I’m sat here struggling to remember a time before social media existed. Back before the days of Facebook I used to frequent music forums for lively debates and advertising yourself as a model was all done through agencies, internet modelling sites and e-mail. Then there was Myspace which didn’t really cater for models and adult stars as the layout wasn’t particularly easy on the eye or easy to follow. Then came Twitter with its perfectly neat timelines all separated out into sections and BOOM! Twitter became the biggest social media site for the entertainment and all things adult and fetish related.
Over the many years I have witnessed some moments of pure genius and also some tactics and methods that probably weren’t that well thought out.
These are some of the biggest mistakes I have seen adult industry stars and cam models make and my thoughts on how to improve upon these errors.
Buying thousands upon thousands of followers.
When you start out in social media it can be a little intimidating when you are on 207 followers and Betty Big Tits is on 40k. Don’t worry, treat Twitter just like a seed – water it and it will grow.
The thing is when someone has 80k followers and then you look down their tweet feed and see their photos are getting 3, 4, maybe 5 likes at a push, then it’s obvious that the traffic is bought. If there is little interaction going on between the betty’s profile and the followers its obvious that the followers are bought.
You will gain followers much more quickly if you interact with them and you will have a chance of them converting to sales and work opportunities unlike bought followers. I’m not suggesting that you sit on your Mac all day tearing your hair out and trying to hammer out responses to every single person, but now and again thank someone for their comments and if someone tweets a funny or interesting message to you #RT them (retweet) or drop them a response. If there is little engagement on your page then followers are less inclined to get involved. Throw them some tidbits, welcome their feedback and suggestions. This is social media not the Betty Big Tits show.
Being Stingy With Your Retweets
Some Tweeps are scared to #RT others because they wrongly believe that they are sending their traffic to look elsewhere. In fact retweeting is beneficial for your twitter for many reasons. For one it shows you are open to new ideas, flexible and confident enough in your brand that you are happy to share followers. Once people realise that you are happy to retweet, they will be sure to tag you in, retweet you and you can build up some good relationship helping promote one another. Twitter isn’t a like a big sweet jar where you are scared to share and open the lid – throw those sweets into the crowd! Guess what? You’ll get more back!
Don’t be afraid to lose followers. Your true fans will follow and interact with you regardless of how many others they are following And so what if you lose a follower – good twitter ethics will definitely gain you more in the long run.
As for what to retweet. I tend to go with sexy, naughty or funny pictures that I like and I think my followers like. I also admire anyone who I can see who is a bit out of the box or putting in a lot of effort, so they get a retweet too. Sometimes I’ll even retweet something because it made me smile or made me think a little deeper. It’s up to you what you retweet but it’s best to keep it relevant to your industry most of the time.
Being Snooty With Your Fans
I’ve seen this happen a lot.
Bigcock203: I love your tits can I suck them?
Wetmuff609: Get lost weirdo! How dare you speak to me like that because I’m a Porn Star!
Do you see where Wetmuff went wrong here? Bigcock has bought into the fantasy that Wetmuff is selling (so she’s done well up until that comment obviously) then she’s brought him back to a harsh reality and become angry with him.
Obviously there must be boundaries with fans, but the truth is – you are selling them a fantasy so don’t angry with them for believing in it.
How could she have dealt with this better? Perhaps it could have gone like this:
Bickcock203: *Insert sexual comment*
Wetmuff609: Oh you are a cheeky thing aren’t you! How about you come see me on webcam later and I’ll show you more than my tits!
In just two sentences she has told him in a sweet way that she isn’t open to physical interaction and without provoking a conflict. There is flirtation then and then she has planted the seed that she is able to offer him a webcam show that will blow his mind. Instead of creating a dispute she has created a possible opportunity and the fan is happy that he received a reply even if he doesn’t take her up on the webcam offer.
Later she may get another message on this thread:
LovesToWank101: You do camshows? Where can I see you?
So always keep your cool, treat the fans with respect and remember this is your business, not a page to let off steam.
Disparaging Colleagues Online
The only time you should post negative comments about another Tweep or FB is if you consider them a danger to other models and are sharing to protect everyones’s best interests – and be sure to get your facts right first before you start throwing wild accusations.
Even if someone has made unwise business decisions, it’s not your place to belittle or mock them or tell people that their idea will flop. There are many debates going on in the Twitter-sphere but don’t get embroiled in pointless debate. Your first priority should be to focus on your business. Not only does getting involved with petty wars waste your time but it makes you look untrustworthy and unapproachable to anyone who doesn’t know you.
General Negativity
Comments I have seen include things like:
Why does everything go wrong for me? Why does the world treat me like this? I’m so depressed? I can’t get up! I’m having the worst day, i wish I’d never been born!
Sometimes life gets in the way. Unfortunately many people drawn to adult may suffer with mental health issues, conditions or just even down days. This is why it is so important to invest time in yourself and find an outlet for your depression/anger/problems. Also as I said in my last blog it’s imperative to have a good solid circle on you. Relationships and family are never easy they take work! Forget the instant gratification you will get from posting a sympathy inducing tweet. Most people are nosy and want to know what’s going on, but few will actually really care. Invest your time in REAL relationships.
If you live your life like an open sore on social media you won’t command the respect you deserve and it’s likely that those that would have booked you or want to involve you in a project might get the impression that you are flaky or all over the place.
When you are feeling weak inside, be strong on the outside. Put on a smile, crank your speakers to the max and blast out some feel good music. A with everything that bad day will pass. It’s been a whole week you say? A Month even? That month will pass and you WILL become stronger when you’ve come through these obstacles the other side.
If you really genuinley wish that you had never been born PLEASE go and watch the film “It’s A Wonderful Life” with James Stewart. I promise, you will start to look at the world differently.
Have you made some of these mistakes?
Don’t panic! There’s always time for a fresh start and social media moves so fast anyway that the silly comment you made when you were annoyed will have vanished into cyberspace! The beauty of social media is that you can re-invent yourself, have new fans find you and be exactly who you want to be. Be you – you when you are on a happy day. And fake it till you make it! Be known for bringing positivity and being a great person to engage with.
We all get a bit stuck at times and wonder if we are on the right track. Don’t let a little quiet spell unnerve you. Just like when the sun moves further away in the winter and all the plants die away….soon the sunshine will be back and your seeds will bloom beautifully!
Do you have any tips on this topic that you would like to share? Please leave a comment below.
Kaz B
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