Applying Lessons I Learned from My Radio Career to Streaming

In what seems like a lifetime ago, I was once deeply-entrenched in the radio industry. Graduated from college with a certificate in radio broadcasting, where I specialized in on-air announcing. For a few months, you could hear me on the radio doing the overnight shift and the weather on weekends at a country radio station.

Though I’m far removed from the radio industry nowadays, many of the skills have proven useful outside of the industry. Having trained to speak on the air has gone a long way towards being able to communicate better as a human being. These days, it’s helped give me a sense of direction for how to approach my on-camera presence when I’m streaming.

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How I Use My Elgato Stream Deck

Before owning one, I perceived the Elgato Stream Deck as a frivolous expense. Why would I need one of these when I can do everything it offers with a keyboard and mouse? Or with one of many free alternatives on my phone?

Once I got it, the Stream Deck proved its worth almost immediately. Having a dedicated device that I can interact with is so much easier than a keyboard and mouse. Its programmable buttons and folders gives me way more control in a smaller package. Versus touchscreen alternatives, the tactile buttons make it easy for me to trigger actions without breaking eye contact with the audience. As Elgato has added more functionality through software updates, the value proposition of this device is only getting better.

I tinker with mine all the time, always finding more features I can use while streamlining my workflow. By the time I post this, the layouts pictured here will probably be outdated. Nevertheless, I thought it would be fun to discuss how I use this thing and the ways it’s made my life better. Maybe it’ll inspire you to step your Stream Deck game up. Or maybe you’ll have tips to help me improve!

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Fighting Dead Air: Tactics I Use to Keep the Streaming Conversations Going

How do you keep a conversation going for hours at a time? This is a challenge that many streamers face, especially since most of the time, they’re in a room by themselves with no one to speak to voice-to-voice. Having experience as an on-air radio personality, I’ve taken this aspect for granted in the past. I know I can speak eloquently and have a few cool stories to tell. However, more often than not, I had a good 10 minutes of material in me before dragging on the stream for another two hours with nothing to say.

Even when streaming to an audience of 0, it’s still important to talk to yourself. Your next fan might be the person who watches the VOD after the fact. I get a number of subscribers on Twitch and YouTube that way, so I know this phenomenon is real.

As someone who isn’t going to wow most viewers with his top-tier gameplay or handsome looks (lol), what I have to say is the most valuable thing I have to offer. Of late, I’ve taken steps to try and have more to talk about. Maybe some of these conversation starters can help you keep your stream engaging for all involved!

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Livestreaming 101 featuring The 8-Bit Drummer, Chatia, Family Jules and Rabbid Luigi @ ConBravo 2019

My personal highlight at ConBravo 2019 was being able to sit in on the Livestreaming 101 panel with The 8-Bit Drummer, Chatia, Family Jules, and Rabbid Luigi! They provided us with some amazing info on how to take our streams to the next level and we truly appreciate it! For those who couldn’t make it, I captured a bunch of it on video! Hope you enjoy!

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Amazon Prime Day and Streaming Equipment Shopping

Due to disappointing sale prices on items I’m not in the market for, I generally ignore Amazon Prime Day. To their credit, Amazon has gotten better deals each year and their gaming deals this time around were particularly strong. However, its deals on streaming equipment were what really got me hot under the collar.

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Streaming From My Phone to OBS Through the Elgato Screen Link

As someone who doesn’t really play mobile games, the thought of using my phone as part of my streaming arsenal didn’t really cross my mind. However, after watching Alpha Gaming’s video about the Elgato Screen Link, I may have to reconsider.

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Do You Need a Webcam to Be a Successful Streamer?

Webcam or no cam? That is a question that I had to ask myself when I started making videos years ago. It’s a question I still see now on Reddit and other message boards. While it seems like using a webcam is the standard, I don’t blame anyone for wanting to opt out. Being in front of a camera changes the dynamic of gaming in a way that can feel invasive and unnatural.

It’s not impossible to succeed as a streamer webcam-free. Lirik is one of the biggest Twitch streamers and he doesn’t use a camera. There are other streamers like him who excel with a camera-free setup. During these discussions online, I’ve even seen viewers who state that they prefer streamers who don’t use a camera.

Does that mean you or any other camera-shy streamers will find the success you’re looking for? As a hobby streamer with a tiny-but-growing audience that I love with every fibre of my being, I’m not an authority figure on the matter. But I think it makes for an interesting discussion about why users would tune into a particular streamer watching video of the same game from any other source.

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Gaming Room Decor Patch Notes

As part of my overall streaming redesign, the space that I play in has become an integral part of the viewing experience. Starting out with just a Snorlax beanbag chair on the floor, I’ve since decked out the wall behind me with decor that reflects my interests and life experiences within and outside of gaming. Always get a kick out of eagle-eyed viewers commenting on the wall, whether they have a shared appreciation for a piece or have a question about something on display.

Every few weeks, I swap in a few new pieces here-and-there. Partially because I want to get use out of the many pieces that have sat in storage since we moved into this house, and partially to keep the backdrop fresh for viewers. This time around, the wall has gone through its most dramatic shakeup yet.

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Streaming Pet Peeves

As a viewer or as a streamer, what rubs you the wrong way? Twitch streamer Gullible Gambit posed the question on Twitter and got a lot of great responses. I know this thread is a few weeks old now, but I wasn’t able to squeeze this in before my trip. The subject is still worth covering though! Thanks for the question Gullible Gambit!

Let’s do this!

https://twitter.com/GullibleGambit/status/1136608979788812289

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10 Years of In Third Person: Strength in Numbers?

This is my car, circa 2011. I took this picture of it before driving it off the lot for the first time. Not long after, I wrote a post about it. It’s not gaming-related, but buying my first brand new car was an event worth celebrating however I wanted.

What happened after that was…unexpected.

Not long after posting, traffic to that post took off. So much so, that it’s still one of my most most popular posts. On one hand, it droves me nuts that this one off-topic post took off, while so many of the gaming posts that I care a lot more about are more deserving of the eyeballs in my opinion. However, it also served a teachable moment with regards to what the numbers can (and can’t) tell you.

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