From the start of this topic I want to inform the reader about:
- the topic created is just my own opinion and must be threaded as pure informational and not as "guide lines"
- the following content is also posted on my website so don't get to rough if it's duplicate.
- my native language is not English so bare with me if my typing is off or my grammar skills are way way off.
This material is meant to be a response and (maybe) a solution to one of the most frequently asked questions.
The information written here is not complete, because there is much more left to tell when it comes to this activity, but I promise I’ll get back on what’s missing some other time.
There are loads of articles about being a webcammodel, people wrote about it and they will probably never stop, but what I couldn't find is some useful info about average or low income that comes out of being a model on a niche website.
The studio owners have a very effective marketing strategy: they all promise high income, sometimes obscene amounts of money are in discussion, and they make you believe that camming (as models name it) is an activity you can do part time and you’ll just earn shitloads of money. I’m not saying it can’t happen; it’s just not applicable for all the models.
So here I am, writing this article, willing to offer you the transparence you won’t find at a daily basis (if at all) on other websites, blogs, forums, flyers, magazines and so on.
Most of the studios, and I’d dare to say ‘all’, only offer half truths when it comes to advertising their services of employment. They are talking about working way less than you usually do for (let’s say) 5 times your current salary. Well, when your earnings as a webcam performer are not high enough to buy that new house you dreamed of, it’s pretty disappointing.
It’s obvious that without a mere experience in this industry the first paychecks are going to be really small, but finding solutions is the first step to start climbing the big bucks ladder.
Now let’s assume you’re really new when it comes to being a cam model, you heard people mentioning some crazy amounts of money that can be earned, you got a pretty good picture of what it is all about but do you really know how much more you have to learn and the amount of information you need to posses in order to get those nice, big, juicy payouts?
Do you think you know what ‘visual impact’ and ‘custom target’ means? These are just two terms out of many that every model should know.
I don’t want to lengthen this article more than needed so I’m just going to ask some questions you should consider and find an answer to:
- how do you prepare yourself/ what’s your ritual before going online?
- what kind of outfits are you wearing?
- what’s the ambiance in your ‘work space’?
- what words and expressions are you using while chatting with the members in your chat room?
- what’s the quality of your video-audio stream?
- what does ‘visual impact’ mean and how can you fully benefit from it?
- if you are already a model and your earnings are not as high as expected, what would you change?
- how much does your look matter to you and how much time do you spend taking care of yourself?
This is a series of questions that even though might seem familiar, they might have never been answered by many models.
Why is it necessary to have a ritual and get prepared before going online? Name it whatever you like: mood, attitude, motivation and so on. All these elements are easily observed by the user and interpreted.
I strongly suggest that you do whatever lifts your spirit each and every time you get ready to broadcast. The impact will be huge and totally in your advantage.
The mental obstacles an average earning model are huge and mostly they sound like “how come that model’s earnings are so high and mine aren’t?” .
There are many answers to that and one of them is called ‘experience’. A model with experience on board, not as good looking as you are and not tearing her body parts apart each session can and will earn way more than you do.
That’s why getting mentally prepared before going online is a must.
The next question is crucial: what should you do to earn more out of this activity?
There are a few steps I recommend. Your online activity matters but it’s only half of what completes your success, the rest of 50% is your image, visual impact and marketing.
Anything if nicely and professionally packed is going to have way more success than the alternative.
Like any product, the image can be ‘packed’ and sold, it can be advertised and it can have its own marketing campaign.
From my point of view, web camming gives the models the opportunity to sell their image.
One can even sell his/her image without broadcasting. A quick example is as follows: I’m sure you’ve heard of videos and/or images being sold online. Did you ever do that? Did you use this resource to increase your earning and popularity? That is just one segment of the branding process that can use marketing and publicity techniques.
Unfortunately giving away this kind of information for free is in no one’s best interest, that’s the reason why you can’t find many articles about this particular subject. Nowadays information costs so yes, there might be some willing to ‘coach’ you on becoming a great model for a fee (but not for free).
I first got in touch with this industry back in 2007. I’m not saying I hold the absolute truth about it, nor that I have all the info there is, I’m just writing from my own experience and you can feel free to draw your own conclusions after reading this article.
In this article I’m going to write about those 90% of the models who don’t make enough to buy an apartment each month, about how you can increase your earnings by using some marketing techniques, how to build your brand and how important your attitude is while being online.
A big part about being a webcam model means selling your image online. As a model you do something while being in front of the camera, you get paid for it (whatever that is) which means you’re selling your image.
One of the most important aspects you should really care about is your attitude.
I’m sure from time to time you are watching various models too, I’m sure you notice their attitude and the number of members in the room.
Did you ever ask yourself how come a model with half your looks and efforts can have more than 2k users in the room and gets tips for… doing nothing?
Did you ever ask yourself what’s wrong with you? Why people tend to like and tip more a model whose face can’t even be seen (completely) on camera?
Did you ever ask yourself how come a model sending texts and ignoring her members can have more users on camera than you, the hard working girl doing shows almost for free?
These cases are just a few of the many a regular model encounters during a working session.
The answer to all these questions is not a simple one but one answer is ‘attitude’.
If I were a user and once I get to your room I’m ‘welcomed’ by a bitter, bored, tired face, I will keep on clicking on other rooms, anything but stay in that room.
Most of the users on adult webcam websites don’t want to see bitter faces on camera. They probably have one at home. These kinds of websites are trying to offer the users a different experience, an escape from reality if you want a distraction from their daily routine and problems.
Some users just want to talk, not necessarily satisfy their hormonal needs in front of a webcam performer.
This is why the attitude should inspire trust and comfort.
Another very important skill a model should possess is being able to read between the lines and adapt to each user. There are a few categories of users and it matters a lot to tell who fits where.
All models know that in a chat room there won’t be gentlemen solely, just like users know not all models are nice and welcoming.
Oh and about those models who try to con some members into sending them money, that will be a fruitful strategy on short term but on long term it can be devastating for the model.
Ok so how you interact with the users in your chat room is a very important aspect you should consider.
If there is anything I would suggest is this: smile, use every user’s name when talking to them, and don’t display your problems unless invited to.
Another thing a model shouldn’t have/do is called ‘inhibitions’. If you feel good being yourself, others will feel it and they will be drawn to you.
Inhibitions and mentality can pull a model back.
Change your mentality, get rid of misconceptions, think positive and you’ll do yourself a huge favor. Things will start to change in front of your eyes but first you must change yourself.
If needed, even if it’s a big step, change your friends, let go of everyone who is trying to control your life and pull you down.
As long as your mind will be relaxed, your self esteem will keep growing and everything will start to bloom in your life. It’s not just a theory; all I’m saying has been proved over and over again.
Now let’s talk about your public profile, what users see when they’re checking you out. Your business card, as I like to call it.
Personally this is what I do. I create profiles and I build brands for webcam performers, starting from scratch.
It’s not easy but the outcome is always a success and it’d always worth it.
As a model you must build your image, as better as it gets but not too far from the truth.
What does it involve to build a brand? In the adult industry it’s very important to have your own brand, to have exposure and a strong name.
If you don’t expose yourself, you can’t have a major success, at least not in the adult industry.
To build a brand first you need to invest in it from money to vision and experience.
What do you have to do to increase your earnings as a webcam model?
- work, collaborate with people that contribute in a way or another to your growth and evolution
- invest in your image, build a brand
- invest in always learning more, use others experience but always let yourself guided by your own experience
- change your mentality, set a goal and fight for it
- find out what kind of flaws you have and turn them into advantages and strong points
- learn how to communicate and what kinds of expressions have a strong impact in your chat room
- get rid of stress and inhibitions, once you go online shake it all off and embrace your character
I’m not going to end this article now but I will do a follow up really soon.
To prove you all I said so far has a strong base and I spoke from experience, let me tell you a few things about me.
In 2007 I started working in this industry but on various niches. I collaborate with studios from USA, UK, Germany, France, Russia and Italy, on both marketing and web design.
I have my own studio and I collaborate with models of all types, from beginners to couples, individual performers and porn stars.
I personally prefer working with MFC and therefore I concentrated most of my attention and resources towards this website.
I constantly work with well known models from MFC. Some of the names you might know if you have the slightest experience in web camming.
The first impression counts!
The first 5 seconds are crucial. As a visitor, if in those first 5 seconds I’m not impressed and determined to stay in your room I’ll just click ‘next’.
What should you do about that? Greet your visitors with a personal message. That will have a strong impact. It’s a psychological thing. The visitor will feel important and sometimes even flattered. The chances of having him in your room for a longer time will increase.
If as a visitor in your chat room I feel excluded and left behind, ignored and not wanted, I’ll just go to another room. One of the mistakes models tend to make is ignore everyone who doesn’t seem to have money.
For example on MyFreeCams the models tend to mute basics and guests all the time. All their attention goes to the potential tippers, the premium members. They totally forget that the guests and basics can become premium members too. And a member who upgrades to premium thanks to you will tip big and he will be loyal to you.
So don’t ignore other users just because they seem not to have money. You can ignore or ban those who beg or have demands without paying for what they ask. Agree. But keep in mind that those anonymous guests might already have some premium accounts or they can just upgrade at any time.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Or “don’t give all your attention to a single member”. He might be the one tipping you all the time but try not to force his hand. Try to spread that attention and focus on more members, even if they don’t all tip big constantly. You never know when one of them will surprise you. Focusing on a single member can ruin you both. He will feel the pressure of making you happy every day and you will hope he will be there for you all the time, no matter what, and at some point be disappointed.
More baskets, more relaxed smiles
Broadcasting daily will increase the number of your loyal members, you popularity and earnings.
But why limit yourself at just broadcasting when you can thrive by using other means too?
You can have much more exposure than when you are broadcasting if you’ll use a marketing strategy to attract more members.
The best way to attract more users is organize a raffle. It’s the most spread way of publicity and the easiest one. You set the prizes and the rules of the raffle and then encourage your members to spread the word about it. It’s fun, interactive and it’s an all win situation for you.
Don’t think of it as a ‘Job’
Why? No matter if you are an individual model or working at a studio, don’t think about being a webcam model as having a job.
A ‘job’ means stiffness, routine, boredom, stress, fixed rules and the most annoying thing is that you feel like you’re working for someone else and not for yourself.
You are the one in charge; you are the one making the rules!
It might sound a bit weird but repeat the following words to yourself daily:
I’m beautiful, I’m confident, I can do whatever I want and there’s no one who can stop me!
Even if you don’t feel that way and it might sound like a lie to your brain, one day you will say it with all your heart. What most people don’t know is that our brain will believe whatever the heck we say. If you repeat something over and over again, your brain will start to believe it and act like that thing is true.
Try it! It’s working!
The way you look like
It’s very important to take care of your image. But you already know that, right?
What you must remember is that in the adult entertainment industry, the way you look like matters a lot. A whole lot than you could think of.
Of course, not everyone is a porn start or looks like one but what a model should do is look flawless. No matter what type of features you have, make sure you’re always the best version of yourself.
Before people can hear you talk and see if there are some brains in that pretty little head of yours, the first impression is based on visual so… I think you got the point.
So in this industry what you sell is your image. Now that we all agreed, let’s see what a model can do about selling her/his image properly.
First make sure you use high quality pictures for your profile.
No bathroom pictures taken with a 2px phone camera. No images with pixels as big as my thumb, no blurred, smudgy, dark, non clear pictures.
If you pretend to be treated like a professional model (as in non mediocre) you must act like one and look like one.
Even if you look amazing, a poorly taken picture will ruin it all.
So make sure your profile pictures are crystal clear, preferably taken by a photographer.
One more aspect image related is the makeup. There are so many negative examples everywhere,
One rule about the makeup: sometimes less is more. A ton of foundation, bright eyeliner, bad shaped eyebrows and the list goes on. If you don’t really know how to put your makeup on, there’s no shame in asking someone or watch tutorials.
Maybe in some other article a member of my team with experience in makeup will give you more details about what kind of makeup to use on camera up on your skin tone, hair color and so on.
___________________________________
what's wrong with meee...?!
- the topic created is just my own opinion and must be threaded as pure informational and not as "guide lines"
- the following content is also posted on my website so don't get to rough if it's duplicate.
- my native language is not English so bare with me if my typing is off or my grammar skills are way way off.
This material is meant to be a response and (maybe) a solution to one of the most frequently asked questions.
The information written here is not complete, because there is much more left to tell when it comes to this activity, but I promise I’ll get back on what’s missing some other time.
There are loads of articles about being a webcammodel, people wrote about it and they will probably never stop, but what I couldn't find is some useful info about average or low income that comes out of being a model on a niche website.
The studio owners have a very effective marketing strategy: they all promise high income, sometimes obscene amounts of money are in discussion, and they make you believe that camming (as models name it) is an activity you can do part time and you’ll just earn shitloads of money. I’m not saying it can’t happen; it’s just not applicable for all the models.
So here I am, writing this article, willing to offer you the transparence you won’t find at a daily basis (if at all) on other websites, blogs, forums, flyers, magazines and so on.
Most of the studios, and I’d dare to say ‘all’, only offer half truths when it comes to advertising their services of employment. They are talking about working way less than you usually do for (let’s say) 5 times your current salary. Well, when your earnings as a webcam performer are not high enough to buy that new house you dreamed of, it’s pretty disappointing.
It’s obvious that without a mere experience in this industry the first paychecks are going to be really small, but finding solutions is the first step to start climbing the big bucks ladder.
Now let’s assume you’re really new when it comes to being a cam model, you heard people mentioning some crazy amounts of money that can be earned, you got a pretty good picture of what it is all about but do you really know how much more you have to learn and the amount of information you need to posses in order to get those nice, big, juicy payouts?
Do you think you know what ‘visual impact’ and ‘custom target’ means? These are just two terms out of many that every model should know.
I don’t want to lengthen this article more than needed so I’m just going to ask some questions you should consider and find an answer to:
- how do you prepare yourself/ what’s your ritual before going online?
- what kind of outfits are you wearing?
- what’s the ambiance in your ‘work space’?
- what words and expressions are you using while chatting with the members in your chat room?
- what’s the quality of your video-audio stream?
- what does ‘visual impact’ mean and how can you fully benefit from it?
- if you are already a model and your earnings are not as high as expected, what would you change?
- how much does your look matter to you and how much time do you spend taking care of yourself?
This is a series of questions that even though might seem familiar, they might have never been answered by many models.
Why is it necessary to have a ritual and get prepared before going online? Name it whatever you like: mood, attitude, motivation and so on. All these elements are easily observed by the user and interpreted.
I strongly suggest that you do whatever lifts your spirit each and every time you get ready to broadcast. The impact will be huge and totally in your advantage.
The mental obstacles an average earning model are huge and mostly they sound like “how come that model’s earnings are so high and mine aren’t?” .
There are many answers to that and one of them is called ‘experience’. A model with experience on board, not as good looking as you are and not tearing her body parts apart each session can and will earn way more than you do.
That’s why getting mentally prepared before going online is a must.
The next question is crucial: what should you do to earn more out of this activity?
There are a few steps I recommend. Your online activity matters but it’s only half of what completes your success, the rest of 50% is your image, visual impact and marketing.
Anything if nicely and professionally packed is going to have way more success than the alternative.
Like any product, the image can be ‘packed’ and sold, it can be advertised and it can have its own marketing campaign.
From my point of view, web camming gives the models the opportunity to sell their image.
One can even sell his/her image without broadcasting. A quick example is as follows: I’m sure you’ve heard of videos and/or images being sold online. Did you ever do that? Did you use this resource to increase your earning and popularity? That is just one segment of the branding process that can use marketing and publicity techniques.
Unfortunately giving away this kind of information for free is in no one’s best interest, that’s the reason why you can’t find many articles about this particular subject. Nowadays information costs so yes, there might be some willing to ‘coach’ you on becoming a great model for a fee (but not for free).
I first got in touch with this industry back in 2007. I’m not saying I hold the absolute truth about it, nor that I have all the info there is, I’m just writing from my own experience and you can feel free to draw your own conclusions after reading this article.
In this article I’m going to write about those 90% of the models who don’t make enough to buy an apartment each month, about how you can increase your earnings by using some marketing techniques, how to build your brand and how important your attitude is while being online.
A big part about being a webcam model means selling your image online. As a model you do something while being in front of the camera, you get paid for it (whatever that is) which means you’re selling your image.
One of the most important aspects you should really care about is your attitude.
I’m sure from time to time you are watching various models too, I’m sure you notice their attitude and the number of members in the room.
Did you ever ask yourself how come a model with half your looks and efforts can have more than 2k users in the room and gets tips for… doing nothing?
Did you ever ask yourself what’s wrong with you? Why people tend to like and tip more a model whose face can’t even be seen (completely) on camera?
Did you ever ask yourself how come a model sending texts and ignoring her members can have more users on camera than you, the hard working girl doing shows almost for free?
These cases are just a few of the many a regular model encounters during a working session.
The answer to all these questions is not a simple one but one answer is ‘attitude’.
If I were a user and once I get to your room I’m ‘welcomed’ by a bitter, bored, tired face, I will keep on clicking on other rooms, anything but stay in that room.
Most of the users on adult webcam websites don’t want to see bitter faces on camera. They probably have one at home. These kinds of websites are trying to offer the users a different experience, an escape from reality if you want a distraction from their daily routine and problems.
Some users just want to talk, not necessarily satisfy their hormonal needs in front of a webcam performer.
This is why the attitude should inspire trust and comfort.
Another very important skill a model should possess is being able to read between the lines and adapt to each user. There are a few categories of users and it matters a lot to tell who fits where.
All models know that in a chat room there won’t be gentlemen solely, just like users know not all models are nice and welcoming.
Oh and about those models who try to con some members into sending them money, that will be a fruitful strategy on short term but on long term it can be devastating for the model.
Ok so how you interact with the users in your chat room is a very important aspect you should consider.
If there is anything I would suggest is this: smile, use every user’s name when talking to them, and don’t display your problems unless invited to.
Another thing a model shouldn’t have/do is called ‘inhibitions’. If you feel good being yourself, others will feel it and they will be drawn to you.
Inhibitions and mentality can pull a model back.
Change your mentality, get rid of misconceptions, think positive and you’ll do yourself a huge favor. Things will start to change in front of your eyes but first you must change yourself.
If needed, even if it’s a big step, change your friends, let go of everyone who is trying to control your life and pull you down.
As long as your mind will be relaxed, your self esteem will keep growing and everything will start to bloom in your life. It’s not just a theory; all I’m saying has been proved over and over again.
Now let’s talk about your public profile, what users see when they’re checking you out. Your business card, as I like to call it.
Personally this is what I do. I create profiles and I build brands for webcam performers, starting from scratch.
It’s not easy but the outcome is always a success and it’d always worth it.
As a model you must build your image, as better as it gets but not too far from the truth.
What does it involve to build a brand? In the adult industry it’s very important to have your own brand, to have exposure and a strong name.
If you don’t expose yourself, you can’t have a major success, at least not in the adult industry.
To build a brand first you need to invest in it from money to vision and experience.
What do you have to do to increase your earnings as a webcam model?
- work, collaborate with people that contribute in a way or another to your growth and evolution
- invest in your image, build a brand
- invest in always learning more, use others experience but always let yourself guided by your own experience
- change your mentality, set a goal and fight for it
- find out what kind of flaws you have and turn them into advantages and strong points
- learn how to communicate and what kinds of expressions have a strong impact in your chat room
- get rid of stress and inhibitions, once you go online shake it all off and embrace your character
I’m not going to end this article now but I will do a follow up really soon.
To prove you all I said so far has a strong base and I spoke from experience, let me tell you a few things about me.
In 2007 I started working in this industry but on various niches. I collaborate with studios from USA, UK, Germany, France, Russia and Italy, on both marketing and web design.
I have my own studio and I collaborate with models of all types, from beginners to couples, individual performers and porn stars.
I personally prefer working with MFC and therefore I concentrated most of my attention and resources towards this website.
I constantly work with well known models from MFC. Some of the names you might know if you have the slightest experience in web camming.
The first impression counts!
The first 5 seconds are crucial. As a visitor, if in those first 5 seconds I’m not impressed and determined to stay in your room I’ll just click ‘next’.
What should you do about that? Greet your visitors with a personal message. That will have a strong impact. It’s a psychological thing. The visitor will feel important and sometimes even flattered. The chances of having him in your room for a longer time will increase.
If as a visitor in your chat room I feel excluded and left behind, ignored and not wanted, I’ll just go to another room. One of the mistakes models tend to make is ignore everyone who doesn’t seem to have money.
For example on MyFreeCams the models tend to mute basics and guests all the time. All their attention goes to the potential tippers, the premium members. They totally forget that the guests and basics can become premium members too. And a member who upgrades to premium thanks to you will tip big and he will be loyal to you.
So don’t ignore other users just because they seem not to have money. You can ignore or ban those who beg or have demands without paying for what they ask. Agree. But keep in mind that those anonymous guests might already have some premium accounts or they can just upgrade at any time.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Or “don’t give all your attention to a single member”. He might be the one tipping you all the time but try not to force his hand. Try to spread that attention and focus on more members, even if they don’t all tip big constantly. You never know when one of them will surprise you. Focusing on a single member can ruin you both. He will feel the pressure of making you happy every day and you will hope he will be there for you all the time, no matter what, and at some point be disappointed.
More baskets, more relaxed smiles
Broadcasting daily will increase the number of your loyal members, you popularity and earnings.
But why limit yourself at just broadcasting when you can thrive by using other means too?
You can have much more exposure than when you are broadcasting if you’ll use a marketing strategy to attract more members.
The best way to attract more users is organize a raffle. It’s the most spread way of publicity and the easiest one. You set the prizes and the rules of the raffle and then encourage your members to spread the word about it. It’s fun, interactive and it’s an all win situation for you.
Don’t think of it as a ‘Job’
Why? No matter if you are an individual model or working at a studio, don’t think about being a webcam model as having a job.
A ‘job’ means stiffness, routine, boredom, stress, fixed rules and the most annoying thing is that you feel like you’re working for someone else and not for yourself.
You are the one in charge; you are the one making the rules!
It might sound a bit weird but repeat the following words to yourself daily:
I’m beautiful, I’m confident, I can do whatever I want and there’s no one who can stop me!
Even if you don’t feel that way and it might sound like a lie to your brain, one day you will say it with all your heart. What most people don’t know is that our brain will believe whatever the heck we say. If you repeat something over and over again, your brain will start to believe it and act like that thing is true.
Try it! It’s working!
The way you look like
It’s very important to take care of your image. But you already know that, right?
What you must remember is that in the adult entertainment industry, the way you look like matters a lot. A whole lot than you could think of.
Of course, not everyone is a porn start or looks like one but what a model should do is look flawless. No matter what type of features you have, make sure you’re always the best version of yourself.
Before people can hear you talk and see if there are some brains in that pretty little head of yours, the first impression is based on visual so… I think you got the point.
So in this industry what you sell is your image. Now that we all agreed, let’s see what a model can do about selling her/his image properly.
First make sure you use high quality pictures for your profile.
No bathroom pictures taken with a 2px phone camera. No images with pixels as big as my thumb, no blurred, smudgy, dark, non clear pictures.
If you pretend to be treated like a professional model (as in non mediocre) you must act like one and look like one.
Even if you look amazing, a poorly taken picture will ruin it all.
So make sure your profile pictures are crystal clear, preferably taken by a photographer.
One more aspect image related is the makeup. There are so many negative examples everywhere,
One rule about the makeup: sometimes less is more. A ton of foundation, bright eyeliner, bad shaped eyebrows and the list goes on. If you don’t really know how to put your makeup on, there’s no shame in asking someone or watch tutorials.
Maybe in some other article a member of my team with experience in makeup will give you more details about what kind of makeup to use on camera up on your skin tone, hair color and so on.
___________________________________
what's wrong with meee...?!