Twitch can be a great place to live stream, whether you're playing e-sports, chatting with your fans, or traveling for a living. However, it's also a great place to stream for millions of others. Twitch is a highly competitive platform, which means that you have to be clever if you want to be on its algorithm. On Twitch's homepage, users will be recommended streams that they may enjoy, and if you get on that recommended page, it's possible that you can grow quite a bit of a fanbase. This post will look at ways you can thrive as a streamer.
How Do Twitch Recommendations Even Work?
To be recommended on Twitch, it's important to know how this works. How does someone get certain streams recommended? Like most platforms, Twitch recommendations work via a complex algorithm that considers many factors.
One factor is viewer behavior. What streams has a viewer previously engaged with? Which streamers are similar to those? Your stream performance is also a vital factor. How many views and comments does it get? Engagement metrics are also important. So, your stream should engage viewers. Responding to chat comments, ensuring there's no dead air, and having quality video and audio are just some ways you can get a head start on this.
Twitch will also recommend content through several areas. For example, the home page will offer a variety of recommended streams, while the category page will be a little more niche-focused.
If You Build it, They Will Come
Twitch rewards people who have accumulated plenty of watch hours or watch time. This is how long someone has watched a stream. Again, make sure you're attracting the right audience and engaging with them so that they stay a while. Even if you don't get a high number of views, a low but engaged number can be good on the metrics.
One way you can build watch hours is through consistency. Stream several times a week on a consistent schedule. Every week, tell your viewers when and what you will be streaming.
It’s All About the Titles of Tags
This rule is common sense, yet many people don't know how to create an attention-grabbing title and tags that cover their niche. A title that is a good combination of clickbait and SEO-focused will get you some views. Look at your competition and see what titles and tags they use. Then, don't copy them, but try to add your own twist to them.
Be Niche With Your Content
Do you want to stream the hottest hit game? Great. But millions of others will be streaming it. And most will be going toward the people who have a higher follower count, rarely the small streamers. That's why you should stream lesser-known games that still have a following or a new indie game. These games may have a smaller but dedicated fanbase of people eager to see folks like you streaming them.
Of course, Twitch is not just for games, but the rules still apply. If you’re doing something that millions of others are doing, how can you make it unique and stand out?
Interact With the Chat
If you're a small streamer, you probably talk to the chat, yet some people don't. They may not want to or have a setup where they can't see chat easily. If you're the latter, try to find a way you watch the chat in real-time by installing a second monitor, looking at your phone, or through a streaming software notification system.
Besides reading and responding to comments, you can also ask the chat a question, make a poll, or shout out chat members who are making your stream special. This can not only make lurkers want to comment, but it can make viewers stay for longer.
Collaboration is Key
Finally, collaboration. Besides posting your streams on your socials, one way to grow is to collaborate with another streamer, preferably someone in the same or similar niche to yours. Another way you can grow is to raid or host a channel. Raids send your followers to another person's stream while hosting makes a person's stream appear on your channel while you are inactive. When it comes to growing on Twitch, rarely is it a team effort.
Final Thoughts
Twitch can be difficult to grow on, but if you know what you're doing, you can thrive there. Be consistent, engage, and collaborate. You may soon gain an audience who will want to share your streams, show up every time you go live, and support you financially.