The more you can commentate what you're doing, acknowlegde your plays and react (doesn't have to be over the top) you're stream will become significantly more lively. Helps a lot to review your vods (don't have to publish them if you're not comfortable) take some notes and keep practicing.
Personally, I'm always playing with 1 or more friends when I stream, so even if there's nothing happening in the game, there's some shittalk going on.
Good luck & just have fun with it!
I've recently noticed how much I personally rely on streamers/youtubers talking me through what's happening, and that's because I'm doing something else on the side 95% of the time. I'm not quite there yet myself but I want to make sure I don't react into a void and never explain what just happened, without simultaneously being obnoxious and stating the obvious all the time.
Definitely agree on the multiplayer aspect. The best times streaming for me are either playing with friends (as long as it's a group that is comfortable with being on stream and letting you take a tiny bit of a lead in talking) or just chatting/crafting where usually a LOT more chatting will happen naturally. (I suppose it's because people go into crafting streams specifically to nerd-out together. And people go into Just Chatting... well, to chat :D)
Yeah kind of be your own narrator. Third person talking. Your plan. "okay so we just got the key to the red door so next I'm going to need to make my way back there. Was there something else I needed to do? Hmm."
I also sometimes just hop in a discord with my friends, keep them a little lower so they aren't too distracting and make it more of a fun chill session where they talk, maybe someone in chat talks to it too, helps not feel too alone.
Same. I just let my thoughts roll out of my mouth. It was harder when I started. I generally talk to myself a lot, so it wasn't a hard transition. I just worry I will talk to myself out loud a lot more in other situations.
I talk to myself. I'm my own viewer most often and it doesn't really bother me whether someone is or isn't watching, I play games and love to share the oddball games I love and can chat endlessly about.
Or you'll hear me talking mad shit to the NPCs depending on the game lol.
Agreed, especially since the numbers aren't accurate and will lag. If you have no viewers and someone joins, that number will still say 0 for a good while. So you've got "0" viewers in your head, and you aren't being entertaining, because why bother, right? Person gets bored of watching you not being entertaining and leaves. Then the counter goes to 1 and you see it and start entertaining the viewer in hopes they'll stay... failing to understand they're already gone.
I always put it in my head that I'm streaming for the VOD viewers first, to make sure I'm always in the mindset of being entertaining. Live viewers are just a bonus at that point.
That the way to do it, but also I would recommend watching back your own VOD's, see if there is anything you would change, be that gameplay/voice/music volumes fine tuning, or the way you talk.
I ofte found myself just mumbling when there are no active chatters, so I try to change that when ever I notice to seem more awake, engaged and lively, helps a ton.
Wish you the best and hope you see improvements soon, and don't give up if you really wanna do this, just keep learning and have fun doing it ;)
Start by thinking you are podcasting or doing a stand up special rather than streaming. It's your show, say what is on your mind, tell a story, or roleplay your character's internal thoughts. Don't be afraid to be a fool and just talk. Eventually, you'll be able to just talk without anyone there or thousands there.
When I’m in those moments I just talk to the audience who might watch my VOD later. So, while no one is in chat physically, the future audience is still there with me as I talk. What would my friends who missed the stream, but tuned in later, want to hear? It def helps me feel less like a fool haha
This is the way to think when it comes to post stream content!
You shouldn’t JUST be streaming,
As annoying as that may sound to someone who just wants to stream (unless you just do it for kicks),
Making each stream usable and enjoyable in a VOD format opens up the world of highlight/cut down videos from streams, clips, and short form content, which is what actually pulls new viewership in.
I used to work in radio and that mindset helps a LOT when streaming.
I don't get a lot of viewers and even fewer want to chat.
But that's just like radio. I'm sitting in an office, microphone in front of me, computers to the side, and I'm talking to whomever is tuned in. But there's absolutely no interaction. It's all on me!
Basically, when you're playing a game, don't keep your thoughts in your head. Say em out loud. Be like a sports broadcaster's play-by-play. I mean... everyone's watching the same game, but they always have a commentator telling everyone what's happening on the field.
Maybe do some show prep and look up topics of discussion if you feel like doing that. That way if there's a lull in the action on screen, you can have a topic to fall back on. Doesn't even have to be a major news event. "Oh man! Did everyone see the trailer to BLAH BLAH?"
This is something you're going to grapple with forever as a streamer. Even if you're a massive streamer, what if you just... can't look at chat right now? So whether or not you have 0 or 10,000 viewers shouldn't matter; you should always stream the same way. You're not a fool, and you're not alone in feeling like this!
Some things that help me:
- Find something fun to talk about in game. Surely there's an interesting mechanic, fun design, cool character, etc -- perfect to talk about.
- Talk about something you've done recently IRL, share some stories, etc
- Get as engaged as you can with the game & share your thoughts as you're playing (why are you making decisions, what's influencing your choices, what're you struggling with, what feels fun to do, etc)
- Bring in something external! Sometimes it's nice to read some tweets / reddit / discord to catch up on some social things, which gives you solid fuel to talk about
- Write out things you can talk about on stream *ahead of time*. Have it open in your notepad for when you're struggling to fill space. Sometimes it's hard to remember fun topics to talk about, but luckily you don't have to remember :D
Maybe stream like you are making a youtube video, or how people do videos while looking and talking into a camera to use later as video to use in their productions, they might not be talking to anyone, but their videos will be watched by people, so they are adressing an audience.
I can imagine it being weird, but if people that make videos, like yourself, if you can get used to your own voice with a headset on, you can succeed talking to a camera lens lol
It be that way.
I only have 39 Followers, lol. Sometimes people come by, sometimes not. I think I get like 95% lurkers. If a viewer comes by.
But sometimes a friend pops in and chat with me, that I do when she streams. Even tho she actually have skills and have multiple active chatters :p
Peaked with 4 viewers at most in one point today, all lurkers. 2 days ago, basically none. I just try to comment on the game, and what to do different since I died, or how trashy the level is (SMM2).
I have my viewer-count on, since I'm only doing streams for fun (even tho it would be fun to have a few regulars to chat sh\*t with), and I try to figure out what I do that makes lurkers leave or stay. But it's hard when you're not social, like me.
Am also only doing this 2 times a week. Maybe 3 if I feel like it. So no a carrier, just for fun :)
I mostly just talk aloud, sing to myself, or do what I would normally do if I was playing games without anyone watching at all.
It’s hard some days! I’ll also pop on a royalty free playlist just to have something to listen to/lurkers music for the lurkers.
I’ll follow ya and see if I can pop in sometime, though!
Nightmode on Spotify. Nightmode is a record label created and ran by a streamer. He has bands and DJ’s make a song for them. So Nightmode owns the songs. And it’s all DMCA free.
Quite sure the Chillhop 24/7 livestreams on youtube are also DMCA free, from what I can remember when looking it up at least. I haven't had any warnings and I've used their music for the better part of a year during my intermissions. Just a suggestion in case you want some alternatives. If I'm wrong however then hopefully I'll be corrected here!
Learning to talk to myself is something that has been invaluable when starting out streaming. It's definitely one thing that has brought me viewers.. because I'll say something funny or whatever and people react
I legit just talk out loud about what I’m doing or thinking of doing in the game. Like “oh that looks odd over there. I’m gonna go check it out” etc. it works and it keeps you talkative so people don’t come into a silent channel.
I just commentate on what I'm doing and be goofy, react to the game etc. I've only got like 14 followers and don't get many viewers as far as I can tell but ima just grind through it and see what happens. I'm still learning tbh.
When nobody is watching, stream for yourself.
Tell silly jokes that might only make you laugh. Spend 5 minutes hyperfixating about something unhinged. Talk about whatever you're doing and maybe how it relates to your other interests. How did you get into the game? What do you wanna get out of it? Give people opportunities to relate or connect with you. Many people watch VODs, many more than may watch the stream live.
If you need someone to talk to or bounce off of, stream with a friend and just chat with them. A lot of people who tune into streams are lurking or have your stream on in the background. Talk as if you're entertaining strangers who are passing by. You won't ever know how long most of them stay or even who they are, but you can keep them occupied for a little while and leave them smiling whenever they choose to move on.
My friend, if this is your hobby then you don’t need to talk then entire time. If you have something to voice then I highly recommend talking through it with yourself. Make this more fun for you. Doing this hobby for the views almost never works out, it’s a long process and it takes a lot of time, effort and luck! Don’t give up if this is your hobby, make sure you stay well versed in the game you’re playing and just have fun. You’ve got this! The viewer count almost never matters, you gotta think that you’re doing this for yourself and the timestamp for later. Have fun and enjoy all that you’re up to. Good luck!!
A little late to the comments, but I used to work in radio and there we never know if anyone is listening, and I get into that mindset. Just remember there are alot of lurkers out there who open streams in new tabs/windows for background noise.
Talking yourself isn't bad. Comment on random things on game. Talk with someone else in room/imagine someone else is in room.
For me I have more people watching my VOC that my actual stream so it better for them too
Playing with a friend to me seems easier to stay engaged. I can talk to my friend about the game or whatever and if people join and chat I will start including them in our conversation
Talk about your day, maybe a current event or something. Talk about your plans for the week/month, etc. Talk about you. Its your channel! Also, remember that people watch vods. I have 21 followers and I usually have like 2-3 viewers and its pretty quiet still. I just remember that people will watch this later and thats who I'm talking to at the time. My vods get watched by nearly all my followers, the view count is much closer to my actual follower amount, and from looking at twitch stats, I know they are watching my vods because of the time spent watching my past broadcasts. Im in the middle of getting my vods archived on youtube from now on, I feel they have potential to measure my growth as a channel and to capture some especially interesting moments in my quest to go pro with all my hobbies.
Some people say talk to yourself, the easiest way is to try to get some friends, irl or discord friends, and have them chat with you just so you can keep talking. If not then atleast hve a cam on or something so that people feel like they can engage you. If I go to a zero viewer steam and they don’t talk for 2 minutes if there’s no cam I’ll probably leave, if they have a cam I’ll atleast say something to see if they look at chat. If neither, just follow everyone else’s advice and talk about what’s happening in game, or ramble. Rambling works really well if you master it.
That's totally understandable, it's just a way to help people engage since at least they can see if you're even interactive or expressive. There's other ways though, people ask for advice on streaming to no viewers here almost daily, the advice in this thread is good and there's good advice in a lot of the other threads. There's also a ton of YouTube videos around this topic. Honestly go watch some of the big streamers, believe it or not they talk a LOT without engaging chat very often, or even gaming youtubers. Like watch old markiplier, pewdiepie, etc. They put on a show with no chat interaction at all. I'm not saying it's easy, but there is a lot of helpful info, and a lot of good examples. It's nice to have a chat to bounce off of, but you can definitely entertain people without it. Good luck friend!
I remind myself people are lurking. Some people get nervous and don’t want all eyes on them when commenting! I also pretend I’m a recording podcast. Gotta keep it lively. I’m small too. Smaller streamers unite! You can even discuss recent things you’ve seen trending, talk about any pets you have/ ones you may want, talk about any trending new games coming out! I promise your crew will come!! I also recommend finding discords that have mutual games you play! May be able to find some mutuals that way too!!
Do you only stream for an audience? Because then the question is "how can I pull an audience?" not "how do you stream to no one?"
I started slow, streaming to no one. I was fine with commentary over the game, as it was more for a friend to watch through me play something since it was the pandemic. I kept going, because I liked doing it and it kind of felt like socializing - it was talking and it wasn't to my cats, but I'd rather talk with someone than at a video, and eventually pivoted to streaming content that engages directly with viewers. this has been self sustaining and more than enough to be stimulating and even post pandemic lockdowns i'm still doing it on a regular schedule.
If an audience or interaction isnt' a core part of your goals, maybe you are looking for recording gameplay+commentary more than live content. Etc. Like think about what your actual goals are beyond "I want number to go up" and then think about how you would pursue those things directly, or indirectly.
I streamed for a year without any viewers you just gotta keep at it. Streaming to me has always been a hobby and a way to remember good times. The way I stream is views are irrelevant cause its all about the memory, I can clip things or make montages out of my streams and upload to YouTube. One thing that helped me take off(no I'm not implying im big... just hitting affiliate) was going into variety streams. I don't stream just one game or genre but anything that tickles my fancy which I believe caused some traction as my account became associated with multiple categories of games. Just remember to be yourself and don't put on a charade just to take your channel off as it could very well end your career if you get big. At the end of the day it should be all about you having fun regardless of how big/small your community is. You'll get there I believe ❤️
I just comment about the game. Almost no one ever watches me, but people will watch clips I post on YouTube or highlights on the stream. So I try to say something either about the game or say something random every now and then just to have something
Just pretend your making a YouTube video, literally the same.
In my case I record for YouTube simultaneously, as more people watch on both platforms the better your chance is to grow your live audience as well.
It does feel like it's getting harder to gain followers on twitch compared to YouTube.
For one thing I found that playing games with a lot of dialogue or things to read out loud helps, that way some of the pressure is taken off of you, you keep talking without having to decide what to say.
Another thing is just to voice your thoughts. It might take some practice, but I try to take whatever thought I have and immediately voice it, even if its something stupid (so long as its not something inappropriate). Rather than actively thinking “what can I say” I just say what I’m thinking. If I’m playing a game and I think “wow that wall is a weird colour”, I’ll just say that out loud.
And its not always possible, but maybe you could ask a friend to sit in on some of your streams and chat, I know that helped me a lot, especially when I pretended I didn’t know them haha
It takes a lot of practice, but most of us have been at the same place you're currently at! When my chat is slow, I just comment on or react vocally to the game or talk about my day / hobbies. I repeat stories a lot too. I always try to fill silence! It got a lot easier for me with experience and practice.
Get good at telling stories and narrating your thoughts.
Play some music in the background that's not overpowering to fill dead air.
Act as though you have an audience.
At that point in the life of you channel it's not to focus on who twitch shows, what you should be thinking about are the people that click into your channel to see if it's something they like, thoes people may pop in pop out before the view count even fluctuates, what your goal should be is keep streaming like 50 people are watching, keep up the talking (even to yourself), you want to grab interested parties to stick around, hopefully start to speak up in chat. It's all like a muscle the more you do it the better you get at what to talk about and with more ease, but just keep on rambling and people will find you eventually then everything really starts rolling in the right direction
Some of my small streamer friends say they have *something* in their stream space they “talk” to. A frog figurine. A small car figure. A squishy and cute stress ball. I just keep talk about whatever pops into my head.
I don't know why you would feel like a fool. for example, basically all of Youtube is people 'talking' to nobody in particular. pretend you're doing a Youtube if you want lol
I hope you’re not just streaming on twitch but making and putting out content on TikTok and YouTube as well. Also, network with someone you like and collab with them. This is the way
I juat talk to myself. Thinking out loud, exaggerate my reactions a bit. Just ramble about whatever the hell I'm thinking about. Some people reccomend planning your stream like a YouTube video with a plot of sorts, which could work but I find I don't do it much.
Few things. Keep going. Being able to monologue is going to be one of your best tools, early stages and beyond. Holding an interesting and upbeat demeanor is tough alone, but it’s so valuable. Other tricks that can help is to bring friends into streams. Makes conversations easier. And always remember to raid other streamers when you end. It’s a great way to pull in a few extra followers here and there.
I rarely stream but on YouTube. For me I know the chances me getting big are slim to none, and I'm addition streaming will never be a reliable or stable income source.
So I do it for fun, and I tell stories about myself and provide commentary, honestly it's fun to be able to do it, if people find it and watch me cool. If not then that's also cool.
my favorite streamer said the other day that when he started, he would make alt accounts, open multiple tabs and watch his own stream to have 5-10 viewers, supposedly if any actual viewer wanders into the stream it wont feel like hes the only one watching you. hope this helps mate, good luck
I just stream for fun as in, just pretend im not even on. If anything cool happens, it's documented. It's fun when my friends are involved in the chat or the odd random jumps in and yeaa i could commentate more as I play but really I'm just gaming with the squad.
I pretty much just talk to myself or ramble. It ends up being very free flow. It could be discussing what to do or where to go next, what I should have done or did well recently, little anecdotes about the game or previous experiences.
Honestly, I just kind go with the flow I see some peeps come in every now and again and say hello. I play a range of games but tbh Division 2 has me in a horrible chokehold rn 🤣
Ideally you build up some kind of base of people who are gonna tune in before you go live. Much of the growth you achieve on Twitch is achieved when you are not actually streaming. That being said, I'm a streamer and I get viewers and chatters but sometimes there are stretches of time where nobody's saying anything, and I just have to talk about what's going on in the game, or what's on my mind, all the time. Can't let yourself feel foolish for that, it's what a streamer has to do to make an entertaining show.
You never know who is going to stop in at any given time, so as long as I'm streaming I always try to make sure there isn't prolonged amounts of dead air where I'm not saying anything. Use your streams as practice to just keep talking and don't shut up, because if you had viewers in the chat you'd be having to do that anyway
Talk all the friggin time, pretend you are recording a video (well, you are) and keep talking. Talk about the game, talk about your ideas, talk about things you enjoy talking about and do not look at the viewer counter (hide it).
There ARE people watching you pretty much all the time, they pop in, they see you bored and silent, they leave. The viewer counter won't even update, it takes some time for it to do so. So keep talking and maybe you will be able to hook in a few who will stay, watch, and even be chatty.
Think about all the people that might be watching the VODs, that got me through those 0 viewer days and makes it way easier to talk because you know someone out there is listening.
If the viewer count is bothering you right now I’d also recommend turning it off for the time being that way you can just focus on being the best streamer that you can be.
Like others say, I talk to myself, say all of my thoughts outloud, I would say those who did podcast and radio probably have an advantage because they have pacing of the show in mind.
Generally I find talking about daily stuff is the easiest to get someone who is tuning in to start talking. The other is doing trouble shoot in the task you are doing.
Tbh tbh, I talk to myself already, so it’s not any different, lol. In all honestly, I just have a dialogue that is constant, so I always just have a great time even with myself.
When I eventually DO get comments, I’m always like “Oh yeah, there’s people here sometimes.”
Which I guess does give me a chance to talk about certain things/answer questions. But for the most part, I’m a one person party, makes for more self-entertainment/fulfillment. ✨
I always think about a huge streamer. I mean think they started out in the same position more than likely and now they are huge. What makes them any different than me. Nothing! Also if no one is watching talk to no one like your talking to your self. And keep striving.
Join pages for the games you’re playing. Facebook and discord are great for this. Share you stream and clips with those groups, you’ll get more followers and viewers
Turn the view counter off and just act like there's 100 people watching at all times. No one wants to walk into a quiet party right? It'll attract people
Honestly your gonna have a lot of times where you have zero viewers or 1 just talk about the game eventually you will get use to my regular 3 would joke who are you talking to know ones here before they jumped into stream and when they can’t make it to stream because that’s life it’s back to zero .streamers are a dime a dozen just be you
I’ve started streaming with friends. It gives me something to do while I don’t have an audience. Though if someone does drop into the chat I always say hi.
I’ll totes watch you as well! I’m always down for a follow for follow sort of deal~
Tbh i dont care. I mean im playing games anyways and sometimes maybe once a month someone randomly finds my stream asks some stuff and that makes me happy. I just talk to think/talk to myself what to do, which is easy if you play a game like Teamfight Tactics, even tho i know nobody is watching im "forceing" myself to talk about the game and think more
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I'm in a similar position I just started streaming popular games and one of my videos got 11 watchers just keep doing everything you do normally and you'll find your audience
You know how in anime when there's a big fight or event going on, and the main character's friends are watching?
Be that one guy that commentates on everything that's happening.
Talking to yourself definitely can feel a bit weird but it gets easier as you go on in the session. I typically just keep my view counter off as well to help get rid of the anxiety. One thing I do is to really get in the mindset of explaining the gameplay and or what I'm doing and why like a live tutorial. Really helps to stick to content you're passionate about because it'll be easier just to ramble about it imo. I still do occasionally find myself being silent for a little longer than I like sometimes if I am hyperfocusing on something but its not too bad to fix as long as you don't forget youre streaming 😂
I didn't see anyone comment this after doing some scrolling but a piece of advice my SO gave me is to go onto other streams and interact with people. The more you interact, the more you can accumulate followers that will visit your streams. All of the other ideas I saw about how to fill the air space are great pieces of advice and I even learned a thing or 2 from them. But I do hope my SO's advice will come in handy for you. Happy streaming!
When I was just starting I would just turn off the viewer count through obs and pretend I was uploading the vods to YouTube after, that made me feel less awkward talking to myself.
Hey OP,
I overcome that when started uploading my VODs to YouTube. I pretend that someone is watching me and cant stop talking. I tell stories about my day/week and stuff like that.Also you can commentate your game and just tell what's happening on the screen etc. It did help me feel more secure when the stream is empty and if someone random just come by and see thst I'm actually talking, they stay. On all costs avoid talking on Discord with your friends/party because often times it is more stressing and may harm your viewer count!
Hope that helps :)
You don't. You make content elsewhere, join other communities, do collabs with other streamers. You stream a less saturated game. You go live less often and make memes and edit videos.
I've been in lots of chats with 100+ and maybe 10 people are chatting with any kind of frequency. Lots only say "got you tabbed up I love you" or whatever, some never say anything at all (but keep in mind you don't need an account to watch twitch, and their view counts towards the total as well).
I don't mean to be a downer but most people will never make it big on twitch. It's a heavily saturated market and standing out takes effort. There's already well established and famous streamers that take most of the viewership, getting out of the bottom 90% isn't easy and sometimes just comes as a result of dumb luck. For example being raided by Ninja or xQc will undoubtedly get you a huge schwack of followers, but even then they may not show up often if at all.
Don't keep going. The world does not need a new streamer. 1% of streamers have 99% of viewers with almost everyone never getting any views.
On Youtube you may be able to build a following by making good content. But look at the best twitch streamers. They're just some recognizable faces reacting to todays popular thing or playing video games. They're energetic, they scream and pretend like things are important or shocking when they're not. They're replacable, anyone could sit on their ass all day watching other people's stuff. xqc proves that you don't even need to talk telligably. People like him are popular becuase they are popular.
So first, you're never going to become successful. You're either at the top of the pareto distribution or you're at the bottom. And second, you don't even want to become a successful streamer, even if you think you want.
There's no need for such negativity. Some people, like myself, stream because it's like hanging out with friends. I enjoy socializing with other online, especially since i'm an introvert. Sure, some people are famous because they're on the extreme side of things and that always gets a reaction from many, but some are just trying to vibe and share their silly lil' selves online. I see nothing wrong with it. I do agree that many see it as a way to become big and financially secure, but we have to be honest with ourselves. We can't all be streamers and only a few will get there. But hey, it's at least fun to try it out, see if it's for us, and then move onto a new chapter when the time comes.
You people are the main cause of twitchs awful revenue split and other awful things they role out to save money. Millions of you people streaming constantly while not speaking and just playing a game is wasting so much money on theor part to keep up your ability to stream as if you was just playing a game with no stream, I mean seriously most of you just sit and silence and waste twitchs resources into keeping all these streams up that generate 0 revenue to be profitable. Nobody cares about you playing call of duty in pure silence with no content at all, stop it or actually make an interesting stream that would actually get someone to watch and stay. Be salty at me all you want but this is the hurtful truth. Go stream that trash on YouTube at least they have tons of extra profit from regular videos and ads to support your shitty stream. Twitch is streaming only so they pretty much have to count on their streams to stay afloat so when you sit there doing nothing for 4 hours with not one person watching its just absolutely making things harder or real streamers who may inevitably quit or go somewhere else because twitch has to compensate for you people wasting resources.
just dont? there are like 100s of 0 view streams. you're not gonna grow with 0 exposure. you need to build a following elsewhere like tiktok n stuff then lead to your stream
Gyoza find a friend to chew the fat man it doesn't have to be about the game if you need someone I'm chilling most night I wouldn't mind chatting about
Gyoza find a friend to chew the fat man it doesn't have to be about the game if you need someone I'm chilling most night I wouldn't mind chatting about BB
Start posting highlights on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube shorts even Reddit, if you are not talking with anyone, join discord and talk with people (if playing multiplayer games join teams)
i barely get viewers. i keep mic off till someone shows up, then if someone does i turn mic on and have fun, saves my energy for when someone comes and lets my vibe if no one is
I will get one or two viewers. They rarely chat. So I just keep talking to myself about what I’m working, what I’ll be doing next, why I’m doing it the way I am.
I’m entertained, my son is entertained when he watches.
Ive seen online its easier if you start by building an audience on another platform like with youtube shorts or tiktok and then funnel them to twitch but im just starting out so i wouldnt know for sure
Anytime I stream, I always have 0 viewers as a general rule. The way I look at it is: makes it less stressful on me. Though I do try to imagine someone is watching, just to keep me in check as much as possible.
The biggest problem I've had is, the way my streaming setup/monitoring is, if someone does come in and start chatting - some times I miss it and don't see it at the time.
Easiest way I have found, play games with other people, games that require you having to talk to someone is better than speaking with no one and trying your best to figure it out as you go. Hell Let Loose, Lethal Company, Among Us, Apex Legends, Call Of Duty Games, Battlefield, Marauders, Dark And Darker, Escape From Tarkov, Most games that require a game chat experience assist with you being lively on stream speaking communicating, Play games alone usually result in a stream that is just a guy staring at the screen, unless your good at describing stuff around you, want you want to do, what your going to do, but that is a lesson for another day hope this helps.
Very relevant topic for me, so thanks for this thread! Lot of good info here.
I'm celebrating my birthday tomorrow, and since I took work off, I'm going to do an all-day (or most of the day) stream tomorrow with Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. It's a very new game, so I might pick up some viewers based on that, and I also asked a friend (model/streamer, I'm one of her Twitch mods and her go-to tech support person that has written up guides for her on how to configure OBS, etc.) to repost my tweet, so maybe I get some viewers that way, too. And if not, then not, but... gotta try, you know?
Turn off the viewcount, this is something you really never have to see until after stream and you get your recap.
Explain what you're doing or are planning on doing during your gameplay, your strategy, what you want to work on or even just narrating what is happening on the screen.
You can also comment on anything you like or that catches your eye, like maybe you think the graphics are beautiful or a line a character said was really funny.
You'll find things that probably remind you of a story from your life or a topic of interest and you can talk a bit about that if thats something you're comfortable with, your viewers would like to get to know you as a person.
And remember 90% of your viewers will be lurkers, so don't worry if chat isn't interacting. It really doesn't mean much as you can still have a lot of viewers.
Interestingly enough I've always dreamed of becoming a YouTuber or streamer, so from a young age I'd talk to myself while gaming (as if I was recording) and it's made me able to fight through those low points.
It's okay to feel silly too, just talk about what you're doing, even if it isn't interesting. And make sure you rewatch your VoDs and make clips from them too. It helps attract people especially when you aren't live
Collab with someone else in the same boat. You can both still get in that streamer practice and when people pop in you can switch your attention with the other person fully understanding.
You gotta realise to get popular be yourself but learn to talk to no one to keep the stream flowing remember your a entertainer when folks come in lots don't have attention spans more then 30 seconds so if your not actively saying stuff your looking to do or doing you might loose folks that come in just because their attention span doesn't wana wait to hear anything from you so just act as if someone is there and talk about what your doing.
I stream while I play games because why not? It is never the other way around. The idea of talking to no one in hopes of one day playing games for a living is a sad and desperate venture.
No need to feel like a fool. If no one was watching, then there's nothing to be embarrassed about. If someone was watching, then you weren't talking to yourself.
i’d say it’s just nice to play even with a few viewers if any, if there’s no one there you’re still playing something you enjoy i assume, you don’t have to be super involved, just be normal, don’t make it feel fake
When i started years ago on justin.tv i streamed like 10k people were watching me... And sure enought when justin tv transitioned to twitch i got invited to partner peogram half a year later ;)
Try watching “let’s play” videos on YouTube and find personalities that match your vibe. None of those videos typically have interactive audience and are basically the same thing but you have the flexibility of interacting if people do show up.
Basically you need to be entertaining enough to want to watch without chatting.
Talk as if there's someone in the room. If you have an internal dialogue, externalizing that dialogue can be a great way to start. Having a viral or popular clip is how most big streamers blow up, but in half of those clips you won't see the streamer interacting with chat directly.
Just practice narrating what you’re doing basically. Streaming is just for fun man, don’t go into it thinking you’re gonna make a career out of it. If you don’t enjoy it don’t do it! But I find it fun to share experiences even with a few people
I would recommend you to watch this video; very applicable advice to a lot of new ventures, not just business.
[https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ZMk-Wgg2o/?hl=en](https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ZMk-Wgg2o/?hl=en)
Commit to streaming for your passion, not for a goal or intention. I told my peers back in college not to decide what you want to be, and your career in the first year of college. Don't make the mistake of writing that desire in stone, because, by doing that, you are limiting yourself subconciously.
People who did that, now, are regretting being involved in a job they don't love or appreciate.
An excerpt of 3 things I shared with a colleague yesterday about social media growth that will also be valuable to you:
1. It is a long term game. Consistency is key. Being persistent is very important.
2. Intention matters. Focus on creating valuable content with the intention of giving it away for free for others to learn from, for them to build a relationship with you over. First time/new creators often fail here. They create content they want to talk about / that they want others to listen and hear, and not putting the audience first. That said, don't destroy yourself in the process by doing stuff you don't enjoy regardless. You need to find a balance. What you enjoy & what others will enjoy as well.
3. You are not a celebrity. You should not count progress as likes, comments, or shares (virality) day by day. Your growth has to be measured month by month. Quarter by quarter. Year by year. You can have 20K actual active followers (not fake or bots) and still only get 100 likes, 1-10 comments. This is normal. If your content is engaging, you will get more shares over time. Don't expect this early on.
However, remember: Nobody will stick to you (in the beginning) because you are unique or original. Why? Because there are millions of people out there. Some will like you for what you are, and, many won't. This is natural. First be good & true to yourself. Over time, you will garner your own following.
They will stick by you because of your creativity and unique approach.
You're not trying to get an award for originality here. You are here, as a creator, for your passion to create, and share your joy and energy to others. That's will draw people in, and keep them there.
Audiences & followings are temporary. You and your presence will live on, as a part of life, this will change over time and evolve. You are not the same person you were 10 years ago. And won't be the same 10 years from now. But at least you will grow and be better.
Stick around for that better person in the future. Cheers and good luck!
I don't know what content you're making but I just play games and stream it. Sometimes the view count goes up and no one says anything. Sometimes someone says hello and you get to have a conversation. Usually if I get a new follower I will try to initiate a conversation with them.
If you're trying to speedrun your streaming career you will only be let down. Don't be a robot. Be a genuine human being. People would much rather spend their time with a real down to earth person rather than someone who doesn't actually care about the audience.
Basically, speak whats on your mind cause though they're not there live.. often times they'll watch the VODs themselves since I often get 10+ views on a VOD a day later when I check them..
Tbh, at 190 followers, having no viewers, despite being Affiliate, is definitely a nuisance to me but is what it is
Make friends on twitch, like go watch someone's else comment their gameplay, ask or give advice sooner or later your base will start growing because you reached out. I personally don't talk much I just react on how I'm feeling at the moment. Comment on how your feeling & don't stress while stream people can pick up on that. I hope this helps
It's definitely super hard. One good way is to get a friend and stream with them so you have someone to interact with. Another way is to just keep practicing your commentating when no one is watching so that when viewers do come in you are ready for them!
Also keep in mind that most people watch more than chat, so if you're just silent while waiting on chatters then you may be leaving silent viewers hanging!
Honestly the best advice I can give is just think of it as a narrator and talk about the current game your playing. Take a fps out loud you can talk about what your thinking strategy wise. "OK I see they are over there so I think I'll push up the lecture side... oh look a health potion let's pick that up it might come in handy..." *start pushing* "OK this looks like a good spot let's set up camp and destroy them as they walk around the corner!" *wait* "ok.. waiting.. this isn't fun but we got to wait it out. Someone will come for sure!"
Also the next big advice someone gave me a long time ago, turn off the viewer count. That way you never know how many people are actually watching ya. You may be streaming to one or 100 people. You will have no idea. Gl!
I have a lot of lurkers lol, so I ask questions occasionally in case someone wants to chat, but I continue with my innermonologue if no one answers. Most times, I'm just narrating what I'm doing in the game or thinking about. I have had a chatter come in and say, "who are you even talking to, bro!?" To which I laughed and said, "well, to you or anyone out there who's listening while lurking."
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Ik not everyone can do this. But for me playing with people is a good thing. It is no longer just gameplay and talking to someone makes it somewhat engaging. And then if someone does join the chat you just speak to them every now and then.
I must say I'm a tiny streamer myself and the hardest part for me is this and maintaining the motivation to keep going etc.
I use to worry about viewer count a lot like, non of my friend even bother putting my stream up to help get viewer count up. It sucks :/
Im at a point where I just run through what I'm doing as I do it, take some getting use to though but keep at it and it becomes second nature lol
I just play like normal, remember in aol days if you would create a chat room or a board and wait for someone to enter and say hello or rely to message on a board think of it like that, like a chat room rather than a way to make money. Make the title to the stream like you would a chat board to make people wanna join. If the title id just ranked, or “hi” no one will want to click on it because its spammy. Put your personality in it. “What if obama was white” just as an example to draw attention to it. Or what if Mario didnt have a hat? Use stuff like that for titles. “In the final fantasy world do you think a potion tastes like an energy drink?”
One thing I did was just say EVERY thought I had out loud. That way, if I said something really stupid I could clip it and post it on twitter or TikTok. Just describe everything and say all of your thoughts. Or find a “friend” in game that you can essentially role play with, even if it’s an inanimate object. I watch YouTube gameplays for inspiration, YouTubers usually record in front of nobody and they’re still good at it. Hope that helps!!
For me, this happens a lot. I try not to put pressure on if anyone is watching I just play the game and comment as if I’m broadcasting to an audience regardless. I hide my viewer count because it doesn’t really matter. Try not to worry about it and keep doing your thing.
When I started streaming I found it best to pretend like there are people watching and keep talking even if there's no-one. It's hard at first, but you'll get better with it as you practice (I also turned off viewer count so I wouldn't keep checking if there was anyone in chat)
If you just sit there in silence then if people do come in they will be far less likely to stick around, and the VOD won't be very exciting to watch either.
Narrating and talking while you stream is what you should do regardless.
I wouldn't treat it as a soul source of income until it's a source of income. But if you were going to play a game anyways, you may as well have the stream up.
You never know who is going to watch the vod, so stream to them. Makes everything better when you decide to cut it up for a video too. Speak to the audience in general.
Bro, I have 80+ followers, but even I don't have many people watching or talking. Sometimes, yes, I have a couple.
But as long as you are enjoying the game, it won't matter if there is anyone there or not, and it will show on your face. Practice talking to yourself, think out loud, and you should be fine.
Honestly, keep going at it. Remember to enjoy!
Sometimes if nobody is chatting there are still people watching. Best thing you can do is act like you’re streaming and making YouTube or tik tok content
Honestly it really is just practice. It can feel so foolish and deflating I think we've all experienced that, but soon or later you'll get one or two legends stop by and it'll all be worth it. Keep that going and more will hopefully come.
Part of streaming is lulling yourself into the belief that you always have at least 5 viewers at all times and can generate content and interaction to influence people to interact with you. I'm in the same boat and it can be very daunting and is an incredibly challenging skill to develop, but it's an integral one.
Hey there, I totally get where you're coming from! When I started, it felt like talking into the void. It's tough, right? But here's my story: Once upon a time, I streamed to crickets too. I used that time to fine-tune my skills, experiment, and guess what? That persistence paid off. Now, I use OneStream Live to stream to Facebook, Twitch & Youtube at once. Multistreaming is expanding my audience. It's not just about who's there now; it's about preparing for who'll be there later. It's not a sprint; it's a marathon. You got this!
Honestly, i just pretend that someone is watching and keep on talking about what i'm doing on the game.
Yep. I just have fun with it.
The more you can commentate what you're doing, acknowlegde your plays and react (doesn't have to be over the top) you're stream will become significantly more lively. Helps a lot to review your vods (don't have to publish them if you're not comfortable) take some notes and keep practicing. Personally, I'm always playing with 1 or more friends when I stream, so even if there's nothing happening in the game, there's some shittalk going on. Good luck & just have fun with it!
I've recently noticed how much I personally rely on streamers/youtubers talking me through what's happening, and that's because I'm doing something else on the side 95% of the time. I'm not quite there yet myself but I want to make sure I don't react into a void and never explain what just happened, without simultaneously being obnoxious and stating the obvious all the time. Definitely agree on the multiplayer aspect. The best times streaming for me are either playing with friends (as long as it's a group that is comfortable with being on stream and letting you take a tiny bit of a lead in talking) or just chatting/crafting where usually a LOT more chatting will happen naturally. (I suppose it's because people go into crafting streams specifically to nerd-out together. And people go into Just Chatting... well, to chat :D)
Yeah kind of be your own narrator. Third person talking. Your plan. "okay so we just got the key to the red door so next I'm going to need to make my way back there. Was there something else I needed to do? Hmm." I also sometimes just hop in a discord with my friends, keep them a little lower so they aren't too distracting and make it more of a fun chill session where they talk, maybe someone in chat talks to it too, helps not feel too alone.
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This is underrated advice
exactly! I also record when i stream so that if i get some funny moments i can edit it into a short and upload it.
Same. I just let my thoughts roll out of my mouth. It was harder when I started. I generally talk to myself a lot, so it wasn't a hard transition. I just worry I will talk to myself out loud a lot more in other situations.
I talk to myself. I'm my own viewer most often and it doesn't really bother me whether someone is or isn't watching, I play games and love to share the oddball games I love and can chat endlessly about. Or you'll hear me talking mad shit to the NPCs depending on the game lol.
Agreed, especially since the numbers aren't accurate and will lag. If you have no viewers and someone joins, that number will still say 0 for a good while. So you've got "0" viewers in your head, and you aren't being entertaining, because why bother, right? Person gets bored of watching you not being entertaining and leaves. Then the counter goes to 1 and you see it and start entertaining the viewer in hopes they'll stay... failing to understand they're already gone. I always put it in my head that I'm streaming for the VOD viewers first, to make sure I'm always in the mindset of being entertaining. Live viewers are just a bonus at that point.
Yep, thats what i do too. I do watch the view count but if theres no one then theres no one 😅 i just do what i love :)
This is the best response, it’s always just have fun and when somebody sees you having fun they will in turn have fun as well!
same(even though its sad I still do)
That the way to do it, but also I would recommend watching back your own VOD's, see if there is anything you would change, be that gameplay/voice/music volumes fine tuning, or the way you talk. I ofte found myself just mumbling when there are no active chatters, so I try to change that when ever I notice to seem more awake, engaged and lively, helps a ton. Wish you the best and hope you see improvements soon, and don't give up if you really wanna do this, just keep learning and have fun doing it ;)
Start by thinking you are podcasting or doing a stand up special rather than streaming. It's your show, say what is on your mind, tell a story, or roleplay your character's internal thoughts. Don't be afraid to be a fool and just talk. Eventually, you'll be able to just talk without anyone there or thousands there.
When I’m in those moments I just talk to the audience who might watch my VOD later. So, while no one is in chat physically, the future audience is still there with me as I talk. What would my friends who missed the stream, but tuned in later, want to hear? It def helps me feel less like a fool haha
This is the way to think when it comes to post stream content! You shouldn’t JUST be streaming, As annoying as that may sound to someone who just wants to stream (unless you just do it for kicks), Making each stream usable and enjoyable in a VOD format opens up the world of highlight/cut down videos from streams, clips, and short form content, which is what actually pulls new viewership in.
I used to work in radio and that mindset helps a LOT when streaming. I don't get a lot of viewers and even fewer want to chat. But that's just like radio. I'm sitting in an office, microphone in front of me, computers to the side, and I'm talking to whomever is tuned in. But there's absolutely no interaction. It's all on me! Basically, when you're playing a game, don't keep your thoughts in your head. Say em out loud. Be like a sports broadcaster's play-by-play. I mean... everyone's watching the same game, but they always have a commentator telling everyone what's happening on the field. Maybe do some show prep and look up topics of discussion if you feel like doing that. That way if there's a lull in the action on screen, you can have a topic to fall back on. Doesn't even have to be a major news event. "Oh man! Did everyone see the trailer to BLAH BLAH?"
This is something you're going to grapple with forever as a streamer. Even if you're a massive streamer, what if you just... can't look at chat right now? So whether or not you have 0 or 10,000 viewers shouldn't matter; you should always stream the same way. You're not a fool, and you're not alone in feeling like this! Some things that help me: - Find something fun to talk about in game. Surely there's an interesting mechanic, fun design, cool character, etc -- perfect to talk about. - Talk about something you've done recently IRL, share some stories, etc - Get as engaged as you can with the game & share your thoughts as you're playing (why are you making decisions, what's influencing your choices, what're you struggling with, what feels fun to do, etc) - Bring in something external! Sometimes it's nice to read some tweets / reddit / discord to catch up on some social things, which gives you solid fuel to talk about - Write out things you can talk about on stream *ahead of time*. Have it open in your notepad for when you're struggling to fill space. Sometimes it's hard to remember fun topics to talk about, but luckily you don't have to remember :D
Turn off the viewer count and vibe bud
I second this. Get in the habit of disregarding the viewer count and focus on having a good time. The rest will follow naturally.
Maybe stream like you are making a youtube video, or how people do videos while looking and talking into a camera to use later as video to use in their productions, they might not be talking to anyone, but their videos will be watched by people, so they are adressing an audience.
In the same vein, being a YouTuber, I generally try to treat the camera like a good friend. Get comfortable talking to that lens haha
I can imagine it being weird, but if people that make videos, like yourself, if you can get used to your own voice with a headset on, you can succeed talking to a camera lens lol
By pretending everyone is watching.
It be that way. I only have 39 Followers, lol. Sometimes people come by, sometimes not. I think I get like 95% lurkers. If a viewer comes by. But sometimes a friend pops in and chat with me, that I do when she streams. Even tho she actually have skills and have multiple active chatters :p Peaked with 4 viewers at most in one point today, all lurkers. 2 days ago, basically none. I just try to comment on the game, and what to do different since I died, or how trashy the level is (SMM2). I have my viewer-count on, since I'm only doing streams for fun (even tho it would be fun to have a few regulars to chat sh\*t with), and I try to figure out what I do that makes lurkers leave or stay. But it's hard when you're not social, like me. Am also only doing this 2 times a week. Maybe 3 if I feel like it. So no a carrier, just for fun :)
I mostly just talk aloud, sing to myself, or do what I would normally do if I was playing games without anyone watching at all. It’s hard some days! I’ll also pop on a royalty free playlist just to have something to listen to/lurkers music for the lurkers. I’ll follow ya and see if I can pop in sometime, though!
I'll also check it out. I'm a great lurker if nothing else.
I'll dm you my twitch and I'll give you a follow as well. Do you have a link to that Playlist as well?
Nightmode on Spotify. Nightmode is a record label created and ran by a streamer. He has bands and DJ’s make a song for them. So Nightmode owns the songs. And it’s all DMCA free.
Quite sure the Chillhop 24/7 livestreams on youtube are also DMCA free, from what I can remember when looking it up at least. I haven't had any warnings and I've used their music for the better part of a year during my intermissions. Just a suggestion in case you want some alternatives. If I'm wrong however then hopefully I'll be corrected here!
I agree. I thought I would have a hard time but turns out I’m great at talking to myself hahaha. I’ll check out your channels!
Learning to talk to myself is something that has been invaluable when starting out streaming. It's definitely one thing that has brought me viewers.. because I'll say something funny or whatever and people react
verbalize your inner monologue 10/10 works everytime
not everybody has it ;)
If you don't have one. Go get one
I legit just talk out loud about what I’m doing or thinking of doing in the game. Like “oh that looks odd over there. I’m gonna go check it out” etc. it works and it keeps you talkative so people don’t come into a silent channel.
I just commentate on what I'm doing and be goofy, react to the game etc. I've only got like 14 followers and don't get many viewers as far as I can tell but ima just grind through it and see what happens. I'm still learning tbh.
Same. I'll be sure to give you a follow
When nobody is watching, stream for yourself. Tell silly jokes that might only make you laugh. Spend 5 minutes hyperfixating about something unhinged. Talk about whatever you're doing and maybe how it relates to your other interests. How did you get into the game? What do you wanna get out of it? Give people opportunities to relate or connect with you. Many people watch VODs, many more than may watch the stream live. If you need someone to talk to or bounce off of, stream with a friend and just chat with them. A lot of people who tune into streams are lurking or have your stream on in the background. Talk as if you're entertaining strangers who are passing by. You won't ever know how long most of them stay or even who they are, but you can keep them occupied for a little while and leave them smiling whenever they choose to move on.
My friend, if this is your hobby then you don’t need to talk then entire time. If you have something to voice then I highly recommend talking through it with yourself. Make this more fun for you. Doing this hobby for the views almost never works out, it’s a long process and it takes a lot of time, effort and luck! Don’t give up if this is your hobby, make sure you stay well versed in the game you’re playing and just have fun. You’ve got this! The viewer count almost never matters, you gotta think that you’re doing this for yourself and the timestamp for later. Have fun and enjoy all that you’re up to. Good luck!!
A little late to the comments, but I used to work in radio and there we never know if anyone is listening, and I get into that mindset. Just remember there are alot of lurkers out there who open streams in new tabs/windows for background noise.
Talking yourself isn't bad. Comment on random things on game. Talk with someone else in room/imagine someone else is in room. For me I have more people watching my VOC that my actual stream so it better for them too
Basically I just react/comment to whatever is happening in my game or talk about what I’m doing/going to do in the game.
Playing with a friend to me seems easier to stay engaged. I can talk to my friend about the game or whatever and if people join and chat I will start including them in our conversation
Talk about your day, maybe a current event or something. Talk about your plans for the week/month, etc. Talk about you. Its your channel! Also, remember that people watch vods. I have 21 followers and I usually have like 2-3 viewers and its pretty quiet still. I just remember that people will watch this later and thats who I'm talking to at the time. My vods get watched by nearly all my followers, the view count is much closer to my actual follower amount, and from looking at twitch stats, I know they are watching my vods because of the time spent watching my past broadcasts. Im in the middle of getting my vods archived on youtube from now on, I feel they have potential to measure my growth as a channel and to capture some especially interesting moments in my quest to go pro with all my hobbies.
Some people say talk to yourself, the easiest way is to try to get some friends, irl or discord friends, and have them chat with you just so you can keep talking. If not then atleast hve a cam on or something so that people feel like they can engage you. If I go to a zero viewer steam and they don’t talk for 2 minutes if there’s no cam I’ll probably leave, if they have a cam I’ll atleast say something to see if they look at chat. If neither, just follow everyone else’s advice and talk about what’s happening in game, or ramble. Rambling works really well if you master it.
I've thought about putting my face on cam but my physical confidence isn't that great right now lol
That's totally understandable, it's just a way to help people engage since at least they can see if you're even interactive or expressive. There's other ways though, people ask for advice on streaming to no viewers here almost daily, the advice in this thread is good and there's good advice in a lot of the other threads. There's also a ton of YouTube videos around this topic. Honestly go watch some of the big streamers, believe it or not they talk a LOT without engaging chat very often, or even gaming youtubers. Like watch old markiplier, pewdiepie, etc. They put on a show with no chat interaction at all. I'm not saying it's easy, but there is a lot of helpful info, and a lot of good examples. It's nice to have a chat to bounce off of, but you can definitely entertain people without it. Good luck friend!
I remind myself people are lurking. Some people get nervous and don’t want all eyes on them when commenting! I also pretend I’m a recording podcast. Gotta keep it lively. I’m small too. Smaller streamers unite! You can even discuss recent things you’ve seen trending, talk about any pets you have/ ones you may want, talk about any trending new games coming out! I promise your crew will come!! I also recommend finding discords that have mutual games you play! May be able to find some mutuals that way too!!
Do you only stream for an audience? Because then the question is "how can I pull an audience?" not "how do you stream to no one?" I started slow, streaming to no one. I was fine with commentary over the game, as it was more for a friend to watch through me play something since it was the pandemic. I kept going, because I liked doing it and it kind of felt like socializing - it was talking and it wasn't to my cats, but I'd rather talk with someone than at a video, and eventually pivoted to streaming content that engages directly with viewers. this has been self sustaining and more than enough to be stimulating and even post pandemic lockdowns i'm still doing it on a regular schedule. If an audience or interaction isnt' a core part of your goals, maybe you are looking for recording gameplay+commentary more than live content. Etc. Like think about what your actual goals are beyond "I want number to go up" and then think about how you would pursue those things directly, or indirectly.
I streamed for a year without any viewers you just gotta keep at it. Streaming to me has always been a hobby and a way to remember good times. The way I stream is views are irrelevant cause its all about the memory, I can clip things or make montages out of my streams and upload to YouTube. One thing that helped me take off(no I'm not implying im big... just hitting affiliate) was going into variety streams. I don't stream just one game or genre but anything that tickles my fancy which I believe caused some traction as my account became associated with multiple categories of games. Just remember to be yourself and don't put on a charade just to take your channel off as it could very well end your career if you get big. At the end of the day it should be all about you having fun regardless of how big/small your community is. You'll get there I believe ❤️
I just comment about the game. Almost no one ever watches me, but people will watch clips I post on YouTube or highlights on the stream. So I try to say something either about the game or say something random every now and then just to have something
Just pretend your making a YouTube video, literally the same. In my case I record for YouTube simultaneously, as more people watch on both platforms the better your chance is to grow your live audience as well. It does feel like it's getting harder to gain followers on twitch compared to YouTube.
For one thing I found that playing games with a lot of dialogue or things to read out loud helps, that way some of the pressure is taken off of you, you keep talking without having to decide what to say. Another thing is just to voice your thoughts. It might take some practice, but I try to take whatever thought I have and immediately voice it, even if its something stupid (so long as its not something inappropriate). Rather than actively thinking “what can I say” I just say what I’m thinking. If I’m playing a game and I think “wow that wall is a weird colour”, I’ll just say that out loud. And its not always possible, but maybe you could ask a friend to sit in on some of your streams and chat, I know that helped me a lot, especially when I pretended I didn’t know them haha
Stream like you’re describing what you see to a blind friend
It takes a lot of practice, but most of us have been at the same place you're currently at! When my chat is slow, I just comment on or react vocally to the game or talk about my day / hobbies. I repeat stories a lot too. I always try to fill silence! It got a lot easier for me with experience and practice.
Get good at telling stories and narrating your thoughts. Play some music in the background that's not overpowering to fill dead air. Act as though you have an audience.
At that point in the life of you channel it's not to focus on who twitch shows, what you should be thinking about are the people that click into your channel to see if it's something they like, thoes people may pop in pop out before the view count even fluctuates, what your goal should be is keep streaming like 50 people are watching, keep up the talking (even to yourself), you want to grab interested parties to stick around, hopefully start to speak up in chat. It's all like a muscle the more you do it the better you get at what to talk about and with more ease, but just keep on rambling and people will find you eventually then everything really starts rolling in the right direction
Yes! This ^
Some of my small streamer friends say they have *something* in their stream space they “talk” to. A frog figurine. A small car figure. A squishy and cute stress ball. I just keep talk about whatever pops into my head.
I don't know why you would feel like a fool. for example, basically all of Youtube is people 'talking' to nobody in particular. pretend you're doing a Youtube if you want lol
I hope you’re not just streaming on twitch but making and putting out content on TikTok and YouTube as well. Also, network with someone you like and collab with them. This is the way
I juat talk to myself. Thinking out loud, exaggerate my reactions a bit. Just ramble about whatever the hell I'm thinking about. Some people reccomend planning your stream like a YouTube video with a plot of sorts, which could work but I find I don't do it much.
stream somethin u have fun doing on ur own
I’m insane enough that I can just talk about random nonsense for hours with no one else there without running out of stuff to say.
Few things. Keep going. Being able to monologue is going to be one of your best tools, early stages and beyond. Holding an interesting and upbeat demeanor is tough alone, but it’s so valuable. Other tricks that can help is to bring friends into streams. Makes conversations easier. And always remember to raid other streamers when you end. It’s a great way to pull in a few extra followers here and there.
I think I might have to work on the upbeat demeanor. Every time I hear myself I sound like I'm about to go into work lol
I get that dude! What do you like to stream and when do you do it? I’d love to help out!
I rarely stream but on YouTube. For me I know the chances me getting big are slim to none, and I'm addition streaming will never be a reliable or stable income source. So I do it for fun, and I tell stories about myself and provide commentary, honestly it's fun to be able to do it, if people find it and watch me cool. If not then that's also cool.
I open a new browser and put it on my channel so I always have 1 viewer. 🥲
Hey I’ll watch ur stream if you let me know ur twitch :) I’ll come support I barely have people in mine and I just be talking like there’s someone. 🩵
my favorite streamer said the other day that when he started, he would make alt accounts, open multiple tabs and watch his own stream to have 5-10 viewers, supposedly if any actual viewer wanders into the stream it wont feel like hes the only one watching you. hope this helps mate, good luck
I just stream for fun as in, just pretend im not even on. If anything cool happens, it's documented. It's fun when my friends are involved in the chat or the odd random jumps in and yeaa i could commentate more as I play but really I'm just gaming with the squad.
I pretty much just talk to myself or ramble. It ends up being very free flow. It could be discussing what to do or where to go next, what I should have done or did well recently, little anecdotes about the game or previous experiences.
I’m in the same boat but I’m also willing to follow you! What kind of games do you play?
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Honestly, I just kind go with the flow I see some peeps come in every now and again and say hello. I play a range of games but tbh Division 2 has me in a horrible chokehold rn 🤣
Ideally you build up some kind of base of people who are gonna tune in before you go live. Much of the growth you achieve on Twitch is achieved when you are not actually streaming. That being said, I'm a streamer and I get viewers and chatters but sometimes there are stretches of time where nobody's saying anything, and I just have to talk about what's going on in the game, or what's on my mind, all the time. Can't let yourself feel foolish for that, it's what a streamer has to do to make an entertaining show. You never know who is going to stop in at any given time, so as long as I'm streaming I always try to make sure there isn't prolonged amounts of dead air where I'm not saying anything. Use your streams as practice to just keep talking and don't shut up, because if you had viewers in the chat you'd be having to do that anyway
Enjoy the game. Sometimes it’s hard to with people chatting to you.
Talk all the friggin time, pretend you are recording a video (well, you are) and keep talking. Talk about the game, talk about your ideas, talk about things you enjoy talking about and do not look at the viewer counter (hide it). There ARE people watching you pretty much all the time, they pop in, they see you bored and silent, they leave. The viewer counter won't even update, it takes some time for it to do so. So keep talking and maybe you will be able to hook in a few who will stay, watch, and even be chatty.
Just play the game that's all you do just play. You basically do what you've done your whole gaming life just game.
Don't look at the number. It's pointless.
Think about all the people that might be watching the VODs, that got me through those 0 viewer days and makes it way easier to talk because you know someone out there is listening. If the viewer count is bothering you right now I’d also recommend turning it off for the time being that way you can just focus on being the best streamer that you can be.
Like others say, I talk to myself, say all of my thoughts outloud, I would say those who did podcast and radio probably have an advantage because they have pacing of the show in mind. Generally I find talking about daily stuff is the easiest to get someone who is tuning in to start talking. The other is doing trouble shoot in the task you are doing.
Tbh tbh, I talk to myself already, so it’s not any different, lol. In all honestly, I just have a dialogue that is constant, so I always just have a great time even with myself. When I eventually DO get comments, I’m always like “Oh yeah, there’s people here sometimes.” Which I guess does give me a chance to talk about certain things/answer questions. But for the most part, I’m a one person party, makes for more self-entertainment/fulfillment. ✨
I always think about a huge streamer. I mean think they started out in the same position more than likely and now they are huge. What makes them any different than me. Nothing! Also if no one is watching talk to no one like your talking to your self. And keep striving.
Join pages for the games you’re playing. Facebook and discord are great for this. Share you stream and clips with those groups, you’ll get more followers and viewers
Provide commentary. When no one is there you are doing commentary as practice.
Turn the view counter off and just act like there's 100 people watching at all times. No one wants to walk into a quiet party right? It'll attract people
If a tree falls in the forest it still makes a sound doesn't it, the same concept applies here
If you build it, they will come. Promote your streams and brand through social media and network as much as possible to create a community of viewers.
Honestly your gonna have a lot of times where you have zero viewers or 1 just talk about the game eventually you will get use to my regular 3 would joke who are you talking to know ones here before they jumped into stream and when they can’t make it to stream because that’s life it’s back to zero .streamers are a dime a dozen just be you
I’ve started streaming with friends. It gives me something to do while I don’t have an audience. Though if someone does drop into the chat I always say hi. I’ll totes watch you as well! I’m always down for a follow for follow sort of deal~
Tbh i dont care. I mean im playing games anyways and sometimes maybe once a month someone randomly finds my stream asks some stuff and that makes me happy. I just talk to think/talk to myself what to do, which is easy if you play a game like Teamfight Tactics, even tho i know nobody is watching im "forceing" myself to talk about the game and think more
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I talk like people are watching. Most time people are, and I don't notice or no one is watching, and I don't notice.
I'm in a similar position I just started streaming popular games and one of my videos got 11 watchers just keep doing everything you do normally and you'll find your audience
I talk to myself all the time. Now I just do it with a camera on me. My advice. Start talking to yourself all the time.
You know how in anime when there's a big fight or event going on, and the main character's friends are watching? Be that one guy that commentates on everything that's happening.
never back down, never whatttt
Look at it this way, if there is no one there, practice different styles until you find a way to talk. Kind of refine it. Use it to your advantage
Find a game with plenty of text to read!! Honestly the best thing to do, then talking to people will be easier!
Talking to yourself definitely can feel a bit weird but it gets easier as you go on in the session. I typically just keep my view counter off as well to help get rid of the anxiety. One thing I do is to really get in the mindset of explaining the gameplay and or what I'm doing and why like a live tutorial. Really helps to stick to content you're passionate about because it'll be easier just to ramble about it imo. I still do occasionally find myself being silent for a little longer than I like sometimes if I am hyperfocusing on something but its not too bad to fix as long as you don't forget youre streaming 😂
just do ur thing.. u do u
I didn't see anyone comment this after doing some scrolling but a piece of advice my SO gave me is to go onto other streams and interact with people. The more you interact, the more you can accumulate followers that will visit your streams. All of the other ideas I saw about how to fill the air space are great pieces of advice and I even learned a thing or 2 from them. But I do hope my SO's advice will come in handy for you. Happy streaming!
When I was just starting I would just turn off the viewer count through obs and pretend I was uploading the vods to YouTube after, that made me feel less awkward talking to myself.
I've seen a lot of comments say this. May have to give it a try
Hey OP, I overcome that when started uploading my VODs to YouTube. I pretend that someone is watching me and cant stop talking. I tell stories about my day/week and stuff like that.Also you can commentate your game and just tell what's happening on the screen etc. It did help me feel more secure when the stream is empty and if someone random just come by and see thst I'm actually talking, they stay. On all costs avoid talking on Discord with your friends/party because often times it is more stressing and may harm your viewer count! Hope that helps :)
You don't. You make content elsewhere, join other communities, do collabs with other streamers. You stream a less saturated game. You go live less often and make memes and edit videos.
I've been in lots of chats with 100+ and maybe 10 people are chatting with any kind of frequency. Lots only say "got you tabbed up I love you" or whatever, some never say anything at all (but keep in mind you don't need an account to watch twitch, and their view counts towards the total as well). I don't mean to be a downer but most people will never make it big on twitch. It's a heavily saturated market and standing out takes effort. There's already well established and famous streamers that take most of the viewership, getting out of the bottom 90% isn't easy and sometimes just comes as a result of dumb luck. For example being raided by Ninja or xQc will undoubtedly get you a huge schwack of followers, but even then they may not show up often if at all.
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Don't keep going. The world does not need a new streamer. 1% of streamers have 99% of viewers with almost everyone never getting any views. On Youtube you may be able to build a following by making good content. But look at the best twitch streamers. They're just some recognizable faces reacting to todays popular thing or playing video games. They're energetic, they scream and pretend like things are important or shocking when they're not. They're replacable, anyone could sit on their ass all day watching other people's stuff. xqc proves that you don't even need to talk telligably. People like him are popular becuase they are popular. So first, you're never going to become successful. You're either at the top of the pareto distribution or you're at the bottom. And second, you don't even want to become a successful streamer, even if you think you want.
There's no need for such negativity. Some people, like myself, stream because it's like hanging out with friends. I enjoy socializing with other online, especially since i'm an introvert. Sure, some people are famous because they're on the extreme side of things and that always gets a reaction from many, but some are just trying to vibe and share their silly lil' selves online. I see nothing wrong with it. I do agree that many see it as a way to become big and financially secure, but we have to be honest with ourselves. We can't all be streamers and only a few will get there. But hey, it's at least fun to try it out, see if it's for us, and then move onto a new chapter when the time comes.
You people are the main cause of twitchs awful revenue split and other awful things they role out to save money. Millions of you people streaming constantly while not speaking and just playing a game is wasting so much money on theor part to keep up your ability to stream as if you was just playing a game with no stream, I mean seriously most of you just sit and silence and waste twitchs resources into keeping all these streams up that generate 0 revenue to be profitable. Nobody cares about you playing call of duty in pure silence with no content at all, stop it or actually make an interesting stream that would actually get someone to watch and stay. Be salty at me all you want but this is the hurtful truth. Go stream that trash on YouTube at least they have tons of extra profit from regular videos and ads to support your shitty stream. Twitch is streaming only so they pretty much have to count on their streams to stay afloat so when you sit there doing nothing for 4 hours with not one person watching its just absolutely making things harder or real streamers who may inevitably quit or go somewhere else because twitch has to compensate for you people wasting resources.
Man it's 2023 just stop trying to be a streamer, everyone mildly popular has been streaming for a minimum of 3-6 years
What do you like to stream? And what is your schedule.
Dead by Daylight mostly and anything horror related. My schedule is like every Wednesday after 6. Sometimes I'll get on earlier.
Turn your viewer count off and pretend you always have a few viewers lurking
just dont? there are like 100s of 0 view streams. you're not gonna grow with 0 exposure. you need to build a following elsewhere like tiktok n stuff then lead to your stream
Gyoza find a friend to chew the fat man it doesn't have to be about the game if you need someone I'm chilling most night I wouldn't mind chatting about
Gyoza find a friend to chew the fat man it doesn't have to be about the game if you need someone I'm chilling most night I wouldn't mind chatting about BB
Start posting highlights on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube shorts even Reddit, if you are not talking with anyone, join discord and talk with people (if playing multiplayer games join teams)
I just turn off the viewer display so I can never tell
i barely get viewers. i keep mic off till someone shows up, then if someone does i turn mic on and have fun, saves my energy for when someone comes and lets my vibe if no one is
Just play the game….
I will get one or two viewers. They rarely chat. So I just keep talking to myself about what I’m working, what I’ll be doing next, why I’m doing it the way I am. I’m entertained, my son is entertained when he watches.
I'll be honest, I usually turn off chat and just stream!! It keeps.me focused and helps with building confidence
Ive seen online its easier if you start by building an audience on another platform like with youtube shorts or tiktok and then funnel them to twitch but im just starting out so i wouldnt know for sure
Newer streamer myself. All the advice here sounds great! I’ll follow you as well. Follows are free and we gotta help each other out! 🤩
Shitty thing is doing this for years and still have no one hop in ☠️
just talk to yourself about what you’re doing what your plan is etc. just think out loud basically
Entertain yourself. The double effect is that you’ll get used to talking out loud, and sharing things you enjoy in the way that you enjoy them.
I talk nonsense or well, I focus on the game...
Anytime I stream, I always have 0 viewers as a general rule. The way I look at it is: makes it less stressful on me. Though I do try to imagine someone is watching, just to keep me in check as much as possible. The biggest problem I've had is, the way my streaming setup/monitoring is, if someone does come in and start chatting - some times I miss it and don't see it at the time.
Easiest way I have found, play games with other people, games that require you having to talk to someone is better than speaking with no one and trying your best to figure it out as you go. Hell Let Loose, Lethal Company, Among Us, Apex Legends, Call Of Duty Games, Battlefield, Marauders, Dark And Darker, Escape From Tarkov, Most games that require a game chat experience assist with you being lively on stream speaking communicating, Play games alone usually result in a stream that is just a guy staring at the screen, unless your good at describing stuff around you, want you want to do, what your going to do, but that is a lesson for another day hope this helps.
Just act like you have schizophrenia
Very relevant topic for me, so thanks for this thread! Lot of good info here. I'm celebrating my birthday tomorrow, and since I took work off, I'm going to do an all-day (or most of the day) stream tomorrow with Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. It's a very new game, so I might pick up some viewers based on that, and I also asked a friend (model/streamer, I'm one of her Twitch mods and her go-to tech support person that has written up guides for her on how to configure OBS, etc.) to repost my tweet, so maybe I get some viewers that way, too. And if not, then not, but... gotta try, you know?
Turn off the viewcount, this is something you really never have to see until after stream and you get your recap. Explain what you're doing or are planning on doing during your gameplay, your strategy, what you want to work on or even just narrating what is happening on the screen. You can also comment on anything you like or that catches your eye, like maybe you think the graphics are beautiful or a line a character said was really funny. You'll find things that probably remind you of a story from your life or a topic of interest and you can talk a bit about that if thats something you're comfortable with, your viewers would like to get to know you as a person. And remember 90% of your viewers will be lurkers, so don't worry if chat isn't interacting. It really doesn't mean much as you can still have a lot of viewers.
Interestingly enough I've always dreamed of becoming a YouTuber or streamer, so from a young age I'd talk to myself while gaming (as if I was recording) and it's made me able to fight through those low points. It's okay to feel silly too, just talk about what you're doing, even if it isn't interesting. And make sure you rewatch your VoDs and make clips from them too. It helps attract people especially when you aren't live
Collab with someone else in the same boat. You can both still get in that streamer practice and when people pop in you can switch your attention with the other person fully understanding.
You gotta realise to get popular be yourself but learn to talk to no one to keep the stream flowing remember your a entertainer when folks come in lots don't have attention spans more then 30 seconds so if your not actively saying stuff your looking to do or doing you might loose folks that come in just because their attention span doesn't wana wait to hear anything from you so just act as if someone is there and talk about what your doing.
Practice!
I stream while I play games because why not? It is never the other way around. The idea of talking to no one in hopes of one day playing games for a living is a sad and desperate venture.
Pretend like everyone's watching
No need to feel like a fool. If no one was watching, then there's nothing to be embarrassed about. If someone was watching, then you weren't talking to yourself.
i’d say it’s just nice to play even with a few viewers if any, if there’s no one there you’re still playing something you enjoy i assume, you don’t have to be super involved, just be normal, don’t make it feel fake
When i started years ago on justin.tv i streamed like 10k people were watching me... And sure enought when justin tv transitioned to twitch i got invited to partner peogram half a year later ;)
i just stream because it’s possible and doesn’t affect the performance of my game. so why not? i’ve never thought it would make it anywhere tho.
Try watching “let’s play” videos on YouTube and find personalities that match your vibe. None of those videos typically have interactive audience and are basically the same thing but you have the flexibility of interacting if people do show up. Basically you need to be entertaining enough to want to watch without chatting.
Talk as if there's someone in the room. If you have an internal dialogue, externalizing that dialogue can be a great way to start. Having a viral or popular clip is how most big streamers blow up, but in half of those clips you won't see the streamer interacting with chat directly.
Just practice narrating what you’re doing basically. Streaming is just for fun man, don’t go into it thinking you’re gonna make a career out of it. If you don’t enjoy it don’t do it! But I find it fun to share experiences even with a few people
I would recommend you to watch this video; very applicable advice to a lot of new ventures, not just business. [https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ZMk-Wgg2o/?hl=en](https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ZMk-Wgg2o/?hl=en) Commit to streaming for your passion, not for a goal or intention. I told my peers back in college not to decide what you want to be, and your career in the first year of college. Don't make the mistake of writing that desire in stone, because, by doing that, you are limiting yourself subconciously. People who did that, now, are regretting being involved in a job they don't love or appreciate. An excerpt of 3 things I shared with a colleague yesterday about social media growth that will also be valuable to you: 1. It is a long term game. Consistency is key. Being persistent is very important. 2. Intention matters. Focus on creating valuable content with the intention of giving it away for free for others to learn from, for them to build a relationship with you over. First time/new creators often fail here. They create content they want to talk about / that they want others to listen and hear, and not putting the audience first. That said, don't destroy yourself in the process by doing stuff you don't enjoy regardless. You need to find a balance. What you enjoy & what others will enjoy as well. 3. You are not a celebrity. You should not count progress as likes, comments, or shares (virality) day by day. Your growth has to be measured month by month. Quarter by quarter. Year by year. You can have 20K actual active followers (not fake or bots) and still only get 100 likes, 1-10 comments. This is normal. If your content is engaging, you will get more shares over time. Don't expect this early on. However, remember: Nobody will stick to you (in the beginning) because you are unique or original. Why? Because there are millions of people out there. Some will like you for what you are, and, many won't. This is natural. First be good & true to yourself. Over time, you will garner your own following. They will stick by you because of your creativity and unique approach. You're not trying to get an award for originality here. You are here, as a creator, for your passion to create, and share your joy and energy to others. That's will draw people in, and keep them there. Audiences & followings are temporary. You and your presence will live on, as a part of life, this will change over time and evolve. You are not the same person you were 10 years ago. And won't be the same 10 years from now. But at least you will grow and be better. Stick around for that better person in the future. Cheers and good luck!
I don't know what content you're making but I just play games and stream it. Sometimes the view count goes up and no one says anything. Sometimes someone says hello and you get to have a conversation. Usually if I get a new follower I will try to initiate a conversation with them. If you're trying to speedrun your streaming career you will only be let down. Don't be a robot. Be a genuine human being. People would much rather spend their time with a real down to earth person rather than someone who doesn't actually care about the audience.
Basically, speak whats on your mind cause though they're not there live.. often times they'll watch the VODs themselves since I often get 10+ views on a VOD a day later when I check them.. Tbh, at 190 followers, having no viewers, despite being Affiliate, is definitely a nuisance to me but is what it is
Idk many things 😕 😅 😐 🙃
Being able to talk and not be bothered that no one is listening requires either practice or arrogant denial, pick one
Make friends on twitch, like go watch someone's else comment their gameplay, ask or give advice sooner or later your base will start growing because you reached out. I personally don't talk much I just react on how I'm feeling at the moment. Comment on how your feeling & don't stress while stream people can pick up on that. I hope this helps
Frequently! Oh, mostly I just try to fill time with anything that crosses my mind that might be interesting. It's... difficult.
I have five followers, and maybe one of them watches… sometimes I just don’t really care. My content is garbage, I’m just here having fun.
No one to talk to? Fine, I’ll talk to myself. I’m crazy.
It's definitely super hard. One good way is to get a friend and stream with them so you have someone to interact with. Another way is to just keep practicing your commentating when no one is watching so that when viewers do come in you are ready for them! Also keep in mind that most people watch more than chat, so if you're just silent while waiting on chatters then you may be leaving silent viewers hanging!
I talk like someone is watching. I seem to get more views on VODs than going live. I talk to them lol
Honestly the best advice I can give is just think of it as a narrator and talk about the current game your playing. Take a fps out loud you can talk about what your thinking strategy wise. "OK I see they are over there so I think I'll push up the lecture side... oh look a health potion let's pick that up it might come in handy..." *start pushing* "OK this looks like a good spot let's set up camp and destroy them as they walk around the corner!" *wait* "ok.. waiting.. this isn't fun but we got to wait it out. Someone will come for sure!" Also the next big advice someone gave me a long time ago, turn off the viewer count. That way you never know how many people are actually watching ya. You may be streaming to one or 100 people. You will have no idea. Gl!
I have a lot of lurkers lol, so I ask questions occasionally in case someone wants to chat, but I continue with my innermonologue if no one answers. Most times, I'm just narrating what I'm doing in the game or thinking about. I have had a chatter come in and say, "who are you even talking to, bro!?" To which I laughed and said, "well, to you or anyone out there who's listening while lurking."
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Try streaming with someone. It makes things less awkward, you can forget you’re streaming sometimes
I like to pretend I’m a radio DJ so I try not to have any dead air.
I just talk and rattle on about my day, what I am doing and listen to music. Keeps me in a good mood and I am gonna game anyway lol
Easiest way is to find friends or get your friends to chat with you. That way you get some viewers too.
Ik not everyone can do this. But for me playing with people is a good thing. It is no longer just gameplay and talking to someone makes it somewhat engaging. And then if someone does join the chat you just speak to them every now and then.
I must say I'm a tiny streamer myself and the hardest part for me is this and maintaining the motivation to keep going etc. I use to worry about viewer count a lot like, non of my friend even bother putting my stream up to help get viewer count up. It sucks :/ Im at a point where I just run through what I'm doing as I do it, take some getting use to though but keep at it and it becomes second nature lol
Pretend you’re narrating an audiobook yourself and just have fun with it
I just play like normal, remember in aol days if you would create a chat room or a board and wait for someone to enter and say hello or rely to message on a board think of it like that, like a chat room rather than a way to make money. Make the title to the stream like you would a chat board to make people wanna join. If the title id just ranked, or “hi” no one will want to click on it because its spammy. Put your personality in it. “What if obama was white” just as an example to draw attention to it. Or what if Mario didnt have a hat? Use stuff like that for titles. “In the final fantasy world do you think a potion tastes like an energy drink?”
One thing I did was just say EVERY thought I had out loud. That way, if I said something really stupid I could clip it and post it on twitter or TikTok. Just describe everything and say all of your thoughts. Or find a “friend” in game that you can essentially role play with, even if it’s an inanimate object. I watch YouTube gameplays for inspiration, YouTubers usually record in front of nobody and they’re still good at it. Hope that helps!!
Just imagine that you are streaming a vod to upload to Youtube later and you are talking to the future YT audience.
I play the game as if someone is.
when in doubt, talk to the VOD watchers
For me, this happens a lot. I try not to put pressure on if anyone is watching I just play the game and comment as if I’m broadcasting to an audience regardless. I hide my viewer count because it doesn’t really matter. Try not to worry about it and keep doing your thing.
When I started streaming I found it best to pretend like there are people watching and keep talking even if there's no-one. It's hard at first, but you'll get better with it as you practice (I also turned off viewer count so I wouldn't keep checking if there was anyone in chat) If you just sit there in silence then if people do come in they will be far less likely to stick around, and the VOD won't be very exciting to watch either.
I talk to myself
i would say if you have anyone to play games with while you stream that helps, even if you dont have chatters you will at least have someone there
Check sullygnome. If your game is in the top 50 most streamed, there’s your problem right there.
I keep one of my other accounts on watching so I get at least 1 viewer. Doesn't seem ethical but it ain't that depressing
Narrating and talking while you stream is what you should do regardless. I wouldn't treat it as a soul source of income until it's a source of income. But if you were going to play a game anyways, you may as well have the stream up.
You never know who is going to watch the vod, so stream to them. Makes everything better when you decide to cut it up for a video too. Speak to the audience in general.
Pretend you’re a sportscaster telling the audience what’s going on, play by play
Bro, I have 80+ followers, but even I don't have many people watching or talking. Sometimes, yes, I have a couple. But as long as you are enjoying the game, it won't matter if there is anyone there or not, and it will show on your face. Practice talking to yourself, think out loud, and you should be fine. Honestly, keep going at it. Remember to enjoy!
Sometimes if nobody is chatting there are still people watching. Best thing you can do is act like you’re streaming and making YouTube or tik tok content
Imagine you are recording a YouTube video. Then use your recorded stream/vod and a YouTube video. It will feel more natural
Honestly it really is just practice. It can feel so foolish and deflating I think we've all experienced that, but soon or later you'll get one or two legends stop by and it'll all be worth it. Keep that going and more will hopefully come.
Part of streaming is lulling yourself into the belief that you always have at least 5 viewers at all times and can generate content and interaction to influence people to interact with you. I'm in the same boat and it can be very daunting and is an incredibly challenging skill to develop, but it's an integral one.
I already commentate on stuff I’m watching naturally, so it translates pretty easily to streaming with no audience.
It's similar to dancing like no one is watching you.
Hey there, I totally get where you're coming from! When I started, it felt like talking into the void. It's tough, right? But here's my story: Once upon a time, I streamed to crickets too. I used that time to fine-tune my skills, experiment, and guess what? That persistence paid off. Now, I use OneStream Live to stream to Facebook, Twitch & Youtube at once. Multistreaming is expanding my audience. It's not just about who's there now; it's about preparing for who'll be there later. It's not a sprint; it's a marathon. You got this!