If you’re setting up your online stream, be it on Twitch or elsewhere, there’s a lot more to success than simply having a good setup, being good at video games, or even being particularly entertaining. Streaming is a social hobby, first and foremost, so the steps that you take to foster your sense of community are largely going to be the biggest contributing factor to your success. Here, we’ll look at some ways you can do that.
Play Online Games Together
One of the easiest ways to build links with your community is to focus on playing multiplayer games in your stream. Whether you’re into FPSes, Monster Hunter, MOBAs, or anything else, keeping up with the latest popular online games and finding your niche as someone who plays directly with viewers gives them a way to actively engage with you, and is a great way to build some unique bonds.
Build Your Inside Jokes
A strong community thrives on shared language and experiences. Over time, you can create inside jokes or recurring references that only your regular viewers will understand. These jokes can come from moments in your streams, funny things that happen during gameplay, or interactions with your audience in chat. The more you nurture these inside jokes, the more your community feels like a close-knit group with its own culture. Viewers will feel like they belong to something special, making them more likely to return and participate.
Start a Discord Server
A Discord server is a powerful tool for building a community outside of your stream. It offers a space where viewers can interact with you and each other even when you’re not live. Discord allows for organized conversations in different channels based on interests, topics, or events. You can host discussions about upcoming streams, games, or off-topic interests like movies and music.
Find community Hobbies
You can get involved with the community beyond gaming itself. Discord can be an excellent place to organize these, such as by watching movies or shows with your community on days when you’re not streaming. Browser-based games like Wordle, Quordle, or Guessthegame can be a great thing to bring the community together. You can everyone put together their answers and then show the optimal strategy with a Quordle solver. You can even keep little tallies to see who is getting the best results overall.
Network with Like-Minded Streamers
Collaborating with other streamers is a great way to grow your community. Networking with fellow streamers who share similar interests or audiences can lead to cross-promotion and joint activities. Hosting streams together, participating in raids, or creating joint events introduces your community to new people while strengthening bonds with your existing audience. Don’t try to go it alone, streamers who tend to work with others tend to do the best.
The act of fostering a community is something that largely happens organically and over time. Don’t try to force it too hard, just keep working at it as you go. As soon as you start getting viewers, start building that connection.
