SEO Blind Spots No One Talks About (& How to Fix Them)

Off the back of our Adult Site Broker interview, we bring you this insightful blog to unpack what’s really holding adult brands back in search… and how to fix it. From link strategies that still work in 2025 to building SEO you actually own, consider this your practical guide.

Need a strategy you can execute? Our Adult SEO team builds roadmaps that compound: technical fixes, content plans, and clean outreach, tailored to the adult industry.

Here’s the full interview with our Director of Operations, Charlie Cross, on Adult Site Broker Talk.

Contents

1. Adult Marketing Misconceptions
2. “User-First SEO” Isn’t Optional Anymore
3. Authority Links Beat Volume (Every Time)
4. Build SEO You Actually Own
5. How to Choose an Agency
6. Why This Matters Now

1) Adult Marketing Misconceptions

A lot of adult sites assume what works in mainstream marketing will translate directly. Well, it doesn’t. Charlie flagged this in the podcast: adult brands face stricter ad restrictions, payment gateway hurdles, wary users, and compliance rules that shift every few months. You can’t just “copy and paste” a mainstream SEO or PPC strategy.

That’s why so many turn to shortcuts: black-hat SEO, bulk link buys, throwaway social accounts, AI filler pages. The problem? These fixes rarely last. They might deliver a short spike, but they also burn trust with search engines and real customers, leaving the site in a worse position long-term.

The sites that grow year after year all share the same pattern: they invest in quality and consistency tailored to the adult market. That means:

• Compliance baked into design — clear terms, discreet billing, and content that can withstand audits.
• Pages built for users, not algorithms — mobile speed, clean navigation, and above-the-fold clarity.
• Editorial links over spam — a smaller number of placements on sites that audiences actually read and click.

The misconception is that adult SEO is a “special hack.” The reality is it’s the same fundamentals as mainstream, but executed with more care, patience and compliance.

New to our content approach? Start with 7 SEO tips to rank higher on Google, then come back here for the deeper fixes.

2) “User-First SEO” Isn’t Optional Anymore

Keyword stuffing is still everywhere in adult content, but it hasn’t worked for years. As Charlie put it in the podcast: “Search engines look at user metrics. The success of your content is just as important as its relevancy.”

In practice, this means rankings are increasingly tied to engagement signals. Do people stay on your page, scroll, click, and convert? If not, your site slips, no matter how many times you repeat the keyword.

Here’s what user-first SEO looks like when it’s done properly:

• Escort agencies: don’t hide the basics. A rates table, availability info, and a simple booking flow should be visible without scrolling. If a user has to dig for prices or verification, they’ll bounce.
• Porn networks & fan sites: optimise for mobile-first. Compress heavy files, avoid clutter, and keep login/consent flows compliant but smooth. If your pre-login experience is clunky, users assume the paid side will be too.
• Adult toy stores: add “compare” blocks, beginner guides, and clear proof of discreet packaging/billing near the add-to-cart button. Shoppers want reassurance before they buy, so give it to them upfront.

In short, Google now mirrors user behaviour. If your site frustrates visitors, you’ll lose both sales and rankings.

Want page-one content frameworks and internal linking patterns? Read how to improve SEO rankings with blogs – it’s our hands-on guide to turning topics into traffic.

3) Authority Links Beat Volume (Every Time)

As Charlie put it on the podcast: “The days of buying 10,000 bad links are long gone. You really have to focus on getting links from places that are relevant, where someone would actually click on that link. And also make sure the content you’re getting links from is high quality in its own right.”

That’s the difference between short-lived tactics and results that stick. It’s also why Adult Creative has been able to achieve standout case studies. As Charlie explained, “One of the sectors that we do quite well in is the escort sector, and the most difficult search term in that sector is London escorts. As of last month, we achieved our fifth client on page one for that search term. So at this point, we basically own the top page.”

He went on to share another win: “One of our clients is one of the top gay porn networks called Carnal Plus. Over the last 12 months, we’ve increased their traffic by 150–156%, reaching 3.9 million users per month at the moment with 8 million sessions a month.”

The common thread? Editorial backlinks on trusted, relevant sites (combined with technical audits and strong UX) – not bulk link packages or shortcuts.

Need coverage that also earns quality links? Our PR & outreach team secures placements on publications people actually read, with the right anchors and context.

Read our blog for more on backlinks and why they’re important for SEO. 

4) Build SEO You Actually Own

One of the strongest warnings Charlie gave in the interview was about outsourcing ownership. Too many adult brands rely on paid ads or third-party “AI SEO platforms” that keep control of the content they generate. Switch off the ads, and traffic disappears. Cancel the software and – in some cases – they even pull the content off your site.

As Charlie put it: “What I’ve always liked about SEO compared to other marketing channels is that SEO builds quality into your product. At the end of it, you own what you’ve built. If I do SEO for you and you leave tomorrow, you still own everything I’ve built — your IP, your product. With something like Google PPC, you switch the ads off and it’s gone. If software starts trying to own your SEO, that’s scary for me.”

So, as you can see, SEO, done properly, builds equity you keep. Your content, architecture, internal links, and authority continue to compound, instead of resetting to zero.

Want to see this in action? Read our Bed Domination SEO case study to see how long-term SEO ownership transformed rankings and revenue.

5) How to Choose an Agency

If you’ve been burned before, ask tougher questions:

• “Who writes the content?” If the answer is “AI”, run.
• “How do you build links?” If you hear “exchanges” or “1000 placements a month”, run faster.
• “Do you have dev/design in-house?” SEO without UX and engineering muscle won’t get you past page two.
• “What happens if we leave?” If you don’t keep everything, it was never yours.

Prefer a quick chat? Book a strategy call and we’ll show you where the wins are in your niche — before you commit to anything.

6) Why This Matters Now

Industry data continues to back the shift toward organic. Research from BrightEdge suggests 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine, while Search Engine Land has reported that organic search drives around 53% of website traffic compared to roughly 15% from paid ads. With new rules like the UK’s Online Safety Act reshaping traffic patterns, leaning too hard on paid channels alone is a risk.

From the podcast, Charlie’s take on the next 6–12 months was clear:

“I expect many adult sites will see a traffic dip over the next 6–12 months as users adjust. If I’m honest, I think it’s like ripping off a Band-Aid. If the whole industry does it quickly, users will adapt fast. But if it drags on, users may just leave.”

For adult businesses, this means move early, explain changes clearly, and invest in assets you own (content, architecture, internal links, editorial relationships).

To learn more, read our guide on what the Online Safety Laws mean for your business. 

Invest in SEO That Lasts

What Charlie highlighted in the podcast (and what the data backs up) is simple: shortcuts don’t survive. The adult brands that succeed in this day and age are the ones that:

• Put users first with fast, clear, trustworthy experiences.
• Earn editorial links that build authority over time.
• Invest in SEO they actually own, instead of rented traffic or content.

With the Online Safety Act forcing change and Google’s algorithms getting stricter on engagement signals, now is the time to rip off the Band-Aid and do SEO the right way. It’s harder in the short term, but it compounds in ways black-hat tactics never will.

Want proof? See our client case studies where long-term SEO has delivered first-page rankings, traffic lifts, and millions of monthly visits… even in the toughest niches.