Streaming 101 Crash Course — Part 2
Hey there! I’m KateitaK, your local streamer and Community Manager with PowerSpike, and welcome to part two of my Streaming 101 Crash Course. If you missed part one, you can read it over here.
We covered some of the basics in part one, and we’ve got a few more to go over.
>Make sure your listed game/title on Twitch/Mixer etc. is correct — Pretty self-explanatory, but having this correct not only saves you a little embarrassment but makes it so people who are looking for streamers playing the game they want to see can find you easier. You can always fix this during your broadcast!
>Make a Going Live Checklist — We often get so wrapped up in getting ready to stream for the day or are running late that we forget to do certain things that are necessary for a successful stream. Things like making sure your broadcasting software picks up the game or checking that your audio is coming through properly can ease some stress and prevent you from having to delay getting down to the game time. It also makes it so if there is a problem, you can fix it off-stream without having to rush too much.
>Upload your own profile picture! — Uploading your own picture or your brand logo helps customize your channel and sets it apart from the rest. Don’t blend in, stand out!
>Raid, raid, raid! — Support your fellow casters and potentially make their day by sending them a raid at the end of your stream. In my opinion, it’s quite flattering to have someone choose my channel to send their community to, so just imagine being in their shoes when they receive a raid. Share that love! And if you’re the one getting raided…
>Prep a Raid Introduction! — The first few minutes of a raid are the most crucial to retaining those viewers, so this is your time to shine! If you are able to pause the game or go to a safe place, change to your main camera/intro screen to give the raiders your full attention. Thank the caster who raided you, give them a shout-out (if you have a command for it, even better), thank and welcome the raiders, and tell them about yourself. Your name, schedule, and games you stream. Add some flair and really show them who you are and what your channel is about! Some people even make Raid party scenes/videos that they play when they get raided. Get creative and have fun with it!
>Don’t tag other casters in your going live announcements — Unless you have their explicit permission to do this, please do NOT tag other streamers in your going live announcements. I know the goal is to help show your stream to as many people as possible, but it really is not the best way to go. It makes your account look like a spam bot, adds unnecessary notifications to all those you tagged, and is actually counter-intuitive because you are likely to get muted or blocked by those you tagged (or more!), shutting down any possibility that they will help promote your channel.
>Use hashtags! — One of the smart ways to help get your stream out there is to use the appropriate hashtags related to what you’re doing. For example, if you’re streaming Fortnite, use #fortnite in your announcement. Use a hashtag for the game, genre, platform, and anything else relevant. But beware, using too many or inappropriate tags can also come across as spammy and weird. It’s an art, make it look presentable.
>Put a Funko pop, stuffed animal, or even a picture of someone you know/like on your desk — If you feel weird talking to yourself on camera, this may be beneficial to you. As silly as it sounds, having something on your desk that you can pretend to kind of talk to can help you keep that dialogue going when you don’t have anyone in chat speaking yet. It sounds weird, but for some people, it helps, and no one has to know it’s there. ;)
>Make friends/be kind to other casters and content creators — Too many times I’ve come across situations on Twitter or Instagram where a caster is being mean or toxic to other people, and in their post history you can see them trying really hard otherwise to grow their channel. Being mean or edgy on other platforms is only going to hurt you, as you want to make FRIENDS in this industry, not enemies. Compliment others on their work, retweet their streams/Patreon announcements, like their posts, etc. Remember, it’s completely free to be kind and supportive.
>Don’t label yourself as a ‘small streamer’ — If you keep labeling yourself a ‘small streamer’, that’s all you’re going to be. You’re setting limits and boundaries on yourself, subliminally telling yourself you’ll never grow. Get out of the mindset of ‘the little guy’. Work hard, always improve, and most importantly: believe in yourself.
>Be active on your Twitter or other social media platforms — People won’t want to follow you if all you post are going live announcements. They want to get to know you! Tweet about your day, post pictures of your pets (who doesn’t love a good doggo pic?), post random thoughts, etc. Be you!
>Retweet you are going live announcement throughout your stream — Every 2 hours or so, retweet your going live announcement on Twitter, or retweet with a comment about what’s currently going on (about to fight x boss!). It helps let people know that you’re still live if they missed your initial tweet, and is also helpful when you’re streaming longer than you usually do.
>Do NOT go into other streams while you’re live — I’m quite surprised how many times I’ve had someone come into my chat to tell me they’re currently streaming, but no one is watching them so they thought they would go look around. I go to tell them to get back to it and their response is ‘no one is watching anyway, I’ll probably just end it’. My only main point on this is: if you’re not giving your own stream your full attention, why would anyone else? Just because no one is watching in that current moment, doesn’t mean someone isn’t going to pop in at any second. You don’t want people coming into your stream and try and engage with you, only to be ignored because you’re focused on another stream.
>Thank other casters for raiding your channel afterward! — I always try to post a tweet after the stream thanking everyone for hanging out/subbing/cheering/tipping etc and if I’m raided I tag who raided me and give them an extra thank. Be grateful to those checking out your community and encourage your own community to check them out as well!
>Customize your Twitch panels and page — If you’re good at Photoshop, get creative and make yourself some panels telling people about you and your channel. If you aren’t artistically inclined, there are plenty of places to either get premade or customizable panels for free or you can buy them. The type and amount of panels is really up to you, but some of the basics I’d recommend are: About Me, Schedule, Social Media Links, Rules, Subscription info (if affiliated), and Tips/Donations (if you are accepting tips). Don’t let your only panel be a tip link!
And finally, last but not least:
>Enable VODs! — VODs (video on demand) are your previous broadcasts made available for viewing. It’s a great way for people to see what you’re about and what you’re like when you aren’t live at that time. They are also helpful for sponsorship representatives to get a taste of your vibe when they can watch when it’s convenient for them.
Thanks for taking the time to read through part two! If you have any questions or want to request a particular topic, leave a comment below or join the Discord!
Part 3 can be found here.
