So many people have flocked to join Twitch. Why? Because it’s rapid growth has seen many creators make a huge name for themselves. Rather than sticking with normal video content, more and more creators are opting to go live!
Instead of spending hours editing footage from pre-filmed videos, many creators are choosing to go live. This means no room for error, and once you’ve said it, it’s on the internet. So, you do need to be careful going live because the internet and the people on it, aren’t quick to forget. Even a simple slip up could cause upset, so make sure you’re fully prepared before creating your Twitch account.
Overall though, it’s a pleasant experience if you’re someone who enjoys talking to the camera. Creators live stream for many reasons. It could be they want to speak to their fans slightly more direct, where their fans can write comments for them to read out, essentially having a conversation with them. Or, perhaps, you’re into gaming and want to play games live on Twitch for your audience to either join in or watch you try the latest games.
Twitch dos
When it comes to going live on Twitch, there are a few things we’d recommend. It might be a trial and error situation when you first get started, but with time, things will become far more natural. However, there are definitely ways you can set yourself up for success. Your viewers are the most important part of your Twitch journey, so make sure they’re at the front of your mind when you try new things.
Engage with your viewers
It’s important you build up a connection with your viewers. If you want them to remain loyal and keep coming back then you’ll need to give them a reason to. Showing loyalty back to your audience goes a long way. If they feel valued and appreciated then they’ll be far more likely to continue following your journey and return for more Twitch live streams you put on.
When you’re new to the world of Twitch, it’s especially important because you don’t have the following quite yet. Even if you’re someone who is popular across other social platforms, it doesn’t guarantee your numbers for your live streams. Showing you’re genuine and care about your viewers will go a long way. They’ll be far more likely to recommend you to their friends, share your links and join in with your content.
Check your lighting, camera and sound
There’s nothing worse than going live on Twitch and no one watching can see or hear you. It becomes embarrassing, almost like you don’t know what you’re doing. Of course, things can go wrong, and you’re only human, but if you can prepare ahead you certainly should do. When you live stream you only have a certain amount of time to hook your audience, especially if you’re new to live streaming.
Therefore, it’s important you don’t waste valuable time by switching your camera on and then having to figure out why things aren’t working. Technical issues could be the downfall before you’ve even begun. After all, people are there to watch your content, not sit around hoping you figure out your sound issues. If you test your camera, lighting and microphone multiple times before each live stream, you’ll never have an issue.
Test run your content
Of course, with Twitch, the point is you’re not completely rehearsed. You don’t want to essentially be reading from a script. Not only would you seem stiff throughout the video, but also, your audience might not be able to keep up. If they’re messaging with questions, and you ignore them to continue reading from a script, you’re not going to look genuine, but also it won’t make for a very interesting video.
You need the rapport from your audience to bounce back with. Also, depending on your content you won’t know what will happen during the live stream. If you’re on Twitch sharing a new video game, how will you know what’s to come? However, this doesn’t mean you can’t do a pretend run. Get everything set up to make sure your equipment works, and also try to figure out what angle you want the video to take. You’ll need to have a theme or idea to work with, rather than just clicking the camera button and sitting there with nothing to say.
Twitch don’ts
Just like there are many things you should do when it comes to going live on Twitch, there are also things you shouldn’t. If you want your channel to become a success, you’ll need to avoid anything which might put a viewer off. This isn’t always anything you’re personally doing, sometimes it can just come down to your internet connection not being steady enough to handle live streaming. But, nonetheless, if your audience can’t easily watch, they might quickly turn over.
Have an inconsistent schedule
Your audience want to know when they’ll be able to watch you. Therefore, it’s important right from the start to figure out a schedule that works for you, and you can stick to. Without it, you might be missing out on a whole group of viewers simply because they don’t have the warning you’re going to be streaming. If you want your content to be successful, it’s best to find days you know you’ll be able to go live on Twitch and then get into the habit.
Perhaps come up with topics ahead of time, so you know for example you’re going to go live every Tuesday testing out a new video game. Then, from there, you can start to pencil in the games you’re going to test. If a new one comes out, but you already have slots filled, make changes to your games scheduled to ensure the most popular one is featured first. But, having a rough guide is the best way forward because that way you won’t get to the day not knowing what to share.
Leave your internet speed to chance
You need to ensure your internet speed will be up to the challenge. It doesn’t look professional if your internet cuts out halfway through the stream. Sometimes, things happen, but with your internet you can usually prevent these hiccups. When it comes to your preparation, ensure you have checked your internet speed, so you know you’re guaranteed the connection. Leaving it up to chance is like setting yourself up for failure.
Not only do you need to test your connection works, but also at what speed? You need to ensure it can handle everything you need from it within your Twitch stream. For example, are you playing video games? If so, can it handle you streaming the game while also hosting your own live stream? This comes back to the needed test run. Try out your games with streaming running alongside to see if your internet can handle the real thing.
These are just a few suggestions we have for those of you who are hoping to branch into Twitch soon. Most things, you’ll learn along the way. You’ll discover your own routine and find what works for you and what doesn’t. However, it’s important you get yourself started on the right food. The sooner you start figuring out what you want from Twitch, and what you have to offer viewers, the sooner you can start preparing for your videos.
