Updated on: 04/06/2022

Building a live streaming audience can be tricky. Here are some live streaming tips to maximize your chance of success.

With multiple live streaming platforms, huge growth in esports, and the growing interest in online gaming, game streaming is no longer a niche interest.

However, it can be tricky to build and retain a live streaming audience. So here are a few ways to build an audience for your live streaming channel.

1. Choose a Trending Title to Play on Stream

When choosing games to play on a live stream, you'll want to opt for new and popular games that are currently attracting attention. Trending games are more likely to get the attention of viewers, helping them discover your channel.

Check the best gaming sites and search engines to see which recent games are in the news and garnering praise from players. If you manage to get a pre-release copy of a certain popular game, that's even better.

The Twitch homepage also shows a list of popular games among viewers if you're struggling for ideas. But it's always advisable to do your research if you really want to find out what the gaming community is currently focusing on.

At the same time, you don't want to choose games that already have oversaturated coverage. Some popular games will still have streamers covering them months or years after launch. It's difficult to compete with heavily established streams that have covered particular games for a considerable time.

Audiences of triple-AAA titles with oversaturated coverage tend to stick to the streamers they know, as they've had ample time to discover who covers games in a way that they enjoy. Therefore, you may want to opt for new indie titles that are less mainstream yet still popular.

2. Streaming Tip: Keep a Consistent Schedule

As with any sort of content publishing, you need to keep a regular schedule when starting a streaming channel. You can adjust this schedule depending on your own time commitments, but consistency is key.

You should keep a steady, regular output instead of streaming in bursts and then going silent for unpredictable periods of time.

If you don't have much time during the week, don't try to stream daily. It's better to stream once a week or only on weekends if this is the case. Audiences prefer consistency over erratic and irregular content schedules.

3. Keep the Conversation Going

If you just sit silently while playing your game on a live stream, there's not much of a reason for others to watch you. Don't worry: you won't need to constantly talk, especially if your game requires focus. However, keeping a conversation flowing goes a long way in keeping your audience engaged.

In a skill-intensive game or dungeon, explain your strategy and what you're doing. When playing a casual game, comment on your first impressions.

If you've already done this, talk to your viewers, who will likely post questions and comments in the chat section. It doesn't all need to be related to the game---sometimes your audience just wants to get to know you.

The type of conversations you have will also depend on your audience.

4. Thank New Subscribers on Your Stream

Subscribers on game streaming sites such as Twitch are your bread and butter, so you should thank them accordingly. Even a small contribution helps you make money from gaming, so make sure your audience knows that you appreciate it.

This may be difficult to do when you're trying to focus on a game, but you can use a streaming plugin to somewhat automate the process. You should note that this doesn't replace the need to make a personal mention during your stream. But it does give them some recognition while you wait for a gap in your gameplay where you can shift your attention.

5. Know Your Streaming Platform

While Mixer has shut down, there are still multiple formidable platforms in the live streaming space. You will have to choose your preferred platform based on the types of audiences you want to reach.

Whichever you choose---be it Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Gaming, or another platform---you should take the time to understand the unique aspects of the service you choose.

This can help you decide which content to focus on, the best ways to reach new viewers, and what you need to do to become a partner or affiliate on your chosen platform.

6. Interact With Your Followers on Social Media

Speaking of interaction, some of your audience members will want to interact with you outside of stream chat. This is especially true if they can't tune in every time. You should share your various public social media handles with your subscribers.

No, you don't have to become Facebook friends with followers. But you can share your Twitter handle and any other social media pages that you want them to visit.

Even if you're not necessarily sharing gaming-related posts, many audience members will still be interested in what you have to say. You can even check out social networks that are specifically for gamers. The important idea is to engage your audience outside of streaming sessions.

7. Give the Audience Incentives to Return

Increasingly, audience members are willing to subscribe to or sponsor content creators who give them the right incentives. Live streaming, however, is slightly different from traditional content creation. So what can you do to incentivize your audience?

One of the best ways to do this is using giveaways. Just make sure that you understand the rules around contests for the platform you are using, and the region you are running the competition in.

Great ideas for giveaways are gift cards, game service subscriptions, and games. Items like these, which you can send keys for digitally, can save you shipping costs when you're just starting out. Depending on your streaming platform, you may be able to incentivize subscriptions. For example, Twitch offers subscriber-only streams and various bonuses for different subscription tiers.

YouTube also offers various bonuses for channel members, such as access to emotes and early content.

As your channel grows, you can aim higher and even get sponsored prizes from certain companies. But if you're still a newbie, you could perhaps find some gaming deals to give away.

8. Get a Sponsor for Your Live Stream

For this step, you will need to already have a bit of a following. However, getting a sponsor can actually help you grow your audience further.

Getting a sponsor is often cited by streamers as a way of gaining a larger following. Some attribute this to the increased credibility that comes with being endorsed by a brand.

If you are unable to find a sponsor just yet, you should aim for affiliate status on a platform like Twitch. This increases your credibility while giving you additional revenue streams. However, this takes considerable hard work and is not a quick solution to gaining a following.

9. Get Other Gamers Involved

While live streaming is mostly a solo venture, it's great to get some other gamers involved in your streams. It doesn't have to be a regular feature or an official partnership. However, the occasional variety can be a great addition to your channel.

Try to find gamers with whom you have some chemistry. Banter is one of the most entertaining things for gaming audiences, especially in multiplayer games. You won't necessarily need the gamer to appear in person. In fact, some great partnerships are formed between streamers who have never met offline.

You can also appear on someone else's stream, which will give you extra exposure to potential new audience members. Squad Stream lets Twitch streamers broadcast together.

10. Use Decent Equipment

One major factor that affects your audience's viewing experience is streaming quality. You don't need to worry about establishing a flawless, 4K stream. But you need to make sure the quality is acceptable. Hissing microphones, serious packet loss, and highly pixelated visuals will chase most audiences away.

Make sure to equip yourself with a decent microphone and a fast internet connection before you stream. If you want to put a face to your stream, invest in a decent webcam too. Also, don't try to play games that are too intensive for your gaming rig.

More Live Streaming Tips

Now you know some of the main ways to attract and retain an audience for your live streaming channel. However, you should use these live streaming tips while also improving the quality of your channel overall.

Source: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/solo-live-streaming/