Pictured: Caramel_Kitty (left) camming for MyFreeCams.com; (right photo, left to right) Alli_Leigh, ScarlettFoxPlaymate and Brooke-Synn camming for Chaturbate
CYBERSPACE—It wasn’t so long ago the phrases “camming” and “cam girl” had no real meaning. Even at adult trade shows, industry insiders were confused about the terms and the entire live cam industry.
But these days, companies that specialize in the realms of live chat and camming are front and center at shows—including the most recent Exxxotica Expo in Columbus, Ohio—many times drawing in as many fans as the more traditional porn performers.
“Many of these girls who only perform as cam girls are quietly making as much money, and sometimes more, as well as making as many fans as the porn actresses,” said Shirley Lara, chief of operations for Chaturbate, one of the more prominent camming companies in the business today.
The demand for packaged adult content in the form of VHS tapes and DVDs has declined through the years, Lara said, and much of that can be attributed to millennials, who are now among the biggest consumers in the United States.
“Millennials account for one-fourth of the consumer retail buying market, and offer more than $200 billion a year in buying power in the U.S. alone,” she said. “They are the generation that grew up playing video games where it’s not uncommon for them to wear headsets and chat with people from all over the world.
“They do everything online,” Lara continued. “They don’t buy physical goods like DVDs; they want digital content. So camming and cam girls are an example of how the adult industry is being reactive to consumers in mainstream society. Millennials are wanting their content online, and camming delivers that.”
Lara said Chaturbate sets itself apart from other companies by not only offering girls a platform to earn money online, but also making interesting and personal for both performers and consumers. By allowing performers to create apps and bots within the Chaturbate platform (the company offers between 300 and 400 apps) girls can create games to more fully engage their customers.
“The days of logging in online and hoping someone funds you and your chat room are gone,” she said.
But as much as the performers rely on doing their business online, there is something to be said for making personal appearances at shows where fans of adult can see them live and in person.
“It’s an opportunity where they can really network with one another, give and get tips and bond,” Lara said.
Brianna Loy, a model-assistant at the MyFreeCams.com booth, said for many girls who cam, they have a desire to be sexual and exhibitionists, but might not be willing to join partners on camera for a more “traditional” porn career. With camming, they have the ability to develop a relationship in a sense with their fans without any personal interaction.
But there is something to be said for attending fan expos.
“At events like [Exxxotica], they can get exposure to other girls and get out of their bubble a bit,” Loy said. “They can learn what works for other girls, give and get tips, and make a real event out of it for their fans.”
In some cases, Loy said, the girls can get their expenses covered for travel to expos by their fans in exchange for dedicated clips or private shows.
Stefanie Joy, who was attending her second Exxotica Expo, said the experience of being in front of a live crowd at a show as opposed to being exposed to a controlled group on the other side of the computer screen can be a bit intimidating, but also was a bit liberating for her.
“I have a lot of social anxiety, which is why camming is a perfect career for me,” she said. “The idea of coming to a show like this though was totally intimidating. But to be here, and have people on the other side of the rope watching me … it turned out to be such a thrill!”
Caramel_Kitty, a buxom cam girl who uses the MyFreeCams.com platform, said there are definitely pros to attending fan expos.
“Camming is a super, super, super part time job for me,” she said Saturday as she chatted with fans online and struck seductive poses for tips during the Exxxotica Expo in Columbus, Ohio. “But this is the job where I can dictate what I am worth. I can tell customers I won’t do certain acts until I get a certain amount in tips. I can decide what I do, when I do it, and how much I charge for it.
“Coming to shows like this lets me network with other girls, and my fans can get to know them, while their fans will get to know me,” she added. “And as people walk by and watch me working, I can interact with them in person, and makes fans in person too.”
For Caramel_Kitty, MyFreeCams.com is a company that works for her: too often, she said, some cam companies will dictate too many rules or put too many restriction on what performers can and can’t do.
“With this company, I can call the shots and make my own rules; I just need to pay them a portion my money, but I get so much more freedom,” she said. “I also like that so many women who have performed on MyFreeCams have moved up in the company to have bigger roles in running the company,” she said. “I really feel like there’s a chance for growth here.”
Joy, who performs solo and girl/girl content online, noted that in her case—even though she has a degree in billing and coding—choosing MyFreeCams.com as her platform was easy; the back-end, she said, is simple to understand and easy to use.
“Every single girl I’ve spoken to who said, ‘Oh I can’t do that, it’s too technical’ or ‘It’s too hard’ ends up realizing just how easy it is,” she said. “There is even a Wiki page that walks you through, step by step.”
The ease of learning how to cam is one reason Loy said that sector of the industry will continue to grow; other factors include porn performers understanding that camming can be a good source of revenue and another way to extend their brand, and even millennials learning they can earn a living online, where they have grown up.
“Live cams really open up the world of adult for so many more people,” she said. “I think there is a bit of a stereotype on what a porn girl should look like; but when it comes to cam girls, there really is the idea it could be the girl you work with, go to class with or live next door to. There’s a cam girl for everybody.”
In Chaturbate’s booth at Exxxotica, a core group of girls—Alli_Leigh, ScarlettFoxPlaymate and Brooke_Synn—were on hand all weekend, all traveling from across the country to meet with fans in person as they also worked their online accounts for tips.
The draw to camming, they agreed, is the ability to dictate their own terms when it comes to performing, as well as maintaining control over their own content. There’s also the ability to control how much real-world access they give to fans.
Brooke noted that attending the show to meet people in person was a bit intimidating at first, but she was able to quickly allay her fears.
“Some of the people who have come up to talk to me at the booth were more nervous than I was!” she said.
And, all three said, the idea of working around a schedule that fits into their lives is always a bonus.
“There are so many girls out there who have social issues, or maybe a disability and camming is a great way for them to make a living without having to leave their homes,” said Alli.
Scarlett explained she has medical conditions that make it difficult for her to maintain a traditional job, so camming has been the perfect way for her to earn a living. Her work during Exxxotica, she said, led one customer to tip her $1,500 in one session.
Lara said the added income is definitely a draw for traditional porn performers. Performers like Annabelle Peaks and Lauren Phillips have joined the company, and often cam when they are are not filming.
“Camming is a great way performers can boost their income,” Lara said. “If they have a decline in their booking, or aren’t interested in something like feature dancing, camming can be a great source of extra income.”
