How To Get Started Selling Adult Skype Shows
Skype shows are great for making money. Camming models can generally charge more for Skype shows because they’re outside of the network and more private. Camming models generally keep more of the profits as well, as they’re only being charged payment processing fees and not the current revenue-share of the camming network. Customers like Skype shows because it’s a little more private and intimate, as you’ve set the show up just for them. It’s a win for everybody.
Sites For Selling Skype Shows
Site | Model Percentage | Model Directory |
---|---|---|
SkyPrivate | 75-86% | Yes |
Katy’s Skype Model Guide
How Shows Are Structured and Paid For
Sites offer two main types of shows: pay-per-minute, where a plugin or phone call charges the client per minute as the show happens, and prepaid blocks of time, where the client pays for a predetermined number of minutes before the show begins, and the onus is on the model to ensure that they do not go over the time. Models may choose to “rollover” unused minutes, though this is not common.
Risks of Non-Adult Payment Processing
It can be very tempting to use peer-to-peer money transfer options like Google Wallet, PayPal, Circle Pay, Venmo, etc. I would highly recommend that you carefully read through the Terms of Service of any payment service you are interested in using. All 4 of the previously mentioned services explicitly ban any adult industry-related transactions. The penalties for violating the TOS differ, but can include freezing funds, shutting accounts, and permanent bans from the platform.
Some of these platforms will also refund your clients and not penalize them for the transaction, a fact that scammers have figured out (please see below under “common scams”). ALWAYS read the terms of any payment method you plan to use, and do not assume that other models using the platform means that it is an acceptable use.
Amazon Giftcards As Payment
Some models also offer shows in exchange for gift cards. Please note that Amazon specifically includes in their Terms of Service for gift cards that they are not to be used in exchange for services rendered, and they reserve the right to cancel gift cards and transactions that they believe are not true “gifts”. Gift cards can also be cancelled by the purchaser up until they are redeemed for product, which is something to keep in mind.
Entire websites exist that allow scammers to create fake gift card emails, so keep that in mind when you are deciding whether or not to accept gift cards as payment. Most importantly, keep in mind that you need to claim gift cards as income on your taxes, as they have been given in exchange for services rendered.
Handling Inquiries
A lot of models struggle with handling initial inquiries from potential customers. When you’re typing out the same answers over and over, it seems like Skype clients are out to push every button that annoys you. It’s important to remember that the first inquiry on Skype (or via a site’s messaging system) from a potential client is the independent cammodel’s equivalent to a member saying “hi” on a live streaming site. They have the same questions as guys on streaming sites, you just answer the questions in text instead of verbally, and you’re not able to answer to an entire chat room all at once.
If you find it frustrating to reply to the same questions repeatedly, I’d suggest that you keep a document with the answers to common questions for copy-paste purposes. Just like talking with potential customers in free chat while streaming, it is a fine line to walk between answering reasonable questions to determine if you are the right fit for the client’s needs and giving free jerk-off talk. Use your best judgement on how far to go, but remember that this is a potential customer’s first introduction to you–be friendly and approachable, just like you would be greeting members in your cam room to increase your chances of conversion.
Common Scams
Tease Now, Pay Later: A variation on the old “flash me then I’ll take you private” bullshit on streaming sites, these guys want you to type them endless streams of dirty talk to “get them hard” before they buy a show. Spoiler: they never pay.
Preview Proof: Sometimes guys will ask for a preview to confirm that you are the same person on cam as in the photos shown on your profile, often claiming to have been scammed before. Another spoiler: the moment you accept their call you’re going to see their dick, and they’re never going to buy a show.
Refunds: It is increasingly well-known that many popular vanilla payment methods like PayPal and Google Wallet do not permit adult industry transactions, and some guys are exploiting this. A shocking number of models have given into the desire for convenience and higher earning % and still accept payment on Paypal, Google Wallet, Circle Pay, Venmo, etc. They assume the chances of getting caught are low, but with instructions for scams like this circulating on Twitter and Reddit, more models are losing their money.
After paying for a show with a non-adult payment processor, the customer files a refund claim with the company, alleging that the service was not provided, knowing that if the camgirl attempts to fight the claim, her money will be seized and her account closed for violating the terms of service. The customer almost always gets their money back even though they also violated the TOS. Any money in the model’s account will be frozen and may not be retrieved for some time, if it is released at all.
Pricing and Basic Advertising
When you scroll through the cammodels available on some sites, it often seems that everyone has agreed that $2-3 per minute is the standard price for Skype camming. While this may be a common price, there are successful models charging both more and less per minute. When setting your price to start, keep in mind that it is easier to lower your price later on than it is to raise it.
How I set my rates: I initially started out at $3 per minute, but it didn’t seem to be working for me. I tracked the minutes I spent in paid shows per shift to get my % paid number, which is a data point that camsites such as Streamate track for you. I discovered that I wasn’t selling enough shows to make the money I wanted.
I lowered my rates to $2 per minute for a month as an experiment, and found that the decrease in earnings per minute was more than made up for by the increase in the number of shows I sold. Other businesses regularly review their existing pricing structures. There’s no reason your business shouldn’t, too.
3 Things To Focus On When You’re Starting Out
1) Maximizing Your Profile Space
While you don’t need to write a novel or post hundreds of photos, it is important to fully complete your profile. Your profile is the first point of connection with a potential customer, and rather than clicking on your profile picture and heading straight to a live stream where you can catch their attention with your good looks and sparkling personality, they click through to your static profile.
Make sure your profile accurately represents your personality, the type and style of shows you offer, and that you choose photographs that are both high quality and current. It is VERY important that you use photos that accurately reflect your appearance. Heavily retouched photos often lead to poor reviews when customers feel your true appearance does not match the photoshopped images on your profile. Make sure you carefully review the content policies on each site to make sure that your profile doesn’t contain any banned terms, and that your photos are appropriate for the site.
2) Consistency
Like camming on live streaming sites, the hours you put in will directly impact the number of people who see you, and this is a game of numbers. Having a schedule pays off, especially as regulars are extremely important, perhaps more so than with live streaming, as there are fewer potential customers browsing through profiles the way they browse through chat rooms, waiting for someone to catch their eye. Especially when you first start out on Skype shows, expect to be logged in roughly 150% of the hours you spent live streaming. Because you are not in free chat in between private shows, you don’t have to sit smiling in front of your webcam–instead, you can use the time to shoot videos or photos, edit and post content, or continue your latest Netflix binge (guilty).
3) Promotion
One of the trade-offs when you move to the higher payout percentages offered by Skype camming is in promotion. The site mainly offers a listing and payment processing service, and does not invest heavily in promotion in the way that the live streaming sites do (think MyFreeCams, CAM4, Streamate, and Chaturbate sponsoring adult conventions, offering free swag to models active on social media, ads on tube sites, etc).
In exchange for your increased payout percentage, you now need to work to drive traffic to your profile. Make sure to put out your link whenever you are online to make sure your followers know when and where to find you. Get used to keeping your followers up to date on your schedule to make up for any potential loss of traffic from their casual browsing. Use your social media to tease and seduce, promoting your Skype shows wherever you are active (see “Beyond the Basics” for more information on automating promotion).
NITEFLIRT
How it works/what the site offers
Niteflirt started out as a phone sex site, and still uses the pay-per-minute phone call platform to charge for Skype shows by the minute. By posting a “Phone With Cam” listinng in the approprite category, you select the price charged to the customer for a Skype video show done while on the hone with the custmer. Unfortunately, due to the requirement of being on an open phone line while performing a Skype show, many smartphone users are unable to do cam calls without a second device available. Payment for blocks of time via tribute is not permitted by Niteflirt. Niteflirt also offers photo, video, and MP3 sales through their “Goody Bag” feature. Niteflirt recently added an online chat feature, and models (called “Flirts” on the site) can also charge customers for messages sent through the site;s email system.
Payouts
- 70% of call rate (minus the per-minute flat connection fee, taken out before calculating the 70%, further details found here: http://support.niteflirt.com/hc/en-us/articles/212830678-Money-Matters-Commission-Fees), 70% on tributes and content sales.
- Monthly payout and “Express Pay” (money is taken from your NF balance daily and deposited in your bank account vis direct deposit 3-10 days later)
- Cheque or direct deposit
- Affiliate program for bringing in new members (though it should be noted that the terms surrounding the program are so restrictive that it is difficult to truly recruit new members)
What the traffic/promotion is like
Although traffic has declined in recent years (a common complaint by long-time Flirts on the forums), Niteflirt still has a large number of members browsing listings every day. While outside promotion targeted to driving traffic to your profile is still critical and important to increase earnings, maximizing your exposure to members already browsing the site will help you capture some of NF’s strong traffic for yourself.
Setting up a basic profile/listing
NF uses older HTML for profile and listing content. If you spend some time browsing NF, you will see some Flirts with really complex profiles, and some with flashing GIFs straight out of early 00s Geocities. You do not need a fancy profile or listings to get started on NF (and I would argue that you don’t need one at all, period–my listings are all quite simple and have good traffic and conversions). Make sure you include enough photos to give guys a good impression of your appearance (critical for cam calls, which is what I’m focusing on here), as well as text for searchability.
Your main profile is going to be the hub where customers can browse your individual listings as well as find your content for sale. Set up a basic profile with text describing yourself and what you offer, as well as photos. Once you have your profile, submit listings in the relevant categories under Phone With Cam (see below for further information on how to maximize your exposure in categories).
**ALWAYS host any photos you want to use in your listings or profile on NF. They regularly deactivate any photos not hosted on the site, leaving you with no images without warning.**
Maximizing your exposure on the site
Categories: Make listings in each category that is appropriate to you. Many customers browse through listings by category, so make sure you have several active listings. You do not need to create unique listings for each category–you can post identical listings as many times as you want. I tweak some of the text at the top of the listing and swap out the pictures, but the content of my listings is very similar.
Keywords/Search: Customers browsing the site can search by Flirt name, but the search box also uses the text in your listings and profile as searchable content. Make sure that you include keywords in text–if you use images containing text as part of your listing, that text is not searchable. I include a list of the fetishes I offer at the bottom of each listing to increase my search hits. Do NOT include a list of fetishes or shows that you don’t offer–searches for those keywords will turn up your listing, and customers may not read thoroughly before they contact you.
Bidding: Bidding is a pay-per-click way to boost your placement on the site. Your natural placement is determined by a (secret) algorithm based on your recent earnings, ratings, length of calls/shows, as well as the conversion rate from clicks to paying customers for each listing. This placement gets thrown out the window when you bid. It is VITAL to set a budget for bidding, otherwise you will end up losing money very quickly. I would recommend not bidding more per click than you make per minute doing a show (you can find your per-minute earnings on the “Listings” page).
More Information
NF Forums: You’ll need to be logged in to your NF account in one tab to open the NF forums. Note that anything you post in the forums can be seen by customers who create Flirt accounts (more common than you would expect, oddly enough, as the signup process is so simple) so NEVER EVER EVER post something you wouldn’t want a customer to see. There is lots of good information in the forums, and they are worth a browse when you are starting out.
Content Policies: General “PlayFair” rules (PlayFair is their rule system), definitely click through everything in it because there is stuff hidden on other pages (like no nudity also means no pubes).
Official Phone with Cam Instructions: Important if you choose to offer phone with cam.
SKYPRIVATE
How it works/what the site offers
SkyPrivate allows you to accept payment for Skype shows performed using a downloaded plugin. Only the model needs to download the Skype plugin, making it simple and discreet for customers. Customers sign up to the site and load their account using a credit card, then pay for shows at a per-minute rate you specify. You can also set different rates for different customers, a feature that can be useful for certain fetishes.
Although SkyPrivate offers both pay-per-minute and block time payment options for Skype shows, it should be noted that chargebacks have been such a large issue with the block time payments that SkyPrivate no longer covers chargebacks for pre-paid shows. Although I have never had a chargeback on prepaid time, after several models I know did have this experience, I chose to no longer offer block time on SkyPrivate, and exclusively use it for per-minute shows. Chargebacks on per-minute shows are covered.
Payouts
- 75-86% depending on the customer source (affiliate program is connected to your % payout)
- Payout is by request, there does not appear to be a fixed schedule
- Paxum, FirstChoicePay, Bitcoin, direct deposit
- Affiliate program exists for recruiting both customers and models
What the traffic/promotion is like
SkyPrivate has decent traffic, though it is substantially lower than either Cammodel Directory or Niteflirt. A lot of the traffic does seem to be browsers, and the conversion to paying customers is somewhat lower in my experience. This is a site that you will want to drive your own traffic to, which is additionally beneficial as their affiliate program rewards you for bringing in your own customers. The site offers customizable graphics to promote your shows, which is a definite plus if you don’t like to make your own images.
Setting up a basic profile/listing
You set up one main profile on SkyPrivate, and that is all you need. I would strongly recommend only allowing members with enough money in their account for a 5 minute show at your rates to view your Skype ID, as there are a lot of timewasters browsing SkyPrivate.
Maximizing your exposure on the site
Placement on the site seems to be based on earnings as well as time spent logged on. Make sure to include keywords in your profile details, as there is a search function. Linking your Twitter will also automatically tweet when you log in, along with a photo, which is very handy.
CAMMODEL DIRECTORY
How it works/what the site offers
Cammodel Directory (CMD) provides a payment platform for prepaid blocks of time, as well as video sales. Some models also use CMD to accept payment of tributes or for Snapchat sales.
Payouts
- 75% on first $500 monthly, 80% on earnings above $500 in the calendar month
- Weekly payout on Sunday, 1 week in arrears
- Cheque, FirstChoicePay, direct deposit
- No affiliate program
What the traffic/promotion is like
Other than Niteflirt, CMD has the most on-site traffic of the 4 sites I have covered here. The CMD twitter account (@cammodellisting) regularly retweets models who tag them and include a link to their CMD profile.
Setting up a basic profile/listing
Your main profile on CMD is the page that customers are taken to when they click on your profile picture on the homepage. Some customers browse models on the homepage, and some choose to narrow down their choices by selecting a specific category. Put listings in every category that applies to you–like Niteflirt, your listings do not need to have unique content. See below for information on how to stagger your category listings to maximize exposure.
Maximizing your exposure on the site
Outside of the tactics in the article, I recommend signing up for CMD when you know you have a week ahead where you will be able to be available for Skype shows a lot, as you receive an initial “new model bump” in placement as well as a “NEW” tag that tends to draw in a lot of clicks. Placement on CMD (outside of the paid “featured model” spots) is based on your earnings in the previous 7 days.
OTHER SITES
Manyvids
What is offered: You can choose to offer block payment options (including discounts for longer shows) under the “Services” category.
Payout: 60% paid out on the 1st and 16th of the month via FirstChoicePay, cheque, or direct deposit.
ModelCentro
What is offered: You can choose to offer block payment options in a store-type format.
Payout: 75% of revenue after credit card fees (so actually 67.5%) paid out weekly via FirstChoicePay, international wire, Paxum, SEPA transfer, cheque, or direct deposit.
BEYOND THE BASICS
Using social media to sell
When you are a Skype cammodel, your social media becomes more important than it was when you were on a live streaming site. There is no longer you, live on cam, to counter any weak spots in your social media game. Your social media profiles are now the most visible part of your brand, and you need to make sure that they always reflect the image that you want to project. You don’t have the opportunity to convince clients with your smiling face and killer body that you’re awesome, so your social media has to take up part of that burden. Most Skype listing sites allow you to link your social media, and a lot of potential customers will click over to your Twitter or Instagram to see more photos, and if what they see there doesn’t match the image you’re trying to create with your profile, you might just lose the sale.
Driving traffic to one location
I strongly suggest choosing one site as your “main” site. List on several, because more exposure gives you more opportunity to convert potential customers, but choose one that suits your style to promote. Link to that site from your social media, link to it more prominently on your website, and focus on driving traffic there. Use the traffic already on other sites to drive sales there, and focus your energy on one profile specifically. It’s already tough enough to get social media followers to click on a link, you don’t need to be dividing those clicks up among several sites. You may choose the site with the highest payout %, the most convenient payout schedule or method for your life, or the site that offers you the best tools for your needs–pick one and stick with it and you’ll slowly see an increase in the proportion of your sales going to your preferred site.
Seducing without streaming
Using your social media accounts to tease, entice, and seduce potential clients is important, and goes hand-in-hand with how you respond to inquiries. When replying to inquiries, decide how many “sexy” responses you are willing to send in an attempt to convert the customer. Some models refuse to answer any sexual questions, or provide specifics about their shows, until after payment. This is a very short-sighted way to handle inquiries. You do not have a live video stream to tempt and convince your potential customers–it is all down to your social media, your profile on the site, and your responses to their inquiry. While you shouldn’t write a detailed erotica novel to a potential client without payment, you should get used to a little text flirting, and be prepared to use your words–both in your profile and in Skype chat–to get the guy going. Make sure you post enough photos to show customers what you look like, write a complete profile so they know what you offer, and get used to answering questions with a flirt style that matches your persona.
Building and maintaining regulars
Keeping notes on regular clients is very important to Skype models. You are not doing a show for a group of clients, and the 1-on-1 format of Skype shows means that clients expect a more tailored experience. It is easy to change the display name of a contact on Skype (usually clicking on their name at the top of the conversation box will allow you to edit it) and I change every contact’s name to this format: SITE – Name – Notes. So, for example, a client from Niteflirt with a small penis humiliation fetish would be “NF – Scott – SPH compare to BBC”. Each client gets a VIP experience because I “remember” their preferences from one show to the next. This also saves time when arranging shows, as you don’t have to go through the show details every single time with the same information.
Transferring customers from streaming sites to Skype sites
Actively moving your customers from live streaming sites to Skype sites and alternate payment methods is against the rules of every cam site I’ve ever been on. Even if your ultimate goal is to only offer Skype shows and no longer work on live streaming sites, don’t burn that bridge! However, to make it easy to find you, keep your name the same on your new Skype listing sites. That way, if they Google you, you’ll pop up easily. If customers on a streaming site ask if you offer Skype shows, or if you are on other sites, just suggest they search you, and while that’s firmly in the gray area of “taking customers off site”, you likely won’t get dinged for it. Your Skype prices are likely lower than your rates on Streamate or other sites, and once your customers see the money they would save for a higher quality cam to cam experience, they will switch over on their own. Be aware that some customers will not be interested in switching sites–some guys are very attached to live streaming sites and are uninterested in Skype options.
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