It took me over a year to diagnose and then grow out of one of the most frustrating mistakes I was making on Twitch. Now, that I am on the other side it seems so obvious. However, as I read about new streamers and their plans for growing their channel, I can see the same slippery slope that I went down!
Twitch Logic – If a 2 hour stream gets me 10 viewers, a 4 hour stream must get me 20 viewers!
You might have heard that during a recent 15 hour stream, we increased our traffic by over 380%, but how much of it had to do with the length? We had done a 24+ hour stream in the past without even half the traffic.
In streaming, the easiest thing to do is simply “play the game”
The hardest parts of streaming that nobody wants to talk about:
– Actually asking for follows to your channel
– Growing your relationship with other channels and viewers
– Finding ways to give value to other streams without looking desperate
– Planning a great show with unique content for your viewers
– Delivering a consistent schedule and style
Thanksgiving is coming, will you do the same stream as always or will you plan a “feast stream” where you wear a pilgrim hat and everyone sits around talking about their favorite dish at the table. How will you make it special for your viewers?
I was recently reading some tips from a partnered streamer on twitch, his advice was to always be working on your cast. I always want to know “what do the best people do and what can I learn from them?” If he had a 10 hour day, he would never stream for more than 4 and would find other ways to work on his stream.
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I know that I often fall back on the crutch of “well, I’m gonna be playing, so I might as well stream” which is the fastest way to be unremarkable. I would stream on Monday since I wasn’t doing “real work” but wanted to still feel like I got something done.
Be honest with yourself, is this your attitude sometimes? (I’m guilty)
You want to stick to your schedule and be consistent, that is the goal. We started doing a Bonus hour of our weekly show almost every week, but then the bonus wasn’t special.
Use Science – The Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)
What I’ve found about streaming longer is consistent with the Pareto Principle. About 80% of your viewers will show up in the first two hours, while the other 20% might trickle in over the next four hours or so. It isn’t a great value to stay streaming, although you feel like “I got 30! people watching, gotta keep going”
I have wasted many a Saturday where I just kept streaming and all the sudden it was 10 PM and I hadn’t eaten or gone to the gym, which were my goals for the day. Now, I make sure to get my two hours in and then decide if it is really worth it. It doesn’t mean I won’t play an extra game or sneak in a 4 hour stream (FIFA Stream anyone) every now and then, but it is a special thing, not a common occurrence.
Key Takeaway
While it feels like a smart move to just keep streaming since it takes time to build up an audience, less is usually more. Make sure you aren’t doing the easy work, but what will give you the best results. If you are doing it “for the love of the game” make sure you aren’t just saying that because you are afraid to put in the real effort to grow. That is what we are here to teach you each week, sign up to get free tips and strategies below!
In our email updates, we will also share how to turn a 24 hour stream into an event with a special video, not just into a longer version of a normal stream, which is a big mistake most new streamers make. They put in the effort and time, but into the wrong areas and don’t see the results, get discouraged and quit. Don’t let it happen to you!
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