How to Successfully Start Streaming Your Video Games
Video game streaming has blown up in popularity recently. More and more gamers are not only watching streamers online, but becoming video game streamers themselves! Video game streaming is a great way to connect with other gamers and the gaming community and you can even make money streaming your playing! People are quick to judge gamers, saying there’s no way to make money by playing video games. Recently, that’s been completely turned on its head. Streaming is a massive industry, with thousands and thousands of viewers and streamers alike! If you’ve been wondering how to successfully start streaming your video games, this guide is for you.
What is video game streaming?
Before we start the guide, you need to understand the ins and outs of video game streaming. Before the 2010s, video game streaming was a foreign concept. In the mid-2010s, sites like Twitch and YouTube blew up as more video game streamers took over the stage. Now, Twitch alone has more traffic than other popular movie and TV services, demonstrating just how powerful the video game community can be.
Video game streaming is what it sounds like. Streaming your playing and your commentary over a streaming website or service. From there, these popular streamers can gain popularity as other users follow them. It’s easy to get started, and you don’t have to be a particularly great player as long as you have enough personality (or good looks!) to make up for it!
What do you need to get started streaming?
Getting started video game streaming is easier than ever. First, you need a strong and reliable internet connection. If you’re streaming your game play in real-time, you can’t have your equipment faulting out because of a failed internet connection. From there, you need a gaming system. Popular systems like XBox and Playstation come equipped with streaming software and recording capability so you can easily capture your gaming experience.
If you’ll be recording yourself playing in addition to the on-screen action, you’ll need a camera. Your computer likely comes with a decent camera, but if you’re serious about streaming you’ll need to invest in a HD webcam. Similarly, you need a great microphone. Your computer or even your gaming headset will likely include built-in audio recording technology, but you’ll need to pay attention to the quality of your audio output.
If you’re using a PC or gaming computer, you need a capture card. A capture card is hardware that is able to convert any digital signals like your livestream into easily recorded data which you can quickly post online. Click here to find the perfect capture card for your live streaming device.
It might seem like there’s a lot of set up equipment needed to get started live streaming your video games. That being said, if you expect to make money streaming, you need to put in some money. Nobody wants to sit through poorly recorded video and audio, and that defeats the purpose of streaming your play. If you’re a serious gamer, you probably already have a lot of this equipment around your house!
How do you make money streaming?
Your next big question might be how you actually start making money by video game streaming. While new video game streamers probably don’t make much money, the larger personalities with a big following can make a startling amount of cash! Because game streaming is so popular, there are a lot of advertisers looking to take advantage of this exposure. Websites like YouTube and Twitch feature advertiser content and streamers get a bit of this cash themselves depending on how many viewers they have.
Twitch also lets followers donate to their favorite streamers, and if you have a big following this can translate into a large amount of income! You can even offer different subscription options to followers if you have enough followers, and this is a steady source of income.
The top video game streamers have a lot of flexibility when it comes to building income. They often launch successful products or merchandise that they can sell to their followers. They can even host brand sponsorships or larger advertising deals. It all comes down to building a strong audience!
How do you get noticed as a streamer?
Once you’ve decided to start streaming, you might realize it’s harder than you thought to get noticed. With so many video game streamers out there, it’s easy to get lost in the chaos of the big platforms. You need to learn how to market yourself!
First, hone your craft. Nobody wants to watch a boring video game stream. They want to see a performance, and they want to see your personality. This shouldn’t be your average game play! Make things exciting for viewers and they’ll eagerly come back for more. Connect with your audience and interact with viewers whenever possible. If people are taking the time to comment on your stream or follow you, be considerate and build a rapport that keeps them coming back!
If you’re struggling to build an audience, you might need to choose a specific niche. Is there an audience you connect to more than another? What kind of persona are you trying to create? Really discover your internet personality and decide what it is that makes you different from other game streamers!
Don’t forget about the power of social media! Encourage your viewers to follow you on your social media channels and stay present so they get to know you as a person. Don’t feel like you can’t spread out your account to multiple platforms. You can and should use both Twitch and YouTube to reach a larger audience. You’ll be monetizing your account in no time!
Become a successful video game streamer!
If you’ve got the right tools and you’re willing to put in the work, you can start making good money playing video games in no time! You don’t have to be a great video game player, but you do need to be a smart cookie. Knowing how to market yourself as a gamer is almost more important than knowing how to play the game yourself! Most of all, stick with it! Popular players don’t get that popular overnight! Put in the time to build your audience from the ground up, and you’ll create a strong community you love to be a part of.
