Whether you’re a new cam model, or even a renowned one, there are certain mistakes on cam that everyone is bound to make. So, to polish up your shows and make sure that you deliver nothing but perfection, here are some of the common “don’ts” that you should be aware of and try to avoid.
1 • BEING A COPYCAT
Close-ups are great and always make things exciting. Nevertheless, it can get tiring to watch a model in the same position for many hours.
I know, it can be hard to find your essence and create your own persona, but that’s where both the challenge and the success lie. It’s OK to look for inspiration from other models — in fact, it’s advisable to do so — but don’t take the easy path of being too similar to others by wearing the same clothes, having a similar-looking room, putting on the same style of show, etc. Take other models just as a reference to help you find your own formula. The only way to stand out from the crowd is to be unique.
2 • ONLY RESPONDING TO USERS WITH TOKENS
This is something that I see more often than I should. A lot of models don’t bother to reply to gray users who don’t have tokens, thinking that they are freeloaders. However, this is not a good move for two reasons. First of all, it doesn’t create a good impression for other users in the room. You could come across as snobbish, which doesn’t benefit you in any way. Users could think that if one day they run out of tokens, you might stop being their friend, and this might drive them away. The second reason is that you never know who your next top spender could be. By being nice to a gray user, you could prompt them to buy tokens for the first time and start tipping you.
3 • BEING IN A RUSH
Most members just want to have a good time, so don’t be in a rush to finish your show. Just like in real intimacy with your partner, it’s important to devote a good amount of time to foreplay before you get into the real action. Now, how can you prolong your show? Practice some warmups. For instance, if you’re doing a dildo show, you can start by playing with it slowly before speeding up; involve your hands too. The game of seduction is key here.
4 • NOT DELIVERING WHAT YOU PREACH
The best way to ruin your reputation is promising something that will never happen. Sometimes it might be hard to keep up with all the incoming requests, and that’s why it’s important to use all the tools your platform has to offer for your benefit, such as tip menus, wheels of fortune or goal functionality.
5 • USING THE CLOSE-UP SHOT TOO MUCH
Close-ups are great and always make things exciting. Nevertheless, it can get tiring to watch a model in the same position for many hours. The best way to keep your audience stimulated is by giving them different frames and things to look at. When you want the attention drawn to your intimate parts, a close-up camera angle is the answer, but consider changing the frame from time to time — especially when you want to do something different, like a sensual dance, for example, with a general view of your whole figure.
6 • PLAYING ON YOUR PHONE
If you were working in an office or in a shop dealing with the public face to face, would you be on your phone? I hope your answer is no! Well, camming is no different. You must give users the illusion that you’re there ready for them and really present in the moment, enjoying everything about your job. Otherwise, it might put them off to see you bored playing on your phone or scrolling through social media. And believe it or not, finding models doing this is more common than you might think.
7 • BEING IDLE
By this, I mean that you should not sit there waiting for someone to tip you before you start doing your thing. If nothing’s going on in your room and you’re waiting for someone to kickstart the action, simply make it happen! As a cam model, it’s your responsibility to fire up your room. Move sensually, touch yourself and be playful; do things that can prompt users to tip you.
Camming is a lot of work, and it’s hard to be at the top of your game all the time. But there’s a lot of competition out there. If you can avoid letting any of these bad habits creep in, you will have a solid baseline from which to start building up your own unique persona, engaging shows and devoted audience.
Eva is an industry insider who helps performers make money on their own terms. When she’s not writing a blog post, poking around online or networking, she is practicing yoga or doing Netflix marathons. Contact her at eva@stripchat.com.
