If you like gaming, perhaps you’ve considered becoming a Twitch Streamer, since it’s something so popular nowadays and you’d like to obtain something from your hobby.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or you’ve tried streaming before, there are some aspects you need to know to be successful and grow your audience so you can gain recognition in this platform.
In this ultimate guide on how to become a popular twitch streamer, you’ll find all the information related to the equipment and requirements you need to start, how to get more views and some helpful strategies that will help you get exactly what you want. Maybe you can end up becoming a full-time twitch streamer.
What do you need to start? If you want to have a good start don’t wait too much, just do your best to have all that you need so you can have a great time when streaming and you can do it in the right way. The most important is starting; no matter if you feel like you’re not ready. This will make you improve faster.
Make a list of all the gear, requirements, and software that you’ll need and plan to start as fast as you can so you can start evolving and developing a great strategy to create the perfect streaming.
Streaming software You should consider getting some streaming software that provides you the best features to stream. There is a lot of streaming software that you can get for free, but one of the best is Streamlabs OBS, as is the most recommended by the users.
With the streaming software, you’ll be able to save your graphics and layouts, as well as editing and creating the perfect streaming video. One of the best features of this software has a very friendly UI so you will adapt very quickly to it.
You can also use the one provided by Twitch, which is Twitch Studio and it also has some cool features that you can use in the beta access. It’s all up to you since you’ll have to decide which one to use.
High-quality equipment
To start, you don’t need to have a perfect streaming set-up, but you need to have a good set of quality equipment if you want to get views. Nobody wants to watch a low-quality stream because that will be boring, and that will cause you to lose all of your viewers since you will be at a disadvantage if you’re not using the best equipment.
However, having excellent equipment doesn’t necessarily mean that you will immediately get recognition in the platform; you’ll just be at the same level as any other good streamer.
You’ll need to have the following equipment to have high-quality streaming:
Webcam or Video camera
The webcam or video camera isn’t completely necessary, but if you’re planning on showing your face, you should invest in a high-quality one.
Some streamers decide not to show their faces, but it has been proven to be a huge part of high-quality streaming since that way the player can show their personality and that will be more appealable to the viewers.
With a webcam or video camera, you’ll be able to interact with streamers, and it might be the reason that will make your viewers follow you and watch you. But, bear in mind that you should have good communication, otherwise nobody will watch you.
It doesn’t have to be the best webcam or video camera, and you can get better quality if you choose the correct lighting.
Another important aspect of this is that you should set up the camera in a way that only your face and chest are showing. Avoid recording in a crowded place or where something in the background might distract your viewers. The best you can do is choosing a static background, like a wall.
Microphone
The microphone is very important since your voice needs to be heard clearly. Avoid the echo and excessive loudness; otherwise, your viewers will have an unpleasant viewing experience.
One of the best options is to buy headphones with a microphone included, or if you want, you can purchase a desk microphone which is so much better. The advantage of the headphones with a microphone is that it won’t pick up the sound coming out of your speakers, unlike the other ones.
The other aspect you should consider is having the appropriate volume between your voice, game audio, and additional music (if you’re planning on adding it) so the viewers can hear a perfect balance between the three of them. To attain this you have to test and adjust so you can find the best audio for your viewers.
Computer
If you want to stream a game you should at least have a computer that supports both activities at the same time, which means that you should aim to have a computer with a good processor, and all the necessary features to run everything without any troubles.
Your computer should be able to maintain a quality frame rate while you play the game and stream. Some people have two different computers to do this since they play the game in one and they stream in the other, but this is not mandatory if you think your computer can handle both tasks.
Good and stable internet connection
Having a good and stable internet connection is a must if you want to be a twitch streamer since people won’t show any interest in your videos if you’re lagging or disconnecting a lot.
In many places, this is not a problem, but if this is your case then you need to contact a good internet provider so you can have a great service and you can stream without worrying about your connection.
Remember that your audience wants to see high-quality videos, and if you’re lacking a stable internet connection you won’t attain this and it will cause you to lose viewers.
Steps to become a Twitch Streamer
Once you have everything ready to start like good equipment and a stable internet connection you’re probably wondering: what should I do next? Don’t worry; you just have to follow a few steps that will help you create a solid reputation as a twitch streamer.
Be passionate about gaming
The first thing you need to consider before starting streaming is that you should be passionate about gaming, since this will become something highly important in your life, so you should be happy doing it.
Ask yourself if you’re willing to spend 6-8 hours playing video games for about 5-6 days a week since this is what most successful twitch streamers do. This means that you should love gaming, so you’re comfortable doing it this often.
If you don’t think that you could have this kind of commitment, then it is better if you don’t start at all, because you need to invest a lot of your time so you can get views and become popular.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you’re going to quit your job or stop studying, don’t do that. What you’re going to do is invest your spare time in playing video games, which shouldn’t be a problem for you if you’re already doing this.
Choose a name
The next thing you should do is choosing a name so the community can recognize you and know who you are. This might seems like it’s not a big deal, but it’s crucial if you want to become popular in this platform.
You should choose a name that has two important characteristics: short and easy to remember. Avoid long and complicated names because no one will remember that. The best option is to choose a name that is just one word and add the initials of the game you’re playing and the end, like CS for CounterStrike.
Also, you should avoid using names that are already being used by another popular streamer, since nobody will pay attention to you.
Pick one game
Although many people consider that a twitch streamer doesn’t necessarily have to stick to one game, it is the best thing to do if you’re getting started, since this will help you build your channel based on a niche.
It is best if you specialize in a game genre that will help you create the foundation of your videos. This way, the viewers will watch you for that specific game and they’ll start following you to watch all your updates.
Being a multi-game streamer is very difficult since you need to develop skills in each game and also be able to entertain your audience while doing it. This is why the recommendation is to make your name popular in one game, and gradually start trying different games once you become more popular.
The other aspect you should consider is whether the game you’re planning to stream is very popular or not. Try to pick one that gets a lot of views so you can grow your channel and you can later jump on new games. If you don’t get a lot of views in a long time, maybe you aren’t playing a popular game, so you should consider changing to a potentially better one.
It’s a matter of luck, but if you’re lucky enough to pick the right game at the right time you may become popular, just like happened with the people who were a streamer in Fortnite, that started as a not very popular game and then became a top one.
Keep to a schedule
If you want to build a career in twitch you should keep a schedule and stick to it, this way you’ll have some sense of structure and you’ll be more responsible with your audience.
Set the exact time you’re planning to be online, and stick to it like if your life depends on it. The most reasonable is to stick to 6-8 hours per day and about a 5-6 day schedule.
Once you start becoming more popular, you can distribute the hours you stream throughout the day, but when you’re starting as a streamer you can’t do this.
Be constant. Don’t give up
Once you’ve chosen a name and a game to start playing and streaming, and you have set your schedule, then you should follow one simple rule that will make the difference: consistency. You won’t become popular overnight, it takes time and you should be aware of this.
You should know that at first, it will be hard to grow an audience and get hundreds of views, but don’t be discouraged by this, since you’ll start slow but if you continue working your way up until you reach the popularity. Some streamers took more than 7 years to become popular, and although this might not be your case, you should be prepared for spending a few months or even years before gaining the recognition you want.
Bear in mind that all good things take time, so you must invest huge amounts of time and hard work to get famous. The key is to be determinate and stick to your goals, this way you will achieve your dream and it’ll be a reality.
Define what kind of twitch streamer you’re going to be
There are a lot of twitch streamers wanting to become more popular, so what makes you different? You should adopt a trait that makes you unique to stand out from the crowd and grow your audience.
First and foremost you should take a look at yourself and figure out if you have what it takes to become a twitch streamer, and with this, I mean if your personality fits what most people are looking for in a streamer.
You should showcase what makes you unique, so you can attract your audience and they’ll stick to your channel because they’re being entertained or they like the way you play. Either one you’re planning to be, you should know that you don’t have to stay quiet, you have to continue talking and commenting while you play since this will make you a lot more interesting.
The entertainer
One of the misconceptions that most twitch streamers have is that they just need to play games and that’s it. Of course, you have to be a skilled gamer, but you also need to entertain your viewers.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be funny, what you have to do is bring a unique method, or a fun way to play, or just have a nice or exciting personality that will make your audience be entertained.
This might cause people to get interested in you and know more about your life, and you should be prepared for this since this way you can connect and communicate with others and this will make your channel grow in a good way.
If you want to know if you’re an entertainer, then you should ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you get along nicely with others?
- Do you make friends easily?
- Do you enjoy being funny?
- Do you like to make people laugh?
- Do you enjoy being creative and eloquent?
If you answered “yes” to all of those questions, then you’re an entertainer and you should take advantage of this quality to get more viewers easily. However, this might be a harder path to take, since you’ll need to come up with new ideas to entertain your viewers once in a while, which could be tiring and difficult in the long term.
But don’t get confused, you should also aim to have gaming skill above average because even if you’re the funniest gamer, nobody would watch you if you suck at gaming.
The skilled gamer
If you believe you’re not the “entertainer type” streamer, then you should try to be a skilled gamer so you can attract your audience. This will work if you have experience playing video games and you like to play the most difficult ones. If you’re used to be on the top of the leaderboards then you’re a skilled player.
Once you’re an expert in a game, you’ll be able to become a popular twitch streamer since your audience will watch you for your skills. Of course, your audience has to be amused by your playing; otherwise, it will be very boring to watch just you playing without doing anything else.
This is one of the easiest ways to grow your channel, since you’re already at the top of the game you play, and you just need to have a bigger audience to become popular.
How to be the perfect streamer? If you want to become the perfect twitch streamer then you should combine the two main types mentioned before, this means that you should be a skilled player and also an entertainer.
You’ll get tons of viewers if you’re the best on whatever game you play and also make your audience feel entertained while they’re watching you.
Once you combine these two characteristics you have the potential to become a big name streamer. This is the perfect way to grow your channel since you’ll be covering all of the aspects that a perfect twitch streamer needs.
However, this might be difficult, since playing while streaming can be more difficult, which can add pressure and affect your performance as well as your ability to entertain others. But you just need some practice to master these two abilities, and the best way to start to refine this is when you get started.
How to get more viewers?
Streaming has become something highly popular since more and more people decide to watch a skilled and entertained gamer play a video game just for fun, or perhaps for learning how to play.
The truth is that there is a great audience waiting for you, but you need to know how to reach them to get more viewers. The best way is to bring an audience from elsewhere, and it’s very easy to achieve this, you just need to do a little work but it will eventually be rewarding.
If you’re dedicated to your streaming career and you’ve been consistent for a long time, but haven’t attained the popularity that you want, you have to follow some suggestions from other streamers that know how to expand their audience.
You should know that becoming a popular twitch streamer is a tough career, but if you follow these handy tips you will get a channel that receives a lot of views.
Get people to join your streams
If you’re starting, the first thing you need to do is tell your family and friends to tune into your stream so they can help you gain more viewers. You can even ask them to interact with you in the chat since this will be better. This is important because you need to have a number greater than zero (0) in your views.
You can also consider streaming with a friend, this way you’ll have somebody to interact with during this time. If some viewers happen upon your channel, they’ll likely stay if they see or hear some interaction.
Your friends and family don’t need to watch your stream, they just can minimize it, but this will help you a lot by increasing your numbers of views.
Don’t be afraid to tell everybody that you’re streaming, because this will help you. If you’re planning on having a successful channel in the long term, then you shouldn’t be embarrassed about what you’re doing.
Promote yourself in social media
One of the greatest components you can use to have a successful streaming channel is social media. Just streaming alone won’t make you popular, since you need to tell the world what you’re doing and promote yourself so they can know that you’re a streamer. Regarding your profiles in social media, you should have at least one on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, and YouTube so you can reach a greater audience and become more popular.
Facebook is probably the least popular of the social networks since younger people don’t tend to use it. But, if you’re committed to streaming, you should post in here whenever you’re streaming and sometimes post some clips of your videos.
Twitter is not as important but is good for posting when you’re going live, and you should use it and include some trending tags so your tweet can be seen by more people.
One of the most influential and the best ones to promote your stream is Instagram. If you’re very active in this platform, posting one-minute clips of your videos every time you stream, and you can post pictures at least one time a day. You can also use the Instagram stories where you encourage people to click on your profile and watch your streaming live.
YouTube is also a highly efficient tool to promote your streaming since many people search for new videos every day about games. There are many content options for this platform and you can choose the one that works better for you.
One type of content you can post is a highlight video of your stream, which is very easy to do. You just have put together some highlights in a video and mention all the information you want.
You can also post some tutorials about a game if you’re a skilled gamer since this is more likely what people are looking for in this platform. This type of content is more time consuming but is more effective for gaining an audience to your channel.
Another platform that you can use is Reddit. It is a huge website where you can submit clips of your videos, and this will be very effective because most Reddit users like to watch twitch videos. Be sure to post something good, don’t spam, and focus on your audience.
You can also link all your social media below your streams. Just make sure to include all of your links and make them easily accessible. You can use a tool to create a nice result that looks clean so nobody has to struggle to try to find them.
To get more viewers you don’t have to be shy, remember that is very important to interact with your audience and with other streamers. You should know how to advocate yourself and use social media to do it.
Networking
Don’t be afraid of doing some networking with other streamers because this is very important to become more popular. Don’t do it just to get views, do it because you want to be friendly and want to be part of the community.
If you want to have a successful channel you should start making connections with other streamers. This way you’ll make some new friends that can recommend you, and you’ll start to get recognition from the community.
Once you’ve contacted some streamers you can even invite them to stream with you, which is something that the audience loves. Collaborate with another channel and engage with a different audience from yours. This will give you the chance to attract more viewers, and you’ll also help another streamer.
One of the best things that can happen to you is get hosted by a bigger streamer since this will make you get lucky and maybe their audience will start to follow you. But, before this happens, you should do some hard networking so you can talk to the most popular streamers.
Interact with chat It’s very important for you if you’re starting to read and interact with the people that send messages to your chat. You should get to know your audience and read their feedback so you can give them exactly what they want.
But, be careful with this, since you need to have a thick skin because it’s very likely that you’ll receive a few bad comments, some haters, or just people who want to be mean and tell you all kinds of nasty stuff.
Don’t let bad comments affect your streaming, just don’t pay attention to haters, and read and interact with the audience that wants to watch you. Everyone who says something in your chat might be a potential long viewer, so give them the appreciation they deserve so they can stick with you in a long time.
Compete in events One of the best ways to get popularity is by competing in events and winning, this way your name will show up at the top, gaining recognition from gamers and potential viewers.
Try to compete in tournaments and participate in events so you can become popular in that specific game you play, and this way you can promote your twitch channel and you’ll get viewers from several places.
If you’re a skilled gamer you can do this, and this is the best way to make yourself stand up from the crowd, since there are a lot of gamers, but not all of them excel in what they do. This is what will make a difference and will cause people to follow you.
Final words
Having a successful and popular twitch channel might be hard at first, but you don’t have to give up, even if you don’t see any growth. The most important is to be consistent and to provide quality content so you can get more views.
Be patient, and love what you do. Viewers will be able to sense your enthusiasm and this is what will make them stick to you, if they’re entertained by you or if they see that you’re passionate about the game you’re playing.
Your viewers will appreciate if you make an effort for creating some great streaming, and they can even recommend you or share some of your clips. Don’t be too worried about your view count when you’re streaming, make sure to enjoy your time and make an effort to do something that will make your viewers stick around.
Stay focused, pay attention to what your audience tells you, and don’t be afraid to make some changes or try different approaches when it’s necessary so feel free to experiment with your channel until you find what works for you.