Six Habits of Successful Twitch Streamers

Becoming a successful Twitch streamer doesn’t happen overnight. It takes hours of hard work and dedication. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few cheat codes for power-leveling your channel. In this blog, we’ll share some of our favorite Twitch streaming tips from pros like STPeach, Sloot, MegKaylee, iamBrandon, Friskk and Ceddy.

Don’t Overdo It

If you’re a full-time streamer, playing video games is literally your job. Streaming too much can turn a fun hobby into a grueling chore. That’s why it’s so important to take care of yourself and make sure you don’t push yourself too hard.

Try to avoid lengthy streaming sessions—especially without taking a break. If you feel tired or sick, take some time off to rest and recover. Your true fans will surely support this decision and be excited to see you return happy and healthy.

MegKaylee: “I wish I would have known the importance of pacing yourself. Streaming is a ton of fun and it can be easy to revolve your entire life around it—all the while neglecting to maintain a work/life balance and take personal time for yourself to rest and recharge. Eventually, doing this can lead to burnout, which is extremely difficult to recover from creatively.”

iamBrandon: “If you’re not in a good mood or sick before a livestream, don’t force yourself to stream. Take a break and relax.”

Friskk: “Make sure you get ample amounts of rest. I used to stay up too late and would be tired while streaming the next day, which made the quality suffer. It was very noticeable so I made it a habit to go to bed at a reasonable hour so that I would be energized and awake for my stream the next day.”

Ceddy: “Avoid thinking that streaming for long hours without taking break will lead to success. Grinding without a proper marketing strategy often leads to nothing. Take care of your health or your show will not be great.”

Upgrade Your Streaming Rig

One of the biggest investments you can make in your career is upgrading your PC. It’s the core of your streaming rig and directly impacts every element of your stream. A slow PC can cause grainy, low-resolution video and a choppy, inconsistent stream. Even if you’re using a capture card to record gameplay from a console—the quality of your stream is still directly correlated to the power of your PC.

You don’t necessarily have to build a dual-PC streaming system right out of the gate, but upgrading to a dedicated streaming computer with a fast processor and plenty of RAM can instantly improve the quality of your stream.

STPeach: “Upgrading my PC has helped me make a huge difference in my stream quality, allowing me to play new and different games and live stream with less frame drops. I also got two monitors so that I can read the chat while still playing games.”

Sloot: “Getting a second PC dedicated to streaming has made a big difference in the quality of my streams. It allowed my audio and video to flourish. A quality capture card, good lighting, an Elgato Stream Deck and an extra monitor to keep an eye on everything are all crucial for my stream quality.”

MegKaylee: “Upgrading from an old, slow laptop to a custom-built desktop PC with an Ethernet connection made a world of difference for me. I was able to stream without having to worry about constant lag and crashes, which enabled me to do so much more with my streams. The difference in stream quality was palpable.”

iamBrandon: “I would say the biggest improvement in the quality of my stream happened when I switched to a two-PC setup. Having a PC that’s dedicated to streaming and a second PC for playing games—the quality increased in a major way.”

Use a Professional Streaming Microphone

Upgrading to a quality PC can significantly improve your gaming experience, but to ensure crystal-clear sound, you need a professional streaming microphone. Thankfully, Blue has you covered.

With a wide range of broadcast-quality microphones including Yeti, Snowball and Spark SL, Blue has everything you need to create a professional-sounding stream. But don't take our word for it—hear what the pros have to say:

MegKaylee: “I think that finding and using the right microphone is absolutely key when it comes to stepping up your game as a content creator. Often times, viewers will lurk in streams while they multitask and take care of other things. During these moments, they aren't seeing you—they're hearing you. I think that solid audio quality packs a much bigger punch than many realize.”

Friskk: “My microphone is absolutely critical to my setup. I think having good audio is crucial for a quality stream. My microphone projects my voice flawlessly and is my favorite item on my streaming battle station.”

Ceddy: “Upgrading to a good microphone like Yeti X made a big difference in the quality of my streams. I always advise newcomers that if they want to make sure that their stream is decent, please invest in a good microphone and a webcam—those are essentials.”

Don’t Stress About the Numbers

Sometimes it can seem like you’re stalling or not seeing the growth you want with your channel. Building a following takes time—try not to get discouraged as you climb your way to the top, and be sure to take time to appreciate your progress along the way. If you stick to it and stay consistent, it will all be worth the grind!

MegKaylee: “I feel that streamers should avoid being too harsh to themselves in regard to things they can’t control, such as numbers. It's very difficult to grow a channel. Just because things may not be growing as quickly as you'd hope, it doesn't mean that your content is bad—there are so many other elements of the streaming landscape that factor in.”

Sloot: “Never ask your streamers to donate or sub, and don’t belittle people for not doing so even if they have been there for a long time. You never know why they can’t or won’t contribute in that way. The fact that they’re part of your growing community and are supporting you in their way should be amazing.”

Ceddy: “Content creation is mostly mind games. If you constantly allow other creators' success bother you, you’ll never find time to hone your skills or improve your shows. We need to find a balance and learn how to manage our negative emotions wisely.”

Just Be Yourself (and Have Fun)

Within the last year, the number of Twitch streamers has skyrocketed. There are over seven million active Twitch streamers right now—but there’s only one you. That’s why one of the secrets to standing out on Twitch is to just be yourself. No one needs another Ninja knock-off. Instead, showcase your personality and leverage your passion to help create a genuine connection with your viewers.

iamBrandon: “Something that I wish I knew when I first started streaming was to just be myself. When I first started, I tried to be an element of what I thought made a good streamer. Every streamer is different and the best way to continue to be happy streaming is just being yourself.”

Friskk: “Don't let chat dictate what you do on your stream. If you aren't happy doing what you’re doing—especially when it’s what the chat is demanding—you aren't going to have a good time, and it's going to reflect on your mood and presence on the stream.”

Ceddy: “I always make sure I'm in a good headspace so that my show will be entertaining to my audience. I understand the importance of being vulnerable but people tune into my stream to be greeted with laughter and fun times. I must deliver that.”

One note about being yourself on stream: it’s important to consider just how much personal info you want to give away. As you continue to grow in popularity, people will want to know more about you. While that can be a good thing, you need to be careful about what type of information you share.

STPeach: “I wish I would have known to protect more of my identity. I told everyone my full name without thinking much about it, and once I became more known, it’s something I definitely regret.”

Utilize Social Media

Social media is one of the most powerful tools of the current era. It gives people the chance to broadcast themselves to the world—and isn’t that what Twitch is all about? Use social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube to amplify your channel and reach new audiences.

STPeach: “Before streaming, I always make sure to let my audience know that I’m going live by making a “swipe up to watch” story on my Instagram. I think its a great habit to get into using your outside socials to communicate with your audience.”

Friskk: “One thing I wish I knew when I started streaming was making sure I had an account on all the crucial social media platforms. It’s important to have a presence on each platform.”

For more Twitch tips, including how to grow your audience and make money streaming, check out our blog.