
07 Nov 8 Adult Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Marketing strategies are constantly evolving, and you need to stay ahead of the curve to have any chance at making an impact in your industry. In the adult entertainment sector, there are plenty of guidelines to follow coupled with tough competition, so it’s no surprise that many adult brands struggle to make a name for themselves! To help you avoid the same dilemma, our experts have shared the most common adult marketing mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Not defining your target audience
No matter the size of your business or the industry that you operate in, defining your target audience is always one of the first steps when it comes to marketing. Understanding who you’re trying to reach is key to ensuring the right message is delivered to the right people and in the right way. Without this prior knowledge, you could waste both time and money on ineffective marketing efforts.
To avoid this common error, you need to research your target market and understand their desires, needs, and pain points. This allows you to develop a customer persona to create a bespoke marketing campaign that appeals to those who are interested in your erotic products or services.
2. Not having a budget in mind
Whilst some people may be willing to throw everything into their marketing strategy, this may not actually be beneficial. A budget allows you to track your spending and allocate resources to ensure you’re seeing the best possible return on investment (ROI).
Create a monthly budget prior to starting your marketing efforts. You can always track your spending and adjust as necessary.
3. Not having a clear strategy
Your marketing strategy outlines a clear plan for every party involved, including what you’re looking to achieve and how to get there. Without a defined strategy in place, your team are likely to work far less efficiently.
Any effective adult marketing strategy should include:
- Personalised SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely).
- What you’re looking to achieve with an associated measurable figure.
- Which marketing techniques you’re planning on implementing.
- Competitor research.
- Customer research and segmentation.
4. Not measuring your performance
Forgetting to analyse your campaign’s performance on a regular basis is one of the most common adult marketing mistakes. Tracking your results is crucial if you want to know what’s working well and which areas of your campaign need improvement, ultimately providing you with the greatest ROI possible.
Here at Adult PR, our experts ensure your strategy is performing at its best with regular data analysis and monthly reports to keep you in the loop and showcase how our marketing efforts are supporting your business growth.

5. Not having a consistent brand
A common pitfall for many adult brands is not staying consistent. Consistent branding is essential to make your brand recognisable and memorable to both new and existing customers. Moreover, it also helps to establish trust and communicate your true personality. With uniformly presented brands being 3.5 times more visible to customers and receiving up to 23% more revenue than their counterparts, this is certainly one aspect of marketing that you don’t want to forget.
6. Not having a unique selling point (USP)
There’s no doubt about it, the adult market is huge. You need to focus on a certain niche or have a USP to stand out against your competitors and make a lasting impression on your audience. You can’t do it all! Take advantage of your speciality and tailor your content towards your target audience’s interests for a significant boost in engagement.
7. Not using social media
Social media can be a scary place for adult brands with the risk of being shadow banned lingering over many. With social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, having complex and stringent regulations to follow, it’s no surprise that some people within the adult sector avoid social media all together. This being said, these platforms are a vital part of many strategies for brands in this industry.
With the help of our adult social media team, we can help you navigate the obstacles and leverage your channels to bring your name into the spotlight. We have helped numerous adult companies over the years, meaning we are well-versed when it comes to growing your account whilst balancing the art between NSFW and SFW content.
8. Not engaging with your customers
It’s not uncommon for businesses to focus on gaining new customers. However, they also need to divert some attention towards retaining customers for the long-term. It’s one of the most common adult marketing mistakes that we see here at Adult PR, despite loyal customers being extremely valuable for business. Plus, it’s much easier to keep a customer engaged rather than gain the attention of somebody completely new.
Keep your loyal customers engaged by:
- Posting fresh content on social media regularly.
- Responding to their comments and messages on your social media platforms.
- Keeping in touch through email marketing communications.
- Introducing discounts or premium content to customers who take a particular action.
- Sending a personalised thank you to every customer to make them feel special.
Contact Adult PR
Marketing your adult brand is a complex process; but now you know the most common adult marketing mistakes, you should be on your way to success!
Still not sure where to begin? Get in touch with our adult marketing specialists today or send us an email at [email protected] to set you on the path to success.