Are you a webcammer at heart? Or would your skills be best for pornography? Knowing which adult industry pathway fits you isn’t simple. But with the right information and an unbiased perspective, you can work out which aligns with you without any extra stress.
- Why opt for a career in the adult industry?
- What is webcamming?
- What is pornography?
- Webcamming vs pornography: A quick comparison
- Learning more about webcamming, pornography, and other adult careers
- Putting safety first in adult entertainment
- The takeaway
Today, we’re looking at how to tell if you’re better suited to webcamming or porn via their main advantages and disadvantages. We’re also looking at how to learn more to guarantee you’re 100% informed before beginning.
Scroll down to dive in.
Why opt for a career in the adult industry?
Choosing a career is no easy feat. However, if you enjoy expressing your sexuality and feel drawn to the adult industry, it might be a sign that this career path is for you.
Working in the adult industry offers many benefits, such as working on your own schedule, not being in a typical office environment, and having more power over your earnings. Many positions in the industry are on a self-employed basis, allowing you to take control of your image, clients, and rates. If you want fame and notoriety, you can try it. If you want to be anonymous, you don’t have to show your face. It’s all up to you.
Pornography and webcamming are typical adult industry roles. You don’t have to only pick one, but it’s best to focus your attention in one place.
Don’t think of it as a quick cash grab! Like any job, making your name in the adult industry takes hard work and savvy business skills. You’ll have more success if you enjoy what you do. So, picking the right role is critical.
Get to know the benefits and drawbacks of being in pornography and webcamming below to help you make up your mind.
What is webcamming?
Webcamming (or webcam modelling) involves putting on sexual webcam shows for money. Each webcam show is different and depends on your niche. For example, some only include stripping, whereas others show masturbation and live sex. It’s all up to you, and you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.
Want to know more? Read our beginners’ guide to webcamming.
Benefits
- You can work from home (or wherever you want)
- Complete control over your schedule
- You decide what’s included in your show
- Low start-up costs
- You can block nuisance clients
- No physical contact (if desired)
- You can be anonymous
- High earning potential
Drawbacks
- It takes a while to gain an audience
- Some months might be slower
- No contract or guaranteed income
- Lots of competition
- You have to be consistent/online a lot
What is pornography?
Pornography refers to any media or material that’s intended for sexual desire. This includes pictures, videos, and even audio porn. Becoming a porn actor or “pornstar” can be done in various ways.
You can create your own pornography, which requires more work and takes longer to build an audience. But, like webcamming, this leaves you in control of your image, time, schedule, and earnings. Many webcammers dabble in pornography through this route.
Alternatively, you can join an agency that manages your career and book jobs and auditions. This route requires a contract and is seen as more secure by some. From here, you can enter into contracts with certain production companies or work as a freelance adult actor.
Benefits
- Protection of contracts
- Steadier payments with long-term contracts and collaborations
- There is not as much pressure to create an online presence (though it can help)
- An agency books jobs for you
- If employed by a studio, you won’t need to handle the business admin
- No need to buy cameras, microphones, or other filming equipment
Drawbacks
- Some agencies/teams might try to pick/choose jobs you don’t want to do
- Agencies cap your income
- Less schedule freedom
- Saturated market with lots of competition
- Sexual contact with others is required
Webcamming vs pornography: A quick comparison
Webcamming and pornography are both valid career routes. But the one you choose should reflect your priorities and working style.
If you’re fiercely independent and don’t want your earnings to be capped or dependent on someone else, then camming might be the best choice for you. In contrast, if you prefer the safety of contracts and want to work with other people, classic pornography could be better for you.
There’s no right or wrong choice, and you can back out of anything you don’t want to do. Also, remember, webcamming and porn tend to overlap. This means you can experience both to see which you like best. It’s always a great idea to diversify your income.
Learning more about webcamming, pornography, and other adult careers
Though we can distil webcamming and pornography into short bullet point lists, you should take more time to explore each niche before getting started.
One of the best ways to further explore the industry is through real-life experiences. Look for influencers, YouTubers, or writers willing to share their experiences. Hearing about the day-to-day schedule of these professionals is excellent if you’re on the fence.
You should also look into sex worker forums, as ordinary people share their experiences and give advice to newbie sex workers. r/SexWorkers is a goldmine for anyone interested in sex work. However, you should also check out r/CamGirlProblems and r/OnlyFansAdvice for more genuine advice.
Putting safety first in adult entertainment
No matter which career you choose, make sure you put your safety and comfort first. Here are some of the best ways to keep yourself protected in the adult entertainment industry:
- Hide your personal information (financial, address, etc)
- Disable your webcam after each session
- Use secure Wi-Fi
- Don’t click on any strange links or attachments
- Use enthusiastic consent
- Set verbal boundaries with other professionals
- Have regular STI testing
- Use condoms and protection with others
If you have a bad gut feeling about something, it might be a sign it’s not for you. Sometimes, your body tells you the job just isn’t for you. After all, you should be excited about your upcoming career!
The takeaway
Whether you’re leaning towards pornography or webcamming, we hope this article has helped you make a decision. Still not sure? Check out our blog and learn more about the adult industry, job roles, and handy insider tips.
