Move over, Pornhub: This new site rethinks the UX of porn

For an industry that’s well known for the money shot, porn newcomer Quinn is putting its chips on an audio platform. The startup, which beta-launched in April and launched its redesigned site today, is looking to break through with its new audio-only porn platform and shift the brand away from the visual-reliant user experience the industry is known for. Caroline Spiegel, who left Stanford in her senior year to cofound Quinn, thinks so.

The Shift to Audio Erotica

Is audio the future of erotica? Spiegel is a “fan” of audio erotica because it “gets across the intangibles of porn—the flirting; the intimacy.” “Arousal and comprehension are not solely derived from visual stimulus,” says body image advocate and sex educator Laura Delarato. From her experience, the industry relies too heavily on visual content—to the detriment of users. She sites one of her competitors, Pornhub, as an example. “There’s almost no part of the screen that isn’t filled with content,” says Spiegel, and “almost all the content is animated.” She compared the overstimulation she experienced to being in a supermarket with lots of options where you walk away unsure of what you ended up buying.

Streamlined UX and Design Philosophy

Spiegel saw Quinn as an answer to that “sense of lost control.” Overall, the user experience of the site is streamlined, and in contrast to a site like Pornhub, the majority of the real estate on the site is black negative space. In fact, outside of cover images for audio stories, there’s no visual content on the site at all. Spiegel sees the sparse user interface of the site as an execution of their philosophy that “porn can be a more chilled out experience.” Quinn wants to bring audio porn into the mainstream, but it’s not the only player in this space.

Key Differences and Market Data

• Platform Model: What separates Quinn from other companies like subscription-based Dipsea is that Quinn is a platform, rather than a content producer.
• Content Type: Quinn’s content will be 100% user-generated, allowing amateurs and professionals alike to upload audio content.
• Market Funding: According to Forbes, audio porn startups have collectively accrued over $8 million in funding over the past year.
• Access and Monetization: The site is free to access, though Quinn is exploring “multiple forms of monetization, including advertising.”

User Engagement and Platform Features

This platform allows creators to maintain their own feeds that users can follow, like, comment on, and even tip through, with a payment system that will be integrated into the platform later this month. For Spiegel, designing a platform with content that’s not produced in-house was an exercise in openness: “We wanted to share more flavors of content, and we weren’t able to share those categories on our own. To let people have their audio, we have to let them have their voice.”

Community Standards and Moderation

She compares the site to Reddit, with the expectation that the community would flag any content that violates their platform’s Community Guidelines. “Community policing is a fine idea to a point,” says Delarato, but Quinn plans to address potential violations on a case-by-case basis. Right now, flagged content is reviewed by a Quinn employee. If they determine it be in violation of the site’s guidelines, it is removed. For Spiegel, community—and the connection the site design seeks to build between users and creators—is key to Quinn’s mission to prove that porn isn’t just about the looks.