PC Gaming Streaming Communities: How To Make a Home in the Growing Scene.
The world of PC gaming streaming has come a long way in the past few years. Once just a niche hobby, now it’s become a powerful entertainment medium, bringing in millions of viewers and often even more revenue for those lucky enough to jump on the livestreaming bandwagon. But when it comes to taking part in the world of PC gaming, it’s not just about playing the games. It’s also about building relationships, making a home in an ever-expanding community, and standing out from the crowd.
If you’re planning on entering the world of PC gaming streaming and want to know how to make a home in the growing scene, this guide is for you. We’ll be talking about how to grow your channels, the importance of networking, the best places to find like-minded people and more. After reading, you should have a good understanding of the opportunities in PC gaming streaming and how best to approach them. So, let’s get started!
Finding Your Place
Before you enter the world of PC gaming streaming, it’s important to first identify the kind of content and audience you want to capture. “Twitch is often considered to be the largest platform for streaming video games, but there are other communities out there,” says Laszlo Lengyel, co-founder at StreamerSquad and a professional streamer himself. Other streaming services like Youtube Gaming, Facebook Gaming, and Mixer have their own communities and specialised subgenres that you won’t find on Twitch.
Choosing the streaming platform and community that is the best fit for you isn’t always easy, so take your time to do your research. Check out existing streamers in the same niches that you’re interested in. Check out social media channels, YouTube videos, and live streams. Ask questions; find out what works and what doesn’t work on their platforms. Contact people in the streaming community and build relationships, even if they’re bigger than you. Just by getting to know people and growing your network, you’ll naturally become a part of the community that resonates best with you.
Growing Your Channels
Once you’ve chosen your streaming platform and community, it’s time to start focusing on growing your channels. It can be easy to get overwhelmed when it comes to learning the basics of streaming, setting up your channel, and creating content, so start by setting some achievable goals.
Lengyel suggests “set yourself a target of getting to a hundred followers within your first couple of weeks. Celebrate this milestone; it marks your success. When you pass that marker, make it a goal to get to a thousand followers within six months. Setting realistic goals can help you stay motivated, and ensure that you don’t become discouraged if your numbers don’t take off overnight.”
Once you have your goals, start investing on your content by improving your streaming skills and equipment. Investing in the best hardware and software is also important. PC gaming streaming requires a fast working and reliable internet connection, a good graphics card, a quality microphone, and a sturdy gaming chair. But, rather than buying the most expensive products, invest in what suits your needs and budget; you don’t need to break the bank.
Networking: Key to Success
When it comes to PC gaming streaming, networking is key to success. You need to build relationships, engage with other content creators, and establish yourself as an authority figure. To do this, you need to attend offline events and conventions, regularly communicate with followers on social media/ platforms, and collaborate with other content creators.
“Networking is the most important thing in PC gaming streaming,” says Madalin Gabriel, content creator and PC gaming streamer. “Reaching out to other streamers for some collaboration, where your viewers will watch their streams and vice versa, is a great strategy. It’s a win-win situation for both parties, as you can grow your viewer base and receive support from your peers!”
It’s also important to network with larger streamers – those people with thousands of followers on their platforms. Once you’ve made contact with them, don’t be afraid to start a dialogue and ask for advice, or just express your admiration for their work. It’s a great way to get noticed, and often leads to future collaborations and working relationships.
Content, Content, Content
Once you’ve established yourself as a part of the gaming streaming community, it’s all about content. Create something that stands out, engages with and helps build a community, rather than detracts from it. Strive to create something of value to your viewers, be entertaining, and share your knowledge and experience with others.
Also, be sure to post regularly, interact with other streamers, use the right streaming software and hardware, and stay active on social media. “Post frequently,” suggests Lengyel. “Create a schedule and stick to it. That way, your followers know when to expect something new from you and can rely on you for content.”
Be Unique
Finally, remember that you need to be unique. In the world of gaming streaming, the scene can be saturated with other gamers and streamers and if you don’t stand out, you risk blending into the crowd. Think about it: Why should viewers choose you over anybody else? Make sure you bring something new or different to the table; it could be anything from streaming different genres, offering tutorials, or creating a unique gaming personality.
Lengyel adds, “It’s easy to get caught up in the competition, but competition should not be your focus: authenticity and quality should be. The most successful streamers are the ones that are open and true to themselves. Be yourself, be authentic and don’t be scared to be creative!”
Conclusion
No matter if you’re a veteran of PC gaming or just starting out in the world of streaming, take the time to find your place in the community and invest in all the right equipment – it will all pay off in the long run. More importantly, embrace networking and collaboration, staying true to yourself and your content, and always find new ways to stand out from the crowd. If you do all of this and start to invest in yourself, you’ll soon find out that it won’t be long before you’re running your own successful streaming channel in the world of PC gaming.
Finding Home in PC Gaming Streaming Communities: Here’s How.
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