By Taniya Santani
You can’t talk about live streaming without mentioning Twitch. Twitch started as a gaming-first platform, but in the past few years it has expanded to include content creators of all genres. Even if you’re not a gaming streamer, you should still know how Twitch works if you want to get into the world of live online broadcasting.
Twitch’s 2020 market share of hours watching was 67 percent, with other platforms following far behind, with YouTube at 22 percent and Facebook at 11 percent. Although 2020 was a huge year for every major Streaming platform (except mixer), Twitch benefitted the most from the live streaming boom.
Here is a guide to stream on twitch
- First, if you don’t have one already, you’ll need to create a Twitch account
Don’t forget to turn on two factor Authentication to keep your account safe. Twitch also recommends downloading the Twitch app on your iOS or Android mobile device. Not only can you use it to watch streams wherever you are, you can also access your Creator Dashboard to modify basic settings, run ads, and even go live.
- Review the Community Guidelines and Terms of Services Fully. It’s also recommended that you establish your Moderation and Safety settings before your first stream to ensure the best experience for you and your growing community. AutoMod is a great tool to serve as your first line of defense for moderation, with settings you can adjust to your preferences.
- Customize your channel so new viewers know who you are when they find you. You can modify your profile photo and bio via your mobile device, or customize a number of additional settings via a web browser. Twitch has set up an entire Creator Camp page on Personal Branding to show you all of the places you can customize your channel page to reflect you and your brand.
- Optimize your set up! You will have to consider which hardware you’ll need to stream your audio and visuals. Twitch have created some helpful guides to help you get started in Setting Up Your Stream. Keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be complicated! If you’ve got a PlayStation or Xbox, it’s likely you could be live in just a matter of minutes.
- Select and set up your broadcasting software so you can get your content out there! Twitch studio, available on both windows and mic, is Twitch’s first party streaming software that makes it easy to set up a stream and go live in minutes. Guided onboarding helps automatically detect your microphone, webcam, and other technical aspects of stream, and pre-loaded starter layout helps creators effortlessly personalize the look of their stream. Alerts and Chat are build-in, helping you easily monitor channel activity and interact with your community.
- Add a few extensions to your channel. Visit your Creator Dashboard and navigate to the Extension tab right above the Creator Camp link. As an example, try out the CTRL + and Sound Alert extension to enhance your community viewing experience and drive viewer participation.
Now you’re ready to stream on twitch,
just don’t forget to title, categorize, and tag your stream so viewers can find you!
Visit hobo.video to get more blogs on Twitch
