Published in cooperation between Critch GmbH and the Bohemian
OnlyFans has revolutionized adult content. But is this a period of boom or bust for the escort industry?
Once upon a time, there were few ways to earn money from adult work. Escorting was the main revenue stream, and then options became extremely limited. In the digital age, subscription sites like OnlyFans have opened the door to a whole new world of entertainment. Blending social media with adult content, they have overhauled income streams for escorts. However, this can come at a price. From discreet meetings to digital fame, why are escorts turning to OnlyFans?
What is OnlyFans?
Even those who don’t use the service will have heard about OnlyFans. It has been splashed all over the news and the media over the last few years. Most of this has been about big tales of seemingly ordinary workers, from cleaners to hospitality staff, creating accounts and making millions of dollars. Based in London, it operates globally and allows people to pay for a subscription to see the content created by others.
This content can be anything, from yoga videos to classic car restorations. But more often than not, it is obscene adult content. People can go online, create videos and sell them to the public. In many ways, it has democratized the sector. There are now few gatekeepers to the industry, such as producers or executives. Instead, the only middleman is the platform on which the content is placed.
How Has OnlyFans Improved the Escort Industry?
Several advantages have come to the escort industry now that OnlyFans has appeared. There are websites online like Slixa, which provide some of the best quality and some of the most beautiful escorts on the planet. People can book them for short periods or lengthy dates and can see costs for services and information on the escort. However, once this meeting is over, the escort is paid, and that becomes the end of the transaction.
With OnlyFans, this can be vastly extended. People who hire escorts can sign up for subscriptions to see their content and stay in touch. They can also appeal to people who may never have even used their escort services in the first place. They may find these people online through social platforms and other means. All of this provides a sustainable revenue stream alongside escorting.
Escorts can also begin to collaborate with others. By making content together, they may see themselves increase their fanbase, picking up people who followed other creators.
There is also a world of data that can be provided about people who sign up to OnlyFans. These metrics can help better understand what their clients want: Both online and in the real world. They may see videos with certain niches increase and know that this is a lucrative area to follow. In many ways, this can even increase their physical escort bookings.
What Are the Downsides of Escorts Using OnlyFans?
OnlyFans is extremely competitive. While the escorting and adult sector may once have been a secretive, closed-door affair, it no longer is. This world of choice means escorts may have trouble finding an audience and even more trouble maintaining loyalty. With people being able to cater to clients’ content needs directly, escorts may find business drying up instead of blooming. In fact, statistics show that most creators earn only an average of $150-$180 per month on the platform, according to several blogs and websites.
For those who run escort services, they may also find the middleman being cut out. Escorts may now go directly to the client through email bookings. Or they may be making enough money that they don’t need to meet people in person at all.
Finally, there are regulatory hurdles to consider. In August 2021, OnlyFans itself almost banned adult content and saw many of its creators quickly jump ship to rival platforms. Governments may crack down on adult content, which can limit traffic and income streams. For example, the United Kingdom recently imposed new age verification processes. According to data by Similarweb, this saw a 10 percent reduction in traffic to OnlyFans.
Safety Concerns With Escorting and OnlyFans
Making a transition from escorting to OnlyFans, or managing the two, should take some consideration. This is because OnlyFans is a form of social media, but one that goes beyond typical posts and offers the golden ticket: Intimacy. Before, this could be managed by the escort. They could choose to accept or decline bookings and decide how much personal information to give away when having physical meetings. This is harder to do with OnlyFans, and not everyone understands the boundaries between fantasy and reality.
It is also worth noting that OnlyFans quite strictly distances itself from escorting. It does not want to be found breaching rules on solicitation. Thus, you must keep all OnlyFans and other work separate. If not, accounts can be closed down, and you may be banned from the site.
Thus, there are benefits and disadvantages. Many escorts are making the leap because it offers a way to earn money without having to meet people. Some are trying to manage both, though this can be tough. For others, though, it is just the next evolution of sex work, which will no doubt change once again as the next generation of technology arrives.
