Streaming is not only an interesting and exciting hobby but also a potentially profitable business. For novice streamers, it can be challenging to find their niche and attract an audience. It doesn't matter how old you are or what gender you are. Anyone can become a streaming star, but it takes effort. In this article, you can learn how to start streaming on Twitch or other platforms.
Start with what interests you
Choose a topic or game that you truly enjoy and that you can discuss and demonstrate for a long time. If you play a game that you don't enjoy, viewers will notice, and your enthusiasm will quickly fade. Don't choose a game just because it's popular if it doesn't bring you pleasure. Remember a few simple things:
Different streamers specialize in different types of content and games. Some, like shroud or DrDisrespect, prefer shooters and battle royales like Call of Duty, Apex Legends, or PUBG. Others, such as Asmongold, mostly stream World of Warcraft and similar MMORPGs.
Many content creators have no specific preferences and play all popular games in a row as soon as they are released. Other streamers, on the contrary, dedicate all their broadcasts to one favorite game, whether it's League of Legends, Minecraft, or Fortnite.
Remember that during broadcasts, you don't have to play games at all. There are many content creators on streaming platforms who do other things: talk to viewers, discuss news and politics, host analytical talk shows, give master classes, cook dishes live, watch movies and TV shows, and so on.
Note that popular topics and games have more competition on streaming platforms. Try to offer viewers interesting but unique content that they cannot get on other channels. Be patient and persistent. Don't expect instant success — building an audience takes time and effort.
How old do you have to be to stream on Twitch? To stream on Twitch, you must be at least 13 years old. However, if you are between the ages of 13 and 18, you need to have the permission of a parent or guardian to stream on the platform. Twitch also requires that all streamers abide by their terms of service and community guidelines, regardless of age.
Pay attention to your equipment
Good sound and video quality are crucial if you want to be heard and seen. Twitch streaming may require some serious investment. Streaming equipment can vary depending on what type of content you plan to broadcast. Here is a list of essential equipment that you may need for successful Twitch streaming:
Computer: This is the main thing you need for streaming. You need a computer with enough power to perform tasks such as capturing gameplay, encoding video, and processing sound.
Camera: A camera can be useful if you want to show your face during streaming, which can help you connect with your audience. You can use a basic, inexpensive webcam, but it's better to use a separate camera or a camera that allows the streamer to adjust the view, improve image quality, etc.
Microphone: Good sound quality is essential so that viewers can hear you clearly. Choose a microphone that best suits your voice and the type of content you are streaming.
Video/audio capture: This equipment allows you to capture video and audio directly from your game console or another device you use for gaming. This is necessary if you want to stream games on consoles such as PlayStation or Xbox.
Lighting: Good lighting can make your image brighter and clearer, which can significantly improve the quality of your content. You can use regular lamps, but there are special lights specifically designed for photography and video.
Streamer Equipment
Stabilizer: If you plan on moving around while streaming, such as to show something in real-time or to play VR games, a stabilizer can be useful in creating smoother and more stable video.
Stands and holders: These may be needed to set up the camera, microphone, and other equipment in place. Stands and holders can also help avoid the need to hold the equipment in your hands.
Don't forget soundproofing! Streamers often use special noise-absorbing upholstery on the walls in the rooms from which they broadcast. This is important for two reasons: First, your streams can be quite loud, especially if you don't hold back your emotions during intense moments. It may disturb other members of your family or your neighbors. Secondly, thanks to noise isolation, extraneous sounds from the street or from the neighbors will not get into your stream.
Once your streaming PC and hardware is ready, find out how to go live on Twitch. You'll need to learn the right Twitch streaming software. Don't forget to understand what a Twitch stream key is and how to use it. There are many videos on the Internet like how to set up the first stream and what programs to use for this. Be sure, you will quickly find some guide to streaming.
Be interesting and fun, but don't break the Twitch rules
No one wants to watch a boring stream, so don't be afraid to show your personality and sense of humor. However, remember that Twitch and every streaming platform has its own rules and limitations. Here are some topics that may be unacceptable for jokes or discussions:
Violence. Any comments that approve or promote violence may be prohibited on streaming platforms. This can include jokes about violent acts or calls to violence. Remember that this rule applies not only to people, but also to animals. If you decide to rudely throw your cat off the table, which is preventing you from streaming, the Twitch moderators will definitely not like it. Once, a streamer was blocked because he swore at his young son on live stream for a small misbehavior. The moderators decided that this streamer was not handling his parental duties and temporarily banned his channel.
Offensive language. Streamers are not allowed to insult other people during their broadcasts, whether it be a regular viewer or another streamer. Sometimes, using offensive language towards in-game characters can result in a temporary channel block, especially if the administration deems them sexist or racist.
Racism. Making racist comments or using racist jokes may be prohibited on streaming platforms. This can include using offensive language that insults members of a certain racial group.
Sexism and any other discrimination. Never make jokes about topics related to sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or disability. They can hurt the feelings of your viewers and such jokes are usually strictly prohibited by streaming platform administrators.
Propaganda of an unhealthy lifestyle. With the gaining popularity of streamers, they become role models for their viewers and fans. Because of this, streaming platform administrators prohibit any promotion of alcohol, drugs, displaying weapons, self-harm, etc. Remember that among your viewers there may be minors or children.
Giving advice in highly specialized fields without the necessary knowledge. For example, you cannot recommend your viewers to follow your own diet or advertise medicinal products or procedures, as they may be harmful to their health. Similarly, you cannot give advice or instructions on finances, investments, or legal matters if you do not have sufficient expertise and competence. You can also get banned from the channel for this. Remember that twitch streaming is not just entertainment, but also a responsibility to the audience.
Be careful! Viewers often make jokes at the expense of streamers, deceiving them into breaking platform rules. For example, they may send the streamer a link to a photo or video with prohibited content or deliberately provoke the streamer into aggression/hate speech. Take in mind that for viewers, this may just be a funny joke and entertainment, but for you it could result in channel suspension.
Develop your content
When you will know how to start a stream on Twitch, you need to choose your type of content. Try new games, experiment with stream formats, and listen to feedback from your audience. Streams can be of different types:
Talk stream — a broadcast during which the streamer mainly interacts with the audience, answers viewers' questions, talks about themselves, discusses events in the world, interviews a guest, and so on.
Stream marathon — a continuous broadcast that lasts for a long time - from a few days to several weeks (or even more). Usually, streamers organize such marathons to gain more subscribers, set new records for the channel, and so on.
Thematic stream — fans of popular streamers often ask their idols to conduct themed broadcasts. For example, such broadcasts can be dedicated to a popular franchise — to watch all the movies in "The Lord of the Rings" series, play all parts of "Harry Potter," and so on.
Roleplaying stream is a type of thematic stream where you intentionally play a certain role with your character. For example, in a narrative game, you can be a good guy and act with good intentions, or you can behave like a villain (kill or betray other characters etc).
Darkest Dungeons stream by MrKravin, OffensiveJake, John Wolfe, and SinowBeats.
Play with your viewers — content creators often invite viewers to join a joint match. For example, to play together in Among Us or Fall Guys, run on one server in Minecraft, or play teams in CS:GO. Such streams are an important element of interaction with the audience.
Challenges — viewers like it when the streamer sets certain goals for themselves and tries to achieve them. For example, to win a certain number of victories with a specific character or complete a game without taking any damage.
Remember, the most important thing is to have fun! Streaming should be an exciting and satisfying activity for you. If you do what you enjoy, the audience will come to you naturally. Try not to overdo it. You don't have to stream for hours at a time. You need to understand what rhythm and duration of the stream is most convenient for you. Try to schedule your broadcasts in advance and stick to it.
Be active on social media
Promote your streams and stay in touch with your audience through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other social platforms. Streamers often use their social media pages to announce their broadcasts, hold giveaways, and interact with viewers, among other things. Social media with a large number of followers will become a valuable tool when working with advertisers and sponsors.
In addition to traditional social media like Facebook or Twitter, you can also create a channel on Discord or your own thread on Reddit. The more platforms you use to communicate with your viewers, the faster your channel will become popular.
Analyze your audience. If a large number of your viewers are from a specific country, you should consider registering on local social media. For example, this could be an account on Weibo (a popular social network in China).
Remember that when managing social media, you also need to adhere to the rules. Some streaming platforms, such as Twitch, may block your channel even for inappropriate behavior in everyday life. This means that you may not violate the rules of the platform itself, but still risk being banned if you become involved in a scandal, make provocative statements in public, or end up in jail, etc.
When managing social media, take precautions. Do not publish information about your place of residence, as well as information about your children, parents, or other family members. They may not be ready to live the same public life as you. In addition, you and your relatives may become victims of scammers or pranksters. There are cases when viewers called the police at the address of the streamer's residence to watch how he would be arrested live.
Create your unique brand
Choose a good channel name and a logo that reflects your uniqueness. There are also several rules and recommendations here:
The channel name should be memorable, not too long, and easy to spell. It's best not to use symbols that are not in the standard Latin keyboard layout (e.g., hieroglyphs or special characters).
Remember that you cannot use prohibited words and insults in the channel name. Also, you may have problems using the names of popular people, politicians, and celebrities, as well as the names of well-known companies and brands. Also, on streaming platforms, channels that try to represent themselves as administration channels in their name are often banned.
When choosing a logo, the same rules should be followed: do not place images that may be prohibited by the rules. This primarily refers to erotica, prohibited signs or symbols, etc.
Tyler "Ninja" Blevins
The musical design of the channel is also of great importance. Many streamers enjoy listening to music during their broadcasts to create the necessary atmosphere or make the stream more lively. However, it's important to remember that most songs and musical compositions are protected by copyright. On Twitch, using someone else's music during a broadcast can result in a warning or temporary channel suspension. At best, the music will be automatically cut out of the audio track of your stream recording.
If you love listening to music during your streams and don't want to give up this habit, there are special playlists with free music for streaming. The authors of these compositions have officially allowed Twitch streamers to use their works during broadcasts. There are several thousand such compositions, so you will definitely have plenty to choose from!
Your appearance is important too! There are some clothing restrictions on Twitch. For example, you cannot stream in underwear, although you can stream in a swimsuit (but only in certain categories). Do not wear clothing items that could be considered racist (such as white pointed hats, etc.). Your makeup can also be a reason for a warning or channel block, especially if you are using it to highlight the physical features of people of other races (such as narrow eyes or dark skin color, etc.).
Twitch streaming is not just an interesting job or leisure, but a completely new lifestyle. You will have to get used to many things that you have not thought about before. For example, talk a lot, express emotions, respond correctly to stress and so on.