Twitch is the biggest and most famous platform for streamers and gamers to stream and broadcast themselves over the internet. At any given moment, thousands across the world stream themselves over the platform playing various games and other similar content. Many streamers also pursue it as a full-time job aided by subscriptions, brand sponsors, and donations.
As a gamer, Twitch streaming is an excellent opportunity for you to make a name for yourself over the internet. All you’ll need is a stable internet connection, a computer system, and a platform on which to play games, all of which you probably already have. However, setting yourself apart and growing your audience is a daunting task. You’ll need to actively promote yourself over the internet. Here is how you can do so.
Custom Twitch Panels
Panels are graphics that appear below your stream and your profile. Typically, streamers use these panels to give information and links to their followers and subscribers. For example, a streamer may use panels for their social media accounts, platforms where their viewers can donate, and other important information.
You can create these twitch panels easily with PosterMyWall. It is easy to use even for complete novices in graphics design. You can create several banners in a matter of minutes easily. The goal is to inform your audience using graphical elements that get the full message across.
For example, Twitch streamer and VTuber Apricot use these kinds of twitch panels on her profile. These are linked to her donation page and her Twitter, which people will be redirected to when they click on these panels. Something in the same vein can work for you too.
Social Media Presence
Social media is your best friend when it comes to promoting yourself over the internet. Most of the internet traffic generated these days comes from social media usage. As such, you should be promoting your Twitch streams on social media.
Create accounts on various social media platforms and be active there. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are best for this purpose. You can make official pages where you can share schedules for upcoming streams. You will also be sending reminder posts an hour or so before you stream so people who didn’t catch your schedule can still join in.
Once you have done a few streams, you can cut clips and share them on these pages, building further hype for your streams.
Specialize In A Niche
It would be much more beneficial if you discover your niche and stick to it. Do you want to be a gamer who streams games? Do you want to be a general variety streamer that offers various other content? These are the questions that need answering and will help you determine your niche.
To get some ideas, browse Twitch and see what kind of content is in demand. Visit both big streamers and smaller streamers to cover all bases. This will help you determine what kind of content you should be offering to your viewers. If you offer something that is in demand then you are sure to attract a large audience. However, you should also enjoy what you do because if you are miserable, then your audience will not have a good time too.
Use Twitch Banners
When users first visit your profile, they will first look at the banner and then the rest. The banner sets you apart from the rest of the streamers and also informs your audience regarding your streams and niche.
Many Twitch streamers have these banners made and displayed on their profiles which makes them instantly recognizable and develops them as a brand. To make one for your stream, you can use PosterMyWall which also has hundreds of twitch banner templates that you can use for this purpose. Using templates shaves down the designing time significantly since the basic structure is present. You only need to modify it according to your needs and then go from there.
When you are online and streaming, the stream will cover the place the banner is displayed. But when it is not, the banner will be up there. You’ll also want to add information such as your social media profiles and the like so people can follow you there as well.
Collaborate With Other Streamers And Personalities
Once you make a name for yourself, you can reach out to bigger established streamers for collaborations. Why is this important? Because it allows you to expose your streams to their audience. Since they have a bigger following than you, you will get more viewers in that particular stream. This goes both ways because they gain viewership from your audience as well.
That way both of your audiences can intersect and you can share viewership. If people like you and the way you stream, they can become long-term viewers and even subscribers. This isn’t particular for streamers only, you can invite other well-known personalities that aren’t on Twitch. For example, a famous competitive gamer or an entertainment personality, etc.
The goal should be to collaborate in a manner that compliments your streaming style and can help in increasing your audience. If your collab stream can potentially do that, then it will be successful and your goal will be achieved. It’s a good idea to always engage with these personalities on social media with whom you can potentially do a collaboration stream.
Any kind of internet-based career requires time and effort. Nothing is done overnight and you need to put in the work in your streaming career. You also should put in a few hours to get good at your niche. People want to be entertained when they watch your stream and this way ensures that they will be entertained. You will likely need to follow all of the strategies listed above to increase your audience on Twitch. The key is to follow them and remain consistent in doing so.
