Camgirl guide, Getting Started

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So you want to learn how to be a camgirl?

A guide to starting a web model career.

Well you've come to a good place to get started.  I'll be running through a how to get started guide for both male and female cam models alike.  So sit back, relax and let us get down and dirty ;).

So, if you've come here, I am going to assume you have an interest in working as a web model.  Web model being the fancy term for CamGirl or Camboy.  So the question on your mind right now is probably "How do I get started?"

Probably the most daunting part of caming is the beginning when you're completely lost. But that's ok, that is what this blog is for!

• Q: "Where and how do I get started?" 

 The first questions of every aspiring cam model.  So first things first, if you have decided this is something you want to do, you will need to decide if you want to go completely independent and do private skype shows or if you want to work for one of the many sites out there.

In my honest opinion I would go with the sites for just starting off.  You're still an independent model in the sense you dictate your shows and hours and more or less everything really.  Even prices to a degree.  All with the added bonus of them doing the majority of the leg work for already building an audience that they give you easy access to promote to.   As well as handling the payments from clients.

So this area I'm going to go over working with the sites.  I'll cover working complete independent in another section.

So back to deciding which site to start off with.  If you google cam-site no doubt you'll get hundreds of links which can be overwhelming to choose from.  So to make things easier I've compiled a small list of the more well known ones that I have experience with.

Now each site has something called a commission rate.  The commission rate is essentially your cut of the profits.  The site obviously gets a chunk for their overhead costs and marketing efforts to get customers to the website.  But anyway lets go on to the sites.

At the moment there are a few sites that are popular amongst the communities.  I'll go over them briefly below.  Obviously the ones I have experience with I'll be able to more detailed with.  I do plan on trying out the other highly rated Chat Sites so I can give a better and more detailed review on how to make the most of them.  So wait for those in the future.

1. Chaturbate:

Chaturbate focuses a lot on being a community which has become a sort of unique party environment.  Meaning models typically do group shows dictated by the model themselves, rather than the typical 1on1 private shows.  Though they do allow the models to perform private shows.

Who is it good for?  Men/Women/couples, more or less everyone really.  It has a community and exhibitionist environment going for it, so it tends to attract all types of viewers looking for all types of models.

Commission: 50%

Bonuses: Hourly contests for the models to earn extra income. Allows models to sell Pics/Videos on site.

Offers Geoblocking: Yes

For more detailed review of my experience with Chaturbate and all it has to offer, including how to make the most of its features and find the sign up links. Click here.

  
       2. Video Secrets (Aka Flirt4Free):

Flirt4Free is centered around private shows mainly.  They have a massive network of sites that they promote their models on which means lots of potential customers.   They can kind of be hit or miss in the cam model communities due to their strict policies on what you're allowed to do in free chat.  What I mean by that is when you're in public chat they don't allow you to perform sex acts.  This forces customers to actually pay for a show and prevents other models from giving it all away for free.

Commission: Starts at 27% but increases over time.  As well though the main clients the site attracts are typically high spenders with a higher dollar per a minute charge.  So that starting 27% earns more than you would think.

Bonuses: Lots of major contests centered around holidays, and minor contests as well.  Chances to win large cash prizes for top models. Interactive sex machines for more experienced models.  Massive amounts of ways to promote yourself and keep track of your clients to optimize your earnings.  Massive network to promote to.  Performer rank is determined by activity not view count.  flirt has their own private video site which models can push sample clips of their videos too, to further promote their room and videos for sale.  Offer phone sex capabilities for models.  They've been around for close to 20 years and are active with adult industry trade shows like the Adult Entertainment Expo.


Offers Geoblocking: Yes

If you sign up with Flirt, during the sign up process make sure you sign up as a performer, not a studio. What's the difference you may ask?  A studio is someone in charge of other performers.  And a Performer is obviously someone that's interested in performing.  I will discuss studios later and why as performers you should careful of them.

For more detailed review of my experience with Flirt4Free and all it has to offer, including how to make the most of it's features. Click here.

A few other sites the models are enjoying but I don't have any experience with yet.  I will try them out soon and get reviews up.


        3. Streamate

Commission ranges from 30-35% as I can tell.

They are focused around privates and listing models by client fetish.

Offers Geoblocking: Yes


        4. MyFreeCams

This is girls only, they do not accept male models.  Sorry fellas.

Commission is 60%

From what I've heard from the girls that work here.  The place can be a real hit or miss for the models.  Some models swear by it, others say the majority of people are just looking to see what they can get out of the model for free.


Offers Geoblocking: Yes

• Q: "How do I choose, do I go after sites with best commission?"

Nope.  Never go to a site based on their commission rate only.  I'm sure you're wondering why.  I mean it makes no sense to work for a a site that offers 30% of every dollar compared to a site that offers 60%.
But here is the thing, commission isn't everything. I work on both Chaturbate and Flirt4Free.  CB as you read has a commission of 50% and Flirt starts off at 27%.  I make about 1.5x to 3x the amount at Flirt than I do at Chaturbate.
It's all about the type of traffic the site pulls in and how well you're able to take advantage of it.  On Chaturbate I can pull in 300+ viewers on a good day.  Average is about 100+.  On flirt my average is 20-30, a good day is about 50-70.  So you'd think I would make more money on Chaturbate, since more views and a higher commission.  The problem lies in monetizing those viewers.  Sure I get a ton of viewers at Chaturbate, but most of them are in your room hoping for a free show paid by others.  In Flirt the only show viewers get are ones they pay for. 

You can find sites that offer 80%+ commission to draw in models, which sounds amazing, but if their is no traffic to the site, you're not working, so you're not getting paid.  Which means you're getting 80% of nothing.  Not to say you shouldn't look into those sites.  Odds are that commission rate isn't going to stay and if you feel they are genuinely trying to grow larger and it's showing.  It's a great idea to get in on it.

• Q: "So if not based on commission then what?"

For your first site to work with.  That's the toughest pick.  I would not recommend working for the site you want to work for right off the bat.  Mainly because you want some experience before you go to those sites.  So you can take full advantage of all they have to offer from day one.
My recommendation is to use Chaturbate as your first.  The atmosphere is more relaxed and you are free to experiment more in finding your niche, as well as understanding the dynamics of performing and what to expect.
From there you should pick a site that makes you happy and you are comfortable working for.  If Chaturbate ends up being that site, awesome.  If not, you can use what you learned to start off stronger at another site.

• Q: "What will I need to sign up?

When you sign up they will ask for various forms of information.  Drivers license, SSN, and/or other forms of I.D to confirm your age and you are who you say you are.
You will need a webcam and mic.  The higher the quality the better.  Almost every site gives better rankings to cam models who have HD cams.

That's more or less it.


Some words of wisdom when signing up with new sites.

• Never pay to sign up for a site.

• Don't sign up with individuals.  If someone is asking you to sign up with their studio.  probably a scam.  Not 100% of the time, but be extremely cautious.   You'll sign up with them and they'll take a portion of your earnings for no work on their part.   Regardless, a good thing to do even if you didn't go through an individual is to double check your earnings at the end of your pay period.  Make sure you're getting the full commission for your level.  If you have issues email the company support staff directly. Support should always have an official email, not some 3rd party email like @gmail.com.  If you're thinking of intentionally signing up with a studio, make sure you research them heavily.  Ask them for information on resources they provide, what cut they take from your earnings.  Where they are based in.  If they reside in your country you have more legal options should something go wrong.  If they reside in another country you might just be S.O.L if they screw you over.  Essentially make sure they genuinely have something to offer you as a model.  That's worth it to you.

•  Q: "Is there anything else I should know of when joining a site?"

 Yes, you should read over their model agreements carefully.  Personally I don't join sites that don't let me perform elsewhere.  It's rare that I've seen, but occasionally you'll come across sites that don't allow models to work elsewhere while they work there.  As well as make sure they have geoblocking capabilities.  Geoblocking lets you block states and countries.  So if you want to make sure your neighbor wont accidentally stumble upon your profile.  You can Geoblock your state, so you wont appear to them in any fashion.  Even if they some how got a hold of your username   Most sites you sign up for to perform on will own whatever media you upload.  So understand you might not have rights to that video you made for a client on that particular site.

•  Q: "I signed up with my first site... Now what?"

Go here and read about starting strong(Section currently being developed check back in a few days.).  The first 2 weeks are always the most crucial with whatever site you sign up with. 

Good Luck!