Are you a gamer who’s wondering how to get viewers on Twitch?
Are you someone who’s streaming to zero people day after day, but just can’t seem to grow your following?
Well, you’re not alone. There are millions of budding Twitchers in the same boat, but unfortunately that means the competition is steeper than ever.
As frustrating as it is even the most-watched streamers on Twitch, including the likes of Ninja, Pokimane, Shroud, and Tfue, had to start somewhere.
So if you’re looking to set yourself apart from the crowd, here are 10 tips on how to get viewers on Twitch, starting, of course, with the question…
“How do you get your first viewer on Twitch?”
1. Don’t stream to 0 viewers
All it takes is one friend or family member to lurk on your stream for you to be boosted into the one viewer category, automatically ranking you ahead of hundreds of others in the browse section.
So get your friends, brothers, and sisters to make an account (bribe them with chocolate if you have to), and see those viewers roll in when you have three instead of zero viewers.
No one wants to be the first awkward soul to join a zero-viewer stream, it’s basic psychology.
2. Choose a less saturated game
At any one time, there could be hundreds of thousands of people streaming Fortnite, League of Legends, Grand Theft Auto, or using the Just Chatting category.
So it’s very unlikely that people will scroll down to find you and watch your stream with zero viewers, even if you’re a dedicated pro-gamer.
Twitch’s discovery capabilities are infamously bad, with the most popular streamers always placed at the top.
To combat this, strategically choose a game that has a high viewership but with few people streaming on Twitch.
This could be an upcoming game that will grow in popularity along with your channel, or an old staple such as Rocket League.
You can check Twitch’s viewership stats per game using sullygnome.com.
Just remember the ultimate Twitch paradox: The more viewers you have, the more you’ll get, which brings me to the next most common question…
“What’s the easiest way to get 3 viewers on Twitch?”
3. Utilise your social media
This doesn’t just mean posting when you go live, although that is very important too.
Using social media to its maximum potential means having a Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, and Discord that all drive traffic to each other – making you more discoverable off the platform.
It helps if you have a consistent personal brand, with usernames and logos matching up across your social profiles to allow viewers to easily recognise you.
Get yourself set up with a professional-looking logo, here.
Many streamers find Twitter is the best place for communicating their schedules and posting live updates on the reason for a delayed stream, for example.
A platform like Youtube is an essential tool for bringing in viewers and building a community as it has better search functionality for discovering new gamers.
It will also help you build up a bulk of permanent content, that will let people know what to expect from your stream.
4. Don’t over self-promote, build a genuine community
Ask any streamer and they’ll tell you that people who nip into their stream to spam self-promotion or to let people know they’re going live are not all that welcome.
Slyly dropping self-promotion into conversation on someone’s stream will probably piss off the streamer and prevent you from building a meaningful community.
A better way to approach networking is to show genuine support to others, by interacting with their stream in a thoughtful and entertaining way.
Another way to show your support is to raid another Twitcher’s stream, taking all of your viewers with you.
This is a generous act (when done with good intentions) and can help get you noticed by a slightly larger streamer who may, in turn, decide to help you out by sending some of their viewers your way when their stream finishes.
It’s a two-way street.
However, if you do wish to self-promote there are plenty of Discord communities that have a dedicated section for dropping your Twitch channel link.
Again, remember that viewers are on Twitch to enjoy the games they love with people they get a kick out of talking to.
Making friends will get you a lot further than trying to make ‘business connections’.
How to Get Twitch Viewers for Free
5. Be consistent
You’ve almost certainly heard it before, but goshdarnit is a streaming schedule important!
Build a community that can rely on you, as they would a friend, by showing up when you say you’re going to and having a regular streaming schedule.
Even if you can only commit one day a week, show up, and let your followers know your streaming schedule in a panel on your Twitch.
You should also aim to be consistent in the types of content you produce.
It’s best to try to stick to one or two games so that followers know the type of content they’re signing up for.
You can transition into a variety streamer later down the line when you’ve built up a solid follower base.
6. Find your USP (Unique selling point)
You may have noticed that most of the top streamers have something unique to them, a catchphrase, a character (e.g. Ninja), or an interesting background set-up, and there’s a good reason for it.
Find something unique that will be the one thing people remember (if nothing else) after watching your stream.
Perhaps that’s why so many Twitch streamers have brightly coloured hair!
How to Grow Your Followers on Twitch
7. Make sure your stream is smooth
Stream quality is, of course, majorly important.
Yes, we’d all like a 1080p quality stream 60 frames per second, but if your stream is lagging or buffering with no audio because you don’t have your OBS settings correct then you can expect viewers to click out immediately.
It almost doesn’t matter what equipment you have to begin with, a reliable 720p webcam is just as good as an HD camera set-up if it doesn’t lag or get glitchy midstream.
Before starting a stream you should double-check that it’s running correctly by logging on with another account to test it.
And while you’re at it, ensure that your game is up and running with no hiccups.
Again, you don’t need studio-quality lighting when you’re starting out, but even if you only have a desk lamp make sure that you appear well-lit on screen as the room will often look darker on camera (check your OBS settings are correct).
The right overlay pack can work wonders for making your stream look professional. You can pick up one of our stunners here.
8. Do not watch the view count whilst streaming
Repeat, do not watch the view count whilst streaming. Damn it’s tempting, but change your settings in OBS (or whatever streaming software you’re using) so that you can’t see how many people are watching.
This might seem counterintuitive but it’s the best thing you can do to ensure you’re always giving 100% of your genuine entertaining self.
Acting like you have 100,000 viewers or more at all times is a general rule that Twitchers stick to. Be your best self, and deliver content worth watching at all times.
Turning off the viewer count also prevents you from becoming demotivated and going silent mid-stream if you see that fat zero flash up.
The view counter is not real-time, this means that just as you decide to shut up for ten minutes several people could join and drop out before you even know they’re there.
Another benefit to performing at your best 100% of the time is that, regardless of how many viewers your stream got, you can take the best moments and use them to promote yourself on other platforms, such as TikTok, Youtube shorts, or Instagram.
Make sure you have your VODs (Video On Demand) turned on so that you can use Twitch’s highlighter tool to find that funny gag you made halfway through the stream.
9. Grab viewers with the title, thumbnail, and special events
Your title and thumbnail is your one and only chance to sell yourself to the viewer and stop them scrolling past you in the browse section, so make it count and add humour if you can!
We’re not suggesting you start clickbaiting ‘Emotional, my last stream ever’.
But take time to consider the wording of your catchy title before starting the stream and always get the most interesting thing about the stream in there.
Adding an emote can also help your title stand out on the browse page.
Tags have long been ignored on Twitch by many, but they’re more relevant now than ever.
Holding a special event stream either fundraising for charity, marking a holiday, or reaching a new follower target will also help bring in the viewers who’re looking to join a good-vibes party.
Showing that your channel has something worth celebrating will make it more appealing to followers.
Alternatively, you can draw a virtual crowd by offering giveaways such as gift cards.
But avoid doing this too much as you’ll miss out on building a strong community that is there for the content rather than the free stuff.
10. Don’t give up your day job
We’re not saying you won’t succeed, just that it’s much easier to do so when you’re genuinely enjoying every minute of your stream and don’t have the added pressure of paying your bills as a full-time streamer.
There’s plenty of earning potential on Twitch, with many people seeing an income at around the 500 viewer mark.
However, there are no guarantees and it might take years.
Even the most popular Twitchers will experience peaks and troughs in their viewership, and if you don’t have a backup source of income a dip in your viewers can feel like the end of the world.
In conclusion
Remember, the more you enjoy your time on Twitch the more likely you are to draw others in.
Our best piece of advice for Twitch is to enjoy streaming for what it is, a community of like-minded gamers and internet friends having fun (usually whilst the world is sleeping).
Growing a following takes time, so make yourself comfortable on your Twitch channel, follow the steps above, trust the process, and settle in for the long haul.
And as always, have fun gaming!
-The Zombie Writing Team