Are you an aspiring streamer looking to increase your audience? With so many streamers online, getting followers isn’t easy. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to promote your channel and establish your reputation in the gaming community.
Build your own website
A personal website is an excellent self-promotion tool. To make a website free, use a simple drag-and-drop site builder. You can leverage your website to let your audience know about your upcoming streams, make money through advertising, publish blog posts about your favorite games, and even sell merchandise when you’ve built a brand.
Any streaming or social media platforms you use could theoretically shut down or close your account. If that were to happen, you’d be left with no permanent online presence unless you had your own website. Creating a personal site lets you collect contact information via a signup form, which means you can communicate with your fans directly with no need to rely on third parties.
Set up a schedule, and stick to it
The more often you stream, the faster you will grow your following. Your followers need to know when and what you are streaming. As a general rule, popular streamers treat gaming as a full-time job, putting in over 40 hours per week. Aim for two or three times per week when you’re starting out.
Pick your games carefully
You need to choose games that your followers want to watch, but they also need to be games you love. Get some inspiration by visiting Twitch’s “What to Stream” page. TwitchMetrics is another good source of data. It tells you which games have attracted the most attention over the past 30 days, allowing you to stay on top of the latest trends.
Promote yourself on social media
Create Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit accounts devoted to your streaming activities. Post your streaming schedule, share your thoughts on the latest developments in the games industry, and direct viewers to your website and streaming account pages. When you weigh in on the latest topics and trends, use popular hashtags to join the conversation.
To build your personal brand, you should also use social media to interact with your fans, favorite developers, and other streamers you admire. Social media is also the perfect place to organize giveaways and contests to boost engagement. Setting up and maintaining an active YouTube channel is another great way to promote yourself. Repurpose your streaming content by uploading videos and additional content that aligns with your audience’s interests.
Engage with your audience when you stream
The most popular streamers show their faces and personalities and interact with their followers as they stream content. If you don’t speak while streaming, viewers are unlikely to stick around. Sharing your thoughts and opinions as you stream will help viewers engage with you as a real human being, not just someone playing a game online.
Keep an eye on your viewer list and welcome people as they tune in. Don’t get drawn into arguments; ignore or mute anyone who doesn’t add anything constructive to the conversation. Feel free to tell viewers a few things about yourself, your hobbies, and your day to day life, but be careful not to share any identifying information. If you’re worried about running out of things to say, pre-plan your talking points in advance.
Network with other streamers
If you are willing to help other streamers out by promoting their channels, they might return the favor. However, approaching someone and immediately asking them to follow or promote you won’t work. It takes time to build meaningful relationships. Networking is a long-term promotional strategy.
Use social media, forums, and other online communities to find people who play the kind of games you like and befriend them. Watch their streams and talk to their fans without drawing attention to your channel. As you become closer, you can tell them about your own streams, and raise the possibility of collaboration or cross-promotion.
When you bring a streaming session to a close, refer your followers to another channel. Introducing your followers to new streamers will keep them coming back because they know you can offer them both great original content and good recommendations. As long as you entertain and appreciate your audience, they’ll become loyal fans.