So, someone told me you're gonna start streaming on Twitch.
That's awesome! I'm excited for you.
Live streaming has completely changed my life.
I can only hope it does the same for you.
So, before you get started, let's run over a couple things that might help.
Whether you're brand new and you're about to fire up your very first stream
or maybe you've been in the game for a while
and you'd like a refresher course, maybe a new perspective,
what I'm gonna do
is I'm gonna give you three things you should always have in the back of your mind
when starting a Twitch channel.
I'm also gonna give you three things, maybe don't do, you know?
Maybe avoid some of these things.
Tip number one
Before you start worrying about what your OBS looks like
what your scenes, and overlays and alerts, all those things look like,
your number one priority when you're streaming
is to engage with your audience.
This is what they're here for.
They're not looking for an action-packed Youtube video or movie
or TV episode where it's just non-stop entertainment.
They're looking to connect with someone.
Live streaming as a medium is completely different
than any other content we've ever had.
And this is entirely because the viewers aren't just watching the creators
they're interacting with them.
This is an opportunity to build a relationship with your viewers,
get to know them, let them know that you know their names,
read off their messages, make them feel heard,
build something.
Take advantage of this space and people will come back time and time again.
Number two!
Take a moment, reflect on yourself,
figure out what makes you, you.
What are some unique attributes that you have,
what is value that you bring to those around you that's unique to you?
Maybe you're good at an instrument.
Maybe you're super funny.
Maybe you just have a calming presence about you
and you can relate with people that you speak to.
And this doesn't have to be a concrete decision that you make right now.
As you continue streaming you'll learn more about yourself.
But always be thinking about what individual values you bring to a viewer.
Cause I can promise you: if you don't know what it is,
viewers probably don't know what it is, either.
It's time you build your set to help bring those things to life.
Create some fun scenes, maybe a green screen scene
if you want to dance on some fictional dance floor in your favorite game,
maybe a large camera scene if you want to talk with your viewers
and get some real one-on-one time.
Your streaming software, whether it's OBS, Streamlabs, XSplit, any of these things,
that's your stage.
Create the props and the backdrop and whatever you need to embellish
your strengths and your values.
Create a place, create a world
that viewers think about when they're gone and are excited to come back to.
Alright, you ready for some don'ts?
Let's jump into these...
I feel like I really don't have to say, like, breaking terms of service.
I'm gonna avoid things like that.
Don't break ToS. That's number zero.
Ok, number one!
Don't let the creating stop when you end your stream.
That's what this job title is: you're a creator.
Every time you're done streaming, create new ways to engage with your audience,
whether you're cutting up and editing clips from your livestream
and posting them to Twitter
or hanging out with your audience in Discord.
Whatever it is, find ways to connect with your audience
and get them excited to come back next time you hit the Go live button.
Number two, and it's a big number two:
Don't expect to make a lot of money, right away
This is a mistake a lot of creators make.
They get antsy for that paycheck,
disappointed when it doesn't come in right away,
and they give up. Be patient with yourself.
Livestreaming is a dream job.
It takes some time. Think about how much time it takes to become a doctor.
Try to look at it the same way as someone who needs a degree to get a job,
but instead of investing money in some educational institution
you're investing time in yourself.
Expect to take the first couple months, maybe some times a year or more
to figure out the platform.
Learn the skills it takes to grow.
become the best streamer you can be.
If you can focus on the content
and let go of the money for the first little bit
I promise you your viewers will have a better time,
they'll come back more often, you'll grow faster,
that paycheck will come.
Just don't get hung up on the money too soon.
And finally, don't number three:
Don't. Get. Lazy.
This is probably the most common mistake I see.
People doing the same thing all day, every day.
Be a creator.
Innovate! Always find new ways to grow, to adapt, to surprise people.
Remember, as a streamer, you're self-employed.
You're the CEO of your own company.
Be the best company you can be and always be innovating your product.
That can be making changes to your stream, adding new features and effects,
That can be finding new ways to create content and bring in a brand new audience.
There are always new creators who stream for years and then suddenly blow up
because they tried something new that the internet had never seen before.
Don't be afraid to be that person.
Man, there are so many other things that I could say
but that's what the rest of this Creator Camp is for.
I hope you found this video useful.
I hope you find more videos that are useful and helpful,
and, as always, happy streaming!