By Twitch Streamer, Janet 'xChocoBars' Rose
Since its launch in 2011, Twitch has attracted an average of 15 million daily active users tuning in to watch about 3.8 million streamers1. I personally have been on the platform since 2013 and have built a following of 593K on my Twitch page twitch.tv/xChocoBars. As you may know, the video live streaming service shares content that includes cooking, music, movies, news, and my obvious favourite – gaming of course! Live video gaming broadcasts where you have players like me interact with viewers is actually Twitch’s most popular programming category.
Gaming is a social activity, filled with competition and camaraderie, so it makes sense that it has taken off as the premier highlight of live and interactive video streaming offerings. On average, I spend probably around 6-8 hours gaming on Twitch per day. Additional benefits of Twitch streams include creating and fostering community around your favourite gamer or a series of games, previewing games, getting real-time feedback from trusted gamers, and providing social interaction, especially during challenging times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Twitch recently reported a 60% increase in viewership in June 2020 over the viewership in June 2019, according to Digital Trends2. Since we have been staying at home more often I have definitely noticed an increase in my Twitch viewers, since everyone looks forward to online entertainment and gaming nowadays.
Are You Interested in Becoming a Twitch Streamer?
If you love gaming and would like to launch your channel and appeal to your audience of Twitch followers, you may wonder how it all works. I often get messages from others who are looking for advice on how to get started and grow an audience, so get your pen and paper ready!
Top Twitch streamers have become major influencers in the gaming world and now earn top dollar. I found success as a Twitch streamer initially through playing League of Legends but that expanded into playing different games titles like APEX Legends, Fortnite and Valorant. Earning money doing something I love has been an amazing experience. I truly believe we live in a digital era where we can make a living out of doing something we're passionate about. I think that if you're passionate about something, and it really shows, your audience and community will feel that too!
It takes time and effort to build your gaming skills and community to get to a level where you can attract successful partnerships (like this one with LG Canada!). You may want to take a few moments to learn more about Twitch streamers currently building their brand. The fastest-growing channels and most popular Twitch streamers and their primary games include4:
If you are an avid gamer and feel it is your path and passion to become a professional gamer, you need some vital information, such as how to start streaming on Twitch, building an audience from scratch, and making your way to becoming a pro-gamer. With that said, it does not happen overnight! If it did – we would all be doing it. It took me 7 years of consistent uploading and interacting with viewers before gaming on Twitch became my full time job (I was a full-time student studying Early Childhood Education when I first started streaming.)
How to Get Followers on Twitch
A major component of success on the platform and as a gaming influencer is you learning how to gain views on Twitch and get more subscribers. There are several strategies successful Twitch streamers use:
Even if your channel is small and still growing, you can get monetized and start earning. The primary way Twitch streamers achieve monetization when starting is to become a Twitch affiliate. You can make money while you play and build your following by participating in the Twitch Affiliate Program5. Here are a few requirements for the program:
Your gaming set up is essential to your success. However, you don't need to have everything in place right away. When I first started back in 2013 my setup only consisted of my PC, monitor, webcam and a headset with a mic. Foremost, Twitch streaming PC, "monitors, and a microphone6. But keep in mind that, as soon as you can afford it, you need high-quality, high-specification equipment to meet the tech demands of Twitch streaming.
One of the most essential investments or upgrades you can make to your setup is your gaming monitor. Ideally, you will want a wide screen monitor so you can play your game on a large display and have lots of real estate for multiple tabs like the chat box. For playing games, an LG UltraGear™ monitor is my current go-to display. Here are key specs that make LG UltraGear ideal for gaming7:
As a Twitch streamer on-the-rise, you need gaming equipment that helps foster your comfort and effectiveness. An LG UltraGear™ Monitor offers those features and much more to professional gamers on the cusp of becoming major influencers. LG specifications such as lightning-fast refresh rates, picture clarity and speedy response times are among the most crucial elements for improving your game and engaging your audience.
An UltraGear™ Monitor can help you build your Twitch empire with multiple monitor setups, so you can game and stream simultaneously, along with your audio and video equipment, including headsets, microphones and high-quality webcams.
Pair your UltraGear™ with a powerful gaming PC or setup, then you can handle endless hours of gaming and simultaneous streaming!
Nothing is static in the world of live video gaming on Twitch and beyond, and since I have been in the industry things are always changing. It helps to keep a pulse on the latest games and gaming events in order to learn what is coming up next. Here are my thoughts on what I think are the next big things in gaming:
1. Collaborative games! This enables content creators everywhere to create content with each other rather than compete with each other.
2. Creating a community. It's so important to facilitate a community, be it on your Discord or Twitch chats.
3. Make sure you build a team of editors to support you so you can turn your Twitch content into Youtube content, for passive income.
Sources
(1) https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/what-is-twitch
(2) https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/twitch-viewership-covid-increase
(4) https://www.twitchmetrics.net/channels/growth
(5) https://www.affiliateresources.org/how-to-monetize-your-twitch-stream/
(6) https://www.twitch.tv/creatorcamp/en/learn-the-basics/twitch-101/
(7) https://www.lg.com/us/experience-monitors/gaming-monitors
(8) (9) https://www.lg.com/us/gaming-monitors
Resources used as inspiration but not linked:
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