Green screens work incredibly well for the purposes of background removal. However, the application of green screen technology doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. Inspired by MissMollyMakes, I incorporated green screen technology into my physical background. Here’s how you can do something similar!
A few days ago, Elgato opened up applications to its streamer partnership program. Though I’m generally weary of any sort of partnership or sponsorship programs aimed at small streamers for how slanted they are in favour of the brand, I decided to give this one a shot. I did so because I am a fan of the brand’s products, applying alone didn’t appear to lock me into anything overly-exploitive, and whatever permissions I gave them to my channels could be easily revoked if they rejected me.
Well, they did reject me. That’s okay. There’s a silver lining to my application that you may want to take advantage of while the opportunity is still open.
So you want to be the next big streamer. You saw Ninja make millions by playing video games on Twitch and want to do the same. Totally understandable.
How feasible is it to actually turn your gaming hobby into a streaming career? Though I am far from a Twitch expert – particularly when it comes to growth – there are tidbits of knowledge I’ve picked up from my personal experience, from streaming gurus, and from publicly available data on sights like Twitch Tracker and Sully Gnome.
In this post, let’s focus on the hard data. When I think about the realities of growing my channel on Twitch, these particular factoids go a long way to put things into perspective for me. Hope they do the same for you on your journey!
Why should anyone watch your stream?
I know I might come off as a jerk for asking, but it’s a serious question all streamers with ambitions of growing have to answer. Myself included. Streaming is a highly-crowded, hyper-competitive, and top-heavy space where zero viewers is the norm for most.
Furthermore, there are inherent challenges that come with consuming live streaming content versus anything else online. Asking someone to carve out hours of their day to go to your channel and engage with you through the chat is way harder to do than to watch a much shorter YouTube video or view a social media posts that get propagated in other people’s feeds. All of this makes live streaming as a medium one of the most difficult forms of online content to consume.
If you want potential viewers to make that effort, you have to provide them with value equal to or exceeding the effort they put into watching you. Let’s talk about our value as live streamers and what we can do to make our streams more valuable.
Streaming to zero viewers is an experience that is surprisingly common. 95% of streamers on Twitch average 0-5 concurrent viewers per stream. Even so, it doesn’t make the sensation sting any less. I don’t blame anyone for quitting because they don’t like streaming to an empty room. The whole point of streaming is to share that experience with others. When there isn’t a demand for it, what’s the point of carrying on?
I know this darkness all too well. During my first year of streaming, I bounced around between YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch. My viewer count was basically zero the entire time. Didn’t even get a single message in the chat. And it wasn’t like I was streaming once in a blue moon. I streamed more back then. Extra time didn’t help one bit.
With hundreds of hours logged in the void, what kept me going? And what can you learn from my trials and tribulations?
For many Twitch streamers, attaining Affiliate status is a major milestone. It allows streamers to generate revenue from Twitch’s built-in tools while also acting as status symbol. You don’t have to browse very far in the world of gaming social media to find streamers that prominently display the title in their profiles. Heck, reaching that level was so important to me at one point that I went down a depressive spiral during my quest.
When the invite to join Twitch Affiliate finally came in, I pounced on it. But is that the right move for everyone? Probably not. Though I’m no longer weighed down by the stress of not having Twitch Affiliate, having the status hasn’t magically transformed me into a better or more important creator. It’s also limited my options in a few key ways. Here are some things you should know before you accept the deal.
Supporting your favourite streamers just got easier! Between now through to September 24th, Twitch and Subway are teaming up for SUBtember! During this time, tier 1 subscriptions are 50% off, meaning you only need to pay $2.50 for a $5.00 sub! This promotion is only available if you purchase through a web browser or the Twitch desktop app, so make sure to use one of those to subscribe.
Also, if you cheer a streamer with 10 or more bits, Subway will add 10% more bits to your total. You even get access to a limited-time sub sandwich Cheermote!
Speaking of emotes…
If you purchase a tier 1 subscription from me at twitch.tv/inthirdperson, you’ll get access to my “Mind Blown” emote!
Express your shock and excitement with this adorable face that’s way cuter than the source material! 😉
P.S. – I know that emotes have been incredibly overdue. Even so, a number of you subscribed to my channel anyways. Thank you so much for your support! Hope you enjoy using this emote everywhere you go on Twitch!
Whomever you choose to support, now is an amazing time to do so on Twitch! For all of the details, head over to Twitch.
Razer aims to #supportsmallstreamers with their #RazerStreamer program. Open to all that apply, this initiative aims to provide benefits to those working their way up with discounts, commissions, the opportunity to win prizes, exposure, and more. For a streamer looking for ways to legitimize their work while also making some coin along the way, this seems like a dream come true.
Before you head over to sign up, I think there’s a lot of good (and not-so-good) things about this program to consider.
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!
During a recent Tetris 99 stream, we had a spirited discussion about how to improve as a streamer on Twitch. There was enough interesting conversation from that stream that I felt it was best to break out those clips into a separate post!
In Third Person 