Using Photo Sites to Grow Your Audience
As a nude model and a photographer of male nudity, I have always found it challenging to find web sites where I can share my photography and promote my blog.
If you take into account how much nudity you can find online, you may find it hard to believe that there is a problem at all.
The problem is not finding a venue to share nude photography. The problem is finding the right venue that attracts the right type of people back to your blog. There is no lack of porn and porn sites, but you should probably find better places for your photography.
If you focus mainly on nude images of women, then it will be easier for you. Male erotica is rarer and far less accepted, mostly because a lot of heterosexual men are threatened by it. Sadly, you have a much higher chance of having your photos reported, and your profile banned if you publish nude images of men.
Before choosing the right site for your photos, make sure that you read carefully and understand what is allowed to share and how. The terms change from one site to another. Some places will allow you to post cum leaking out of an ass hole, while others will not let you show even an ass!
Some sites don’t require you to flag your work as mature, while others have an elaborate and somewhat tricky tagging requirement (like Deviant Art). The rules can also change between Photos and Video clips.
In short, read the terms carefully and always be prepared to be surprised. It is easy to violate the rules because it can get quite complicated.
Here are the sites that I have used over the years:
Instagram & Facebook
Both sites are perhaps the most conservative as far as nudity, even more so regarding male nudity. You are very likely to have your photos removed, and eventually, your profile banned. Even showing a little bit of pubic hair could be a problem.
If you plan to use these sites, you will need to hide certain body parts cleverly. I know a lot of photographers that use these sites, and the results are quite impressive.
My style of photography is realistic. That is, I like to share the male body just as it appears. I don’t want to make made-up postures to hide fundamental parts of the male anatomy like testicles.
500PX
If you are a professional photographer, 500 PX sounds like the right place for you. But, sadly, it is not.
There is very little engagement going on. You are unlikely to get comments or feedback about your work. The chances of drawing traffic to your blog are slim.
This site is heavily biased against male erotica. You can find lots of vaginas (because heterosexual guys don’t report it). However, if you dare to show a hint of a penis, the site will be notified, and 500px will ban your account. If you paid for membership, you will not get your money back. They won’t even let you know that you were kicked out. One day, you find out that you can no longer log in.
MeWe
MeWe is a social platform like Facebook on a much smaller scale. The pleasant thing about it is that it will allow you to post any nudity, and you don’t need to tag it at all. The drawback is that it’s a niche and not as popular as Facebook.
I recommend giving it a try.
Flickr
We all know and love the pleasant, reliable, Flickr. Flickr has been around forever, and I use it a lot. I have thousands of active followers on Flickr. “Active” is the right term to use.
Most people on Flickr are friendly. I get a lot of engagement, comments, messages, invites, and more. I’m able to draw a lot of traffic to my blog by posting photos on Flickr.
Deviant Art
Another beautiful site that I use. It’s not only for pure art but also for photography (which is an art form as well). DA has tricky and confusing rules regarding nudity. I suggest you read them quite carefully.
I draw a lot of traffic to my blog from DA.
Dudes Nude
“Dudes Nude” is a nude site for guys. I post there nude photos of myself, and that seems to draw a lot of guys to my blog. There are no rules: Be naked, a lot!
Tips to Keep in Mind
- Choose quality versus quantity. I post one or two photos per day. People are more likely to engage with your work if there is only one photo
- No matter the platform, don’t abuse it. Abusers (even if they play by the rules) don’t get far.
- Engage with other content. That’s the best way to get people to respond to your photos. Comment, share, give tips, and more.
- Don’t over-promote yourself. It’s OK to promote yourself, your work, and your blog, but don’t overdo it.
And finally, my most important tip: Sign your photos with a link to your blog. I’ve gotten so much traffic from this idea that I should have patented it. People view your photos, and, on the right or left corner, they will notice a small link to your blog/site. It’s the best advertisement: nonintrusive, simple, effective.
