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5 Steps To Becoming a Twitch Streamer in 2024

Muziah Kargbo

These days, everyone dreams of becoming a Twitch streamer. With the ease of launching a live stream from your computer, laptop, or even your phone, starting your streaming career is more accessible than ever. However, for beginners, the process can feel daunting and overwhelming. Don’t worry—read on to discover the best steps to kickstart your live-streaming journey if you’re just starting!

1. Create Your Brand and Niche

One of the keys to success when building your Twitch streaming career is finding a niche that aligns with your personality and goals as a content creator. Many streamers find success by focusing on a specific niche, whether it’s first-person shooter (FPS) games, farming simulations, or something entirely different. There’s a space for everyone in the creator community. It’s generally recommended to start by streaming one or two games to build a strong foundation for your brand or niche. This also makes it easier to grow a follower base, as viewers will know what to expect from your stream and are more likely to return for more.

It’s also important to be aware of the popular categories on Twitch. Games like Fortnite and Valorant attract high viewership, but more viewers don’t always mean more visibility for new streamers. Twitch’s discoverability isn’t the best, so it can be tough to stand out in oversaturated categories.

Additionally, think about what type of streamer you want to be. Are you a cozy, laid-back streamer, or do you bring bright, energetic vibes? Do you prefer showing yourself on camera, or are you interested in using a V-tuber (virtual YouTuber) avatar? Both options might require investing in a good webcam, but there are alternatives if you’re on a budget. This brings us to the next important consideration—your equipment setup.

2. Pick Out the Right Equipment

So, what should you be streaming with? There are several options for streaming software, but two main platforms that most people use stand out. Let’s take a look at both:

  1. OBS (Open Broadcaster Software): OBS is free and open-source software for recording and live streaming. It’s a highly customizable tool with plenty of community-created plug-ins to enhance your streams and recordings. While it offers flexibility and control, it may require some initial learning to get the hang of it.
  2. Streamlabs: Streamlabs is another free and open-source software designed specifically for streamers. It features built-in widgets and chats for ease of use. In addition to the software, Streamlabs offers a website with extra tools for your streaming journey, including Cloudbot, overlays, panel makers, and more. It’s a more user-friendly option, especially for beginners.
Next, let’s talk about your audio setup

When choosing a microphone and headphones (or headset), it’s easy to think you need top-of-the-line gear to enhance your stream quality. However, that’s not necessarily true. Everyone starts somewhere—even top streamers began with basic equipment like wired earphones from Walmart and a budget-friendly mic from Amazon. The key is to get started and improve as you go.

If you can’t afford to buy professional equipment immediately, work with what you already have. Remember, quality content matters more than perfect audio in the beginning.

But what if you don’t have a proper mic or headphones?

In that case, consider starting by creating videos on YouTube instead. This allows you to focus on content creation and editing while using whatever equipment you have. Plus, if you find yourself enjoying the video creation process more than live streaming, you can always shift gears. If you’re interested, we also have a YouTuber starter guide to help you along the way!

3. Stream Less, Create More

It might sound counterintuitive, but when you’re just starting as a Twitch streamer, streaming less can actually benefit your growth. Many beginners believe that streaming more often will automatically lead to more followers and faster growth. However, as mentioned earlier, discoverability on major platforms like Twitch and YouTube isn’t great. Instead, it’s wise to dedicate some days away from streaming to create content for other platforms, helping you build your presence and bring in more viewers.

Here are some platforms that can help extend your reach beyond Twitch:

YouTube

The most obvious choice for expanding your content. You can upload short and long-form videos from your Twitch VODs (Videos-On-Demand) or create original content using video editors like Adobe Premiere or Da Vinci Resolve. YouTube is a great tool to funnel viewers to your Twitch streams and vice versa. It’s also a good platform for multistreaming, allowing you to stream to both YouTube and Twitch for broader exposure simultaneously.

TikTok

Best suited for short-form content, TikTok allows you to reach a large audience quickly by leveraging hashtags and SEO. There’s a higher potential for virality on TikTok than on other platforms. You can also stream on TikTok once you’ve reached a certain number of followers, providing another way to engage with your audience.

X (Twitter) / Instagram

These platforms focus more on social media engagement and serve as a space to announce when you go live, promote your brand, and connect with your community. Twitter (now X) requires strong knowledge of SEO and trends to gain traction, but it can still be a valuable tool if used wisely. Instagram is excellent for visual engagement and stories, keeping your audience connected.

Other Platforms

While YouTube, TikTok, and social media sites like Instagram are popular choices, there are always new platforms emerging that cater to specific niches and creator needs. Keep an eye on social media trends and updates for new platforms that might align with your style and content strategy.

By diversifying your content across these platforms, you can build a stronger presence, improve discoverability, and create a consistent stream of engagement that complements your Twitch channel.

4. Build a Community

Now that you’re building your follower count, how do you keep people coming back? Here are some key strategies:

  1. Engage with Your Chat

    Interacting with your chat is crucial, even if only a few viewers are watching and not talking. Many Twitch viewers are lurkers who watch without participating. Keep talking—narrate your gameplay or share stories. It might feel awkward at first, especially for introverts, but it gets easier with practice.

  2. Create a Discord Channel
    Set up a Discord channel early to stay connected with followers outside of stream time. Even if you’re just starting, this will help foster a sense of community as your audience grows.

Engage consistently and build connections with viewers to keep them coming back.

5. Celebrate the Small Victories

Lastly, always celebrate the small victories. Whether it’s reaching 10 followers or becoming an affiliate, every milestone counts. The journey to becoming a Twitch streamer isn’t easy, and it’s important to acknowledge your achievements along the way. When things feel overwhelming, take a step back and remember how far you’ve come. Even hitting “Start Streaming” for the first time is a big step many never take. Don’t give up—you’ve got this!