So you are into Twitch, and you are interested in starting a channel of your own… But where should you begin? This is by no means an in-depth guide to the technical aspects of getting started as a Twitch streamer; think of this as a compilation of best practices that we have observed as regular Twitch streamers, viewers and partners with some of the biggest names in eSports. So, let’s get started…

1. 9 Ways to be a
Better Streamer
on TwitchAuthor: LVLUP Dojo

2. Get comfortable talking about
yourself
It is important to understand that when you get started, you’ll
only be streaming to fewer than ten people at a time, and
those people will likely just stumble upon your stream and
stick around for a minute or two- so be entertaining. Use the
couple minutes of attention that you get to entice the viewers
that you get.
Something to take note of is that viewers are watching on a 7–
20 second delay. In fact, your viewer numbers may not even
register until they have already left your stream. You are in
the spotlight now, so make sure that there is always
something unique or entertaining happening on your channel
that gets a viewer interested enough to stick around for a bit.
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3. A good way to start a dialogue with your viewers could be
letting your ‘inner gamer’ out; say what you are thinking,
explain why you are doing what you are doing and what your
next move is, express your excitement and your frustrations
in an engaging fashion… NINJA is a streamer that does this
very well. Make comments on some of the most recent
gaming news, talk about the latest season of your favorite
show that you binge watched the entire season of in one
sitting… Do anything to differentiate yourself from the
hundreds of others playing the same game as you.
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4. Choosing Games to
Stream
Start with semi-popular games, the only way for Twitch
viewers to discover new streamers is by browsing. Channels
and game lists are categorized by viewers, so if you are
streaming a game like DOTA 2, FIFA or League of Legends-
keep in mind that people will have to scroll through hundreds
of channels with more viewers before they stumble across
your stream. A great resource for choosing a game to stream
is the Twitch Game Directory, it displays all of the games
being streamed on the site and the number of viewers that
each game has at any given time. Use the directory to find a
game that you enjoy to play with a viewer count in the
hundreds or thousands, this will give you a proven audience
and enough visibility for people to find you.
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5. Single Game? Or Multiple
Games?
This is completely up to you and the streaming personality you
create for yourself. Our suggestion is to start with 1–3 games that
you stream regularly. Kick it off with a game that has the suggested
viewer count above, stream consistently and when you see your
viewer count begin to increase, switch it up to the more popular
games. This will not only broaden your audience, but now that you
have somewhat of a viewership, people won’t need to scroll to the
very bottom of the page to find your stream.
Starting with a couple games may also help to keep it fresh, so you
are not talking about the same topics all the time and you are
expanding your ‘reach’ across Twitch. There’s a downside to
streaming multiple games, in that some people prefer to watch one
game, in this case you may see viewers begin to drop off as you
switch games. We have seen both methods create a viral effect on
Twitch, you just need to find what best suits your streaming
personality.
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6. Punctuality
Remember the days before Netflix and Hulu, when we had to
patiently wait for a specific time and day to view our favorite
shows? Think of your streaming as the new version of cable
TV. Having a schedule is important- consistency is key, make
sure that your viewers know that you’ll be streaming every
Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays from 5–9PM PST, you don’t
want them to miss the last stream due to your lack of
organization.
Determining your streaming schedule may seem like a project
if you think too much into it. Sure there are some time periods
that are busier than others, but as an English-speaker, you will
be happy to find an audience at pretty much any time of the
day. So, find a time slot that works for your lifestyle, and own
it- this is where you’ll build your core audience and return
viewers. Follow this advice and watch your view count
increase every week.
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7. Interacting with your
viewers
Engaging with your viewers is the unique value that has
grown Twitch’s popularity. You are running a LIVE
community, so treat it as such. People are watching not only
to be entertained, but also to interact with you, so hang out
with your viewers between games, after you go down or at
any point that allows you to give a shoutout or slip into a
conversation. Having said that, there are always the lurkers,
so let them be- don’t call out people for not contributing to
the conversation, they didn’t ask for your attention and if
you put them on the spot you will more than likely lose that
person as a viewer, don’t force people to chime in if they
haven’t yet.
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8. Stream Length
Stream for at least an hour at a time. It is important to understand the
difference in YouTube and Twitch audiences. With YouTube, people
are actively paying full attention to the video, as it has a time limit,
whereas with Twitch, some people will throw on a stream while doing
work, studying or just as a background distraction. While others want
to hangout, chat and absorb the pwning that you are spreading across
their screen. Either way, a 30 minute stream just won’t cut it…
Also, Twitch’s notification system can be a bit laggy. We have seen
most success in hopping on stream for 3 hour sprints, as there have
been plenty of cases where we’ve had viewers show up at the 2-hour
mark only because they had just received the notification. So to stress
again, schedules are important and necessary when building your
channel.
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9. Your Channel
Layout
Given the demographic that surrounds the streaming
community, you want your visuals to be on point. In the
same way that you wouldn’t pick up your first date in a dirty
car, you don’t want your viewers to bounce off your stream
immediately due to poor presentation. Create some decent
graphics for your panels there are free online resources like
Canva.com that provides a plethora of templated visuals for
you to work with, and is super user friendly; it’s basically
photoshop for dummies- great resource for you non-graphic
designers. Your channel layout should act as your Twitch
resume of sorts: provide a bio for viewers to get to know
what you are all about, use those graphics as calls to action
to let people know that you have a presence elsewhere and
keep it consistent and practice authenticity. Real recognize
real.
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10. If you are taking the PC route for streaming as opposed to
PS4 or Xbox One’s streaming apps, you have more to work
with and with the right guide, you can make a badass looking
channel layout (link to guide). For webcam users, make sure
that you find the right space to broadcast your streams. You
want people to see your facial expressions, make sure your
lighting is on point- see the streaming setup equipment list
that is sure to make you look good and not burn a hole in your
pocket. Further, put a graphical border around the webcam
image if you don’t have the luxury of a green screen backdrop,
here is an example.
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11. Make sure to switch it up a bit now and then, consistency is
key, but static is boring. Create different overlays for
different situations. Tons of big channels run an intro video
to build up excitement for people joining the channel at the
start of the broadcast. It’s the little things that keep your
viewers around for that extra few minutes, these types of
aesthetic focuses can lead to a better user retention rate
and growth of your channel.
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12. In Stream Settings
Use VODs and highlights- in your channel settings there is an
option to automatically create an archive of your broadcasts.
Assuming that you are not a Twitch Partner, the video-on-
demand (VOD) will only be accessible for the next 14 days. So,
whenever there is a clip or video that you want to share on
other channels or just to have as your own, make sure to take
note of the time. After you’ve done this, you can head into the
VOD and use the Twitch ‘highlights’ tool to find the best
moments from your broadcast and cut clips of your gameplay.
Another reason why this is a good practice- aside from having
a sweet archive of clips, when people visit your channel while
you are offline, they will still be able to view your clips and feel
more inclined to tune in for your next broadcast.
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13. Get Your Sound Right
Before you start a broadcast, make sure that you have
checked your audio levels for overall quality and the well
being of your viewers. The last thing you want is to have a
great play, scream with excitement, and bust your viewer’s’
computer speakers. So, make sure that the voice audio is in
tune each time you are prepping to stream. In the same
fashion, viewers want to hear the game and your voice over
it. The best practice here is to simply do some
experimenting offline prior to each stream.
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14. Check your audio levels. Nobody wants to hear the horrible
screechy noise of blown-out audio every time you get excited
and shout into the mic. Equally, they want to hear the game
but also hear your voice over it. Do some experimenting
offline before each stream. Most streaming software can do
local recordings or you could set up a test channel and play
back a chunk of stream through the VOD service. A headset
mic is fine when you’re just starting out but once you start
getting serious, this is the first thing you should upgrade.
This is only the beginning. There’s a whole lot of other stuff
that streamers to do improve their channel: loyalty bots,
gaming with viewers, subscriber gimmicks and more. It’s up to
you to find your niche. Best of luck with your stream! 14

15. Reference:
https://blog.lvlupdojo.com/how-to-get-started-streaming-
on-twitch-ef66119623ff
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