Quinn: Rethinking the UX of Porn through Audio

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. From her experience, the industry relies too heavily on visual content—to the detriment of users.

The Philosophy of Streamlined Design

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. 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.

Why Audio is the Future of Erotica

Spiegel is a “fan” of audio erotica because it “gets across the intangibles of porn—the flirting; the intimacy.” And she sees the sparse user interface of the site as an execution of their philosophy that “porn can be a more chilled out experience.” Regarding the market potential, “Arousal and comprehension are not solely derived from visual stimulus,” says body image advocate and sex educator Laura Delarato. Furthermore, “I’m not surprised that there is a market and interest for audio erotica, especially one where users can generate their own content and partake in their own voyeurism knowing that others might listen to their voice and story.”

Comparison of Industry Players

Platform Model and User Interaction

Spiegel feels that what separates Quinn from other audio porn companies out there, like subscription-based Dipsea, is that the site (which is free to access) is a platform, rather than a content producer. This allows amateurs and professionals alike to upload audio content with the click of a button—and maintain their own feeds that users can follow, like, comment on, and even tip through. Quinn’s content will be 100% user-generated. 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 Guidelines 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. However, “Community policing is a fine idea to a point,” says Delarato, “but we need to take into consideration the variety of interests, kinks, and consent taking place.” 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. With free access, sparse interface design, and UX that encourages users to engage with the site as they would other social platforms, Quinn is looking to build connections and create a welcoming environment for a broad audience—to prove that porn isn’t just about the looks.