One of the biggest misconceptions most new webcam models have is that this business is “easy.” It’s not.
There are many aspects of this industry that can be very alluring, which include being your own boss, working your own hours and having flexibility in your life. However, none of those qualities mean this work is “easy.”
Like any other career, keeping it successful necessitates keeping it professional. It’s important to consider the following things to do (and things not to do) when doing any kind of webcam work.
Camming To-Do List
Choose the platform that’s right *for you*
Before you choose any platform(s), do your due diligence. Research the sites that interest you by exploring how they are set up and, most importantly, their pay structure.
Think about how much time and effort you plan to devote to your webcam business because there are extremely popular sites that do a lot of the heavy lifting for you (as in advertising), but this also means there will be a ton of competition from other models on the site. This could mean less money in your pocket. Conversely, a platform that doesn’t have as much traffic may not do as much advertising, but with some effort on your part could mean bigger pay days for you. This is due to less competition so you’ll be able to build a bigger following.
Set Your Schedule
Review what is going on in your life and commit to a set work schedule.
The importance of a set schedule cannot be repeated enough. Think of yourself as a live TV show. Would any show on television (or any other platform) garner a following of loyal viewer if it just aired at any time during the week or month? Of course not! People wouldn’t know when to find their favorite show, nor would they be able to carve out time for their favorite show.
Part of your job is to make sure your viewers *know* when they can expect you to be available for their viewing pleasure. This consistency will result in a more consistent income for you.
Find your Confidence & Be Welcoming
There are many ways to demonstrate confidence, and it’s up to you to find the way that works best for you! (It’s not the same for everyone, and that’s okay)
Consider something “obvious” though, like clothing. There is no dress code for camming, but selecting clothes that you feel confident in can help enhance your confidence online. Further, many of your viewers are looking for someone to be authentic. You can be just as sexy in shorts and a tee-shirt as you can in fine lingerie. The point is wear *whatever* allows you to project your most sexy and confident self.
This ties in to being welcoming. There are some niches in webcam where a “bad” attitude is part of the game. If this is your niche, then perfect the scowl and flip that bird! Genre-appropriate posturing is different from appearing bored, angry or disinterested though.
This doesn’t mean to constantly be smiling and appear fake. Heck, you very well may be bored! (it happens) Instead, aim to have some balance. Smile and interact with your audience in a natural way.
Camming Not-To-Do List
Don’t Fear the Word “No”
As a webcam performer this is your business, and YOU are in charge. Of course, you want to please your viewers, but that doesn’t mean doing anything that you feel is “over the line” or makes you feel uncomfortable. Viewers are playing in your sandbox, which means they can either follow your rules or leave.
If anyone ever makes you feel uncomfortable and you’ve tried your best to get them to follow your rules, don’t be afraid to use the “block” button.
Built in Computer Web Cameras
Computer webcams rarely provide the best quality images. Invest in a good external web camera. Your paycheck will thank you.
Don’t Break Site TOS
Part of picking your site is reviewing the TOS. If you don’t like a site’s TOS, move on. If something is unclear to you, ask their support team to clarify. Once you decide to go with a site though, you are accepting their TOS — and if you break the rules there will likely be consequences.
It’s not pragmatic to invest so much time in building up your page on a site, moving followers and so on just to turn around and get banned for violating rules that were spelled out in the beginning.
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Gabriella Vita is from Las Vegas, NV and has been writing for over ten years under multiple pen names. She believes variety is the spice of life, which is why she enjoys writing on a plethora of subjects. Email her at gabby@ynotcam.com.
Background header image via Unsplash here.
