Best Ways to Promote Your Stream on Twitch
Twitch channel promotion can be difficult. We wrote about it recently in our article “How and where to promote your Twitch stream without social media?”. So, let’s dive into this issue deeper, from a different perspective. Here are some tips on how to grow your channel in a balanced and effective way without falling into an over-promotional trap. So let’s take a look at some possibilities!
Create a Brand
Many streamers ask the question:
“How do I advertise my stream channel”?
But is this the right question? Not in all cases. Sometimes, the first thing you need to do is ask why people should want to watch your stream. Why shouldn’t they watch someone else?
And the answer is: because they should be interested in your brand. So before you start thinking about all places to promote your Twitch stream, you should develop a deep understanding of what your brand is. Do you want to be this funny guy who always plays unknown indie games, or maybe you want to be known as a serious speedrunner?
It is a good idea to write down questions about who you want your target audience to be, how old they are, what gender they are, etc. This way, you will have a solid basis of where you can find them and what promotion channels to choose.
Twitch Design
After figuring out your brand, you should ensure that your channel’s visual layout also fits. Take your time to create appealing and original thumbnails, so people entering your channel will see a professional design. It is good to create something unique. Remember that you can always ask your friends for feedback. They can offer you a different perspective and see details you can miss.
Promotion Tools
There are many platforms on which you can advertise your Twitch channel. But which one is the best? Of course, each of them will have some pros and cons, but the more you know about them, the more effectively you can use them. So how about the most popular platforms?
Being active on Reddit can help you out. However, you need to remember that advertising yourself may not be allowed in all subreddits, so make sure you actually can do it without violating any rules. So what is the best way to promote your Twitch stream there? Be active! You can chat with other users, answer questions (maybe do an AMA?) or post photos of your setup. Be creative and make friends inside the community.
YouTube
As you probably know, YouTube is used for video. Seeing as streaming is mostly about video, you can use it in many ways. The best thing about YouTube is that it is far more friendly for finding new content creators than Twitch. Their search algorithms are better, and people are interested in more varied content. You can gain followers on Twitch by doing things related to gaming, but not necessarily streaming itself.
For example, you can create tutorial videos on how to defeat the most challenging boss, and you can review games, compile comedic compilations of your funniest gaming bugs and so on. The more unique the content, the better! It would also be best to post regularly, like once a week, as their algorithm will be more likely to promote your content. Finally, you can end your videos by inviting people to your Twitch channel with a link in your description or pinned comment.
Twitter is very popular among streamers. While it doesn’t exactly promote your stream, it can be constructive in creating loyal viewers and networking with other streamers. It is primarily designed for braindumps, so your content doesn’t have to be very thoughtful. Just write everything you have in mind, share your memorable moments, and tag your fans and other streamers.
TikTok
TikTok is an excellent tool to reach a younger audience. It quickly went viral, mainly due to very friendly algorithms that allow you to go viral quickly. You can post any content you want, including funny streaming fails, comedy, just chatting, or tips for other streamers. In addition, TikTok content is shareable on other social media platforms, allowing you to post on Instagram or Facebook, so you know, less work!
Instagram is truly the best platform for promotion if you are into art or aesthetics. You can post many things, from lifestyle pictures, cosplay to your merch and DIY. People like to see how their idols live and work, and Instagram is undoubtedly the best platform for this. If you like taking photos or recording short videos showing your life, this is a perfect choice.
There are many places to promote Twitch channels, but don’t get too excited. We can tell you from experience that working on social media can be time-consuming. That’s why choosing 2-3 channels would be best while keeping in mind that the best platform and promotion methods can be crucial for your career as a streamer.
