Getting started in online/
non-contact work
Working online or by phone can take lots of different forms. Much like in-person sex work, you can either work privately or with a third party (like a commercial webcam platform or phone sex line). The amount of infrastructure and self-promotion you’ll need to do depends on how you choose to work.
This resource will explore some of the options for non-contact work and give you some things to think about and try out as you diversify into the digital sex work space.
Please note that mentions of platforms and companies are in no way endorsements! We are simply collating information about services you can use to move your sex work online – not endorsing any particular service. All come with different risks and rewards.
You should also check out your local state and territory sex work laws. There are limits to what you can put in your advertising – and this includes your advertising for online services. If in doubt, ask your local sex worker organisation.
Contents
Online/Non-Contact Work Options
There are heaps of options for you to tap into with online/non-contact work. Here is a brief list, and the resource below goes into more detail for each type of work.
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SMS on your mobile
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Private phone bookings on your mobile
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Online live video bookings (Using Facetime, Snapchat, Zoom or other free platforms from your phone)
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BDSM/role-play sessions using SMS, phone or live video
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Selling pictures or videos online
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Sharing personalised dirty stories on email
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Virtual ‘Girlfriend’ Experience using SMS, phone calls and video calls
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Sending items in the post – ‘used’ underwear or socks, polaroids
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Joining a third party online platform for phone sex (they take a cut)
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Joining a third party online platform for camming, selling pictures and/or videos (they take a cut and may then “own” the pictures or videos, check terms and conditions)
For each of these activities, you will be calling on all of your sex work skills from your previous in-person work. It can be nerve-racking at first – but also really exciting! Once you do your first online booking or sale you will start to get the hang of it. You can lean on your local sex worker organisation for support and to talk through how it is going for you. If one method fails – try another one. There is something for everyone online.
Digital Privacy and Security
There are some simple steps you can take to minimise the risk of a privacy or security breach and to have good digital hygiene.
What will my online identity look like?
There is at least one decision you need to make before you start in online work. Will you keep your current sex worker identity, ads and clientele? Or are you trying to break into a new sphere with a new identity, new wig, different services and different name?
If you are planning to transition your in-person clients to online clients, keeping your current work name, and usual advertising will be beneficial to you.
If you want your online sex work to be separate from your in-person sex work, you will need to create a new work identity. This will require using a different set of devices (phone or laptop etc), in order to maintain privacy from your other work accounts.
Digital Hygiene 101
Before starting any online sex work it is important to do some work to prevent your personal information being inadvertently linked with your online sex work. If you already have done a full digital hygiene check for your sex work, and are confident with your privacy on your sex work-related accounts, you are ready to go.
If you are creating a new persona for your online work, and you don’t want your clients to be able to link it back to your in-person sex work identity, you will need a different set of devices to work from.
This hygiene check below is to make sure none of your personal or other work data is linked to your online work data or able to be tracked or compromised online. The boundaries will depend on if you are keeping it all separate from your current sex work identity.
- Create separate accounts for your online work email and personal social media. Use a separate device for work – this is one way to keep your work separate from your personal and/or other work accounts.
- Do a privacy check on all of your social media accounts using the ‘privacy’ and ‘settings’ sections of the menu. Do this on a regular basis, at least a few times a year.
- Use strong passwords and 2FA (two-factor authentication) for any services that offer it (email, chat applications, cloud storage, etc).
- Don’t use images for work that are also available on your personal and/or other sex work images. Images can be reverse-searched online, meaning people can use them to link your other identities.
- Use a Virtual Private Network or VPN (see below) to disguise your IP address and throw off your traffic trail.
- Turn off location services for any apps you use for work. Very important!
- Always update your work and personal devices (phones, tablets, computers, smartwatches, etc), because the updates often have important security fixes!
Some workers are putting all the links to their paid online work into a linktr.ee profile. This is a way to keep one consistent list of your multiple online platforms. If you send clients to your Linktr.ee account from all your advertising, you only have to update your Linktr.ee profile when you add or delete a platform.
Here are some resources on this topic:
What is a VPN?
A VPN or “virtual private network” helps protect your anonymity by keeping your location secret. They do this by making it appear you are connecting to the internet elsewhere. Proton, Nord, ExpressVPN, and Tor are examples of peer-suggested VPN providers. Free VPNs are available however, paid VPNs may offer better security and support. When choosing a VPN, consider data logging policies; kill switch; speed; latency; server and location availability; and customer support options.
EXIF Data
EXIF stands for Exchangeable Image File Format, which is used in compressing image files (like JPEGS) and can contain information about the photo including the type of camera it was taken on, the technical settings of the camera, and even location data like GPS coordinates for where the photo was taken. For an example of what EXIF data looks like, upload a photo to this website and see what details are there.
Most devices will allow you to turn off location data for photos in the settings. It is recommended that you do this, but this will only ensure that the location data is removed. To remove the rest of the EXIF data from images before sharing, install a third-party app such as EXIF Eraser, open the app, select the image you intend to share then select Remove EXIF.
Here are a couple of resources for understanding EXIF data:
Ugly Mugs could set up a secondary camera in their space, that you can’t see, to film your private chat or video call with them without your consent. If a client in Snapchat uses the app to record the video or screenshot anything, Snapchat will tell you. In Kik, once the ‘chat’ is over, all records of it disappear for both users. Each platform has its own privacy measures, or not. If you are filmed or screenshot without your permission, you should consider reporting them as a UM so others do not experience the same mistreatment. You can also block them in the app to stop them from contacting you again.
Marketing
Advertising
The same advertising platforms we all used for full contact sex work are still around. For a summary of advertising platforms see here.
Now is the time to start including the online services you are offering in your advertising. Clients are stuck at home just like we are, they are browsing the ads, and fantasising about coming to see you; now you want to convert them into online clients!
Any and all content you create for advertising or for sale – save it on your own hard drive or USB. You will use this content again, and again, and again. It’s worth storing and managing your pics and videos so that you don’t have to make new ones all the time.
Marketing
Marketing uses terms such as “POD” (Point of Difference) “Value Adding” and “Upselling”. Whether selling motor vehicles, Real Estate, artwork or adult content, it’s all about sales. A useful tip when upselling is to offer 2 or more online or offline non-contact services as a package.
For example:
- If you offer webcam shows, you might want to throw in phone sex, SMS or selling pre-worn panties/boxers, with a slight discount ($5 off for example) for the second or third service.
- You can offer a VIP Discount on varied services or one service for clients who book your services regularly, as an incentive towards repeat business.
- You could use and offer Voucher Codes specific to each client if you like.
- You can offer membership to your Snap Chat for a month at a time, with access to snaps and a certain amount of face time a week, with a discount for clients who pay for six months upfront. This does not require Snapchat Premium.
The Point of Difference that you create in your advertising spiels is where it all begins. This is where you come up with the concept, look, feel or theme of what you are offering. It doesn’t have to be ‘up-market’ to be successful. For some workers, pics and chats that appear to be an insight into a sex workers ‘everyday life’ are a good selling point. For others, it might be all about foot fetish, or it could have the feel of a domination or humiliation service.
“Point of difference refers to the factors of products or services that establish differentiation. Differentiation is the way in which the goods or services of a company differ from its competitors. Indicators of the point of difference’s success would be increased customer benefit and brand loyalty”…
A simple online Thesaurus is a great place to start! You don’t have to be a literary genius, a poet or consummate professional with the written word, however, a little thought can go a long way. While pictures help capture attention, your spiel can help to hold that attention -creating curiosity and, hopefully, prompting clients to make contact for more information and how/when to book your service.
It is best to ask for permission before you send text messages or email specials, launches, incentives etc to clients as no one likes to receive unwarranted spam. Most email platforms, whether Gmail, Hotmail or others, have the option to create contact lists and pin email marketing spiels where you simply copy and paste emails or send to a group list that has been created. If you have a website with a mail-out option in the software this is also a useful database.
Don’t forget to ask your clients, for marketing purposes, where they found you. This is important to be able to gauge which advertising platform you use is the most successful. Repeat business can be your proverbial bread and butter! Staying relevant, in touch (with permission) and communicating with your clients in a way that is engaging, tactful and enticing is a useful tool. Communication can create familiarity, rapport, and pique further interest. You might find that the time invested is worth the effort.