Thinking of trying your hand at live streaming but don’t know where to start? Fear not, we’ve put together some general tips below that should get you pointed in the right direction.
01. Just start doing it.
It’s so easy to theorize and wonder how you’d be at streaming before actually doing it. No one is perfect either and you may feel nervous your first couple streams but we assure you, you’ll feel more relaxed the more you stream. The more you do it, the more open you’ll also find yourself with being constantly in front of a camera or over a microphone.
02. Do you.
t’s so easy to just follow the popular trends and popular games but at the end of the day, find your own niche and express yourself however you want. Would you rather stream the hot new game and have 2 viewers or potentially stream an obscure game and get 30? Food for thought!
Variety vs. Specializing.
For a variety streamer, you may be able to gain viewers quicker than someone who specializes since you are jumping on the new game wave. This also means that viewers may drop off quicker and not stick around past that point though since all they may care about is the game itself. You also will most likely spend more money if you’re a variety streamer.
Recommended for: someone who is a bit extroverted in front of the camera and will keep the viewer’s attention through their personality very quick.
For a specialist streamer, you may gain viewers slower (unless you’re REALLY good) but you should theoretically retain viewers longer since those people are fans of that game and it’s community.
Recommended for: someone who may be a bit more introverted but really enjoys playing or doing one thing. Their enthusiasm and enjoyment will shine through and show in their broadcast.
03. Be Engaging.
Whether you have one viewer or one thousand viewers, engage with your viewers frequently and show them respect. The beauty of streaming is that there are no walls between the broadcaster and the audience. You can reach right out and talk back and forth with anyone you please – take the utmost advantage of this.
“Screw the views. Screw the analytics. Just put on a good stream, everything else will fall into place.” – Foxdrop (Stream Leaders episode 1)
Be aware of how much you’re talking too. It will be weird at first but you want to try and be talking as much as you can. Whether you’re talking about what you’re doing in game, out of game, etc. – not many people will want to watch a quiet stream. Don’t wait for a viewer to engage first. You’re in the driver’s seat, you make the move.
04. Have Fun.
Most of the large streamers you today started their careers by just doing something they liked doing. Don’t start doing this because you think you can make a living. Sure, it’s always a possibility but do it because you enjoy doing it and who knows where it can take you.
