Why Start a Twitch Channel?

15 Feb Why Start a Twitch Channel?

Many of our clients want to diversify their revenue streams to create more stable sources of income. They are also curious to learn how they can reach more people, and potential new customers, with new social media platforms. How can they shake things up when it feels like they are not gaining as much traction? 

Enter Twitch. Twitch is a live stream platform boasting over 2 million daily viewers and a staggering 64% year-over-year increase. With one of the most engaged communities on the planet, Twitch is home to millions of content creators across a wide range of niches and audiences. From gamers to cooking channels to makers and crafting, there is a community for everything on Twitch. And building a community is as important now as it ever was. 

Where to begin.

You can stream on your desktop computer, smartphone, or even an Xbox. In fact, one of the main draws of Twitch is how easy it is to start streaming. It has a straightforward broadcast process and anyone—tech-savvy or not—can start streaming quickly and easily. 

Streaming from a computer is the most popular option. First, let’s look at how to get set up as a Twitch broadcaster using a PC. Here are four places to start: 

1. Gather, connect, and set up your gear.

Connect your webcam, microphone, and any additional monitors to your computer. Set up your background if you plan to use one and get your studio ready. The whole point of live streams is for the streamer to interact with their viewers; they want to know what you look like!

2. Run tests before going live. 

Set up your webcam at a good angle and check the audio levels on your mic. If you can, soundproof the room you’re streaming in and adjust your lighting for the best look. Make sure your microphone works well and you don’t sound like you’re in a wind tunnel. 

3. Have a good internet connection.

Your internet does not have to be lightning fast, but it does need to be able to handle video streaming and playback. Make sure that your internet is fast enough to broadcast your video at 720p or more.

4. Find great software. 

Now that we have all the hardware under control let’s jump over to the software side of streaming. One popular software for streaming is OBS, which is free and open-source software for video recording and live streaming. Enable pop-up notifications when someone follows or donates. It will encourage other viewers to do the same.

How to keep it going

Now that you are up and streaming, you will want to connect with viewers while building your audience. Here are four helpful tips:

1. Interact with your viewers.

While you are live, it’s a great idea to greet new viewers as they join the stream. A quick, ‘Hello’ is the simplest next step. You will also want to ask and answer questions and carry on a conversation as seamlessly as you would in person. Twitch also offers a polls feature so that streamers can create polls for viewers to vote on. This is a quick and easy way to engage with viewers and foster interactions.

2. Get talking!

If someone joins your stream and no one is talking, they are going to leave immediately. But, if you are actively talking with someone, on a phone call, or Skype, or even a very receptive house plant, it’s a lot more likely people will stick around and join your streams.

3. Consistency is ideal. 

One quick way to create consistency is to set up a stream schedule. Choose a day(s) and time(s) that work with your schedule to start. People are more likely to watch your stream if it is at a set time than just streaming randomly. Over time, you may adjust this for maximum viewership. 

4. Stick with it. 

Streams may do well right away but be prepared for when or if viewership drops off, your broadcast gets interrupted, your content doesn’t hit quite right, etc. To start a successful channel, you need to roll with the punches. Keep testing new content ideas and see what works and what doesn’t. Once you figure out what your viewers like best, keep going!

Pro Tip:  Get a chat bot.

After watching a few streams, you may notice a viewer named Nightbot or Moobot in streams. These are chat bots. They auto moderate a channel, which means streamers don’t have to invest as much time moderating their chats. These chat bots check the chat to make sure no one posts links or anything else that could be dangerous. However, Twitch chat bots serve only as support and you still should keep an eye on the chat moderation.

Ready to start?

We hope this brief introduction on how to create an online community on a platform like Twitch has been helpful. Looking for more ways to create community and diversify your revenue streams? Stitchcraft Marketing is a marketing agency of crafting experts. We customize every program to showcase your brand, engage your customer base, and generate sales in a way that is nothing less than magical. If you’d like to work with us, contact us today to get started!