word in edgewise. This becomes a very good gauge as if it’s worth the energy too. If even the admin isn’t contributing, it may simply be time to move on.

 

Jay Moyes of High Octane Heart Interviewed on Adult Site Broker Talk

 

Photo courtesy of Chris King Photography

Note: It’s awkward to be posting a press release about myself here, but Friedman was very gracious about the whole interview. This discussion was not specifically to promote myself, but to provide Friedman with some great content. We got to give some good advice, provide some perspective, and talk a little about clients.

Notice that what is deliberately missing is the URL to this web site. I didn’t think about it until I started posting the release here, yet I’m standing by that decision.

As you’ll read in the release, it’s not all about me, and this business. It’s about my clients and those I’m working with. The ending of this press release not only pushes the interview address, but also Bruce Friedman’s firm and affiliate program. Those who need me will find me. This release is about sending Bruce Friedman some love. Thank you kindly!

Jay Moyes of High Octane Heart Interviewed on Adult Site Broker Talk

Pattaya, Thailand — Jay Moyes, owner of High Octane Heart Media and PR was recently a guest on Adult Site Broker Talk, hosted by Bruce Friedman.

Moyes worked for adult news publications such as The Spectator and Adult Video News, before moving into the publicity business with Sherry Ziegelmeyer of Black and Blue Media. Ziegelmeyer passed away in 2020, prompting Moyes to make a fresh start with High Octane Heart Media and PR. Moyes was on the show to discuss how the adult business has changed, what it’s like working with the adult press, and important things to know about publicity.

Friedman joked about how hard it was to get Moyes on the air, and got some solid advice about PR reps.

“When a publicist is getting more attention than the client, that’s a red flag,” Moyes commented. “My clients, like The Dungeon Store came first… I can wait.”

Also of concern for the veteran publicist was coming back into the spotlight after the closing of Black and Blue Media.

“This was like stripping a car down to the bare frame,” noted Moyes about starting over. “It wasn’t the intended metaphor for High Octane Heart, but I wasn’t going to be pushing my business if I couldn’t even race in the game.”

Moyes gave more tips on publicity, mainstream crossover, the relationship of publicity with marketing and surviving in the adult business.

“You have to be ready to learn new tech and new media. I do graphics, because I started from the art department side, but I’ve also had to do some video editing, I’ve done coding. We’ve been waiting for 3D to catch fire, virtual has come in… It’s just a matter of when that becomes the only thing…When you’re the publicist, you’re always hustling for the client. It’s not a don’t call us, we’ll call you kind of game.”

Adult Site Broker helps sellers and buyers in the adult space come together and work out equitable deals. Friedman recently upgraded AdultSiteBroker.com and is now offering a 20 percent commission for affiliate members. Go to https://ASBcash.com to sign up for the program. Vist https://adultsitebroker.com to find out how to sell or buy a website.

You can find the interview with Jay Moyes and listen to more industry professionals like Roger T. Pipe, and Kim Airs talk about the business on Adult Site Broker Talk now at https://adultsitebrokertalk.com.

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How to Kill Credibility in Seconds

When I worked at AVN, a publicist for Shane’s World asked me to come to their release party at a major night club in Hollywood.

“Yeah, sorry, I don’t get let into events like that. Sorry.” I responded.

She begged me to come, and insisted I would be on the press list and get in.

So, I show up, business card in hand, there’s the line for the “guest list.” I flash my card for AVN and say I’m on the press list. The bouncer insisted there was no list and I had to go to the other line and pay (a lot) to get in.

As I turned to walk away, pissed that I had spent money for parking, and wasted my time, Tod Hunter comes walking up. Hunter was a senior writer for AVN and was also invited to cover the party.

“Let me show you how it’s done,” he said. You had to love the charming smug smile he gave saying it. Hunter flashed his business card, dropped the publicist’s name.

And he too was given the “sorry buddy” line.

Not giving up, he pulled out his cell phone and called the publicist. The call went straight to voicemail. Hunter and I walked away and got burgers.

This has happened repeatedly. I was at the AVN Expo in Vegas one year where someone had insisted they scored us a place on the guest list for a major party at an A-list night club, in the convention hotel. I tried warning them it wasn’t going to happen, and bang, we were stopped at the door.

We can poke fun at this, but the reality check is, it’s poison for anyone doing publicity.

Working for Bondage Ball, I had a major rule. I had to be outside the club and act as liaison to get the press in. It was non-negotiable. Was I in the club all night rubbing elbows with Hollywood’s most wanted? No, I was out front, in the cold, with my press list in hand, and handing out the press passes myself.

Not the first time I’ve done that either. When clients sponsored Hollywood events, and the event asked me to send out press releases, my rule was I had to be out front to let press in.

There’s nothing wrong up front to say there’s no press list. I’ve done that for a few release parties. The writers stay home and catch up on TV. The photographers go shoot somewhere else or enjoy time with their family. But the important take home here is credibility.

I buried rival events in Hollywood, because I got the word out, we got the press in, and we delivered a great party. Reporters would excuse themselves because they were assigned to a rival’s party, then come back an hour saying ours was significantly better.

It’s the sort of thing that can make or break you. Don’t leave your press out in the cold.

Making a Statement….

Last night, Mistress Cyan released and official statement regarding vaccinations and for the DomCon exposition in Los Angeles.

As publicists, sometimes we get asked for input, other times, we have to work with what’s been given. I’ve had moments where lawyers have gone over text to address specific issues.

In those moments where the publicist is not asked for input, should editing be made?

Yes, but really only in regards to copy editing for things like typos. If the client is making statements that go beyond the pale, they need to be addressed before going public.

In this case, not only do I agree with Mistress Cyan, but view her note for medical exemption to be considerate and polite.

At this moment, a press release is not really warranted. However, we can incorporate this news as part of future press releases.

A Message from Mistress Cyan,

I have always strived to make DomCon a safe space where everyone can come learn and socialize with others in our community and lifestyle. The goal has been to share our common interests and celebrate our diversity. Everyone has always been welcome.

The COVID-19 Delta variant is now the predominant strain of Covid in the United States. The infection rate and hospitalization rate has increased nationwide with this more contagious and more dangerous strain of the virus. Some areas of our country are being hit harder than other areas, but the fact that it is on the increase nationwide, and worldwide is a concern.

Due to the rapid rise of the COVID-19 Delta Variant, we must adapt our attendance protocol for DomCon Los Angeles 2021.

After discussions with The Los Angeles Department of Public Health, we have made the decision to make DomCon LA 2021 a fully vaccinated event this year. It is very important to us that we create not only a safe space for everyone, but a space that everyone can feel a little safer in as well. We feel that we owe this to our attendees, volunteers, and staff.

We understand that everyone has the choice of getting the vaccine or not, and that is a personal decision for each and every person to make. We are not passing judgment, just doing our best to keep everyone as safe as possible.

We also understand that there are those who are not able to have the vaccine for medical reasons, so there will be a medical exemption with documentation from a medical professional. (More information below) The attendees with an exemption would need to wear a facemask at all times at DomCon. We will use the latest guidance from The Los Angeles Department of Public Health officials to determine whether all vaccinated attendees would also need to wear a mask.

1) The specific COVID-19 vaccine for which the exemption is requested.

2) A written statement signed by a licensed, treating medical provider (MD, DO, NP, PA), nurse practitioner (NP), or physician’s assistant (PA). The signed statement must include the practice location address, telephone number, fax number, signing provider’s license number, and state or country (if outside the U.S.) where the licensed medical provider practices.

3) The Patients First Name, Middle Initial(if available), Last Name.

No Digital exemptions will be allowed.

All exemptions will need to be printed and signed by the provider with all of the above information.

Without the items above the Exemption is invalid and will not be enforced.

For purposes of this protocol, people are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 2 weeks after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or at least 2 weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson and Johnson [J&J]/Janssen).

Thank you for your understanding. We are hoping this will not be the policy in the future, but for now we must adapt to the present.

Mistress Cyan
DomCon Founder / Executive Producer

Is Your Publicist Forgetting SEO in Press Releases?

There’s no doubt, press releases help with SEO. Writers and publications will link to clients cited in a press release, and often this can be boosted on social media. However, there’s a critical link to SEO that’s often forgotten, the self-posted press release.

Sometimes, we get lucky. I had a rare relationship with Peter Czernich of the iconic <<O>> and Marquis magazines where he gave me a login and password to post content. It allowed Marquis greater coverage in the international fetish scene and I got to promote great clients like DomCon and New York Rubber Ball.

Other press sites are obvious about it, including a section where anyone can come in and either post or submit a press release. Those sites are easy to scoff at, as posting everything without any changes is just too easy. Honestly, I’ve done many quick cut and paste posts in the past without thinking much about it.

But there’s an SEO benefit to these easy A’s your publicist may be missing. It’s one thing to include keywords and phrases in the press release. But if your publicist isn’t linking to those keywords and phrases, you’re missing out.

It’s a little extra work, but each one of those posts scores you a little extra umph in your marathon towards improving search results, traffic, and sales.

When I can, even my “blog posts” here and on sites like Xbiz.net point keywords to clients, like with body safe silicone toys at SplitPeaches.com. See, we just did it right there.

See if your adult industry publicist is posting to sites like Venus, GFY, and Candy. Look for hyperlinks. You may be missing something, and it might be time for a new adult industry PR rep.

Don’t Forget the Love

A phrase that needs to go away is “It’s not personal. It’s just business.” Rubber trees don’t care about how much you make. Automobiles don’t sit there and go “I hope someone spends a lot of money on me.” If you place a stack of hundred dollar bills on the moon, they’ll just sit there. Humans are the only ones who recognize the value of money and therefore all business is personal.

When working with the press, we try to remember that writers and journalists aren’t just covering us. They are trying to be recognized, just like we are. This is especially true in social media.

Thursday I got a press request from Cheyenne Davis, who wanted to talk about racism in porn and discuss the subject with sex workers in the entertainment business. I suggested some clients to speak with her and suggested some additional contacts. She happily responded. That could have been the end of it.

But, I noticed something. She included her twitter profile in the signature. I looked her up. Noticing her profile was adult biz positive, I tweeted out to some high profile associates in Femdom and asked if she could get some followers. They looked over her profile, and I got a resounding “hell yeah!”

ROI on this sort of thing is difficult. Maybe we’ll see her at DomCon next year. Possibly, it could score us an interview with Anne and Brittany from The Dungeon Store. We never really know what will happen until it happens. But I love it when it does.

Don’t forget to share the love.

Ms. Davis and links for her writing can be found at https://twitter.com/cheymodee

Can We Do That? Sending Different Press Releases

Violet wands, BDSM Gear and More at The Dungeon Store

Recently, Anne Bryne of The Dungeon Store was published in Xbiz. About the same time, Brittany Wilson, Anne’s Brand Manager appeared on The Rocket Review to show off Dungeon Store kinky impact toys and body safe silicone products from Split Peaches.

Can we send out two different press releases for the same client? Hell yes!

In a perfect world, your publicist would be an multitasking octopus, writing press releases specifically tailored for each media outlet and journalist. This is exactly the opposite of cookie cutter press releases most publicists deliver.

All publicists have a bulk list, but the goal is still the same, hit the target and place a story.

In this case, we crafted a press release on Wilson’s appearance to run in Xbiz and their rival, AVN. On the same day, a press release went out on Bryne’s article on rope for sexy bondage to adult industry outlets outside of those to publications. Both releases placed, increasing SEO and getting orders for a full display of rope and accessories.

Some outlets were skipped altogether. Publicity sacrilege? No. PR is not spam. Even in the adult business, there are outlets like Erotic Trade Only that have specific criteria for publishing. We do the best we can, but if I cram a journalist’s e-mail full of unwanted releases, an addition to the “BLOCK” list is going to happen sooner or later. This is why publicity is about crafting what you do and not giving up. We’ll have new releases and pitches for those we missed at a later time.

It may stop, but it never ends. See you at YNOT Summit!

April Update

High Octane Heart Porn Publicity. Porn PR, Adult Industry PR, Adult Industry Publicity

Some very important personal things are happening right now, and all business is personal.

My second Moderna shot is this week, creating more opportunities.

Another personal opportunity is in the works. Not able to disclose details at this moment. Once completed, there will be more breathing room. An odd aspect of completing this goal is there would be no need for a hard launch for this firm. Current clients would get more time.

FetishArtist.net, the test bed, has increased the presence on social media accounts. This has allowed for more client promotion and a daily, structured approach.

It may stop, but it never ends…
Jay Moyes
High Octane Heart Media and PR
Go baby go!

PR Blog: How Often Should We Send Out Press Releases?

I have a new client and just sent out two press releases timed about a week apart. The second is being used on social media to boost the news on the first release. The client noticed how fast and how close these were and asked the great question, How often should we send out press releases?

You want to send out press releases any time you have news about your business. A release should go out when you’ve added new products, if you’re making a special appearance, or if a celebrity is getting involved. If something new and exciting is happening with your business, word needs to get out.

That said, you and your publicist should be looking at ways to regularly send out releases. It can be done once a month, once every couple of weeks, or weekly. The timing depends on how big the client is, but there needs to be a predictable schedule of at least once a month.

Is there such a thing as too many press releases? I aim for no more than two releases a week for a client, unless there’s something big going on. For example, with DomCon, we had some big stuff pop up during the show that needed releases. Press releases are a hair away from being spam. A major publicist will send out a few times a day, but these are for different clients.

A big budget client with a lot going on should be seeing press releases sent out about once a week. A smaller client can get away with about once a month. The biggest mistake I see is when someone just wants to send out one press release. These aren’t magic bullets. Your publicity campaigns should be aimed at growing the business over a period of time.

What if I have no news? This is where marketing and PR cross paths. Look for ways to make news. Celebrate a holiday with a contest. Offer a sale or special discounts. Book a guest spot for a podcast. One client bought ads with a radio station, we channeled that into several on air appearances, and of course this became an opportunity to send out press releases.

Is there a time when we should dial back on press releases or not send them at all? I personally dialed back PR about my own project, FetishArtist.net in 2020, as there wasn’t time to dedicate to the project and new products. One of my clients has a separate franchise we haven’t sent release out for yet because they’re not ready for high demand. Press releases should get dialed back if the subject is becoming rote. I’m dialing back releases for one client because their weekly show has become too repetitive and we’re going to have new things to offer soon.

Don’t forget the reasons why to send out a press release. A release is part of a larger marketing and publicity plan. Press releases are not advertising. Your publicist shouldn’t be sending out releases just to get them published. A release is meant to generate interest from the press. You want a press release to lead to interviews and profiles. A journalist might not publish a press release at all, but instead use your release to generate a bigger story including others.

So if you have a publicist, and haven’t planned ahead, start today.