In the weeks since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the globe, the mainstream media has published numerous articles about live adult webcam networks seeing a spike in activity during the widespread shutdowns and shelter-in-place orders in place around the world.
Along with that increase in traffic, there has been a surge in new performers and models taking to camming platforms, with some expressing concern that on platforms like OnlyFans, the sex workers and models who were instrumental in building the popularity of the platform might be getting pushed out by an influx of celebrities and mainstream social media influencers.
Overall though, the camming industry is being depicted as a space that’s thriving in the midst of the pandemic, as millions of suddenly idle hands seek out ways to kill time or experience a bit of remote, social distancing-friendly intimacy.
Regardless of traffic spikes and engagement metrics, the companies behind the camming platforms have been forced, just like everyone else, to make extensive adjustments to how they operate, particularly where employees who normally work in-office are concerned.
“We all switched to WFH (work from home) and Slack has kept us all connected,” Jeff Wilson, Director of Business Development for Flirt4Free told YNOT. “We’re hoping to open the office back up soon when Los Angeles County opens up, but we’ve made some adjustments.”
Among other things, the company will not simply return to its full in-office staffing levels overnight, even once Los Angeles County has reopened.
“We will return in waves of people, hands-free sanitizing stations have been installed, people will wear masks, and we’re installing plexiglass dividers between each desk,” Wilson said. He added that while returning to working at the office under such conditions is going to be “weird,” but also “hopefully makes the most comfortable working environment, all things considered.”
Under normal circumstances, among many employers mainstream and adult alike, one of the factors which has made companies hesitant to transition to a work-from-home model is concern that doing so will cause a drop in productivity across its workforce. Wilson said in Flirt4Free’s recent experience, the question of work-from-home productivity is a bit “hit or miss.”
“Some people are more productive, some less,” Wilson said. “I think we all miss the team interaction, but we’ve been stepping up the video calls and video Happy Hours.”
Where Flirt4Free’s models are concerned, Wilson said he hasn’t seen much change in the way cam performers operate over the course of the pandemic – other than an increase in their number.
“I don’t see a lot of changes with the models, there are just a lot more of them,” Wilson said.
Like the other cam platforms and networks who have commented publicly, Flirt4Free has seen an increase in traffic and activity “on all fronts,” Wilson said, adding that the trend “seems to be in-line with online foot traffic overall.”
“More people are on their computers and phones, more people purchasing online, etc.,” Wilson observed. “When it comes to entertainment and you can’t go out, those verticals will rebalance. Strippers and other adult entertainers are a natural fit for webcamming.”
One of the open questions about the spike in traffic to adult sites and webcam networks is how long the phenomenon will last. While limited entertainment options and being ordered to stay at home doubtlessly combine to push more surfers online seeking diversion, there may be a lingering point of diminishing returns on that combination, especially as the shutdowns linger and significantly more people join the ranks of the unemployed from week to week.
Does Wilson see a downturn on the horizon for Flirt4Free and other cam platforms? If so, will that decline simply be to pre-pandemic levels, or might it cut deeper than that? Like so many questions related to COVID-19 and when a return to some semblance of normalcy might be possible, these are questions for which Wilson doesn’t see any clear answer at the moment.
“I honestly don’t know,” Wilson said of the prospect of a downturn. “I think it remains to be determined.”
One thing which does seem likely to Wilson, however, is COVID-19 reasserting itself as a source of public health concern, as a direct function of communities around the country and the world trying to get their economies back on track by resuming some aspects of pre-pandemic life.
“I will say that we are expecting this surge to return to normal levels once the lockdowns are lifted,” Wilson said.
With so many imponderable questions looming, it can be a challenge simply to remain focused on the task at hand – whether you’re trying to run a business, or just get through the day working for one. It’s also an environment in which risks and costs that might normally seem nominal or trivial take on a greater significance.
Ultimately though, this is where Flirt4Free has been most successful in navigating the pandemic, according to Wilson. Despite the uncertainty, the company has found a way to forge ahead, planning for the future even as it pilots a path through a somewhat chaotic present.
“Along with more traffic comes more costs,” Wilson said, so the company has been “upping our game with promotions and contests for the models, discounts for customers, etc.”
Difficult though it may be to keep the wheels of a business turning as the world around it drags to a pandemic-driven halt, that’s exactly what Flirt4Free is doing.
“We’re pushing full steam ahead with our Flirt Summit promotion, which will be held in Cancun in November,” Wilson said. “Models have been really engaged with the Flirt Summit contests.”
