SEO for adult topics isn’t like your standard SEO.
It comes with unique challenges that don’t affect other industries.
Mainstream platforms and search engines often have strict rules regarding adult content, making it tough to get your adult website seen.
Plus, many simply don’t want to include links to these topics…
But there are still plenty of ways to succeed.
In this guide, we’re going to reveal practical adult SEO strategies you can use to boost your search ranking and drive more traffic.
We’ll cover:
- What adult SEO is
- Why SEO is essential for adult sites
- On-page adult SEO tactics
- Link building strategies for adult and taboo topics
- Local SEO for adult businesses
What Is Adult SEO?
Adult SEO is the practice of optimizing websites that offer adult content, products, or services to improve their visibility in search engine results.
This niche has unique marketing challenges.
Advertising platforms and social media sites have strict policies on adult content.
There’s also a stigma associated with adult and taboo topics. This can affect your ability to secure backlinks and partnerships with other websites.
However, the fundamentals for adult search engine optimization (SEO) are the same.
You need to conduct keyword research to find the terms your audience is searching for, create engaging content, and get high-quality backlinks to boost your site authority.
Why Is Adult SEO Important?
One of the biggest challenges with marketing in the adult industry is the restriction on paid advertising. Platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads have strict policies prohibiting adult content.
Here’s how Meta describes it:
You can’t use these channels to drive traffic to your site. Instead, you need to focus on SEO to get your content in front of the right audience and drive organic traffic.
By optimizing your site for search engines, you can attract visitors without paying for ads or relying on social media marketing.
The adult niche also has some SEO advantages.
Google has recently made headlines by introducing generative AI into search engine results pages (SERPs). However, these AI tools currently don’t cover adult topics.
That means AI is much less likely to significantly impact adult SEO.
So you’re saying I should switch to adult seo… 😁
— Greg Bernhardt 🐍🌊 (@GregBernhardt4) February 7, 2023
On-Page SEO for Adult Websites
On-page SEO is the foundation for your strategy. Here are the key elements that you need to focus on:
Keyword Research
Keyword research helps you understand what your audience is searching for and which topics you should create content on.
Start by making a list of the main topics related to your site. These can be broad terms or specific phrases related to your products or services.
Then, use a tool like Ahrefs or Semrush to expand your list.
Enter your initial keywords, and you’ll get a breakdown of related terms with data on search volume, competition, and search intent.
If you’re launching a new site, target low-difficulty, long tail keywords. You’ll have a better chance of ranking for these queries.
Create a spreadsheet or use the tool’s keyword list feature to organize your keywords by categories. Make sure you include data on search volume and keyword difficulty.
This will help you plan your content strategy.
You can also analyze the keywords for which your competitors rank. Input your competitors’ URLs and see which keywords they’re targeting.
This can give you keyword ideas and show you what’s working in your niche.
Quality Content Creation
Next, it’s time to create content around your target keywords.
Before creating a content brief, look at the top results for your target keywords. This can give you an idea of the types of content that Google believes best meets the intent behind the search query.
Check out our guide on search intent for a more detailed breakdown of how to analyze the SERP and generate content ideas.
As for your content, it needs to be engaging, informative, and relevant to the keyword.
Pay close attention to the content structure. When possible, use bullet points and short paragraphs to make it easy to read.
And don’t forget to naturally incorporate your keywords. This helps search engines understand what your content is about.
You can also use schema markup to make it easier for search engines to understand your content. This will also help you claim rich snippets in the SERP.
Implement schema markup for reviews, ratings, author bios, and other relevant information. Schema markup is super important if you’re working on an adult ecommerce store.
User Experience (UX)
User experience (UX) is a key aspect of on-page SEO. It’s all about how easy and enjoyable it is for visitors to use your site.
A good user experience can reduce bounce rates and increase the amount of time visitors spend on your site. This signals to search engines that your content is valuable and relevant to the search query.
Page speed is a big factor here.
Make sure your pages load quickly. Slow loading times can frustrate users and cause them to leave.
You can use Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool to analyze your pages and get tips on how to reduce loading times.
It’s also important that your pages are optimized for mobile.
Lots of people use their mobile devices to access adult content. So, you need to make sure your site looks good and functions well on smartphones and tablets.
A great user experience can improve your search engine rankings. But it can also maximize the value of your existing traffic.
When your site is enjoyable to use, visitors are more likely to stick around, consume your content, and convert.
Link Building Strategies for Adult Websites
Link building for adult and taboo sites isn’t easy. But there are effective ways to do it.
Here’s how you can build high-quality backlinks for adult sites:
Blogger Outreach
Blogger outreach is one of the best ways to build backlinks and increase your site’s visibility.
However, you first need to find sites that allow adult content. Many bloggers have strict policies on the topics they cover, and it’s not unusual to see guidelines like the one below.
You can narrow in on niche blogs that cover topics related to your industry by searching Google for relevant keywords. Look for blogs and informational sites rather than ecommerce stores or vendors.
Then, check the domain authority (DA) and traffic estimates using a tool like Semrush or Ahrefs. If the site has a reasonable DA score and generates traffic, it could be a good link building target.
Before reaching out to the site owner, spend some time reading their content. Understand their writing style, the topics they cover, and their target audience. This will help you tailor your pitch.
The key to successful blogger outreach is offering something valuable in return for a backlink. That could be a high-quality guest post, a free product to review, or a paid collaboration.
When you’re ready to reach out, personalize your email. Address the site owner by name and explain why you think a collaboration would benefit them.
Use a spreadsheet or a CRM to track your outreach. You’ll be sending a lot of emails, so you need to stay organized.
Sponsorships
Sponsorships can be a super effective way to build brand awareness and generate backlinks. You can sponsor events, charities, podcasts, and more.
You’ll get a backlink from the sponsor and any media sites covering the partnership announcement.
OnlyFans has used this strategy successfully. The adult site recently signed a sponsorship deal with DAZNBoxing. The deal was announced on social media and covered by sports publications and news sites.
You need to make sure any potential sponsorship partner aligns with your brand image and audience. For example, if your site focuses on adult wellness products, you could consider sponsoring podcasts that discuss sexual health.
Infographics Content
This is a highly effective way to build backlinks and engage your audience.
Many adult websites have used infographics to generate press coverage and earn quality backlinks.
For example, Pornhub’s “Year in Review” infographics have become a successful annual campaign. They compile interesting statistics and trends from their user data into engaging visual content.
The infographic content generates significant coverage each year and secures backlinks from authoritative publications like Mashable, Forbes, and HuffPost.
The key is finding a relevant, newsworthy topic with plenty of interesting data.
You can conduct original surveys or use third-party data from reliable sources. Make sure you cite your sources at the bottom of the infographic.
If you’re confident in your design skills, use a tool like Canva or Adobe Spark to create your infographic. It’s best to use a professional infographic design service if you’ve never used these tools before.
Once your infographic is ready, promote it across your social media channels, blog, and email newsletter. You can also reach out to relevant blogs and publications to see if they will share your content with their readers.
Digital PR Campaigns
Digital PR campaigns involve creating and promoting newsworthy content that attracts media attention. They are a powerful way to build your brand’s online presence and secure high-quality backlinks.
Start by identifying newsworthy topics that are relevant to your audience. This could include original research, industry trends, or unique insights.
The goal is to create content that journalists and bloggers want to write about and share with their audience.
Original research can work really well for this type of adult SEO link building.
For example, Lovehoney used survey data to create a study on the UK’s sexual secrets. They highlighted compelling stats and trends that could easily be turned into clickworthy articles.
This made the story more appealing to media outlets. The digital PR campaign achieved extensive coverage and backlinks from media sites like LADbible, Metro, and Yahoo News.
You can use a press release distribution service to attract the attention of journalists.
The press release should answer the who, what, where, when, and why of your story. To add credibility and human interest, it’s a good idea to include quotes from key people in your business.
Local SEO for Adult Businesses
Local SEO is crucial for adult stores, clubs, and other adult businesses that have a physical location and operate in a specific geographic area. The goal is to boost your visibility for local search queries and in Google Maps.
First, make sure you’ve claimed your Google Business Profile. You’ll need to add your business name, address, phone number, and website. Make sure you select the appropriate category for your business.
Listing your business in relevant directories can also boost your visibility in local search results. You can add your business to Yelp, Yellow Pages, and other directories.
Consistency is key here.
You need your NAP (name, address, phone number) to be consistent across your listings.
If you’re an adult business targeting a specific area, you can target location-based keywords in your content. For example, if you run an adult store in New York, you might use keywords like “adult store in New York” or “NYC adult products.”
Monitoring Your Results
Adult SEO isn’t something you can set up and forget.
You need to monitor your results and make adjustments based on your performance data.
Tools like Google Search Console and Semrush are essential for monitoring SEO performance. They provide detailed insights into your website traffic, keyword rankings, backlink profile, and more.
Regularly check your keyword rankings to see how your site is performing in search results. Pay close attention to the keywords that are driving traffic.
This will help you understand which areas of your adult SEO strategy are working and where you need to improve.
You can use SEO analytics tools to monitor your backlink profile and make sure it looks natural.
Check out our guide on monitoring backlinks to find out what you should be looking for.
Unlocking the Potential of Adult SEO
Adult and taboo niches have challenges. But with the right strategies, you can overcome them and get your website found online.
If you sell adult SEO services or run an adult website, focus on the basics.
Create valuable content, build high-quality backlinks, and provide a great user experience. Stay committed to your SEO efforts, and you will see progress.
Become a Pro at SEO
Join 65,000 others and learn the secrets to SEO success with our weekly blog posts.
