Stream set up

A mic and a cam are crucial, although not 100% necessary; without them, you are just hindering yourself. However, if you are not comfortable with these things, having a cam and a mic may make you struggle to stream at your best. Expect slower growth if you skip them. Lighting is super important; if you have an average webcam, you can look excellent on stream with decent lighting. Any microphone can be made to sound better with some proper setup (Audio plugins, effects, EQ, etc.). Getting a cam and mic right may take a while, and it is very in-depth, so I recommend searching YouTube for videos about making a webcam look better, as well as creating a mic sound better. There is a near-endless supply.

See TroubleChute's guide on pro audio FX:  https://youtu.be/SL4uZdx00b0
(Noise Supression, Noise Gate, Compressor, Sidechain)

Also: KEEP YOUR ROOM CLEAN!!!!

Stream output

Many viewers will watch on mobile worldwide. It isn't advisable for anybody lower than Partner to go 1080p/60fps/6,000 kbps. When you reach partner status, you can bump up to that and get transcoding, which is the quality setting choice viewers will have to choose what quality works for them.

The rule of thumb is 720p/30fps/3,500 kbps. It's a good blend of quality and a lower bitrate to make it more accessible to more people. But, this is also personal preference. If you want higher quality, go for it, and see how it impacts your core viewers. Search YouTube for OBS setup guides, as you will find tons of content on that too.

If you're going to record, it's a good idea to look at Multitrack audio so you can adjust the volume of (e.g.) Discord, the game and yourself after recording a stream. VODs don't have multitrack functionality so if you'd like this, you need to record as you stream.

Game choice

The best advice that the community as a whole gets behind, specifically with regards to growth, is to look at the games list and see what has around 800 - 1000 viewers. Go into each one and see which of them have a balance between the viewers and the top streamers. You don't want a game where the top streamer has 700 and the second and third streamer have a couple hundred, and the fourth streamer has 3 or 4. That indicates that game is currently seeing viewers because those top streamers are playing it.

From that list, pick the ones you like and could potentially play, and play them off stream. See what's nice and what you can play a while. Check the game you want to play, during the times you will be streaming, and when you want to change to your next game, check that one out too, before the time to change arrives. This will also help you determine the popularity of the game. Then stream that.

Don't bounce around from game to game as that makes it harder for your lurkers to get used to you and decide to follow. You need to give the community time to bond and connect with you. A good note about game choice; pre-plan some content, or at least put thought into the content you may be able to create around the game you choose. Not all streamers are effective at streaming all games or genres. Make sure you will be able to be entertaining in the one you pick.

It would help if you also had fun, so picking a game you can enjoy is crucial. Choosing a game just because it looks like it has good growth that you don't enjoy won't work. Viewers will know you aren't enjoying yourself. You can still find a game for growth you want to play; that is the goal.

Then be consistent

Many new viewers will watch a streamer a couple of times before they follow. If you have a schedule and stick with it, they will know when and where to find you. Streaming at consistent times gives you a chance to grab them and then follow. If you aren't there when they come back expecting you, they may find somebody else, and when they do see you again, they could have potentially lost their interest.

Another example, I know people who only follow just enough streams to fill their day. So if they jump on, there is always somebody streaming, and they know beforehand who it's going to be. If they jump on and the streamer isn't there, they may go looking for a new one, and replace that time slot with a more consistent streamer.

You may not need to stream 8 hours a day 7 days a week, find what you are happy with that fits into your daily schedule. You will have a tough time streaming if you force it in and try make your off stream life fit around it. If you can only stream one week in the mornings and the next week in the evenings. Or different time slots every day you choose to stream, then that is just how it is. Schedule that time and let people know what it is and when it is. Then show up when you say you will.

Don't do it just for money or views, that's tough and will show. Viewers may be turned off by that attitude, and if you aren't hitting your viewer or financial goals, you may get turned off yourself. In time you will grow if you put out a good product and put in the work.


BE CONSISTENT!!!

Promotion off-site

Twitch isn't good for discovery, so making content for, or posting clips and highlights on other social media platforms is the best thing you can do. Quantity and quality will matter here, as the more you get out the more you will be seen, but you don't want people seeing your worst content. TikTok/YT/Instagram/Twitter, and anywhere else you want. It is easier to keep these to a couple so that you aren't working your ass off all day. But of course, hard work pays off, and being a streamer is hard work.

You don't need to put thousands of hours into editing masterpieces, anything funny or entertaining can be used to attract a wider audience. How often do you see small meme-highlights of streamers exploding?

Once again, see the Multitrack audio guide to create more flexible recordings.

Side note - Finding your image

There are tons of ways to personalize your stream, so mess around and have fun. You can pay people to make you assets or create your own. You can find free emotes, gifs, alerts and such online. Just get going and make do with whatever you have. You will evolve over time and you will find what works for you. Chances are, taking ages to set it all up perfectly will be a waste of time as you find new things you like anyway. I recommend just diving straight in, but keeping in mind that you are a beginner, and even though you have set up your stream the way you want, you may still suck at being a streamer (for now). Confidence and on screen comfortability may take some time to develop, so your perfect stream set up may not help you, until you reach that point of "being a streamer" yourself. This just comes down to time and practice. And if you really need it, search YouTube for ways to build confidence and improve your public speaking skills.

Side note side note - Personality

You don't need to find your niche before hand, you probably don't even know who you are on stream, and streaming will most definitely bring out something in you you didn't know existed. I have phrases and gestures and quirks I didn't know about, and my "niche" has evolved with them and with chat. You will have plenty of time to find what makes you stand out, but you will need that on-cam and on-mic practice to really know what it will be. So just get streaming.

Last note on the side of the side note - Viewers are human too

People will come and go. You will build an audience, and lose an audience. Be prepared, and understand that the people watching you will grow, mature and face life things on their end. They may just slowly fade away. They aren't just names in a chat room. They have their own lives. Be respectful and understanding of that, and when your numbers take a dip here and there, it will be easier for you to process yourself. When you change games, people will come with and people will stay in the old category. The more authentic and honest you can be, the more likely people will come and stay for you, and not just the game. Over time, game after game, and over other games, you will grow the core viewer base. You will eventually reach a point where things will start to take off.

AND OF COURSE!!!!!!!!!

Watch your VOD's. See what you like about them, and see what you don't. Evolve the stream as you need to.

And remember, if you can't even watch your own content, how can you expect others too?

Published - Fri, 26 FEB 2022 16:56
Last update - Fri, 26 FEB 2022 16:56

ItzSmerf

Writer / Streamer

http://twitch.tv/itzsmerf

I love plating games, but get involved in pointless stories with chat about my life. The games I play tend to be something with a little challenge and some exploration, which is really just me getting lost and chat telling me what to do.

Stream schedule (via Twitter):
Monday - Friday 17:30(ish) - 19:30(ish) GMT+2