Five Things We Learnt During Our First Week of Twitch Livestreaming
This is a transcript of the video above, filmed on Monday 18th May 2020. The stream was first broadcast on our Twitch channel.
We are currently in lockdown due to the global Coronavirus pandemic. This separation from family, friends and colleagues has left us yearning for attention, so we have taken to livestreaming. I love livestreaming because it allows you to connect with the world in real-time over the convenience of the internet. It feels like a creative pursuit which I absolutely love!
However, after broadcasting for just a week, there were already hurdles we needed to jump to do this properly.
It's strange talking to no one
Whilst livestreaming you are speaking out to the world with the hope that someone will respond. You need to keep the energy up for your audience, but the lack of social feedback can be unnerving at times. You are sat in your front room, bedroom, office, talking out into the expansive internet. It can be tough keeping a one-sided conversation running! I've learnt it's good to practise your commentary and vocalise your thoughts. You can even have a list of prompts nearby to support.
However, when you do have responsive listeners, that can boost your energy and motivation for streaming.A good overlay helps
This was one of my favourite things to set-up when we started streaming last week. We are using Open Broadcaster Software, Streamlabs. The overlay is the graphics which you can add to your stream to enhance the experience.
When scrolling down the feed of streams, a strong overlay can help you stand out from the rest of the crowd. You don't want to get lost downstream, without a paddle (or overlay in this case).
The overlay also helps you to stay true to your brand and communicate any surplus information. This could include your social handles, recent comments or followers. It can encourage your audience to interact!Enlist bots and mods
You can enlist bots to support your livestream on both Facebook and Twitch. These can be programmed to respond to special commands or events. For example, they can welcome new followers and help you host polls whilst streaming.
Moderators are similar to bots, but these are usually real people. Although bots can count as moderators too! If you have a trusted friend, it can be handy to have them involved with your stream. They can engage with your audience whilst keeping any nasties out. This means you can focus on entertaining our informing your viewers.Twitch is saturated with gamers
Twitch was started for gamers and is still saturated with this group. However, the gaming industry is huge and the community is strong. This is a relevant audience!
Twitch is trying to diversify and has streaming categories such as "Just Chatting" and "Art" to encourage other types of streamers, just like us.
I expect Twitch is always going to be popular amongst gamers, however, there is an opportunity for brands to be ahead of the curve by nurturing this friendly platform. It allows you to connect in real-time with an interested audience and it's fun to use!Organisation is key
Streaming has become more accessible than ever. You can stream to Instagram from your mobile phone. Just a few buttons pressed and hey presto! You are live. However, it takes more practice to host an engaging and informative stream.
First, you need your content, then you need to set up your broadcasting software and ensure your bot is working in the chat. Don't forget about your mic and camera! You also need to consider music and setting. There is so much.
One thing I want to improve upon is sound quality and I think it's worth investing in a decent microphone. I may do this to improve future broadcasts.
Finally, sticking to a schedule can help you improve your follower base.
With a growing audience and number of broadcasters each month, livestream is here to stay, no matter which platform you use. What has your experience of livestreaming been? We'd love to know! Please do leave a comment below to share your thoughts.
