The very nature of live camming relies heavily on the dynamic between cam models and their viewers during private and public chat sessions. But, when the show is over and tokens stop flowing, performers often turn to alternative revenue streams to bolster their success offline.
This can involve a wide range of other opportunities, including membership sites, clips and custom content sales, photos and premium social media access, personal item sales — and for the savviest, using their cam network’s affiliate program to make the most of their earnings by leveraging social media to drive traffic to their cam room or custom white label site — and more.
I sell memberships on MFC, which also gives users access to take me to private shows while I’m online. Only those members have that access.
Recently, XBIZ asked a group of top cam models, “What are your most profitable revenue streams?”
Like many of the professional models interviewed for this article, Angels Studio model UrCuteSarah (@UrCuteSarah), its top earner on the popular ImLive network, says she only does camming.
It is the short course to camming career success echoed by many 2017 XBIZ Cam Award winners, but an approach that leaves money on the table — unless additional steps are taken.
XBIZ Best Movie Cam Star Shawna Leneé (@ShawnaLeneeShow) told XBIZ she is very proud of the income she makes per hour.
“This allows me to work less and earn more,” Leneé explains. “My goal has always been to make the most amount of money in the least amount of time.”
“Affiliate marketing with the Chaturbate affiliate program is also very profitable for me, as I share my links on Twitter consistently. Some days, I make enough affiliate money that I have no need to get on cam!” Leneé enthused. “It’s like making money just from tweeting. I find this to be so much fun and it makes me feel like I am not only growing my own brand but also Chaturbate’s brand, which helps all models there!”
“Camming and membership sales are where I make most of my money,” XBIZ Best Trans Cam Model Kelly Pierce (@MrsKellyPierce) reveals. “I’d say panties and personal videos would come in a close second, but overall I make most of those sales when I’m live on cam.”
XBIZ Best Cam Model — North America Vera Sky (@VeraSkyLive) says her preferred site to cam on is CamSoda.com, where she has been camming for the past year, saying it completely changed her life.
“Besides camming, selling my Snapchat is always a huge success!” Sky declares. “The best way to sell it is just to find a random Twitter promo page that has created a public Snapchat that will let you do a Snapchat takeover. Some of my favorite takeovers were for the RedTube and YouPorn public Snapchat.”
She says Snapchat takeovers “are incredible because you’re free to upload as many photos as you like, showing your audience how sexy you are.”
“Then you can also show them another side of you, by opening the messages section to answer questions about yourself!” she enthuses. “You can post links to your chat room, your clip site, your personal website and, of course, information on how to purchase your Snapchat!”
Sky notes that many such sessions receive more than 20,000 views providing a huge sales potential.
In addition to premium social media access, clip and custom video sales are a great way to increase the amount of per-fan revenues.
“The majority of my income comes from camming,” confided XBIZ Best BBW Cam Model Raquel Love (@LoveRaquelxo). “I’ve only just started focusing more attention on my clip stores this year so slowly but surely building my income from there as well.”
For her part, XBIZ Best Fetish Cam Model Vicky Vixxx (@RealVickyVixxx) says she makes the bulk of her income “from custom video orders with clip sales coming in second,” illustrating how specialty content and unique approaches can influence the equation.
“Camming and clip sales are the root of my adult industry income,” XBIZ Industry Trailblazer Ela Darling (@ElaDarling) explains, “though most of my time is spent developing new technology and spreading the good word of virtual reality.”
XBIZ Best MILF Cam Model Jenny Blighe (@JennyBlighe) says she currently makes most of her income at MyFreeCams, PornHub and ManyVids, but notes that, like many others, she makes significant sales via Snapchat.
“I sell memberships on MFC which also gives users access to take me to private shows while I’m online,” Blighe told XBIZ. “Only those members have that access.”
XBIZ Best Cam Duo BlondeRider and RobxxxRider (@Blonde_RiderXXX) say although ManyVids is a nice stream that creates income when they are not physically online, live cam shows drive the most revenue.
“We love Chaturbate and have some great chemistry together that makes our shows very attractive to viewers,” the daring duo told XBIZ. “The future for us will include much more as far as memberships, merchandise and platforms, etc.”
With a large number of networks and individual sites operating in the live cam space, each has evolved its own community and culture, attracting a unique mix of models and fans that breeds excellence.
Ava Moore, a.k.a. “Chiennette” (@AvaMoorex) told XBIZ her primary source of income is from her live shows on Ava-Moore.com and CAM4.
“Then, it is Club Ava which is, in fact, the member zone of my site, which offers all my videos, more than 1,000 pictures, and exclusive content, by monthly or annual subscription without commitment,” Moore explains. “My Snapchat also sells very well on my site and on CAM4.”
“My dirty panties also have a lot of success in the shop of my website and on CAM4, just like my most unusual objects — inserted lollipops and ‘cummy bears,’” she adds. “I also sell my videos on ManyVids and PiggyBankGirls.”
Moore notes she regularly wins popularity contests on CAM4 and PiggyBankGirls, providing extra income.
For CAM4 model Sammy Shayne (@SammyStrips), it’s a pretty even split between camming and video sales followed by memberships to her site, and then premium Snapchat, making up her revenues.
“I will say though that if I start to ignore any one of those streams, I see my sales start to slip on all of them,” Shayne shares. “I think it's really important to put yourself out there and stay as active as possible to keep the sales flowing in!”
Yolandi (@Missjunngle) also says her top tool for making money right now is CAM4, but notes there are other opportunities for girls willing to go the extra mile.
“I have been a model for CAM4 for more than a year, which has led me to have loyal tippers who always come back for a bit more of Missjunngle (I love you guysYolandi enjoys a second income from independent Skype shows that arise from her use of different social networks such as Twitter and Instagram, plus classified advertising, etc.
“Using my networking and Skype contacts I also do direct sales of videos, panties, even dildos, and to my closest fans, I also offer the opportunity to buy my WhatsApp to have a more personal side of me,” Yolandi confides. “Last but never the least, I make a very good use of ManyVids. They have a very well structured website with lots of users and your profile is constantly connected to your Twitter account, making it easy for promotion.”
“My most profitable revenue stream I would have to say is when I am online camming,” Layla Savage (@xLaylaSavagex) reveals. “When I’m live, I can accept tips, take private shows, [and also] talk about my content and other items I have available.”
Like her network counterparts, Lady Serra (@LadySerra69) says her most profitable revenue stream is broadcasting on CAM4, while Sofia Star (@SpanishStarX) says most of her revenue comes from camming followed by videos sales and then personal item sales.
“While I sell my Snapchat, fan club, and videos, my live shows and private shows are where I make the most money,” Lala Capri (@Lala_Capri1) told XBIZ, adding, “CAM4 is the only site I cam for, so come and join me there about four or five nights a week!”
For professional models working Jasmin’s elegant live cam network, camming is a full-time job and the primary revenue stream.
“I love what I do and enjoy so much spending time with my members and being a cam girl. This is my full-time job,” Alis Ribeiro (@AlisRibeiroLJ) told XBIZ. “Nevertheless, I promote very high-quality photos and videos that are only posted on my Jasmin premium channel, making people become members (if they are not members yet) to get 9.99 free credits and 10 peeks to spend with me.”
Ribeiro makes the most of her relationship with Jasmin by posting her member referral link on her Twitter.
“I ask them to create an account and then be part of my fan club. They start paying monthly an amount of money for this content and for more updates that I upload every week,” Ribeiro explains. “I am not interested to get work or earn money out of my page, I just use my social media as a value-add to make people spend money on me, but in Jasmin.”
Demmi Dee (@Demmixx1) confides that more than 95 percent of her income is made from camming, with the remaining five percent coming from fan club memberships.
Camming is a very personal endeavor, and for Jasmin’s Guilty Caprice (@GuiltyCaprice), getting into camming also meant the start of a new life.
“I stayed loyal to [camming] as it gives me a lot of satisfaction,” Caprice told XBIZ. “For sure, I will start developing new means of promoting myself and earn money at the same time, but for now, my full focus goes to camming.”
Echoing the personal factor, Megan White (@Megaan_Whitee) told XBIZ she tried clip sales for a few weeks, but I didn’t like it.
“I mean, that kind of thing is not for me, but I am pretty sure that for some girls it works very good,” Megan explains, adding, “the most profitable revenue stream for me is camming, for sure.”
Models including Angelaxxdemir, DeliciousAngel, IsabellaEtthan, sweetreya_love97 and SweetRoxxy, rely on Stripchat’s advanced platform for the bulk of their online earnings. Angela Demir (@WildLovelyAngel) told XBIZ, “I make my income camming on Stripchat and I love it!”
“My fans really love the raffles I do, and I award them prizes at the end of the month. The winner is my most generous fan/tipper of the month, every month. Prizes can be things like my panties, a custom photo of my body, a week of good morning pictures I’ll send daily, and so on,” Demir explains. “I focus on motivating my users and rewarding them for their generosity. Like, the biggest tipper of the day will get a special video from me at the end of my broadcast — it’s my way of showing thanks and keeping them tuned into my shows.”
Delicious Angel (@DeliciousAngell) says she streams actively on Stripchat and has never really tried other ways of earning money online.
“The majority of my earnings online come from tips and privates or from selling photo and video albums. I intend in the near future to open my own personal website that will be based on a monthly subscription (for a certain fee),” Angel explains. “I want to also have my own site so that my fans will be able to find more exclusive photo and video albums, a personal blog I create and lots of personalized merchandise (T-shirts, caps, toys, etc.).”
Isabella Etthan (@IsabellaEtthanX) says that for her, the most profitable revenue comes when she is streaming on Stripchat.
“It’s a different kind of connection than let’s say, social media,” Etthan told XBIZ. “What I mean is that members enjoy buying personalized items, but they love it, even more, when they see me live. Especially when we get to play games or have a private moment where the member can have me all to himself.”
For Reya (@Sweet_Reya), making money online is simple.
“My most profitable way that I make money is from camming,” Reya reveals. “This is basically all I do, and it’s working out great for me!”
Roxxy (@Roxxy_Sweet) also says her most profitable revenue comes from camming.
“I do other things as well when I am not online (like having an office job),” Roxxy told XBIZ, “but my best source of income comes from broadcasting on Stripchat.”
Likewise, many of ImLive’s top models, such as SabrinaGrey (@SabrinaGrey) “only do camming,” with this full-featured network offering numerous twists on traditional camming revenue streams.
“In the past three years I have only been camming on ImLive.com and I do most of my money from vibe games which I love more than private shows because I can be myself and do whatever I want there and set my own rules and so on,” HottyTEEN69 (@HottyTeen69) told XBIZ. “Don’t get me wrong, I still love doing privates as well, and that’s definitely the second best thing I love to do at ImLive.”
HottyTEEN69 says she also makes money almost every month from ImLive’s monthly video contest, which she calls “a competition” with themed videos voted on by members.
“I have won a few times,” HottyTEEN69 says. “I don’t run for it every month but when I do I go for #1!”
Last but not least, she says, is profiting from her participation in the discount club.
“It may sound strange when you hear ‘discount club,’” HottyTEEN69 says. “Even though members get discounted per minute rates on private chat with me, I build up a fan base and having more and more fans means more and more regulars, which obviously means more money.”
As with their peers, MalibuBomb (@IamMalibuBomb) makes most of her revenue through camming, while MAMMICHULA (@IamMammichula) adds that ImLive’s prerecorded live sessions and discount clubs memberships are a profitable way to boost earnings.
AJ Studios model Tiffany Daniels (on Instagram @Tifany17daniels) told XBIZ most of her profit comes from live streaming, saying, “I do a lot of privates and Skype shows.”
For her part, Vanessa a.k.a. “Elettra” (on Instagram @Vanessa_Vidal11) says although she’ll do privates from time to time, free chat is very profitable for her, underscoring how a performer’s personality type affects her particular profitability with a given program’s business type.
“I love to be where all the action is!” Elettra exclaims. “I find the free chat very exciting because I’m very voyeuristic. I love feeling watched and knowing people get hot watching me.”
“My principal income comes from my camming time and the special deals I offer on my social media and Snapchat for offline tips on days off or weekends,” Anastaxia Lynn (@AnastaxiaLynn) says. “My clips are starting to sell well on other platforms too!”
For her part, CamWithHer exclusive Layla Lynn (@LaylaLynnCWH) focuses mostly on camming, telling XBIZ, “I do have a private Snapchat and fan club, but the most revenue comes from my cam shows.”
CamWithHer’s Alexandra Steele (@AlexandraSCWH) agrees, saying she does really well on the site working just part time, by making money strictly from private and VIP chats.
“There is potential to make a lot more, obviously, but I’m doing quite well working the way I do, and I’m not stretching myself too thin, or getting stressed,” Steele explains. “My recommendation to models is to do what’s right for you.”
“I’m consistently on the Top 10 list,” she adds, “and yet, having a great time, and making some money, so I must be doing some-thing right!”
Katherine Knowles (@KatherineCWH) also focuses most of her efforts and time on camming.
“I love interacting with people, getting to know each and everyone’s deepest desires and fantasies,” she says. “I’m always trying to make sure each of my customers and fans gets exactly what they want, while still wanting to come back for more.”
She also devotes time and energy to building and promoting her personal fan club. “I’m trying to update it as much as possible for my fans,” Knowles told XBIZ. “My contents vary from sexy pictures to roleplay clips to naughty shows.”
While it’s not surprising that most top cam models earn the bulk of their income from camming, it should also not be surprising that these professionals study their trade and expand their craft to include a growing range of revenue streams — maximizing their profitability and the impact of social media and other marketing efforts.
It is the little extras (like using a true affiliate link rather than a direct link to a cam room from Twitter) that provide incremental increases in income, and separate “top” cam models from the “also cams” — forming lessons not being ignored by the best in the business — as they seek to boost camming’s cash flow beyond the lens.
