Re: Thinking about Ifriends.
i have, im a plus size girl i made 150 in 2 weeks onthere i wasnt on alot, i think thats pritty good for a plussize girl, the key is to do free view but do like 2.99 + for private thats where u show em the good pardon the exspreshon. i like it but its a lil bitt of a hasel to get signed up if you dont have a scanner
Re: Thinking about Ifriends.
Brendalee, IFriends is a 100% visual medium, meaning that the only thing that potential webcam customers know about you will be one sample picture and a 50 word description on their menu page. Unlike a club, your personality, dancing skills, facial expressions, voice etc. count for next to nothing in attracting customers (they only get to see these aspects AFTER they have decided to buy webcam time with you). This in turn highly favors girls who ...
#1 - have a highly promotable credential in their sample page text i.e. ex-Playboy Playmate, ex-Penthouse Pet, miss nude ___ , Vivid Video XXX actress
#2 - have a very unique physical appearance in their sample pic i.e. competition level bodybuilder physique, 6'2" showgirl stature, huge boobs etc.
#3 - offer very extreme content i.e. girl/girl sex on webcam, boy/girl sex on webcam, heavy fetish stuff
If the webcam you plan to offer doesn't fall into one of these three categories, then you'll find yourself in direct competition with 100,000 other girls. This will limit your ability to charge a high rate per minute (typically $1.99 per minute now) and will make it difficult for many potential customers to find your webcam versus 99,000 other webcams.
Because I fall in category #2, I'm able to get away with charging $3.99 per minute (actually, all of the huge boobs girls with webcams agreed amongst ourselves that we won't undersell each other and all charge $3.99 minimum). There are search criteria on IFriends sample page which allow guys looking for a specific type of content to list all the webcams with (in my case) huge boobs, which returns only about 20 webcams total, and maybe 2 or 3 active ones. This allows guys looking for huge boobs to find my webcam rather easily.
Also, IFriends charges you 50% of the money you earn if the webcam customer was provided by IFriends, but only charges you 10% or 20% of the money you earn if you bring your own customers directly to your webcam. Because I have my own pay website, I'm able to directly link some of my website visitors to my webcam - thus perhaps 1/4 of my webcam customers are guys who found my pay website first (and I get to keep 90% of the money they spend on webcam or $3.60 per minute - IFriends keeps 10%). Also, since I've appeared in SCORE magazine, the magazine's website also promotes my webcam as well as webcams of other huge boobs girls. Perhaps another 1/4 of my webcam customers are directly linked to my webcam from the magazine's website (and I get to keep 80% of the money they spend on webcam or $3.20 per minute - IFriends keeps 10% and the magazine keeps another 10%). The other 1/2 of my webcam customers are guys who went to IFriends on their own and selected my webcam from the sample page (and I only get to keep 50% of the money they spend on webcam or $2.00 per minute). But if a girl doesn't have the ability to independently send customers directly to her webcam from her own website, or doesn't have other website(s) sending customers directly to her webcam, and therefore she has to totally rely on guys who went to IFriends on their own as customers, she'll only get to keep 50% across the board (and 50% of $1.99 is only $1 per minute).
IFriends also favors webcams which are technically superior i.e. having a camera that the webcam customer can remotely control, high frame rate video (= cable modem + good video capture board), audio etc. Many IFriends customers also like phone sex along with their webcam session so a second dedicated phone line can generate extra business. These technically superior aspects are things that any girl can take advantage of to do better financially on IFriends, but they do require a higher investment to get started. You don't get to charge extra for these technically superior features, but your webcam will appear in a more prominent position on the IFriends sample pages making it more likely that IFriends guys will find your webcam before other girls.
I've also found that in my own case the decision to provide "free samples" of video winds up costing me money. Because most IFriends customers are pretty stingy, a lot of them are content to try and con you into providing sample video for free, but then will move on to another webcam without actually spending anything on private webcam minutes. I do lots better making them pay first to see anything "good".
Re: Thinking about Ifriends.
I myself have woked just the other side of the fence compared to Melonie. I have nothing against iFriends or Tricams, except thousands of performers.
I like a site where you can hook up audio if you chose, and talk to them. Take as many pictures as you like and put them in your profile, change out your profile any time you like, and even do phone while doing a show, if the guy wants to call.
I had my price set at 4.99 doing fetish shows, but the average joe will pay 2.99. 1.99 is way too low and not worth the pay.
I have developed a fetish show with pantyhose customers, stockings, shoes, and yes water sports. Some cam sites won't allow peeing on cam. I asked and got the ok. Find one that looks good to you, and ask alot of questions.
BUT.....The key is to stand out, i have gone on like any other, and done very few shows. That is why i picked fetish. Goth does not seem to work, i have seen them trying that. And just pretty does not cut it.
The free chat is good, i think, because like a club he sees you looking hot, you have to be very friendly, and wise however. If a guy says for example, show me a hand bra and i'll takeyou private, bull. He will get off that way without going pvt. Same with feet, panties etc. If you show too much, your giving it away. But you have to give a quick glance now and then of say the sexy clothing you are wearing.
Say hi too all that come in your room. They want to be recognized.
Have an arsenal of toys...lol. Show them. Don't get graphic about where they go, guys will get off when you type alot of sexual words, hell it's like cyber sex then!
Also last be happy, enjoy the room, and try to be consistant with the same hours/hour. Or put it i your profile.
IT's really all what ytou say, or don't. What kinda person you are trying to attract, many will love your look, many will not.
Me i prefer the smaller sites that have from 5 to 25 girls on at any one time. Less competetion, and more likely to get a paying customer, it's easy for them to move around and not get lost etc.
LIke a SC, if you work with 200 dancers, it may be tough, if you work with 20, you will have a better night.
I have screwed around on cam a few weeks ago, dressed and trying to set my lighting, because my cam is broke, and some guy jumps in and takes me private.
You just never know....
Good luck, lots of sites to sign on with, pick the one you like best, and go for it! Try iFriends or Tricams or smaller sites. Trust me, customers move around and hit them all anyway!
Pamela :)
Re: Thinking about Ifriends.
I agree totally with Pamela on two aspects of webcam -
First, it's true that "you never know" - I've had some $1000+ webcam nights, and I've had other nights where it wasn't even worth getting dressed and putting makeup on.
Second, you've got to get yourself into one of the three special categories to have a chance to make serious money on webcam (I'm obviously in category #2, and Pamela is in category #3)
As to timing your shows, yes it helps if you have a published schedule and stick to it because you will attract a group of "regulars" eventually just as you would working in a club. But with webcam you also have to deal with "guy psychology". This means don't waste your time trying webcam when Monday Night Football or playoffs or World Cup soccer are on TV, on nights around the holidays when guys are home with their families etc.
This also means figure out when worldwide "prime time" occurs for potential customers versus the time zone you live in - Europe is 7 hours ahead of EST meaning 3-6PM Eastern can be a very busy time with few other webcam girls online then to compete with you. West Coast is 3 hours behind EST meaning 1-4AM Eastern can also be a very busy time. If you only are on webcam during "prime time" in your own time zone, you're likely to hit heavy competition from other girls who also live in your time zone who haven't stopped to think that the webcam market is worldwide !
And one last thing to consider. Virtually ALL of the webcam sites are going to issue a 1099-misc form to the IRS next January for all of the money you have earned at their site throughout 2003. This means that the IRS computers will know in advance that a person with social security number 123-45-678 has earned a taxable income of $X, and the IRS computers will cross-check your estimated tax payment account and your tax return next April to see if that a corresponding amount of income has been reported and whether taxes have been paid on it.
If you "forget" to report your webcam earnings on your tax return, and/or if you "forget" to send in estimated tax payments every 3 months throughout the year, not only will the IRS audit you and collect the income tax anyhow but they'll also assess an additional penalty for non-payment of estimated taxes every 3 months. And if the IRS audits you based on your webcam activities, they'll also look into any other aspects of your finances such as club earnings to see whether these have been properly reported and taxed or not as well. Therefore, any girls who tend to be "forgetful" about reporting their earnings may be opening "Pandora's Box" in regard to the IRS by going on webcam ! Or put another way, an extra $5,000 in webcam earnings in 2003 could cost a "forgetful" girl $20-$30,000 in additional taxes on her club earnings if she is audited as a result of her webcam activities !
Re: Thinking about Ifriends.
THanks for bringing this up Melonie, any "ggod" site will issue a 1099 when tax time rolls around, as there are a few cam sites that make you an actual employee, but phone sex goes along with these sites. Last year i wrote off clothing, pillows my cam comp etc. for cam work. The year before (or the other way around, forget.) i wrote off the whole web room. That can be a risk. Made out fine, because my one room is made into a working phone sex/cam room. But i don't want to push it.
Most Phone sex co's, you are a IC, but a few more are now making operators working employees now.
Pamela :)
Re: Thinking about Ifriends.
Quote:
there are a few cam sites that make you an actual employee, but phone sex goes along with these sites. Last year i wrote off clothing, pillows my cam comp etc. for cam work. The year before (or the other way around, forget.) i wrote off the whole web room. That can be a risk. Made out fine, because my one room is made into a working phone sex/cam room. But i don't want to push it.
Most Phone sex co's, you are a IC, but a few more are now making operators working employees now.
Not to go too far off topic, but 'employee' webcam or phone girls goes along the same lines of the California 'employee' dancer law in that persons who are legally considered to be employees are NOT allowed to take the same business expense tax deductions as independent contractors are. This is therefore a point worth researching for any potential new webcam girls, which is what Pamela was trying to point out.
If the webcam site is going to pay you as an 'employee', you may not be eligible to write off the cost of your camera, cable modem, video capture board, or home video room etc as a business expense/investment. You will be able to deduct the cost of costumes and shoes as an "employee" business expense, but the list of allowable "employee" business expenses is rather short and very specific.
Also, filing a tax return with some 'employee' earnings and deductions plus other 'independent contractor' earnings and deductions is both much more complicated and more likely to draw IRS attention to your tax return for potential audit. This is particularly true if the business activity you are involved in as an 'employee' with one company/webcam site and as an 'independent contractor' with another company/webcam site is essentially the same, because if you are audited the IRS may decide that ALL of your similar business activities should be considered as 'employee' earnings and ALL of your business expense/investment deductions may be disallowed. I fanatically avoid doing any work whatsoever for any website or club or magazine or whatever business if they're going to pay me as an 'employee' exactly for this reason.
Re: Thinking about Ifriends.
Vey true, but along comes a weekly check or bi weekly, benefits and NO worry about taxes. You are an employee, stick wiht hours you agree too, and get a raise once in awhile. It's easy for the person who does not want the hassle of taxes But wants a fixed income. many benefits. BUt can be long long hours, as you are treated as an "employee." you are, so you must comply within rules.
Not for me, i like to be flexible! I have done both, the hours are very long.......
NO 1099, no getting money back, Co takes out taxes.
When you get a contract, all this is explained, and a good co. will have a number to reach 24/7.
Pamela
Re: Thinking about Ifriends.
true, it's fine to work as an 'employee' for several different companies, or it's also fine to work as an 'independent contractor" in many different places. The potential trouble doesn't start until you start doing both at the same time, particularly if the "work" you are doing for one company (like webcam) is as an 'employee', while the same work you are doing for another company (also webcam) is as an 'independent contractor'. This is when the red flags start to go up at the IRS and you start running the risk of being audited and potentially having ALL of your webcam earnings considered to be 'employee' earnings by the IRS, and as a result having deductions for your camera, cable modem etc. disallowed.
Re: Thinking about Ifriends.
melonie does a webcam company send you a 1099 at the end of the year. Or do you have have to just file what you made on your own. I am a little confused at too how this all works.
Re: Thinking about Ifriends.
Webcam companies can work it two ways. First option is that they can treat you as an independent contractor, send you your "share" of all money your webcam brings in with a (bi)weekly check with nothing withheld, and file a 1099 for your 2003 income in January 2004. You then must claim this income on Schedule C of your tax return, and can write off the cost of your camera, video board & cable modem service as a business expense/investment.
Second option is that the webcam company may treat you as an employee, and send you a (bi)weekly check for your "base pay" plus "commissions" on webcam sales, but with income taxes and SSI withheld. In this case, the company will file a W2 for your 2003 income in January 2004. You must claim this income as wages on the first page of your tax return, and you are not entitled to write off the cost of your camera, video board or cable modem service since these are not approved "employee" business expenses. It's possible that someone may manage to get this matter in front of an IRS tax judge, such that they will be reclassified as acceptable "employee" business expenses as well, but to my knowledge at this point that hasn't happened yet.