This Babestation article was inspired by a blog post written on a Tumblr account called BabeTV some time between 2013-2015. Back then social media was still relatively fresh as an avenue through which viewers and fans could communicate with their chosen babe. Now Twitter has established itself as the leading social media network through which babes can promote themselves and fans can have a chance at communicating with them without having to pay to speak to them on the phone or in a webcam show.
There is, without doubt, a distinct correlation between those who take the time to interact with fans on social media and those with high popularity on the babe shows.
Alice Goodwin began her modelling career in 2006. She has worked on the adult channels for 10 years, the last 6 being on Babestation. Alice has used Twitter to promote herself every step of the way, since the early days of Twitter itself. We sat down with her backstage at Babestation studios to get her take on the subject.
Babestation: To what extent is your Twitter activity a useful tool to help your brand promotion and income from channels and webcam?
Alice: Well, massive because all my fans are on there. They’d probably tune in anyway if they’re fans of the shows and everything you do but it’s good for them to know exactly when you’re going to be in a magazine or on TV.
Babestation: How much has your use of Twitter changed over the years?
Alice: I’d say it’s probably stayed quite consistent really, probably more so now because I build my fans up, I suppose, week-by-week. So I probably use it more because there’s more going on on there as the years go by.
Babestation: Do you think your career has developed as a result of being on Twitter or have you used Twitter more as your popularity grew organically?
Alice: I think the two things have balanced each other out because when they, (fans) see you on TV they search for you on the internet, they find your social media, they find your Twitter so they go there.
Babestation: And then it’s up to you to keep that presence to keep your fans alerted to your goings on, where you’ll be next so they can watch you.
Alice: That’s right.
Babestation: Does fan promotion help? Where fans share screen caps and pictures of you on their pages or among each other?
Alice: Yeah, when you’re on TV you build up fans, especially super fans who will go and set up profiles or even websites all about their favourite girl. So I have a few people on social media platforms who have pages dedicated to me, so i can retweet those to let people know where I’m gonna be. They probably know before I do!
In the BabeTV post, the writer talks about a girl’s interactions with her fans via Twitter as being the ‘currency of popularity’. They go on to say:
“Because the performer’s status is in such large part driven by men’s desire for her attention, she needs to show that the glittering prize at least exists. Based on hope alone, fans will often make very considerable investments of time and money on a babe’s behalf, but the girl has to CREATE that hope. On Twitter, it’s often less about what the man thinks of the babe that might prompt him to invest his time or money in her, it’s more what he thinks she might think (or will think) of him. The girls who get the most out of their careers on the babe shows appear to understand this 100% and know how to make the guys feel important at the right time. But they don’t make the mistake of giving away their attention for free. They’re careful to show the investment is rewarded but that guys who are all talk, (the self-focused men who want the attention without the contribution) mean nothing and get nothing – including replies on Twitter.”
Babestation: Do you agree with the statement about the ‘currency of popularity’?
Alice: At the end of the day the girls who make the most money are the girls who appeal to every area of the industry – there’s different guys who want different things and if you’re a girl who knows what you’re doing, an all-rounder, you know how to deal with the different men. It’s important to be appreciative of everyone who engages with you in any way because ultimately at some point if they like you they will hopefully come and call you or have a cam session with you. Although, I don’t think it’s true to say that you would ignore people who don’t pay, because everybody who is engaging with you is ultimately a fan.
Babestation: What’s the split like between positive and negative interactions on Twitter?
Alice: I very rarely get negative interactions. If I do it’s generally people that want you to perform to a level you don’t go to and they get pissed off when you won’t do the most hardcore thing that there is possible to do, you know? That doesn’t really bother me because the people that know you and interact with you the most know exactly what you do and they’re fine with that. Really, there’s never enough you can do. When I first started modelling I didn’t even do topless shoots for about two years, at the time I thought, “I’ll never do topless”, then I did. Now, my levels aren’t mega high but… they’ve changed! Sometimes it’s never enough.
Babestation: Where do you draw the line at obscene messages? Do you have a threshold for what you’ll accept? What is it and why?
Alice: More recently I’ve had a zero tolerance policy. Not zero tolerance to all negatives – constructive criticism is fine but if it’s personal about appearance. If somebody continues to say I’m not happy with what you’re doing I’ll cut that off. I’ve said to people that if you want to be nasty, I’m not here for it.
It’s not just the obscene or abusive comments that a girl has to deal with. Other kinds of frequent messages can become a hassle too, even if that isn’t the intention. Such as the ‘pestering’ messages; bombarding the same girl with message after message, clogging up her feed with questions or requests. The ‘gift’ messages; asking about her wish list or offering to buy presents, looking for attention with no intention of following through. Then there’s the ‘objectification’ messages; the ‘I love your ass’ or ‘I’d love to fuck you’ type messages that, while the sender may be ignorant enough to think they sound like compliments, are really just lecherous pot shots that in no way endear the person to the girl he is interacting with.
Babestation: What are the most annoying types of messages your receive on Twitter
Alice: I’d say the most annoying is time wasters who just want to get your attention by saying something like, ‘I’d like to buy your favourite pair of shoes, tell me what they are and I’ll buy them for you’. And just want your reaction without the intention of doing anything.
Babestation: Do you think you have to deal with more of these types of annoying/negative messages than the average person in the public eye because of the sexual nature of what you do? Or do you think your average celebrity/influencer has to deal with their fair share of it too?
Alice: I think most people in the public eye get their fair share of it. I think we potentially get it less. I know people in the mainstream really struggle with it as they put their whole life out there, which we don’t generally do. I think because of the industry we’re in we don’t generally put our family stuff out on social media but they do and they get scrutinised all the time. I don’t get a lot of shit, never really have.
Babestation: What are the most frequent types of messages?
Alice: Probably dick pics or “show us your tits”
Babestation: Do you still have positive interactions more often than not?
Alice: Yeah, more often than not, it’s a positive interaction.
Babestation: How would you sum up your experiences using Twitter & social media in general to promote your brand?
Alice: It’s a huge part of promoting your brand. Really, Twitter and social media is the only way to do it. There’s no ‘advertising’ in this industry, as such, you know what i mean? You can’t have a billboard with your tits out saying, ‘come and see me on Babestation Saturday at 10 o’clock’. So, really social media is the only way. It has been the way that I’ve built my career. It’s massive.
CONCLUSION
Some might see a Babestation babe’s only concern to be the bottom line but in reality the opposite is true. If a fan is genuine in their intention to communicate with their chosen babe and not just trying to provoke for a reaction, the performer will genuinely appreciate the interaction, even if they aren’t always able to respond. After all, these girls get so many messages every day.
In turn, if the fans choose to spend their time promoting someone they like, that babe has benefited from her effort in making as many fans as possible feel appreciated. Hopefully this symbiosis of mutual appreciation between babe and fan will continue to work for everyone involved for years to come.
Keep an eye out for more of Alice Goodwin on your TV and webcam streams. And of course, check her Twitter for the latest updates for her and all your other favourite Babestation babes.
