Catch me Twitching: tips I learned from a week of streaming

Being a successful streamer requires properly directed effort and energy.

About a week ago I created a Twitch account.

Prior to this, my knowledge of the gaming platform was incredibly limited. Other than my step-brother once telling me that he earned money through streaming League of Legends over Twitch, I knew little about it.

Over the course of this last week, that all changed. Spending multiple hours each day dedicated to learning from current streamers and community members I was able to pick up on a few things and experiment significantly through trial and error. I was also doing this so that I could share my experience with you.

Honestly, it was not too difficult to get started, but there is a lot to know and being a successful streamer requires properly directed effort and energy.

For any prospective gamers out there that are considering Twitch, I would highly recommend that you just get started.

Create content, refine it, watch videos from other streamers, check out their channels and see what you like and do not like. Try to notice what might be their goal community. Or in other words, what makes their community a place you want to be–or not want to be? Is it their interesting discussions, attractive personality, quirkiness, or mad skills?

From what I heard, there’s a gamer on Twitch who set up his gaming room like a giant time machine and plays the part while streaming. You don’t need to be this awesome, but figure out how to blend your skills. If you’re an artist, use it!

Copying the pros and hoping to get fame might get you a little success, but viewers will always prefer the original over the copy – which is why you need to be unique. Don’t reinvent the wheel, but use your own creativity to be one of a kind. Nobody can beat you at being you. One of the best ways to do this is by figuring out your talents. What are they and how can you apply them to your channel? While you likely aren’t a 90-year-old grandpa pwning noobs on COD, you can bring your own unique perspectives.

You also need to be honest with yourself, is your content worth watching and is your channel providing value to the viewers? If you answered no, you shouldn’t give up, but you might need to shift your approach in a new direction.

Another major tip I found is that finding games with a moderate viewership are a sweet-spot for acquiring a following. Games that are oversaturated might naturally mean that people aren’t finding your content because it’s buried; on the other hand, games without an adequate following will not allow you to acquire a sufficient viewership. Regardless, play the games you enjoy and do not allow yourself to be a slave for the fame or viewers.

Networking is huge. Create an email, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube for your account and draw people to your account this way. Contact other gamers on a similar level and share your followers with them and you might gain some yourself.

Gamers that focus on themselves fail because viewers want value. In building a community, the focus has to be on others. Get them connected by engaging them. Ask questions, talk about yourself. Always keep the conversation going. Even if you must, describe why you chose the weapon you did, why you jumped through the window, and what will be your strategy.

Avoid trash-talk, avoid negativity, and while you might want to talk about U.S. politics, your channel likely is not the place – use your personal discretion.

Don’t expect an anomalous rise to stardom: it takes time to build a great channel. Often streamers aiming for fame won’t get there because they forget what’s most important –the community. So focus on those who support you and creating a space that people want to be. If you aren’t able to use a webcam right away, then your audio and gaming skills are that much more important. If you are using a webcam, your ability to light the scene well is a great start. Audio can make or break a channel, so test it and make sure you have a great mic.

Twitch can be a great place to acquire fame and renown based on the quality of your community and skills, but all these aspects need to be considered for success and it can be a slow climb that requires patience.

Feel free to follow my Twitch: xXTheShogun17Xx to see my journey on the platform. Reach out and we can stream together!