4 Tips and Tricks for Building an Audience on Twitch

streaming Feb 13, 2021

 

One of the most popular geek culture hobbies to evolve from the pandemic is streaming. With the huge explosion of interest in esports and online gaming, streaming has become quite commonplace. Plenty of people have begun playing games for a live audience online, both as a hobby and another source of income.

However, for a fledgling streamer, it can be hard to build an audience. As such, we have created this guide to reaching a wider group of people with your Twitch channel. With no further ado, here it is:

1. Choose trending titles

Newer games always get more attention. If you are immersed in geek culture, you are likely to have a good ear for which games people want to see on Twitch. If you are struggling to come up with ideas, however, it might do you well to check out Twitch Tracker. They showcase a list of most watched games from which you could take your pick.

However, make sure to consider if the internet has been oversaturated by this game. Overexposure, after all, is not what you want to go for. The problem with triple-A titles is that audiences tend to look to more established streamers, which might take attention away from your own channel. Play what YOU love, just bear in mind if its super niche, your potential audience may be smaller, though they may also be hungry for your content.

2. Stick to a consistent schedule

Consistency is one of the keys to success when it comes to streaming. Schedule a few days of the week for your stream and stick to it, adjusting only when necessary. Streaming in short bursts and then going dark might seem a little too erratic for your audience, but don’t force yourself to stream daily. Once a week is still better than 14 days straight, then disappearing.

Make sure your viewers know when you’ll be streaming – you can easily add a schedule to to your Twitch dashboard, from within Twitch itself. Streamer burnout is very real, so make sure you’re giving yourself time off, so that you CAN stick to your stream schedule.

3. Keep talking

If people want to just watch games, there are plenty of YouTube playthroughs they can search for. What they are looking for in Twitch is the commentary of players that they enjoy. This could mean being funny, insightful, or even just enjoying the game. Even if you currently do not have an audience, keep talking. It is fully possible for someone to waltz into your channel and enjoy it anyway. It also gives you time to practice, to find your style and voice, and get you used to talking while gaming.

The beauty of Twitch is that it isn’t a one-way conversation. You will likely receive questions, jokes, and other random thoughts of your viewers. These may be about the game, or these may be about you. Whatever the case may be, make sure they have a good time!

4. Use the right software

The beauty of the modern age is that there are plenty of apps and software that are accessible to streamers of all kinds. Twitch Studio is the simplest to get up and running, while OBS (Open Broadcaster Software), and Streamlabs OBS (SLOBS) for example, is fully capable of improving the experience of your stream by giving you video broadcasting options and more customization. There are even apps to turn your phone into a webcam, should you need a better camera than the one your laptop comes with.

 

Figure out how you can utilize everything that is within your reach so you can give your audience a better experience on your Twitch channel. As many successful streamers know, even the most minor improvement can boost the audience’s experience greatly.

Final thoughts

Streaming is much easier these days. One might say that the hard part is building one’s audience. With these tips and tricks (and a little more, of course), you could have that widely acclaimed Twitch channel of your dreams.

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