What Do You Need To Start An OnlyFans?

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Yes, another post about OnlyFans - but hear me out: let’s talk about how to start yourself an OnlyFans (and gain a good chunk of followers) with as little effort as possible. You know, in true Lazy Girl fashion. 

If you’re new here, let me explain: being a Lazy Girl isn’t just about being lazy. It’s about finding the quickest, easiest, cheapest way from point A to point B while still doing an awesome job and maintaining a boss-babe attitude. It’s about working with the flow, not against it, to get where you need to go. 

If you’re curious, here are some of my other Lazy Girl guides: 
Lazy Girl’s Guide to Quickies
Lazy Girl’s Guide to Giving Incredible Blowjobs
Lazy Girl’s Guide to Masturbation

Now that I’ve sufficiently plugged the Lazy Girl vibe, let’s talk about being a Lazy Girl on OnlyFans. 

The OnlyFans Breakdown…

OnlyFans launched in 2016 and has become a social media juggernaut since then. OnlyFans is most often associated with NSFW content, but really, OnlyFans is a place where you can create and showcase any kind of content from modeling to photography, cooking to yes, stripping, and online sex work. 

What it is: 

OnlyFans is a platform where you can set up a subscription-based service for your “fans” - you charge them a set amount per month to access your content. Additionally, they can tip you under posts, in private messages, etc. 

Why it’s popular: 

OnlyFans covers a significant hole in our market: the place where content creators of all sizes (and types) want to get paid for their work. Landing a modeling gig, becoming a big-time influencer, etc - those things do happen and you can earn money from that...but what about the in-between? What about when you’re working your heart out to create content and you haven’t caught your big break yet. You still want a way to earn an income from the content you’re making - and OnlyFans can help you with that. 

How you get paid: 

There are several ways you earn money on OnlyFans: through subscriptions, pay-walled posts, tips, and private messaging. You can arrange services such as sexting, camming or selling your used panties. 

When it comes to getting paid, here’s what you need to know…

  • OnlyFans takes 20%, you keep 80% (of everything). Every fan subscription and every tip you make, you get 80%, they get 20%. This is a relatively good pay-out when compared to camming platforms like Chaturbate or LiveJasmin who often only allow you to keep 60-75% of your earnings.
  • You have to link a credit card to OnlyFans to pay for anything, and you have to link a bank account to earn anything. There’s just really no way around this. OnlyFans does not currently work alongside PayPal or any other cash app. To earn money, you must link a bank account. To spend money, you must link a credit card.
  • And yes, OnlyFans will show up on your statements. When you’re paid through OnlyFans, it often shows up as “Fernix International” or some variation. When you are charged through OnlyFans on a credit card (for tipping another creator for example), your credit card statement shows up as “OF London”, “OnlyFans” or something similar. 

If you’re curious about OnlyFans, read my OnlyFans FAQ article here

How to Sign Up For OnlyFans 

Signing up for OnlyFans is pretty simple, but in order to be approved on the first try, there are some things you should know…

The OnlyFans signup process: 

  1. You can sign up to this platform with your email address or by connecting it to your Twitter account.
  2. Once you enter that information, you will receive an email (either to the email address you have provided or the one that is linked to your Twitter account) to verify yourself.
  3. You can verify yourself by clicking the link in the email, which will then redirect you to OnlyFans and your (not yet set up) profile. 
  4. From here, you will need to verify your identity. This part requires a government-issued ID (a passport or ID card). You need to scan your ID card (front) and then take a selfie with it to prove that you are who you say you are and are the owner of that ID.
  5. Once you’ve done this, you can submit it to OnlyFans for approval. This stage can take up to 72 hours but most of the time takes around 24 hours. This information (your legal name, age, information on the ID, and this photo of you and your ID) is never released to the public.
  6. Within the specified time period, you will either be approved (and can go on to set up your account) or you will be denied and asked to resubmit your application. 

How to Get Approved for OnlyFan (on the first try)

I’ve seen tons of questions on Reddit and Google about how to get approved for OnlyFans after you’ve been denied and it’s really just not that difficult. Follow some of these helpful tips to be approved on the first try (or to be approved after you’ve been denied)...

Ensure your ID card or passport is valid. 

Rookie mistake: submitting an OnlyFans application with an ID or passport that is expired. This is obviously not going to work - just double-check the dates on your ID before you apply. 

Take the “selfie with your ID” with the normal camera on your phone, not the front-facing selfie camera. 

To prove your identity, you will be asked to submit a photo of yourself holding your ID. This photo should be taken with your normal camera (not the front-facing selfie camera) on your smartphone. You can have someone else take this photo for you or set it up on a timer and stand in front of it. The reason for this is that the “front-facing selfie camera” on smartphones naturally has a lower quality than the camera on the back of your phone. 

Make sure you get your entire face (and the ID) in the frame. A tip: hold the ID card beside your face and make sure both your face and the writing on the ID are visible. 

Make sure your ID is visible and legible in the photo. 

This is a no-brainer, but please make sure the photo you upload of the front of your ID is legible. Attempt to read the expiry date (often the smallest letters on an ID) through the photo you’ve taken. If you can - then submit it. If you can’t, then retake the photo. 

Double-check all information before pressing “send.” 

Spelling errors, wrong file attachments...really, it can be the simplest mistake that causes you to be denied and have to go through the whole process again. That is not the Lazy Girl way. Let’s get it right the first time (with as little effort as possible) so we don’t have to do it over again.

Let’s Get Real About OnlyFans...

So - you want to earn money from your content. Who doesn’t, right? You’ve worked hard, you deserve to get paid. Sometimes it’s really that simple, and other times it’s not. What’s it like on OnlyFans? 

OnlyFans is relatively safe, even though you have to divulge personal and banking information. 

Sharing your personal and banking information online can always be a bit daunting - but rest assured, this information is only ever used for identification and payment purposes on OnlyFans. Your fans will never have access to this. You can list yourself on OnlyFans as whomever you want, no need to use your real name, and no one will ever find that out. 

The geo-blocking feature is amazing. 

I know this isn’t a new concept (looking at you, camming websites) but this is just pure brilliance on the part of OnlyFans. You can block out entire regions (or entire countries) and they won’t have access to your OnlyFans page. They can’t even see it if they search for you. This is just so helpful if you’re someone who wants your OnlyFans adventures to be private and separate from your real-life. 

Enable two-step verification - this can be annoying AF but can ultimately protect your account. 

Two-step verification is essentially what it sounds like - every time you log into OnlyFans, you will need to verify that it’s you attempting to log in through a third-party app. Most of the time this is a QR code or key that is prompted to you upon your attempted sign-in that you then have to either scan with your phone or input on the app on your phone in order to access your OnlyFans. This is really helpful if you’re worried about someone accessing your OnlyFans without your permission. 

Promoting yourself isn’t as easy as it seems...but it might be easier than it seems.

Who wants intimate photos of you? Likely lots of people (I mean, lots) - but the issue is finding those people. Promoting your OnlyFans account can be a bit tricky, especially when there are literally thousands of other people out there doing the exact same thing. We’ll get into more on how to do this (the Lazy Girl way) below. 

Getting fans may be easy...keeping fans is a whole other ballgame. 

When you start on OnlyFans and start promoting, if you already have a larger following that is eager to join you, you will see an influx of followers. Then, around your first billing cycle (a month after your subscribers joined), you may see a bit of a drop-off from people who don’t have “rebill” turned on. You can see whether someone has the rebill option turned on (auto renew for their subscription to you) if you click on their name. Losing fans due to this is just a reality of how the platform works - not everyone will want to (or will be able to afford to) stay on long term. 

Setting your price is kind of make-or-break in terms of return on investment. 

In terms of whether or not this venture is worthwhile, that really depends on your rates. If you’re spending hours on content creation and editing, you may want to up your subscription rate to account for the time and effort you’re putting in. If you’re creating content anyways (say you’re a model or take the photos for a partner and then upload them to OnlyFans as a side thought) then you can afford to charge a bit less because it’s taking less of your time. 

Give this some thought before you start to avoid starting at a rate that is too high (or too low). 

Starting a “FREE” account and having paywalled posts is an option...but is it worth-while? 

Speaking of rates, let’s talk about those “free” OnlyFans accounts for a hot minute. Are they really free? Well, yes and no. It’s free to subscribe to these accounts but most of the time, the creator will set certain (in NSFW circles, the more explicit) content behind a paywall. This means that each subscriber will have to pay a certain amount (decided by you) to access that post. 

In a way, this can be quite smart if done properly, because paywall posts could earn you more money. However, if the content behind the paywall isn’t what your fans deem worthwhile, you may have some annoyed fans on your hands. 

How to Promote Your OnlyFans, the Lazy Girl Way

Oh yes, promotion needs to happen. This is really one of the best ways to gain fans - but it can be a bit of an uphill battle. How do you make sure you’re promoting the right way? Take advantage of platforms that allow NSFW promotions, obviously! 

Reddit Threads

Reddit threads are very popular and easy ways to leave your link somewhere that lots of people could potentially come across it. Some of the popular OnlyFans promotion subreddits include: OnlyFans101, OnlyFansPromotions, OnlyFansGirls101, and SexSells. Be sure to read the rules before posting and promoting yourself in any threads to avoid breaking the rules of that subreddit. 

Twitter

Steer clear of the “OnlyFans threads” on Twitter. These are basically just lots of OnlyFans people spamming their links in hopes of gaining new fans. But it’s really just that - OnlyFans people hoping to gain new fans, not people actually looking to subscribe to OnlyFans.

Instead, engage in RT for RT threads with other creators. This allows their following to see your content and your following to see theirs, which can mean more actual engagement and subscriptions for both of you. 

Alternatively, you can promote other creators (and ask them to promote you) on OnlyFans itself - lots of these “OnlyFans sisters” groups exist on Twitter where you all take turns promoting each other with the same idea: sharing audiences and growing together. 

Use proper hashtags, avoid bad ones. Using the tag “OnlyFans” will definitely get you retweets from bot accounts, which is fine, but ultimately superficial as they go through and retweet anything with the word OnlyFans in it. Instead, choose hashtags based on what content you offer or what is actually showcased in the photo you’re sharing. For example, #milf, #BDSM, #kink, #thickgirls, #thickthighs, #bigtits, etc. You can also go with the flow of different hashtags that trend throughout the week such as #TittyTuesday and #ThighThursday. This will get you far more attention (and actual engagement) than hashtags like #onlyfans or #onlyfanspromo. 

Go with short video clips that leave things to the imagination rather than large censor-bar photos. A video of you bending over in a seductive pose (that is clearly cut from a longer video) is going to do much better than a photo of your tits with censor emojis on them. Why? Because it makes people curious. 

Promotions and Free Trial Links

Running promotions on OnlyFans and sending out free trial links may seem counterintuitive to earning money but really, it’s not. Hear me out: if you give someone a free trial link and they really enjoy your content, they either subscribe once the link is over or they don’t. If they don’t, perhaps they enjoy your content enough to tip you while they can see what you make, and chances are that tip will be worth just as much (or more) than what they would have paid for a one-month subscription. 

Running promotions (slashing your content down from $7.99 to $5.99 for example, can also be a great way to gain an influx of subscribers. 

Collabs With Other Creators 

Collaborating with other creators on OnlyFans, sending out their promotions, or even creating content with them and cross-promoting it can be extremely helpful and a really fun way to mutually benefit from the experience. 

Making Content Creation Easier Than Ever

One of the things you’re going to have to nail down fast is how to create content quickly and efficiently while not losing any quality. The Lazy Girl motto: work smarter, not harder. 

Do mass photoshoots. 

Feeling pretty? Slap on some makeup and snap some photos. Still feeling yourself? Outfit change! Do it again! When you’re in the mood to create content, create tons of it! That way, when you’re not in the mood, you have some bulk to fall back on. 

Schedule your content. 

OnlyFans does have scheduling tools, so even when you’re busy (you know, hot girl things - aka either binge-watching Netflix or hooking up with someone) - you can still post content. This is especially great for consistency - if your fans are active during one specific time of day, posting at that time of day every day can be a great way to engage with them and earn more money. 

Go with the flow of the season. 

Easter? Cute bunny outfit. Summer? Outdoor lingerie shoot. Christmas? Santa, a reindeer, or slutty elf-on-the-shelf. There are tons of ideas out there for sexy and fun photoshoots that highlight the time of year and leave your fans feeling extra happy. 

Simple and natural is often best. 

While made-up photoshoots and beautiful lingerie is appreciated, there is something particularly sexy and vulnerable about a “good morning” selfie covered in strategically placed sheets or a “good night” message while laying in bed while reading. Sometimes being sexy isn’t a matter of acting sexy, it’s a matter of acting natural and confident.

OnlyFans Tips & Tricks for Lazy Girls Everywhere 

You’re set up, you know about promotions, you obviously know how to create the content…what’s next? Maintaining a kick-ass OnlyFans account, that’s what.

Be engaging with your fans. 

This is a given that some people just can’t wrap their heads around. The whole concept of OnlyFans is to get an inside, exclusive look at people. They want to see you intimately, vulnerable, open. In order to maintain a good relationship with your fans, you should be open to friendly chats in DMs. If you’re someone who is available for custom content, this can be a great way to arrange that. 

Set clear boundaries in your biography. 

If you don’t intend on posting nudes, make that clear in your bio. If you don’t intend on ever showing your face in your photos and videos, that’s totally fine - but again, put that in your bio. People who come across your page (if they are viewing from a region that isn’t blocked) will be able to read your bio. You want to make sure that you’re promoting what you to and setting pretty clear boundaries about what you don’t do - just so everyone is on the same page. 

If you’re open to customs, be prepared to spend more time in the DMs. 

DMs can be time-consuming. And on OnlyFans, time can be money. You can charge for DM messages, arrange sexting or video chat rates, etc - all in an effort to make the time you spend responding to people’s DMs worthwhile. 

Withdraw in lump sums, not little by little. 

Withdrawing $20 here and $20 there (as $20 is the minimum limit to withdraw into a bank account) can be kind of annoying. Perhaps this is just personal preference, but it will be far more exciting (and worthwhile) to wait to withdraw $50-$70 at a time. 

Watch your analytics - play smarter, not harder. 

Analytics can be your friend. See who has rebill on, see who is tipping you and under what posts, ask your community via polls what kind of content they are enjoying most, click on your last few posts and read the analytics - how many people tipped you, how long they watched the video...all of those things can be extremely helpful in creating more content that your fans will enjoy (and tip you more for)! 

If you enjoyed this article, please check out some of the other OnlyFans related articles we have…

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