First, I would like to thank the community for the support they gave over the past few months to help us get to TwitchCon 2022 in San Diego. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to attend. I attended several panels over the course of 3 days and I will be giving you my takes from what I learned.
First up, a panel entitled: Before You Go Live. This consited of several topics – an intro – things to avoid – realistic terms – success
An Intro to Streaming
What is your vision?
Understand what you want in your stream before going live. Have a direction/plan on what makes you and your community different. Understand that it is okay to fail. The best of the best were not there on their first attempts. Understand your creator tools and the tools available to grow into. You don’t need all the sizzle at the start.
What are things to avoid/focus?
- Avoid burn-out…it is real. Keep an off day that is just for you and not stream related.
- It doesn’t matter the numbers in your stream if you are misserable, your community will know.
- Keep it real. Don’t get an ego.
- “Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket.” Don’t keep yourself to just one platform. Use a variety for exposure and audience capture.
- Don’t rush. Don’t get discouraged. Creativity and communities take time to grow.
What is realistic in terms of monetization?
The average streamer will not become an overnight sensation. Don’t expect to “make a living” in a few months or even years for some. This is the “don’t rush” part of things to avoid/focus on. Once an affiliate on Twitch, your revenue will stem from subscribers, bits, donations, ad shares, and possibly sponsorship opportunities. Here are a few tips on stepping up and building yourself with your community.
- Don’t discount yourself when starting out. Small communities can often have bigger value. You become a micro influencer!
- Talk about your joys on social media regarding other products you use daily, etc. Examples: your favorite shampoo, meal kits, beverage, clothier, etc. Posting about these with tags to the brand accounts along with interaction from your community can sometimes land surprise sponsorship deals, beta programs, review blogging, etc.
- Talk about your passions. This creates community bonding.
- Understand “seasonality” of brand spending. Holidays vs non-holidays
- Invest in things that add value to your stream and community.
- Let your stream pick your next goal. This gives them a sense of belonging and desire to stay.
What are some factors that drive SUCCESS?
The number one activity that drives up success of any streamer is NETWORKING. Working with others that have common goals can help all involved. Involve yourself with groups of equal peers…be relateable with those you hang around. Remember that streamers of similar content are not your competition. The saying “a rising tide lifts all ships”…be part of the tide and lift all around you.
Be a pilar in the community. Become a member of the community that members look up to…understanding, good emotions, positive influence. Be transparent with your community. It would be in-human to remain 100% positive/happy 24-7. It’s ok to say you are not 100% today. Host community event parties.
Use calendar software/apps to keep yourself organized and tasks in order. This will help you not get overwhelmed.
Ask the community and your mods to create clips of your stream. See if any members of your community have video edit skills and would like to help create videos to use on YouTube, Instagram, Tiktoc, etc. Let your members help build your community.
Create/Use a business emal address.
When to change direction as a streamer?
And one final thing to consider…when to change the direction of your stream? Remember, don’t expect first attempts to be a success and failure is ok. When you no longer feel excited about turning on the stream, you suffer burn out, etc, then it is time. Watch your own VODs to learn how your community sees your stream. Learn what you think works and what doesn’t.