Attracting an Audience
Stick to a regular streaming schedule so viewers know when to tune in. If you’re always streaming at different hours and on random days of the week, people won’t know when to watch you, which means your viewership will be low. With a regular schedule, both old and new audience members will know exactly when you’ll be on, meaning more people will tune in at once for your streams. For example, you could make it a goal to stream every weeknight at 8:00 PM. Once you choose a schedule, post it somewhere on your social media accounts so viewers can find it. Don’t forget to include your timezone — potential viewers live all around the world.
Stream as much as possible to increase your exposure to viewers. The more you stream, the more chances there are for viewers to find you. The more viewers that find you, the more likely you are to get new subscribers! If you’re currently streaming 4 days out of the week, go up to 5 or 6 days and see if that helps you build your audience. Don’t feel like you need to stream every day of the week — taking a day or 2 off will prevent you from getting burned out.
Brand yourself so your stream is more memorable. Your brand can be something simple, like a funny mascot or a catchphrase you always say during your stream. It doesn’t need to be complex, just recognizable. Viewers will be more likely to come back if you give them something familiar that they can look forward to when they watch your stream. For example, you could always tell jokes about the game you're streaming. Eventually, people will tune into your channel when they're looking to laugh. Humor will be part of your brand. Include your brand in your social media accounts. For example, if your pet lizard is your stream’s official mascot, put up pictures of it on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Host giveaways on your stream to encourage new subscribers. Offer viewers a chance to win some money or a gift card in return for subscribing to your stream or sharing your stream on social media. There are lots of different Twitch bots you can use to help you set up and run giveaways. For example, you could give away a new game that just came out to a random subscriber. You could also host a cash giveaway where people can earn extra entries in the giveaway by sharing your stream on social media.
Try hosting themed-streams to attract more viewers. A themed-stream is a special stream that's based on a fun concept or theme. Themed-streams will encourage viewers to tune in, and they can make your stream more memorable. For example, you could host a themed-stream where you stream for 24 hours straight without stopping. However, if you do so, you should still take breaks to avoid eye strain. You could try a themed-stream where you stream yourself teaching someone how to play video games that has never played before.
Interacting with Your Audience
Respond to viewers over the chat on your stream. Talking to your viewers over chat shows that you appreciate them tuning in. By making a connection with your viewers, you'll be more likely to get new subscribers. Take a break from your game once in a while to check for new comments on the chat. Make an effort to respond to questions that viewers ask you.
Thank your viewers for subscribing, donating, and entering giveaways. Thanking your viewers by name will make them feel special and appreciated. It's also a great way to encourage other viewers to subscribe, donate, or join your giveaways too.
Use a microphone so you can talk directly to your viewers. With a microphone, you can explain what's going on in your stream, answer questions from viewers, and easily communicate your thoughts. A microphone will also help your personality shine through, making people more likely to subscribe. Don't feel like you need to talk constantly if you have a microphone. Just speak conversationally to your viewers and share any relevant thoughts you have as they come to you.
Use host mode to engage your viewers when you're offline. Host mode is a feature on Twitch that lets you stream someone else's stream when you're not online. You can use host mode to network with other streamers and to keep your subscribers entertained while you're away. When you're using host mode, stream things you know your audience will like. For example, if your viewers always tune in to watch you play Fortnite, you could host another streamer that's playing Fortnite or a similar game.
Promoting Outside of Twitch
Set up social media accounts for your stream to promote yourself on. Make Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts that are dedicated to your stream. Then, post on them whenever you’re going live on Twitch so people know to watch you. You can also use your social media accounts to interact with your audience and fill them in on any important stream-related updates. For example, you could post something like "Going live later at 5 PM EST. Streaming Hearthstone @ twitch.tv/(NameOfChannel)." Don't forget to include your timezone so viewers know exactly when to tune in. Include links to all your social media accounts somewhere on each account so people can find you across multiple platforms. Use various free AI platforms available out there to easily convert your Twitch streams into short vertical highlights so you can easily post them into TikTok, Reels, or Shorts. Some popular platforms are Eklipse, Streamladder, Kapwing, Powder.gg, Clipbot, and more.
Promote your stream in online gaming forums. Look for active gaming forums and post a comment that includes a link to your stream, the name of the game or activity you’re streaming, and what time your stream is at. Forums are a great way to find like-minded individuals that might be interested in tuning into your stream. For example, you could post "Hey everyone, I stream League of Legends every weeknight at 6 PM PST. Check it out at twitch.tv/(NameOfChannel)." Try to find forums that are dedicated to the particular game or activity you’re going to be streaming. For example, if you’re going to stream yourself playing Overwatch, post about your stream in Overwatch forums or anything related to it. Avoid posting in the same forum more than once in a day so people don't think you're a spammer.
Ask your network of friends to help you promote your stream. If you have friends that are gamers or avid Twitch users, see if they’ll share your stream with people they know. Offer to post a link to their Twitch stream on your social media accounts if they do the same for you. Over time, as your Twitch following grows, you can help each other out by promoting each other to your subscribers.
Network with other Twitch streamers at a convention. Attending a Twitch convention and meeting other streamers is a great way to get your name out there. You’ll also be able to sit in on sessions that are designed to help streamers grow their audience and be more successful. Bring business cards with your streaming information on them so you can hand them out to people you meet at the convention. TwitchCon is an annual Twitch convention that attracts streamers and viewers from around the world. You can find out more about TwitchCon at https://www.twitchcon.com/. To find smaller Twitch conventions and meet-ups in your area, search online for “Denver Twitch conventions” or “New York City Twitch meet-ups.”
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