Examining all sides of a career is crucial when considering going down a career path. Unfortunately, being a webcam model is sometimes misunderstood, and a stigma still exists that might prevent some from working in the industry. By being conscious of the pros and cons of being a webcam model, you can decide whether this is the best gig for you.
The Good Things About Being a Webcam Model
Control
As a webcam model, you control who interacts with you and how you interact with them. If there’s something you don’t want to do, you don’t do it. It’s that simple. No supervisor or manager pressuring you to do something or act in a way you don’t want to. Do what you’re comfortable with and leave the rest.
If someone is acting like a bully, inappropriate, or in some other way that makes you uncomfortable, you can easily ban them and never have to deal with them again. You have the right to refuse to deal with someone based on your own criteria.
You also choose when you work and when you don’t. If you have family or other work requirements, health concerns, schooling, or you just prefer to have control over when you do and do not work; this might be an excellent choice for you. You still have to work, but you get to choose when during the day you do it.
Passive Income Stream Opportunities
Once you’ve put in the work upfront, you’ll be able to offer products to your fans that they can purchase and download even when you’re not working. Creating these private cam videos can be a great way to make money off something you only do once. You can also make services and products with a subscription or recurring payment plan attached to anticipate income better.
Random Gifts
One aspect of being a webcam girl is the personal connection that you can create with your best clients. They are your biggest clients because they like you, which sometimes translates to wanting you to be happy. If you set up a wish list correctly, they may start buying things you want and sending them to you so you can have them. Sometimes you can even wear or show these things in a stream or private session that will further establish that connection.
Income and Confidence Boosting
The beauty of being a webcam model is that people want to see what you offer and will appreciate and compliment you accordingly. Your confidence will skyrocket as people shower you with praise, which translates to better performance, more income, and more recognition. It becomes a cycle that feeds itself.
The Bad Things About Being a Webcam Model
Risk Of Recording
Although you have control over who accesses streams and can remove them if you want, recording is still a risk. Someone could easily record a live stream and plaster it all over the internet. Unfortunately, revenge porn, the practice of sharing someone’s private images in places they didn’t consent to it being transferred, is at an all-time high, and webcam models are at a higher risk of this than most. People may also record it and upload it to a porn site, making money off your work without your consent and exposing you to a higher risk than you were willing to take on.
You Will Be Exposed Eventually
With privacy and security settings, you can limit the scope of who sees your videos. However, this might limit your income and reach and might not be as effective as you hope. No matter what, there are really only 6 degrees of separation between us and everyone else, and the odds of someone who knows you making the connection between you and that webcam model are too high to discount.
It’s important to go into being a webcam model with the knowledge that eventually, someone who knows you from your offline life will find out and potentially tell others. In addition, your family and friends will likely find out about your online gig; if you can’t stand that idea, you may want to look at another line of work.
High Workload
Starting as a webcam model is starting a business, and as such, it has all the hustle and grind at the beginning that we associate with a traditional business. You won’t start your first month making 10K and might even not make any money at all. You’ll need to put in a lot of work upfront, diversify your income streams, and be a smart business owner and worker to get yourself to a high-income place. Of course, you’re in charge of schedule and workload, but that means you have to put the effort in to get the results.
Fluctuating Income
Once you hit a monthly high and get the warm glow, don’t be disappointed if the next month isn’t quite so high. Your monthly earnings depend on so much more than just you; many factors are outside your control. One month may be the best you’ve ever had, while the next is the worst since you started. Using the high months to put away money and manage your cash flow to have something to rely on when there are lean months is essential.
The Internet Never Forgets
Once you post something online, it will never wholly disappear. It will forever be somewhere on a dark corner of the internet and may come back later in your life, appearing with someone you didn’t expect to have or see it. Some models had bad experiences when they went live once, and it was recorded, and they could not get it removed. So once you choose to be a webcam model, it’s crucial to accept that the things you put on streams may be on the internet forever.
Two Sides to Every Coin
Although there are cons to working in the adult industry, the pros must also be considered when considering the decision to become a webcam model. However, it can be an excellent opportunity to earn for years if you’re not intimidated by being in the adult industry.