The Genius of Suicide Girls
When we talk about Web 2.0, it is not very often we get to see a site that started before this phase of the web and has gone on to take the best parts of it and continue to thrive. Suicide Girls (NSFW) is a great example of a site that started with basic community functionality and has latched on to the positives of this era of the web and has shown no sign of slowing down.
Started in September 2001, SG is based around the images of alternative women posing nude, which in itself should make it popular. Instead of simply leaving it as a gallery site that people would view and walk away from they began to add community functionality to the site to make it more sticky. You have message boards and groups which help people feel as though they are part of something. That along with looking at pictures of naked women would make almost any person happy to be part of the community, but they didn’t stop there.
With typical features like news and interviews, SG also gave each girl a blog so they could keep their fans updated. Now we have podcasts, radio shows, albums, videos and a traveling show. Yes part of their revenue scheme revolves around ads, but those are few and far between. The basics start with a simple $4/month membership which many people are happy to fork over.
Just because SG is able to add all of these features doesn’t mean that each of them is going to be successful. That solely depends on the execution and their branding. They understand the importance of quality design to your brand and have taken great measure in every part of their site to make sure they give the appearance that they want. This is something that our new Web 2.0 sites are solely lacking. Instead of creating their own brand, clients and investors believe that their sites should have a Web 2.0 feel about them and therefore a Web 2.0 brand. You don’t want to brand your site for the era, you want to brand it with your image.
All of the things that SG does are by no means innovative, but they are executed almost to perfection. If you want something successful you don’t have to build something new, but you do have to build something great. Most Web 2.0 sites have the first part of the equation down (*cough* copycats *cough*), it is the “great” part that they seem to forget.
If you already own a community site or are thinking of starting any type of site that has some community features I highly suggest you take a look at SG and learn a few things. Sex sells, but so does a great site.
I think SG is popular not just because they added community features, but because of the idea behind the site.
There are many of us that prefer an SG girl to any of the girls on tv, movies, magazines, and plastered all over the media.
That’s the real genius behind the site… showing off the fact that women don’t have to follow the norm to be beautiful and sexy. Such an idea fosters community.
By The Geek on December 13, 2006 11:23 am
Yes, I stayed away from the obvious pull of the site, but portraying women the way they do holds a mass appeal to a large audience. However, you can’t keep people without doing what they have done on that site and that was the gist of the entry.
Ideas certainly foster communities. Quality content, the idea behind 9rules, helps foster our Community, but without the tools the community will never grow.
By Scrivs on December 13, 2006 11:33 am
I love SG! Although I’ve never really used the community side of it…
By Justin Kistner on December 13, 2006 3:15 pm
Although I will not deny that the leaders over at Suicide Girls have fantastic business sense and have created a popular community, there have been allegations of mistreatment made by many of the models there that are worth considering before we hold the company up as worthy of emulation. The article linked to is from Wired, and there’s a more in-depth article in Bust magazine (print-only), although I’m not exactly sure of the issue number.
By Julie on December 13, 2006 3:41 pm
Whoops, I guess my link didn’t make it: SuicideGirls Gone AWOL http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,69006,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_2
By Julie on December 13, 2006 3:42 pm
Haha, that says everything right there Justin.
By Scrivs on December 13, 2006 3:50 pm
I know one of the SG girls in real life, and one thing that sticks out is the “fuck, my dad is reading my SG blog!” moment.
By engtech on December 13, 2006 3:57 pm
They write good emails too:
“Thanks for listening to our sleazy sales pitch. We feel dirty sending you this. We promise if you click that remove link below, we will never send you another marketing email again.”
What impresses me about their business is that they are thoughtful and friendly. It’s part of the “executed almost to perfection” comment you made that is in almost everything they do.
By Matthew Oliphant on December 13, 2006 4:07 pm
As a long time member (yes, I’ll own up to it), I’d say the community is now far more attractive to me than the photos (which can vary greatly in quality and personal appeal). Funny thing about the design of the site is way you can watch how seemingly insignificant design changes can affect people, in real time. They recently rolled out a change to the profile pages, and people went ape shit. But I think the remarkable thing is they wisely looked at all that feedback and were quick on their feet in making needed changes.
(and I love the fact they have a scorched earth policy when it comes to wackos and cretins on the site)
By gb on December 13, 2006 5:32 pm
Julie: I remember that article and was wondering how it would effect the site and it doesn’t seem to be effecting it all that much and I don’t know if that is a testament to the strong community they have or what.
I tried to focus on the innovations of the site and not the business dealings behind it, but I would assume a massive exodus of models if everything that was reported was true.
By Scrivs on December 13, 2006 5:39 pm
Sincerely, this was my first time visiting SG site. I was trying to dig more of it.Seriously the layout design seems cool and awesome to me.
Personally I think the impression of the site do make a good point for people to re-visit again the next time.
By ~TheAngel~ on December 14, 2006 3:47 am
I believe that SG is a perfect example of a premium community and all too often, web designers and developers get caught up in the hype of Web 2.0.
By Kyle Korleski on December 14, 2006 5:53 am
[…] “That along with looking at pictures of naked women would make almost any person happy.” […]
By Jackson Fish Market » on December 14, 2006 12:15 pm
It is a perfect example of a great community site without all the “bloatty” features one does not necessarily need. That site has come a long way since its first debut. I Love the newest version and direction they have taken to create a great community and bring people back. I believe the guys over at Cuban Council did the site and I think they hit the nail on the head.
By Jeremy on December 18, 2006 8:59 am
[…] Wisdump: The Genius of Suicide Girls […]
By Ekonoline » Around the Nine #1 on December 18, 2006 9:29 am
[…] Be sure to checkout my previous article on SG, The Genius of Suicide Girls. […]
By Top 7 Freshest Designs of 2006 » Wisdump on December 20, 2006 1:13 am
I am about to become a suicide girl and I have had nothing but the best treatment from those who I have talked to. I am very educated and the genius behind the SG business plan is something that can’t be learned in college. They are amazing entrepreneurs!
By Holly on January 9, 2007 5:55 pm
My friend wants to be a SG. She just doesn’t know how though.
By Danika on January 11, 2007 5:29 pm
I honestly think that the SG site is a wonderful place, along with the community it brings in but they’re smart they wasy they go about their business. I’m not going to say whether I believe that those models were mistreated or not, but I’m looking to become an SG and I also have a very close friend of mine, who already is an SG. She’s a great and happy person and I’ve heard no complaints from her, nor the site. The girls are wonderful people and that’s what it’s all about, girls in their entirety…girls unique compared to the norm (which I by the way am getting VERY tired of). SG is all around amazing.
By autumnROSE on March 29, 2007 4:36 pm
[…] Junio 5th, 2007 Pude conocer esta peculiar página gracias a un post de Wisdump titulado “The Genius of Suicide Girls” ya prácticamente hace medio año. SuicideGirls es bastante famosa por el contenido que lo caracteriza “images of alternative women posing nude” osea mujeres con tatuajes y piercings por todas partes del cuerpo. […]
By SuicideGirls y sus diseñadoras « el50 on June 5, 2007 5:28 am
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By gukambwyen on June 24, 2007 7:19 pm