How to Become an NSFW ASMRtist

The used panty marketplace

Do people often tell you that you have a sexy or seductive voice? While phone sex is still a thing, ASMR is rising as the most popular way to make money using your talented vocal cords (among other things). 

ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, describes the sensation some people experience when they encounter specific sounds and triggers. These include everything from whispering, blowing, or licking to non-vocal cues like fingernails tapping on a hard surface or paper crinkling. In some cases, the triggers are visual like watching someone fold laundry or brush their hair. Most people describe their reaction to these stimuli as a tingling feeling on their scalp and down the back of their neck combined with an overall sense of calm and wellbeing. Not everyone reacts the same way to these triggers but for those that do, the experience can be extremely satisfying and even arousing. Others find it so relaxing that they use ASMR to help them fall asleep. 

Which is why so many people are willing to pay for ASMR content. Becoming an ASMR star (also known as an ASMRtist) means knowing the most popular triggers and forms of ASMR. From videos to podcasts, you can please your audience and increase your income with the snap of your fingers (literally).

Here’s everything you need to know about becoming an ASMR star including the different types of content you can produce, the equipment you need to get started, and how much to charge. 

Types of ASMR

ASMR comes in a variety of forms. Before you can start making money sending tingles down people’s spines, you need to know what your options are. The three main types of ASMR are auditory, visual, and tactile. 

Auditory

Auditory ASMR is about isolating your voice or the sound you’re making without outside distractions or noise interference. Arguably the most popular form of ASMR, ASMRtists use a special microphone to create intimate, pronounced sounds. Common auditory triggers include whispering, blowing, licking, sucking, scratching, tapping, and crinkling. Whispering, soft speech, sucking, and licking are most popular triggers in sexual ASMR. 

Sounds that mimic the sound of sex are also popular including intercourse, masturbating, and oral sex. You can produce this type of content using audio only or by using a video to create a combination of auditory and visual ASMR. ASMR porn often involves videos of artists performing sex acts while amplifying the sounds. For example, sucking on a dildo, mastubrating, or having sex while isolating specific sounds like the contact between two bodies or slurping, kissing, and sucking certain body parts. 

Visual

Visual triggers have long been some of the most popular and successful when discussing sexual arousal. It’s one reason the porn industry is worth $97 billion. While not all ASMR content is designed to make the listener or viewer sexually aroused, visual stimuli is extremely powerful and effective. That doesn’t mean you need to break out your webcam and start filming yourself masturbating or giving a blow job. There are other visual triggers that still deliver the tingling results viewers want like folding laundry, unboxing items, painting, gentle hand movements, and even facial expressions. Viewers focus on these methodical movements, achieving deep relaxation and calm. Many ASMR videos are used to reduce stress and induce sleep. 

A lot of auditory ASMR videos offer visual triggers as well. For example, turning the pages of a book. The listener enjoys the sound of the pages turning but may get double the pleasure by watching you turn the pages while listening to the isolated sound. 

Another popular form of visual ASMR is role-playing. Certain types of ASMR are focused on self-care and pampering like having your hair brushed or make up applied. Some viewers enjoy watching people get their hair cut or be examined by a doctor – in a completely non-sexual way. Viewers find these encounters soothing. This type of ASMR focuses on giving personal, individualized attention and stimulates the viewer both visually and emotionally. 

Girlfriend role playing is growing increasingly popular in the ASMR world where artists pretend to be the viewers’ girlfriend. You can whisper sweet and sexual phrases to listeners and create videos that are both arousing and romantic. The more intimate and personalized, the better. Viewers end the session feeling special and cared for.

Tactile

Last on the list of ASMR triggers are tactile or physical triggers. Because these triggers require physical contact, you need to be willing to meet with clients in person. In most cases, the sensation can’t be achieved without the person physically experiencing the trigger. These include scalp massage, tickling, having your hair cut or brushed, having makeup applied, and medical examinations.

If you want to explore this form of ASMR, be sure to only meet verified clients in a safe, pre-arranged location. 

Breaking Into the ASMR Market 

Now that you know what types of ASMR content you can produce and offer clients, let’s talk about making money as an ASMRtist. 

YouTube is currently flooded with ASMR content which is a good and bad thing if you’re looking to break into the business. It’s good because it means ASMR content is in demand. But it also means that competition is fierce. The most popular ASMR channel right now (Gentle Whispering ASMR) has over 1.7 million subscribers. Additionally, some of the top-producing ASMRtists in the world bring in well over $3 million annually with their content. It’s clear that the potential for financial success as an ASMR star is real!

But with so much titillating ASMR content available, you’ll need to think outside the traditional box if you want to monetise your work. Gentle whispering and fingernail tapping may not be enough anymore. Today’s market craves individualized attention which is why custom ASMR content is on the rise. This makes sense given the intimacy of ASMR and the fact that certain people need very specific triggers to achieve pleasure. Consider offering custom content that allows your clients to request exactly what they want. Maybe it’s watching you fold laundry while you describe how it smells and feels in a gentle whisper. Or maybe your client wants you to address them by name while gently running your fingers through your hair. The options are virtually endless and the best part is, you can accept or deny requests based on your comfort level. You can also set your own prices based on how involved the video is. 

Another benefit of going the route of bespoke content is that a lot of bigger YouTube names with thousands or millions of subscribers may not have time to fill individual requests. They create content for the majority of their fan base. As a new ASMRtist, you can take custom orders and slowly build your clientele without the need to gain thousands of followers. Give clients the option of choosing what triggers they want, how long they want the video to be, and any other special requests. Then, set your rates. Some ASMRtists charge a flat fee for editing plus a price per minute of filming. If you’re just starting out, you may need to keep your prices slightly lower than your competitors until you make a name for yourself in the business and start getting flooded with requests.

You can and should also market your channel across other social media platforms to drum up interest and attention. Over time, you may gain a strong enough following to earn money through advertisements but you’re more likely to monetise your efforts by working directly with clients. You should also be prepared for some outlandish and sometimes bizarre requests. Some popular ASMRtists shared strange client requests including pretending to turn the viewer into a puppet and manipulate their limbs with strings and another that involved lipstick application, lip smacking, and sucking noises. 

If you’re strictly interested in auditory ASMR, a podcast may suffice. Just know that the most popular ASMR content involves both auditory and visual stimuli so it may be difficult to monetize your podcast as quickly as a YouTube channel or other platform that provides visual content. 

Building Your Following and Honing Your Craft

When it comes to any money-making venture, you need to know and cater to your target audience. Becoming an ASMR star is no different. When creating your channel, think about your community of followers – who they are, what they want, and where to find them. The key to any content-driven project is to post regularly and consistently. Once you gain a following, your viewers will look forward to your content. Stop posting regularly and they’ll stop returning. You also need to make them feel special and appreciated. Read through viewer comments and take their feedback to heart. What type of content are they enjoying and which videos fell flat? Are they asking for special requests? Give the people what they want! 

Growing your following will take time, so be patient. With so much ASMR content flooding the internet, your channel needs a unique feature that draws people in. What can you do or offer that no one else can? Do some research about the ASMR community and identify your brand voice before launching your channel. You need a strong, identifiable persona. Decide if you’ll use your real name or a pseudonym. You can even create an entire character, complete with a costume, accent, and accessories. Other ASMRtists prefer to stay true to themselves and take a more simplistic approach. Both methods offer unique benefits so choose whichever best suits your personality and goals. 

Creating ASMR Content is More Involved Than You Might Think

If you’re serious about becoming an ASMR star, you’ll need more than a microphone, a sexy whisper, and a hairbrush. Some of the top-performing ASMRtists describe content creation as a creative outlet but one that is quite labor intensive. ASMR videos are a complete production with special attention paid to everything from costumes and lighting to props, scripts, and the backdrop. 

Viewers and listeners often require a very personalized and specific set of triggers to achieve ASMR, which means all of the components of your video need to fit together perfectly. Creating ASMR content is about setting the right mood. You’ll need to experiment with sounds, background noise, props, angles, and lighting. The average ASMRtist spends anywhere from 4 to 6 hours creating and editing a video for a client. Don’t be afraid to charge for your time. If you’re producing quality, niche content that caters to a client’s specific needs, most ASMR fans are willing to pay for it.

How to Produce Quality ASMR Content

Whether you’re producing strictly auditory ASMR or a combination of audio and visual, you need the right environment and equipment. There are three main components when creating quality ASMR content – the source of the sound, the room where it’s produced, and the equipment used. Once you establish these three factors, your imagination is the only limit to producing quality, money-making ASMR videos. 

The Source of the Sound

Because most ASMR content is based on sound and auditory stimulation, you need to learn a thing or two about microphone use. This is also known as mic discipline or technique. Here are a few of the most important factors to consider when whispering, speaking, or producing sound using your microphone.

  • Whispering involves a lot of breathing. When your mouth is too close to the microphone, the sound of your breathing will overpower your voice. Unless you’re producing a breathing or blowing video, this will take away from its effectiveness. To prevent this, try breathing away from the mic.
  • When your voice is isolated from all other sounds and noises, certain letters and words come out sharp, shrill, and borderline annoying. This is especially true with the letters S, P, T, and B. This shrill backfeed is known as sibilance and can be avoided by speaking into your microphone on an angle rather than straight-on. Doing so will reduce high-frequency content. When you pronounce words starting with the letters P, T, and B, they often come out sounding like a jarring burst of air. A pop filter can reduce this. 
  • The proximity effect describes your proximity to the microphone. Most people get extremely close when whispering or creating ASMR sounds. While this is necessary to some degree, getting too close will increase the bass response and affect the quality of your audio. A good rule of thumb is to position yourself between 25 and 30 cm from your microphone. 
  • When choosing clothes for your ASMR video, you have to consider more than just how they make you look. Certain materials are extremely loud when you move like leather and polyester. When recording subtle, gentle sounds, wear loose fitted clothing that is virtually silent when you shift position. 

The Room You Record In

Because ASMR is focused so much on producing specific, isolated sounds, you can’t record your videos just anywhere. You need to create the perfect environment for isolating the sounds you want to include while also blocking out distractions, background, and ambient noise. This can be tricky if you’re working from home, but with a little creativity, you can design a content creation space that works for producing quality ASMR videos. 

  • The biggest challenge when recording ASMR videos is eliminating background noise. Everything from your ceiling fan to a noisy roommate or washing machine can interfere with your project. Some things are within your control but others (like street traffic or the neighbors barking dog) can’t be stopped. Your best bet to eliminate (or at least reduce) outside noise interference is to record your videos at night when most people are sleeping and your surroundings are relatively quiet. 
  • There are two common sound disturbances that you may encounter when recording audio and video in your home – comb filtering and flutter echo. These phenomena occur when sound bounces between two reflective walls or surfaces. The best way to reduce these unwanted echos is to absorb the sound. This is why you see a lot of artists singing or recording in a room with insulated walls. By absorbing unwanted noise, you can better isolate the sounds you want to capture. Simple things like placing a thick curtain on your window or a carpet on the floor can help
  • The placement of your body and equipment in the room is also important for producing quality content. This is known as room resonance and finding the right spot can be tricky. A lot has to do with the size and contents of the room. You need to experiment by moving around and seeing how your voice and acoustics sound in different parts of the room. Once you find your sweet spot, keep your equipment there permanently or mark the area to keep consistency. 

The Right Equipment 

Perhaps one of the most important things about becoming a successful ASMR star is investing in the right equipment. You need the right gear to deliver the best experience to your viewers, listeners, and followers. It is important to note, however, that your ASMR performance is the true key to your success. High-tech equipment can’t replace talent. With that being said, let’s explore the basic equipment you’ll need to get started.

  • ASMRtists and enthusiasts argue that the visual aspect of ASMR content isn’t as important as the audio. This is plausible considering the mere act of closing your eyes and eliminating your sense of sight only intensifies your sense of hearing. So, while you’ll need a quality camera (especially if you’re exploring role-playing ASMR), it doesn’t need to be terribly expensive. In addition, lighting is key for recording top-notch visual content so a basic camera used in good lighting can result in high-quality content. 
  • Because ASMR is focused so heavily on sound, your audio equipment matters. Consider the sensitivity of the microphone you choose. The higher the sensitivity, the more slight, discrete sounds you’ll pick up which are an important aspect of ASMR content. You also need to consider the microphone’s self-noise, which is the signal it produces even when no sound is present.  The lower the self-noise, the better the mic will be at picking up your isolated sounds. Be sure to invest in quality microphone cables as well.
  • The best audio interface for ASMR is stereo, which localizes the source of the sound and allows for deeper immersion. You want an interface that accommodates two microphone inputs but is also affordable. 
  • Whether you’re producing strictly auditory content or both auditory and visual, you’ll need the right software. There are countless video editing software programs available but most ASMRtists use four main types – iMovie and DaVinci Resolve (which are both free), or paid versions like Final Cut and Adobe Premiere. The most important thing is that your video and audio are in sync so don’t shy away from spending a few extra bucks on additional software. Some of the best and most inexpensive audio recording software programs include Cakewalk, Garageband, and Audacity.

The Non-Sexual Side of ASMR

Not all ASMR content is designed to be sexually stimulating. In fact, most of the ASMR content on YouTube right now is geared more toward relaxation and sleep. If you’re not comfortable creating content that is strictly meant for sexual pleasure, you have plenty of other options. It’s important to note, though, that even if you produce ASMR content that’s not sexual in nature, some viewers may use it for that purpose. For example, one artist produces videos that include her eating a sticky honeycomb and roleplaying as a “snotty make up artist”. While neither scenario is particularly “sexy”, many of her fans use this type of content for sexual pleasure. 

Tap Into Your Senses and Become an ASMR Star

ASMR is on the rise. As more and more people uncover this stimulating form of arousal and pleasure, the demand for quality, individualized content continues to rise. While not everyone experiences ASMR, those that do swear by its ability to satisfy, relax, and arouse them. The best part is, you don’t need much to start making money as an ASMRtist. Although quality equipment is important, your performance and personality are what will make you an ASMR star!