You’ve finally decided to take the plunge and turn your gaming passion into a live-streaming career. But even after spending time and money to advance your profession, the results aren’t what you hoped. And you wonder, WHY?
On Twitch, you rely on your viewers watching for more extended periods to keep your viewership up. Nothing is more frustrating than when your chat dulls and no one seems to be watching. A lack of Twitch audience engagement could mean a drop in viewership.
But here is the real challenge: how do you gain new followers for your streams while keeping the existing ones engaged?
Let’s dive into why you should continue streaming on Twitch and ten tips to help you grow your Twitch channel engagement and keep that chatbox lit up.
Benefits Of Streaming On Twitch
Twitch is the world leader in online video game streaming platforms.
Numbers don’t lie, right?
Twitch accounts for 43% of all revenue generated by video gaming content globally. Also, it has nearly as much peak traffic as Netflix and Google combined. It’s no surprise that Amazon paid $970 million for the streaming service in 2014. While 500,000 daily streamers can sound intimidating, it is also a chance to build your community.
There is money to be made!
Another significant advantage of Twitch streaming is the ability to earn money. If you have the influence, why not monetize it? There are various ways to raise money, including donations and ad income. Twitch itself has two programs for dedicated streamers: Affiliates and Partners. There are many success stories on Twitch of streamers who made it big on the platform, earning almost as high as $800,000 per month.
Ninja is one of those top streamers who earn $400,000 – $800,000 per month with 17 million followers on the channel. You may not be a top streamer yet, but you still have the potential to earn with your content on Twitch if you are dedicated to building a subscriber base and stream regularly.
10 Tips To Kickstart Your Growth On Twitch
While starting a Twitch channel is the easiest part of the journey, sustaining the momentum and building it to new heights requires looking at your Twitch Channel like your day job.
The blunt truth is that on Twitch, just like any other social platform, you (rather your channel) are nothing without your audience.
So here are some methods to keep them interested, keep your content fresh and exciting, and show them that they are an important part of why you stream on Twitch.
1. Develop an online persona
During a stream, who are you? Are you a make-believe character? Are you an exaggerated version of yourself or the one-and-only you?
This is a question you should ask yourself if you’re serious about becoming a Twitch streamer.
There are three concepts to consider when creating your on-stream persona:
1. Start at the bottom and choose what you don’t want to be.
2. Learn as you go: Simply keep streaming until your personal style develops.
3. Research: Take notes and ask for advice to help you grow, but don’t replicate what others have done.
Developing a genuine persona takes time but it will set you apart and will propel your Twitch engagement.
2. Set yourself goals
Do you want to increase the number of views and followers on your channel? Or do you want to focus on a specific niche or expand your channel with more content?
Set a strategy for achieving your goals before you get started. To do so, make sure your goals are specific, measurable, relevant, and attainable, and have a deadline.
Now it’s time to put your goals into action. It’s sometimes easier to break down a goal into smaller chunks rather than tackling it all at once.
It may be difficult to focus on acquiring all 10,000 subscribers at once. But dividing it into gaining the first 100, 500, 1000, and 2000 points can make it more achievable.
Twitch has a list of goals on its creator dashboard to make it even easier. Select the ones you want to keep track of the engagement on your Twitch channel.
3. Stream Consistently and Frequently
Nobody appreciates a streamer who isn’t active. People subscribe to your channel for the content, after all. So, if you want to earn and keep subscribers, you’ll need to stick to a regular schedule. Without a consistent routine, it gives the impression that you are not serious about building your channel. It will also cause you to lose followers because they will be unaware of when you plan to stream.
Twitch lets you create a schedule for your channel so that your viewers know when you’ll be streaming. Because of the weekly timetable, you can arrange your stream schedule ahead of time.
Many streamers make the error of failing to stay to their schedule. So, just by sticking to a plan, you’re already doing something better than most and well on your way to growing your channel.
4. Offer your audience value
Remember, you are nothing without an audience.
If you want to start attracting new and returning viewers, you must provide them with something worthwhile. You must give them a reason to watch you rather than one of the millions of other broadcasters.
You can learn what your audience appreciates or is seeking, such as gaming secrets, game reviews, professional gamers to watch, or just because they enjoy a streamer’s personality.
Try looking at the Esports page on Twitch’s homepage if you’re unsure what your audience is searching for. You can view what other professional players are streaming right now, as well as what games are currently hot.
5. Play the Right Games
Once you know what is trending and what your audience likes, it is essential that you play the right games.
It’s important to strike a balance between games you enjoy and games that your audience wants to watch. Try streaming a few different games to see which ones resonate with both if you’re just getting started.
If you’re just getting started, choose a game that isn’t too popular, as it may be lost in the bustle of other broadcasts. Overall, you should strive to make your content stand out.
Before you start broadcasting, try searching for your favorite games to check if they have a decent number of followers and viewers.
6. Interactivity is crucial
Rather than looking at the chat, many streamers get into the habit of being overly focused on the game or speaking with gamer buddies in a Discord call. You may miss out on viewers’ messages, discouraging them from speaking again. It makes a great difference if you are involved in your discussion and talk to them, asking how they are. You’re eliciting responses and starting a dialogue.
Also, addressing people by their first names can make a significant impact. If you have a limited audience, do your best to remember folks who are repeat viewers and start addressing them by name. They will feel special because of the direct address, which will encourage them to respond.
7. Use high-quality streaming equipment
Interaction is incomplete without quality streaming equipment to do the job well. Investing in good quality basic gear is a must.
A good camera will allow your visitors to clearly see your face and expressions. Choose a microphone that picks up your voice without surrounding distractions. Perform sound checks to see if your audio and visuals are in sync.
You’ll also need a steady internet connection in addition to a microphone and a camera. Uninterrupted, clear streaming will create a bond between you and your audience.
Viewers will be irritated by a sluggish stream, and you may lose subscribers as a result. You may use the Twitch Inspector to check for any Internet connection difficulties and get a sense of how well your stream is performing.
8. Promote yourself on social media
You’ll need to figure out how to get noticed and gain exposure when you’re starting.
Repost on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and even YouTube. Include a brief explanation of the games or content you stream, as well as an image, GIF, or video, when you post about your Twitch channel. Use the proper hashtags and tag relevant persons in your post to expand your reach even more.
Here is how to use some popular sites to promote your Twitch channel:
Twitter’s age demographics are similar to Twitch’s. It is the best site for discovering passionate gamers that are likely to be interested in your broadcast. Post about timings, promote an upcoming stream, tweet about freebies or promotions you’re running, personal events, gaming thoughts, and anything else you think your audience would find amusing or engaging.
YouTube
The best way to use YouTube to promote your Twitch channel is to create videos that showcase everything your stream offers. You should try to publish videos that give viewers a sense of your personality and playing style while also presenting your content in a way that makes viewers want to see more.
Upload memorable moments, whether hilarious incidents, remarkable achievements, or outstanding moves.
Online Forums
There are many blogs, forums, and other online communities dedicated to discussions about Twitch, streaming, and just about any other gaming-related subject, you can think of on the internet. Reddit, Quora, etc are places you can explore to find gamer communities.
9. Networking
One of the most effective ways to develop your own Twitch following and improve your Twitch visibility is to leverage the followings of popular Twitch streamers. It will take some time and effort, but networking and forming ties with other streams and organizations can be quite fruitful. You can do this by:
Attend Twitch conventions and events.
Attending cross-streaming events like TwitchCon, Cooperative Adventuring, or Community Face-Off, as well as gaming conventions like PAX, is a great chance to show off your gaming abilities, network with fans and other streamers, who can help you reach a larger audience.
Participate in Twitch’s Community
Maintaining an active presence within the Twitch community is another excellent method to interact with broadcasters and viewers alike. Visit different streams and engage in conversation with other streamers and spectators. When you’re doing this, make sure you’re not spamming people with your Twitch channel; instead, communicate with them politely and naturally.
10. Run contests
Running a contest is an incredible strategy to expand your audience while also solidifying your engagement with current viewers. A well-designed contest can drive social sharing of your channel, introduce you to new and relevant audiences, reward your viewers, and foster a sense of loyalty among your audience. Contests with a purpose or theme, such as the introduction of a new game or completing a subscription milestone, might be more intriguing and effective for your goals.
To wrap it up
Twitch engagement is a lot of fun if you do it with passion and commitment. These tips can help you to take steps in the right direction but you will only see results if you apply them. Commit for the long haul because overnight success is not a thing, even on Twitch. Gradually build your following and strengthen your engagement to grow your audience and your strength as an influencer.
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