Becoming a cam girl may sound like an amazing job. You get to work from home, set your own hours, and be your own boss. Those are great benefits, but if you’re new to the webcam industry, you may not realize how much work this job also involves. It’s more than sitting in front of a camera chatting with people in an online sex chat and occasionally taking your clothes off for them. This is a small business you’re running, and it must be treated like one. If you’re considering giving it a try and have been looking for “how to become a cam girl” tips, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together the ultimate guide to making it big as a webcam girl.

Wait, What Is a Cam Girl, Anyway?

A webcam girl, cam girl, webcam model… these are all different names for someone who performs online. Usually, these girls work out of their homes and do everything from set design to makeup and tech support themselves. Some perform on free sex chat rooms that focus on stripping and getting naked, while others may join adult cam chat sites where members expect to see them perform sexual acts or fetishes on camera.

Cam girls make their money by doing private shows. They start off in a free chat anyone can join. When a member of the chat wants to go private, they pay the cam girl to go into a private chat with them. That’s where the girl usually gets naked or acts out some fantasy for the person. These private chats are usually billed by the minute, and some can last an hour or more.

How to Become a Cam Girl?

Getting started as a webcam girl isn’t as easy as you may think. For example, you might have a webcam built into your laptop, but that camera is likely much too low-quality for what you need. You may assume you can perform in your bedroom, but that may not be the case, either, because the lighting may not be right. There are many different things you have to have and understand before you can get into one of the best cam sites out there and earn a lot of money:

A set to perform on A high-speed internet connection An HD quality webcam Knowledge of marketing Makeup and hairstyling skills Understanding of how to run a business A passion to become a webcam girl

These are just some of the basic things you’ll need in your cam girl starter kit. Being a webcam girl is a job, and it’s one you’re likely to be doing alone. You’ve got to fully commit to it if you want to be a high earning cam model. Let’s take a more in-depth look at some of the things you’ll need to become one of the best webcam models out there.

Creating Your Set

While you may be tempted to simply use your bedroom as your webcam set, there are a few reasons why this isn’t a good idea. First, you want to protect your privacy, and your bedroom may have photos and other décor that might unintentionally give away information about you and your location. Second, you need a space that isn’t distracting and is private. You don’t want someone walking in during one of your webcam shows, and that could happen if you share a bedroom with someone. You also want to keep your bedroom as your place of sanctuary where you can relax, not a place where you work.

Your cam room is a place where you control the décor. Carefully choose how you decorate the space. Generally, a minimalist look is the way to go because you want your viewers focused on you, not on your surroundings. Don’t include anything personal so no one can determine where you are or what your real name is. Finally, you want to have great lighting, so keep that in mind when setting things up.

You Need to Enjoy Performing on Live Cam Sites

Do you like the idea of doing webcam shows? If you don’t, it’s going to come across in your demeanor and your actions, and you won’t make as much money as you’d like. The best webcam amateurs really do like performing, and it shows. If you’re going to put the required effort and money into getting started as a webcam girl, you need to at least have an interest in it. Otherwise, you might as well get a dull corporate job.

Have the Right Equipment

It’s going to be hard to attract people to your webcam shows if your camera feed is grainy or if your audio is bad. Before you can become a top webcam girl, you’re going to have to invest in the right equipment. You need to have a good laptop or PC that can run the software the best cam sites require. You’ll also need to have an HD webcam that’s at least 1080p resolution. The webcam built into your laptop or that came with your computer is simply not going to cut it. You’ve got to pay for a nice one.

You also need to have a good internet connection. Look at what your internet service provider offers and select the top package. If there’s any lag or buffering, don’t expect your audience to stick around. They will quickly move on to a girl who has a better connection. The best cam girl sites often have internet speed and camera requirements that you must meet in order to join.

In addition to IT items, you may also need to invest in some lights, a microphone, additional décor for your set, outfits, makeup, and even sex toys. Fortunately, many of these items aren’t too expensive, but remember that you are investing in your business. It may seem like you’re paying for a lot up front, but it will all pay off in the end.

Make Your Show Look Professional

You want to look like a professional cam model, even if this is your first show. With that in mind, here are a few tips to make it look like you’ve done this for years and really understand your market.

Put some thought into your outfit. You want to look sexy and appealing. Consider layers. That way, you can remove clothing during your show without giving away anything. Drive them crazy with a burlesque strip show and get them to pay for the ending. Have some adult toys on hand to use if your customers ask for them. Consider catering to those who have a specific fetish or two. It makes you stand out. Use soft lighting that makes it easy to see you on camera. Invest in light bulbs that replicate natural lighting and avoid harsh fluorescent bulbs.

Learn How to Attract an Audience

As a webcam amateur, you may not know how to really attract viewers to your show. There’s a lot of competition out there, and you really need to stand out. First, you need to come up with a great username. Don’t use your real name or anything that can identify you outside of your cam show – you don’t want people showing up on your doorstep!

Once you have your name, you need to take some great pictures. These photos will be used on the cam sites you join, and it’s the only thing a potential client is going to see before they join your room. If it’s a bad photo, you’re not going to get many visitors. Try several different options to see which one brings in more viewers.

Write an interesting backstory for your webcam persona and include these details in your profile. You want to come across as an interesting, likable person. Even if you’re not revealing anything true about yourself, you need to create a full backstory, so you come across as a well-rounded person.

How Much Do Cam Girls Make?

The biggest question many people have is how much do cam girls make? As a new webcam girl, you may not make as much money as an established model. The live cam site you join may also affect your pay. Once you build up a following, though, you may be making several thousand dollars a week. It all depends on how often you’re online and how many regular clients you attract. If you can do something that makes you stand out from other webcam girls, you may quickly start earning a nice amount of money. It’s very possible to earn a living as a webcam girl.

Consider Connecting with Other Cam Girls

There are many cam girls out there, and some of them have formed a community of sorts. While they’re your competitors in some sense, they’re also your co-workers. You can join forums specifically for cam girls where you can share tips, learn about new live cam sites, and more. You may find yourself a mentor who will help you succeed in the industry, or at the very least, you’ll pick up a few tips to help you gain more private shows. There are even some webcam modeling companies out there that will help you get started, but they will take a cut of your profits, too.

Be Ready for the Trolls

In an ideal world, your viewers would always be respectful to you and everyone else participating in the free adult cam chat. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. You may find trolls have invaded your chat and are saying horrible things about you and the other people you’re chatting with. Take a deep breath and then ignore them. It’s not worth engaging with these rude individuals and getting into an argument is only going to cause some of your viewers to leave. Also, see if the cam site you’re using gives you the option to kick people out of your chat. If they do, make use of it when necessary.

Be Safe

Speaking of trolls, you do have to be careful that you don’t reveal your location or real name to anyone. You do not want a stalker to find out where you live and harass you offline. Never give out any personal information such as your real name or your address, even if you believe a person is trustworthy.

Make sure any software you’re using does not report your location and that there’s nothing on camera that might give away where you live. You may also want to open a separate bank account or get another phone line under a business name if you want to add extra protection.

Remember, this is a Job

You’re not just hanging out in free adult chat rooms and taking your clothes off for random strangers just for fun – it’s a job. You want to know how to make money as a webcam model, and this is it: you have to treat it as work. You’re running a small business that you’re building from the ground up, and you always need to remember that. You’ll need to invest time and energy into keeping it going, just as you would any other business. Don’t get discouraged if you find yourself not making the money you want right away or going through a low period. It happens to all businesses.

Your Reputation on Adult Cam Chats Is Important

If you get a reputation for being rude, boring, or rarely online, it will hunt you for quite some time. You’ll become known as a cam girl who isn’t worth spending money on, and that will greatly damage your career. You want to cultivate a following of repeat clients who know what you offer and will tell others that you’re worth spending money on. It may take some time, but if you make use of other social media sites, regularly appear online, and engage your regular customers, you’ll grow your business.

The Pros and Cons of Being a Webcam Amateur

Just like any job, there are pros and cons to being a cam girl.

Pros:

You work from home and set your own hours. You can make a lot of money a month. It’s not unheard of for the top camgirls on the highest paying webcam sites to bring in an average of $10k a month. You become famous online and get to feel like a celebrity. It’s a fun job that isn’t the same boring 9 to 5 every day. After seeing how many people like you and are willing to pay for a private session, your self-esteem will shoot up and you’ll have a renewed confidence in yourself.

Cons:

You may feel like you have to lie about what you do for a living. It can be hard dating someone or being married when you’re a cam girl, especially if your significant other is the jealous type. You may always have a slight fear of being “outed” as a cam girl. You will be naked on the internet. While you’ll be using an assumed name, there’s still the fact that naked photos and videos of you are out there for the world to see. You’re not going to make a huge amount of money right away. It’s a competitive industry, and you have to build up your following.

Tips for Making More Money as a Professional Webcam Girl

While it does take some time to build up a large following, there are a few shortcuts you can take. Webcamming is all about presentation. If you look amazing, have top of the line video equipment, and have carefully crafted a set that’s well-lit, you’ll be ahead of many other cam girls.

To that end, you have to take the time to pamper yourself. Do your makeup and hair, hide any blemishes, and pick out outfits that look great on you. You also need to keep your set clean and organized so the viewer is focused on you, not on the clutter. Always try to do your best in each show. Don’t let on that you’re tired, stressed, or upset about anything. Basically, you’re an actor who is playing a role, and you’ve got to nail every scene.

Don’t be afraid to change things up. If you’re not making the money you want, try wearing something different or changing up your set. See what people respond to and be willing to change as needed. Also, while you may identify as straight, don’t be afraid to try out a lesbian chat room. You may find that you make more money from women than you do from men.

Create a Wish List

Once you start seeing a nice profit from the different adult cam chat sites you’ve joined, you might want to consider upping your game a little bit by buying some extra items. In fact, some of the top cam girls actually create an Amazon wish list that they share with their clients. Once you have a very loyal following, some of these people may want to buy you an extra gift or two in addition to paying to go into a private chat. Let them!

What should you include on this wish list? Make sure everything on it is something you can use in a show. Fancy underwear, sex toys, silk sheets… anything that you think your fan base might want to see you wear or use.

If you’re going to go this route, though, you will definitely want to open a post office box and have everything sent to it. Never have items sent to your home address.

Using an affiliate link is a great way to make a little extra money from your social media sites. Instead of linking to your profile on one of your webcam sites, use the affiliate link. When someone clicks on this link and then signs up for the site, you get a small referral fee. It’s often not a great amount of money, but every little bit helps. Some of the best webcam sites also give you the option of getting a percentage of all of the money one of your referrals spends on the site. That can add up to a lot more in the long run than the sign-up bonus.

Now that you know how to be a camgirl, you’re ready to go out there and create your webcam girl business. Just remember to always treat it like a business – if you do, you’ll go far and be incredibly successful!