How to Build a Twitch Community in 2024 – From Zero to Hero Guide

Creating and starting a Twitch streaming community may seem overwhelming to many.

With numerous popular streamers available worldwide, building your own follower count may seem like an impossible goal.

However, if you consider it, all of your favorite content creators on the platform had to begin their journey somewhere.

If you are just beginning your own Twitch channel or already have your stream set up, I will provide you with tips on how to start and grow your Twitch streaming community.

How to Build a Twitch Community

When selecting games to stream, be cautious about picking titles that are oversaturated.

Especially if your channel is new and you have just begun your streaming community on Twitch.

It is essential to prioritize the things you love and to produce the type of content you wish to create.

Nobody wants to watch a content creator who is not enjoying themselves while streaming.

Just imagine how dull it would be if a streamer were playing a game they do not enjoy.

It would be difficult to keep your audience engaged if you are not engaged yourself.

Consider who your target audience is to better prepare the type of content you wish to share with your viewers.

You should also be aware that if you choose to stream some of the most popular games, it may be challenging for your channel to stand out.

Most new streamers face a common challenge when starting out.

Streaming for no viewers.

You’ve finally set up your stream, and a month or two has passed, but your viewer and follower counts are not increasing.

What is your occupation?

Attracting new viewers is not the only focus.

Maintaining audience engagement and ensuring viewers return can be even more stressful.

Based on the experiences of some of the most popular streamers today, there will be challenging days when you’re starting out.

Most of the time, your viewer count will be a single-digit number.

Here are some tips for attracting and engaging new viewers who visit your stream.

1. Choosing the Type of Content

On the Twitch platform, there are numerous categories to choose from.

You are certain to find something suited to your needs.

For instance, if you decide to become a content creator who streams video games, consider the type of content you wish to publish.

Will you concentrate more on strategic, skilled gameplay?

Or you simply want to focus on relaxing, having fun, and engaging with your viewers.

As you build your audience, they will return to your stream because there is a specific element that appeals to them.

This can refer to your personality or how you engage with your viewers.

If you are a content creator who plays games, that aspect will influence how you engage with them.

If you frequently alter the elements of your streaming channel, the features that your viewers enjoy may no longer be present.

From a viewer’s perspective, it can be quite confusing, which may lead some of your followers to disengage.

My advice is to choose a few of your favorite streamers and identify the elements of their streams that you find enjoyable.

If you are just starting out, consider how you would incorporate those elements into your own stream.

Pay attention to when those streamers receive the most views. Is it when they are playing the primary game that their stream is centered around?

Or, is it when they are having a casual stream and interacting with their viewers?

Perhaps it occurs when they are participating in challenges within a specific type of game.

When Dark Souls III was released, a highly popular challenge emerged known as the “No Death Challenge.”

Viewers were thrilled by players who successfully completed the game without dying even once.

If you have ever played any installment of the Dark Souls franchise, you know that this is no simple task.

However, even if the content creators were struggling and making mistakes, most viewers still found it enjoyable to watch.

Watching someone fail at video games can often be amusing.

Sharing a laugh with a group of people who have a common interest makes it even more enjoyable.

So don’t be afraid to fail occasionally while streaming; you can turn it into a good laugh.

An important consideration to keep in mind while planning your channel is that different approaches work for different people.

Just because one streamer may be doing something in a particular way does not mean that the same approach will work for you.

And that is perfectly fine!

You should not hesitate to try things that others have not attempted before.

Many people tend to view it as a formula.

They observe what the most popular streamers are doing and convince themselves that they must follow the same steps precisely.

This is often not true.

Remember, this is your own creative space; there is no formula to follow.

This is an ideal moment to think creatively.

2. Keeping Your Viewer List Open

The sole reason, and in my opinion the most compelling one, to keep your viewer list open at all times is to see when a new viewer joins your stream.

This will be useful because most viewers who enter a new stream tend to stay for only about two to three minutes.

I occasionally enjoy visiting streams with a low viewer count.

However, I often find myself disengaged by the content creator, which causes me to become bored easily and switch to another stream.

Keeping your viewer list open at all times will help you recognize when a new viewer joins your stream.

This provides you with the opportunity to welcome them to the stream.

3. Welcoming New Viewers

This is essentially a straightforward matter, isn’t it?

Imagine your friend is visiting your home for the first time.

You want them to feel welcome so they know they can return.

The same applies to your viewers.

You want your viewers to return to your stream.

That is why it is important to make them feel welcome.

When a new viewer joins, you will receive a notification in your viewer list indicating that “user123” has joined your stream.

A simple greeting and welcome are more than enough to make the viewer feel appreciated for stopping by.

For example, you might say something like: “Hello, user123, welcome to the stream!”.

With this one sentence, you have already engaged the viewer in your stream by communicating with them directly.

This is one of the numerous advantages of streaming.

The manner in which you can engage with your viewers live and in real-time.

4. Engaging New Viewers

At times, simply welcoming your new viewers may not suffice.

You want to motivate your viewers to engage in conversation and interact during your stream.

This is where you can let your personality shine!

After the welcome, you can ask them if they have any questions about the game you are playing.

You can ask them to share their favorite games or the types of content they enjoy.

Be cautious not to exert excessive pressure on your viewers.

If they feel pressured to engage in conversation, it may make them uncomfortable, and they will likely leave your stream.

Moderation is essential for success!

Always give your viewers the option not to respond if they do not wish to.

If your viewers are eager to engage with you, you are on the right track!

Make an effort to capture those moments and consider what actions you took to bring them about.

You want to learn from that experience and apply it the next time you engage your audience.

If you have successfully implemented the tips above into your streaming style, you will begin to notice an increasing number of viewers returning to your stream.

Jackpot!

Or so you believe.

Maintaining your viewer count over time will be impossible without a plan.

This will lead me to the next significant point in building a streaming community on Twitch.

Without a plan, you will not get very far.

5. Plan Your Streaming Schedule

When you first start building your Twitch channel, it is important to have a schedule for your viewers to reference.

This will help your viewers know when you will be live on the platform.

This will, in turn, make your streams more populated.

For instance, consider a scenario where TV guides do not exist.

How can we keep track of when our favorite TV shows air?

We would need to either write down the guides ourselves or memorize them.

Let’s be honest, nobody wants to do that.

You can understand why having a schedule for your viewers is essential.

When you go live with your stream, remember that you should aim to be live for at least two hours.

Streaming for extended periods increases your chances of being discovered by other viewers.

However, maintaining your own streaming schedule can be challenging for many new streamers.

Life often interferes with our hobbies and the activities we enjoy in our free time.

This is where effective planning plays a crucial role in keeping your schedule on track.

Planning your week in advance will assist you in addressing any time management issues you may have.

This results in increased uptime for your streams and more followers!

6. How Can I Create an Effective Streaming Schedule?

One of the simplest ways to monitor all your activities is by using a calendar app or a similar tool.

You can discover excellent organizing apps online that will significantly enhance your streaming efficiency.

Organizing special streaming events can also increase your viewer count.

This includes charity streams, 24-hour streams, birthday streams, and other similar events.

The key to successfully executing these events is to plan ahead and promote effectively.

The simplest way to promote your streams is via social media.

Ensure that at least one of your social media accounts is linked to your Twitch stream.

This could be your Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook page.

I do not recommend using your personal social media accounts for marketing purposes.

Establish dedicated social media accounts for your brand and your streams.

This approach will make it significantly easier to manage your fanbase and oversee your streaming career.

I am sure you have noticed that all of the most popular streamers on the platform are engaged on almost every social media platform.

Your best option is to create accounts on as many social media platforms as possible.

Not all viewers use the same social media platforms, and they have their own preferences.

Expanding your influence across various social media platforms will undoubtedly help you gain more followers and grow your fanbase!

It can certainly be challenging to manage your schedule when you have other activities in your life.

Whether it involves school, work, or other activities.

My advice is to plan your schedule one week in advance.

Even if your live hours vary from week to week, it is still beneficial to maintain a schedule.

7. Maintain Consistency

One of the essential factors for success on Twitch is maintaining consistency in your streams.

Having a carefully considered plan is an essential component of this.

Many viewers enjoy sharing content creators they find entertaining with their friends.

Imagine if a viewer came across your stream and found it enjoyable.

They share your stream with their friends, saying: “Oh, this person is fun to watch and has a quality stream; you should check them out tomorrow!”

However, if you don’t stream for a couple of days, they tend to forget about it.

You have just lost a potential viewer and follower.

This is not an experience you want to face frequently, which is why maintaining consistency in your streams is essential for growing your streaming community on Twitch.

However, even if you follow all these steps, there will be times when you simply can’t attract any viewers.

This is entirely normal, and you should not feel discouraged by it.

If you have already decided to pursue this path and build a streaming community, you must be ready for challenging days.

If you quit after just one bad day of streaming, you won’t have the opportunity to explore the potential of your streams!

8. Promote on Social Networks

Many people seem to underestimate the value of utilizing multiple social media platforms.

Utilize Twitter and Instagram, or even create a YouTube account to upload and share your favorite stream moments.

This strategy has become increasingly popular among major streamers.

You can find collections of their best streaming moments on their YouTube channels.

Sometimes, people simply do not have the time to watch your streams.

This allows them to stay updated on what has been happening in your live sessions.

You can also use Reddit.

There are many Reddit threads dedicated to streams where streamers can connect and support one another.

This can be an excellent opportunity for you to promote your streams and gain insights into streaming!

It is essential to publish an announcement whenever you go live on your social media platforms.

This doesn’t need to be a dull public service announcement.

You can add a personalized touch to the post.

Such as including a humorous picture of yourself.

Typically, adding extra content to your go-live announcements can attract even more viewers to your stream.

Do not hesitate to experiment with that and discover what works best for you!

Conclusion

If you continue to follow these tips, I am confident that you will see an increase in your stream views.

Continue to concentrate on enhancing your stream each day.

However, remember that the most important aspect of having successful streams is to have fun and enjoy yourself!

Best of luck!