Growing is a difficult task in streaming, no matter how hard you try. There’s a lot of things that you can do while streaming but there are also a few things that should be a staple to doing off stream to put you in the best situation possible to get noticed. I can’t tell you how many times a streamer has laughed because they have gotten a follow or sub while not streaming. How did they do it though? Let’s go over a few techniques to provide entertainment even when the camera isn’t rolling.

         I have a notepad directly in front of me at all times? Why? For Highlights! Picture this: You just finished an amazing stream and you said something or did something during your stream that had your audience going crazy in chat. Maybe you did something so outrageous that everyone laughed. Maybe you eliminated a team all by yourself and your audience looked at you in amazement! Write down the time from your OBS or Xsplit recorder so you can go back to that moment and HIGHLIGHT it! It’s a way for people who missed your stream or are new to your stream to get a sample of what they are missing and why they should be a part of your stream next time! It may even get you a follow or a sub here and there when people fall into your page!

         The real question that you need to ask yourself though is “What do I highlight?” Choosing good Highlights are key to free advertising for yourself! There’s a few good ways to figure out what the best spots are. One of them is to discuss with your Mods what they found the most entertaining. They should be able to give you a clear visual into what the funniest parts or the most entertaining parts of your stream were and should be on high alert for future streams. Mods ARE the people you trust the most, yes? Another good way to find out is gauging your audience’s reaction. If your chat blows up with GG’s or lol’s, that would be a good spot to mark a Highlight. Heck, even if you fail miserably, if you made it into a memorable moment, go ahead and throw that in there too. It shows you ARE human and that you can laugh at yourself!

  Twitter

           Twitter is becoming a strong tool in social media…AND FAST! It allows a short message with a direct message to be broadcast to everyone that follows you or ReTweets (sends your message to their followers) you. It’s a strong tool to get your name out there among people that may have never seen your page otherwise. The right message can even portray a sense of your personality towards new followers and nab you a few extra here and there. So what make a good tweet? Let’s break down one that gets the message through:

HaliosGasinova

               @CS:GO! LET MY AIM BE TRUE! twitch.tv/halios00 @TwitchSharer @StreamerSquare

               So, I’ll take a tweet I did a few weeks ago as an example. In this tweet, I’m covering a few strong items that will help your Twitter and stream grow. First off, I tagged the game. Reason being, if anyone searches for that game, my name will pop up as tagging it. It may attract a few people to the stream. I have a small, witty message to show my humor. You can even replace this with a description of what type of streamer you are (Interactive streamer here!) or just a funny statement or welcome message (Come join me!). Next, the most important item on this list: Your stream link! This is going to possibly go out to hundreds or thousands (if lucky) of people. If they have no idea where to go and can’t click a link in your message, it’s highly unlikely that they will search your profile for said link. Always remember, make things as simple and short as possible.  The last part tags a few people (with the @ symbol) that may share my tweet among their friends, which will help it to get noticed. Tagging the right people can do wonders to how far your message gets. Do some research into who you tag and how often they Retweet so you get the maximum effort!

            Facebook reaches a different audience than most other social medias. Your wall posts stay on your wall for all eternity, which may end up bringing some people to your page when they see your posts. You can also like different pages on Facebook, allowing your audience to get a gauge into who you are as a person outside of the stream. It is up to you if you want to share anything past basic information, like your personal information on your relationship or preferences. I recommend making a Facebook account solely for your stream so you don’t reveal anything too personal. Just make sure that you are getting friend requests or page views (If you created a seperate page for your Twitch name) so that your audience gets the full experience from their visits to your pages.

           Ah, YouTube. A second place for your videos. Your YouTube account should basically be your dumping ground for EVERY stream that you do and EVERY highlight that you make. It is literally a second way for your audience to get to see your stream. To get the best quality into your uploads, make sure that you set your OBS or Xsplit to record every stream. The moment that you get off, head over to YouTube. In the top right corner, you can click “Video Upload” and it will take you to a page where you can attach tags, describe the video, or link other videos in. This is a huge part towards your success as a streamer. I can’t tell you how many views some of my older videos have gotten or how some of my audience members love to watch the stream afterwards because they couldn’t make my weird hours. You may even be able to turn YouTube into a second source of video producing, leading to two forms of streaming.

             You want to be a strong streamer, yes? You want to see regulars come in and recognize their names when they arrive? The best way that I can convey for this to happen is to get your name out there when you are not streaming. Get into other people’s streams and be a part of their community. Get associated with them and get your name out there. DO NOT ADVERTISE YOUR STREAM! I cannot stress that enough. Other streamers are working just as hard as you are to make a name for themselves and they do not need someone coming in to try to steal their viewers. Rather than advertise, be a viewer and contribute to their chat. Enjoy their company and find streamers you enjoy watching. Let the streamer know that you enjoy them and talk to all the other audience members. I tend to watch 2-3 hours of Twitch a day honestly. I watch it more than I watch TV because I enjoy being a part of the community. It has lead to people knowing who I am and becoming a part of my audience when their favorite streamer isn’t on.

          Being a successful streamer doesn’t end when the camera is off. These tips will help you with the starting steps to getting a stronger profile and a recognized name in the Twitch community. You may just find that you enjoy it as much as streaming!